Exclusive: David Prutton tips Charlton Athletic to challenge Wrexham and Wycombe Wanderers | OneFootball

David Prutton is confident the Addicks will be in the promotion picture at the end of the season.

Charlton Athletic's resurgence under manager Nathan Jones has been nothing short of remarkable, with the Addicks up to fourth, and EFL pundit David Prutton believes they can challenge Wrexham and Wycombe Wanderers for the automatic promotion places.

With just 10 games remaining and a mere five-point gap to bridge, Charlton finally appear on the verge of a return to the Championship after their impressive climb up the League One standings.

Following a ninth win in 12, Football League World spoke exclusively with former EFL midfielder and pundit David Prutton on if a push to the top two was a realistic prospect for Nathan Jones’ men.

David Prutton identifies "utterly pivotal" moment for Charlton Athletic automatic promotion push

“Jones and Charlton up into fourth - I think there is definite scope for a push for the top two in the final ten games,” Prutton told FLW. “Five points between them and the automatic places.”

“There are big games coming up over the course of the rest of the season, not least in the last three games when you’re looking at the next three games in Wycombe and Wrexham, which could be utterly pivotal to see where they end up and also to see where those two sides teams end up come the end of the season.”

“He’s certainly got them on a roll, I think he’s had the time and the chance to manage and create the club in his own image, get the right people in the right places, and potentially more importantly move people on that didn’t quite fit his vision of what he wanted Charlton to be.

“Undoubtedly a huge club, undoubtedly a huge club that believes itself to be in the wrong division.

“With Nathan at the helm, they’ve got a very realistic attempt at the play-offs, if not, as the original question stated, a push for the top two - which I think is realistic.”

Charlton's promotion push: the final 10-Game sprint to Championship return

As League One enters its decisive final phase, Charlton have positioned themselves strategically for a serious challenge at automatic promotion.

Jones' methodical approach has resulted in a defensively robust unit, as evidenced by their impressive record of 17 clean sheets in the league this season - a foundation upon which successful promotion campaigns are traditionally built.

The current five-point gap to the automatic promotion positions represents a definite challenge, yet remains within reach given the Addicks' recent form of nine victories from their last twelve fixtures.

Tuesday's 1-0 result at Crawley Town, secured through Thierry Small's first-half strike, elevated them to fourth place and demonstrated their capacity to secure crucial points in testing away fixtures.

This weekend presents a significant opportunity in the promotion race, as direct competitors Wycombe and Wrexham face each other, potentially allowing the Addicks’ to reduce the deficit further should they secure a positive result against Wigan Athletic.

For a club with Charlton's historical standing, League One has always appeared to be a temporary residence rather than a permanent home. With critical fixtures against both Wycombe and Wrexham scheduled for late April, these encounters will likely prove decisive in determining whether the South London side secure automatic promotion or compete in the play-offs.

Based on current form and trajectory, Charlton Athletic have established themselves as genuine contenders in the promotion equation as the 2024-25 season approaches its conclusion.