No Feeling, No Love – Nathan Jones Cites Southampton To Underline Charlton Unity | OneFootball

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Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones has revealed that he felt unwanted at Southampton, which was part of the reason why he did not celebrate the EFL Cup win against Manchester City in 2023.

Before joining Charlton, Jones landed a Premier League job with Southampton in November 2022, which lasted for only 14 games, as he was sacked due to poor league form in February 2023.

It was suggested senior players at Saints were unhappy with him, while Jones then suggested he had compromised his style of play too much.

The highlight of that small period in charge of Southampton for Jones was his triumph against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side, who later on went on to win the treble that season, in the EFL Cup quarter-final at St Mary’s in January, where they won 2-0.

Jones got back into management after taking the Charlton job in 2024 and last season he guided the Addicks back to the Championship.

While Southampton are in the bottom half of the Championship table after recently sacking Will Still, Charlton are flying high under the Welsh tactician, and on Tuesday night they registered a last-minute win at the Valley against West Brom, which Jones celebrated by jumping into the crowd as the Addicks faithful embraced him with open arms.

Jones stated that he has been to places where people did not want him to be there and remarked that although his win against Manchester City was a significant one, he did not celebrate with the Southampton crowd as he felt no love at that club.

He contrasted that to Charlton where he feels a real unity and love from the Addicks faithful.

When asked about his celebration with the fans, Jones told Charlton Athletic’s in-house media (4:30): “Look, it is wonderful; you have to enjoy those moments because look, I have been in tough spots.

“I have been in places where the fans did not even want me there, so I was not jumping into the crowd.

“I remember us [Southampton] beating Manchester City 2-0, which teams don’t do.

“Man City did not have a shot on target.

“I think in seven years we were the only team to stop Manchester City and I did not celebrate the goal because the people that were around me did not want me there. 

“So I had no feeling, no love there, but here, there is a unity, there is a desire to do something.

“They keep cheering till the end; they are brilliant and then you have players that really want to do something and it is brilliant, and I love it.

“This feels like home.”

Charlton are set to face Wrexham at the weekend before Jones prepares his team to face his former club Southampton after the upcoming international break.

It remains to be seen if Saints will have a boss in place when Jones’ Charlton lock horns with them.