Charlton won the play-off final 1–0 against Leyton Orient to gain promotion to the Championship, the first time in this league since their relegation in 2020.[1]
Reading who finished three points off 6th place and the final play-off spot lost out to Leyton Orient on the final day as Reading lost 3-2 to Barnsley and Orient won 4-1 away to Huddersfield Town with Reading around the playoffs from 26 October 2024 until the end of season with draws in March against Crawley Town (away), Stevenage (home) and Northampton Town (away) costing them a place in the play-offs but they were taken over by American attorney and businessman Rob Couhig who previously owned Wycombe Wanderers on 14 May 2025 to end their turmoil under former Dai Yongge who took over after the 2017 EFL Championship play-off final.[2][3]Charlton Athletic finished the regular 2024–25 season in fourth place in EFL League One, the third tier of the English football league system, two places and seven points ahead of Leyton Orient. Both, therefore, missed out on the two automatic places for promotion to the EFL Championship and instead took part the play-offs to determine the third promoted team. Charlton finished seven points behind Wrexham (who were promoted in second place) and 26 behind league winners Birmingham City. They finished a point a head of Wycombe Wanderers, their opponents in the play-off semi-final. Leyton Orient finished nine points behind Stockport County, their semi-final opponents.[4]
The first leg between Wycombe Wanderers and Charlton took place at Adams Park on 11 May. The finished in a 0–0 draw.[5]
On 10 May, Leyton Orient played Stockport County at Brisbane Road drawing 2–2. Charlie Kelman put Orient ahead in the 30th minute scoring from an Omar Beckles assist and Oliver Norwood then equalised for County in the 60th minute with a penalty kick for a handball by Rarmani Edmonds-Green and Fraser Horsfall then put the visitors ahead in the 65th minute from a Norwood cross. Kelman then equalised for the hosts in the 88th minute with another penalty kick for another handball by Horsfall.[6]
Charlton then played their second leg against Wycombe Wanderers on 15 May at The Valley winning 1–0. Matt Godden scored the sole goal in the 81st minute to give Charlton a 1–0 on the night and a 1–0 victory on aggregate. This sent them to their first play-off final since the 2019 EFL League One play-off final where they beat Sunderland 2–1.[7]
In the 13th minute, Ethan Galbraith missed a right-footed shot from outside the box after an assist from Jordan Brown. In the 19th minute, Ollie O'Neill had a shot blocked for Orient after an assist from Jamie Donley. In the 29th minute, Tyreece Campbell won a free-kick for Charlton which Macaulay Gillesphey scored to open the scoring in the 31st minute past Orient keeper Josh Keeley. In the 41st minute, Daniel Agyei had a shot blocked for Orient by the Charlton defence after a left-footed shot from the right side of Addicks' box and Rarmani Edmonds-Green missed a header from the centre of Charlton's box after a corner kick from Jamie Donley. In the 44th minute, Ollie O'Neill had has right-footed shot from a difficult angle on the right which was blocked by Charlton's defence and Daniel Agyei then also had his left-footed shot from the centre of the box blocked by the Addicks' defence. In the 45th minute, in the final action of the first half, Alex Gilbert's right-footed shot from outside the Orient box went over the bar.[10]
Second half
In the 55th minute, Jack Currie's left-footed shot from outside the box was blocked by the Charlton defence. In the 58th minute, Jack Currie's left-footed shot from outside the box was again blocked by the Addicks' defence and Jordan Brown's right-footed shot from the centre of the box went over the bar after a corner kick. In the 62nd minute, Charlie Kelman's right-footed shot from outside was blocked by Charlton's defence and Sean Clare's header from the right side of the six-yard box went over the bar after a corner kick by Jamie Donley. In the 66th minute both Jamie Donley and Ollie O'Neill had their shots blocked by the Charlton defence. In the 67th minute, Nathan Jones made Charlton's first two changes of the match with Tennai Watson replacing Thierry Small and Karoy Anderson replacing Alex Gilbert. In the 70th minute, Charlton captainGreg Docherty's right-footed shot from outside of Orient's box was saved in the top centre of the goal by Orient goalkeeper Josh Keeley. In the 74th minute Richie Wellens made Orient's first two changes of the match with Thomas James replacing Sean Clare and Dominic Ball replacing Jordan Brown. In the 78th minute, Ollie O'Neill's left-footed shot from the left side of the box was blocked by Charlton's defence. In the 81st minute, Nathan Jones made another two changes for Charlton with Chuks Aneke replacing Matt Godden and Micah Mbick replacing Tyreece Campbell and in the 82nd minute Richie Wellens made a triple change for Orient with Daniel Happe replacing captainOmar Beckles, Azeem Abdulai replacing Daniel Agyei and Randell Williams replacing Ollie O'Neill. In the 89th minute, Chuks Aneke's right-footed shot from a difficult angle and from long range on the left was saved in the bottom left corner by Orient keeper Josh Keeley. In the 92nd minute, Randell Williams received the match's first yellow card from referee Andrew Kitchen and he also missed a left-footed shot from outside the box which went wide. In the 100th minute, in the final action of the second half and the match, Dan Happe's header from the centre of the box was saved in the top centre of the goal by Charlton keeper Will Mannion. This meant that the match finished in a 1-0 win for the Addicks who were promoted to the 2025-26 EFL Championship keeping Orient in the 2025-26 EFL League One.[11]
Charlton manager Nathan Jones said this to Sky Sports about promotion to the EFL Championship for the following season: "This is euphoria. We've had to battle, we didn't play well. We just defended really well. To win a game here [at Wembley Stadium] and keep a clean sheet, I'm so, so happy. There's also a bit of relief, but the majority is euphoria and pride. This is a good [Leyton] Orient side, and they've hardly had a chance on goal. And that's down to our side. I wanted to build something. That's why I came here [to Charlton Athletic]. It's the first step. Now we kick on".[12]
Orient manager Richie Wellens said in this to BBC Sport in his post-match press conference about losing the final and remaining in EFL League One for the following season: "It's really difficult for me, it's heart-breaking to be honest, it is hard". On player retention for the following season: "Our budget is not like some other clubs. The end of that [first] season, I lost two or three of my best players. Next season, we got promoted, I lost a few more. It's the same every season. Potentially, we're going to lose six or seven now. I am gutted for the supporters but I'm also heartbroken this is the last time I will ever manage this set of players as a collective".[13]
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