Town have few worries ahead of the clash with Charlton at Portman Road. Several players have missed training this week, but all are expected to be in the running for places. The biggest worry was Jim Magilton, but an X-ray earlier in the week showed that there was no serious problem with his ankle injury. Mark Venus has also suffered with an ankle injury, while Richard Naylor has again felt pain from his knees. This has led to speculation that James Scowcroft could be offered a recall up front with Marcus Stewart. Titus Bramble, left out of the England U21 squad yesterday, looks likely to be on the bench for Town while Mark Venus and John McGreal continue to impress at the centre of defence.
Charlton may field new signing Mark Fish who has left our play-off foes followed by the expected whinge from Sam Allardyce. The Bolton manager said he was unimpressed with Fish's attitude in his last few games for the Trotters which makes you wonder why he picked him.
Also included in the Charlton side will be another Bolton man, Town's summer target Claus Jensen and former Colchester United man Mark Kinsella. Jensen chose Charlton above Town as his girlfriend preferred to live in London, while Kinsella was managed by Burley at Colchester and was a player the Town manager wanted to bring to Town. Sadly at that time the Town wage bill was too high and midfielders weren't a priority.
Town striker David Johnson has an old mate in the Charlton line-up. He always enjoys facing Dean Kiely and would certainly love to get his first Premier League goal against the man he scored his last Nationwide League goal against.