Charlton Athletic vs Preston North End early team and injury news as 7 out and 3 doubts

Preston North End’s Gentry Day for 2025/26 takes place this weekend, at Charlton Athletic.

The Lilywhites have five games remaining to try and finish as high up the Championship table as possible. They go into the clash at The Valley sitting 14th, while Nathan Jones’ men are four places lower down - in what is the Addicks’ first campaign back in the second tier.

Charlton picked up one point over the Easter weekend, drawing at Watford after a narrow home defeat to Bristol City. Paul Heckingbottom’s side, of course, drew both their games against Leicester City and QPR.

Around two thousand PNE fans will be in attendance on Saturday, as they wear bowler hats and suits to mark Gentry Day. Those who’ve been lost over the last year will be remembered and Heckingbottom, in his second season, hopes his team can top off the occasion.

"I like the fact it's an away day as well,” he told the Lancashire Post. “To win away from home, I think, is really special at any time because you've got your die-hard fans, you've gone to someone else's patch, you've turned them over and you celebrate together.

"I think it's always really strong that, and I enjoy that. So, if we could manage to do it on another special day, which is pretty unique and one the club should be proud of, the fans should be proud of... it's that little bit extra motivation."

Here is the team news from both camps...

Preston North End

The Lilywhites will welcome Jordan Thompson back from his three-match suspension, while hoping Odel Offiah has shaken off the hamstring complaint which forced him off at half time on Monday.

Heckingbottom says Ali McCann, Callum Lang and Robbie Brady are all progressing from their respective injuries and should feature before the end of the season. But, this one will probably come too soon for them all. Jamal Lewis is out for the campaign.

Out: Ali McCann, Callum Lang, Robbie Brady. Doubt: Odel Offiah

Charlton Athletic

Thomas Kaminski, Reece Burke and Josh Edwards are absent due to injury. Conor Coady will also sit out as he observes concussion protocols. Striker Miles Leaburn is said to be back in contention from his ankle issue, while Collins Sichenje is ‘back on the grass’.

Ahead of the game, Jones said: “Three of the last four home games we have lost, which is unlike us. The performance levels have been there. We have had enough chances to have had won all the home games and it is disappointing.

"On the face of it, we had eight games left, five at home and three away, and we thought we could finish the season really strongly, but it hasn’t panned out that way. Our home form used to be fantastic.

“We are used to playing well at home, the crowd have been magnificent. The crowd on Monday was outstanding, they were the most vocal. It was a fantastic away performance from them and we want that again this weekend... we want to put it right.”

Out: Thomas Kaminski, Reece Burke, Josh Edwards, Conor Coady. Doubt: Collins Sichenje, Miles Leaburn

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