Charlton Athletic must be fearing cruel Leyton Orient reminder ahead of League One play-off final | OneFootball

The Addicks will face the O's at Wembley on Sunday for a place in the Championship next season.

Charlton Athletic will face Leyton Orient at Wembley on Sunday afternoon in the League One play-off final.

The Addicks are looking to return to the Championship for the first time since they were relegated in 2020, while the O's could be playing in the second tier for the first time since 1982 if they win promotion this weekend.

Charlton finished with seven more points than their East London opponents during the regular season, but that will count for nothing at Wembley with both sides in excellent form going into the game - Nathan Jones' side have lost just one of their last 10 games, while Orient are unbeaten in eight.

It is the first time that Charlton have reached the play-offs since they were relegated to League One five years ago, so they will no doubt be desperate to return to the Championship with a victory on Sunday.

It would be a real blow for the Addicks if they do suffer defeat, especially considering they need to win promotion to be in the best position to keep hold of their key players, and it could be an even more bitter pill to swallow given their opponents.

Orient have ex-Charlton players in their squad

The 2024/25 campaign is the fifth consecutive season in which Charlton have tried to win promotion back to the Championship, with there being plenty of players who have tried and failed to be the ones to take the Addicks back into the second tier.

Interestingly, Leyton Orient have a few former Charlton players in their current squad, so it would serve as a cruel reminder to the Addicks if they lose on Sunday, especially if one of their ex-players pops up with a big moment.

Orient captain Darren Pratley spent three seasons at The Valley between 2018 and 2021, before he was released after Charlton finished seventh in League One at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

The 40-year-old was part of the side that beat Sunderland in the League One play-off final in 2019, so he knows what it takes to win promotion to the Championship at Wembley.

Sean Clare played for Charlton for two seasons between 2021 and 2023, as the Addicks finished 13th and 10th in consecutive League One campaigns.

He was released in the summer of 2023 before signing for Wigan Athletic, and he now has the opportunity to show his former club what they are missing by reaching the Championship at their expense with Leyton Orient.

Diallang Jaiyesimi joined Charlton from Swindon Town when the South London club activated his six-figure release clause in January 2021. The winger spent time on loan at AFC Wimbledon and St Johnstone during an unsuccessful spell in SE7, so he would not be the first choice for Charlton supporters if they had to pick a player to score against them on Sunday.

The 27-year-old has not featured in the play-offs so far, but he did come off the bench away at Huddersfield Town on the final day of the regular season, so he could have a part to play this weekend.

Versatile defender Rarmani Edmonds-Green is the fourth ex-Charlton player who is part of Leyton Orient's squad, after he moved to Brisbane Road for an undisclosed fee in January of this year.

Charlton will hope to avoid cruel Leyton Orient reminder

It would be ironic if the four players who Charlton deemed not good enough to be part of a promotion-chasing squad at The Valley contributed to them staying in the third tier at Wembley on Sunday.

Nathan Jones will no doubt have faith in his current players, who have delivered an outstanding campaign in SE7, but plenty of those associated with Charlton must be fearing that they could be given a cruel reminder by a few players they used to support this weekend.