How much League One promotion is worth to Charlton Athletic as Birmingham City and Wrexham hunted down

Charlton Athletic have now won five of their six League One matches in a rampant run of form that has come at just the right time in the season to earmark the Addicks as real promotion contenders.

Nathan Jones’ side sit fourth in the table and look destined for a shot at the play-offs, if not even automatic promotion. Charlton Athletic are six points ahead of seventh placed Bolton Wanderers and only four points off second-placed Wrexham.

While a potential trip to Wembley Stadium could be an iconic day out for Addicks supporters, Jones will have his sights set on catching Wrexham in a head-turning promotion push that would avoid the drama of the play-offs.

Charlton Athletic ‘tunnel vision’ on promotion

Speaking after the 2-1 win against Wigan Athletic at The Valley on Saturday, the former Southampton and Luton Town boss said: " We're building something special here.

"I like to enjoy the moments like this where we get these big wins. The place was bouncing at the end. It's all about driving on and looking forward now, tunnel vision in everything we do.”

Promotion to the Championship is at the front of minds for Addicks supporters and a return to the second tier would certainly be lucrative for the London outfit. The club hasn’t played Championship football since 2020 and has spent the last five seasons in League One.

London rivals Leyton Orient are also in with the chance of a play-off spot. Richie Wellens’ side sit ninth in the table, five points off the top six. The O’s beat Blackpool 2-1 away from home last weekend, ending a run of five matches without a win.

Birmingham City look to be runaway league winners with 83 points on the board already in an impressive campaign following a big summer of spending after relegation from the Championship. Between Wycombe Wanderers in third place and Leyton Orient in ninth are Stockport County, Huddersfield Town, Bolton Wanderers and Reading, as well as the Addicks.

How much League One promotion is worth to Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient

As per 90min last season, the winner of the League One play offs do not receive any extra payments but that success can be lucrative with the financial injection that comes from playing in the Championship. There’s some debate over the actual sum that gets offered, with plenty discussion over the New Deal with the Premier League, but it is around as follows.

When basic awards are combined with solidarity payments from the Premier League, League One clubs receive around £1.4 million at the start of the season. That figure rises to in between £6 million and £7 million for Championship sides, which could represent an immediate £5 million boost for Charlton Athletic or any rival winning promotion.

The Athletic breaks those figures down to League One clubs receiving £780,000 in solidarity payments and £950,000 from the EFL central income - which would come to more like £1.7 million. For the Championship sides, it’s £5.19 million in solidarity money and £3.92 million in central income - coming to £9.1 million.

Even if Charlton Athletic, Leyton Orient or rivals were to achieve promotion to the Championship and then come straight back down to League One, they would benefit from a parachute payment too. The clubs relegated from the Championship receive around £3.2 million, which is partly what helped to fund the Birmingham City summer of spending last year.

In other news, this is how Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient fare in a new predicted League One table.