Greg Docherty is acutely aware that Charlton face a decisive three‑match stretch as they wrap up their inaugural season back in the Championship, fighting to stay clear of an immediate drop to League One. "We know exactly where we sit in the table," the captain told Sky Sports in an exclusive interview ahead of Wednesday's showdown with promotion‑chasing Ipswich at The Valley.
That fixture is the first of two consecutive home games, the second a clash with another top‑six side, Hull City – the club where Docherty began his professional career – scheduled for Saturday, before a final‑day trip to Swansea. Going into the mid‑week fixtures, Charlton sit six points above the bottom three. While there is a lingering sense of caution, the Addicks retain control of their own destiny.
Yet a six‑game winless run – all three points in that spell earned from away draws – has added a layer of nervousness to the mix. Ipswich, however, own the poorest away record among the top ten Championship clubs, and Charlton are the only team to have beaten Kieran McKenna's side at Portman Road this season. Docherty explained: "I go into Wednesday's game knowing they have something to play for, but we have plenty of motivation as well. The victory at Portman Road was a massive confidence boost and proved we can compete against strong opposition." He continued, "You could argue we have let ourselves down a little by not winning more since then, but we have remained competitive.
Those fine margins matter, and that day we seized ours. What we have lacked recently, especially at home, is the ability to put the ball in the net." "We've created countless chances, and the longer a drought continues, the more it starts to affect the squad's mindset," he said. "We haven't distributed goals across the team as well as we could this season.
It's not a lack of effort or creativity – we're up against quality sides, and in the last six games we haven't delivered a full 90‑minute performance." "In those brief periods when we falter, the league punishes us mercilessly – that's the brutality of the Championship," Docherty added. He stressed his belief in the team's ability: "We know we have beaten Ipswich before and we will respect them, but coming into a home game the outcome is in our hands. The mood in the dressing room stays positive as we head into the match." Charlton's promotion last season was built on a strong finish under Nathan Jones, with play‑off wins over Wycombe and Leyton Orient.
This campaign, the Addicks have secured eight league victories at The Valley and drawn four times, two of those draws coming against fellow top‑six clubs Millwall and Coventry. The Championship is notorious for its unpredictability, and Charlton have a habit of snatching points from bigger teams – a trend they hope to repeat in the coming days.
"We relish the challenge of facing quality players and top clubs," Docherty said. "Ipswich are pushing high up the table, and we want to make a statement as well." He reflected on the journey: "We fought hard to earn our place in this league last year, to experience these moments, to feel the pressure and play for something meaningful. Now I want to improve our home record.
Our recent home form hasn't been as strong as it should be, and that hurts us as players and disappoints the fans. Ultimately we just want to get back to winning games regularly." As captain, Docherty has been expected to lead by example.
He currently shares the team lead in assists with three, while also topping the tackle chart with 47, branding himself an all‑round midfielder. He admitted, "I have a reputation for the gritty side of the game, and I enjoy that as much as scoring. But I also want to contribute more at the attacking end. The manager has been working with me on that, and I've pushed myself to take that next step." "I feel I started the season well, hit a small dip in the middle, and am now finishing strong.
I'm happy with my personal performance, but true satisfaction comes when the club succeeds as a whole. I will do everything I can to help us win more matches because I believe we should have won more by now." Docherty acknowledged the difficulty of the league: "It's easy to say we need more wins, but the evidence is there.
The Championship is a very tough competition, and the experiences we gather this season will serve us well next year." Looking ahead, both Docherty and Charlton hope the 2026/27 season remains in the Championship, fully aware that narrow margins and a solid home record will be essential to securing that goal.