“It’s hard to see” when Charlton Athletic can anticipate Harvey Knibbs to start games.
After defeating Leyton Orient in last season’s League One play-off final at Wembley, the Addicks made their first appearance in the second division since 2020 under Nathan Jones, and they are already starting to establish themselves.
After gaining a thrilling point away at Bristol City and winning all three points against Watford in their opening match of the 2025–26 season, Charlton has subsequently endured heartbreaking losses to Leicester City and QPR. Their ability to overcome hardship will be put to the test for the first time in the division, and Nathan Jones will be certain that his team has what it takes to win the most points when they play Millwall next. The Addicks signed ten new players during the summer transfer window, including Reading’s Harvey Knibbs, an offensive midfielder.
The 26-year-old, however, has not started for the team since arriving; he has appeared on the bench in each of their four league games, creating concerns about when he will be given his first opportunity. In light of this, a Charlton Athletic analyst for FLW has shared his predictions on Knibbs’ potential time to contribute to the starting lineup. Charlton Athletic supporter Sam White, who believes the attacking midfielder will be a vital asset over the winter when injuries affect the team, cited Harvey Knibbs’ poor “match sharpness” as the cause of his lack of starts in an interview with Football League World.
Sam stated: “It’s clear that Harvey Knibbs hasn’t had any preseason and is having trouble staying fit. It’s remarkable how rapidly football players lose their fitness over the course of six weeks or two months, but once he regains his fitness and some match-readyness, I believe he will be a starter. But it’s difficult to discern who he starts over and where he fits in. “Do you substitute Harvey Knibbs with your captain in (Greg) Docherty? Not likely. It’s likely to be Sonny Carey because you won’t be dropping Conor Coventry, but it will be intriguing to see because he’s performed admirably thus far and has a strong relationship with Rob Apter.
“Is he prepared to enter the starting lineup? I believe he’s someone for the Christmas season and, of course, January and February, when injuries happen, but probably not, as I say, due to fitness and a lack of droppable choices.” Even though Harvey Knibbs has only been substituted for brief periods of time this season, he has already shown that he can impact games, especially when he scored the game-winning goal against Watford.
After being thrown into the deep end without a preseason, it makes sense that he has been eased into action. The more he trains, the more fit he will become, and the international break is a crucial time that should see him get more minutes from the bench going forward. Knibbs’ only option for now is to continue making an impression when called upon from the sidelines; if he keeps up his hard work and makes an impact, he will eventually be given starts.
Given that managers are cutting and switching teams to cope with the demanding schedule of a second-tier season, as FLW’s Charlton Athletic fan pundit hinted, the winter months might be the time for him to establish himself. Jones needs to start using Knibbs soon so that the goals can keep coming from the top end of the pitch. Knibbs’ ability to get on the ball and be a creative spark in the final third will help Charlton survive their first season back in the Championship.
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