Burton Albion and Charlton Athletic are back in League One action this weekend at the Pirelli Stadium with the home side hovering just above the relegation zone in what is another mediocre season for Charlton.
It's yet another campaign where the Addicks are failing to put together a run towards the playoffs. At the same time, relegation is closer to being on the cards than anything for Charlton, but the gap is seven points on the bottom three. With a gap of 19 on the top six, however, it would take nothing short of a miracle and a lengthy winning run for Charlton to get into the playoffs come April.
Worse yet, the London side have not won a game in 2024, and you actually have to go all the way back to the end of November - 10 games ago - to see Charlton's last win. They managed to beat Cheltenham Town 2-1 that day with a brace from Alfie May, as he scored a goal in either half from the penalty spot.
The Addicks would lose in the FA Cup second round to League Two's Gillingham shortly after that win before even losing to League One strugglers, Reading, in the Football League Trophy.
Draws with Cambridge United, Barnsley and even Burton would follow, but a 1-0 loss to Leyton Orient and 2-1 defeats to Oxford United and Bristol Rovers came soon after. The only point on the board for Chalton in January is away to Port Vale in a thrilling 3-3 draw, as they lost back at The Valley last weekend to Peterborough United.
As for Burton, they are once again in the middle of a tense relegation fight. However, the gap is currently five points on Cheltenham in 22nd with them winning only one more game than the Robins. This does also mean just a two-point gap on Charlton up in 13th.
Burton do have a terrible record of just 23 goals scored this season, which is fewer than Charlton by 17, while only Exeter City, Shrewsbury Town and Cheltenham have bagged fewer. Just like the Addicks, however, the Brewers have still also failed to get a win in 2023 after a 1-1 draw with Wycombe Wanderers earlier in the year, a 1-0 loss to Bolton Wanderers on New Year's Day, a 2-1 defeat in the EFL Trophy away to Blackpool and a recent defeat to Derby County earlier in the week.