Sheffield Wednesday set to do battle against Charlton Athletic’ 'bogey man' - Darren Moore's former teammate

Sheffield Wednesday are hoping to get one over on a man that seems to have had the wood over them across his career this afternoon.
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Charlton Athletic manager Johnnie Jackson is no fresh name to Owls fans, who watched him score a handful of vital goals against them. Indeed, the former Addicks skipper played 16 times against Wednesday – more than any other team.

He’s no stranger to Wednesday boss Darren Moore, either. 17 years ago Jackson, a young midfield prospect at Tottenham Hotspur, spent time on loan with Derby County and found Moore the teammate.

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This afternoon’s clash at Hillsborough will be the first time the two men meet in the dugout after Jackson took over from former Sheffield United boss Nigel Adkins in December.

Charlton Athletic manager Johnnie Jackson enjoyed some success against Sheffield Wednesday as a player.Charlton Athletic manager Johnnie Jackson enjoyed some success against Sheffield Wednesday as a player.
Charlton Athletic manager Johnnie Jackson enjoyed some success against Sheffield Wednesday as a player.

“He was an exciting player with wonderful ability and a great eye for goal,” Moore told The Star ahead of the fixture. “He had a really good career and has taken that into management.

“He’s somebody with wonderful ideas, he sees the game well. He was the right man for where Charlton were at in terms of needing that stability and that consistency. He’s a really popular figure down there and they’ve got a lot of trust in him.”

Charlton arrive on the back of four consecutive defeats and with injury issues almost reaching the heights of those at Wednesday in recent weeks.

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Moore said: “I know he’s had a couple of results that have not been favourable in the last few weeks but in terms of a trained eye and where they’re at, they’ve got a wonderful identity and they’re building that week-in, week-out.

“They have some wonderful individuals coming to Hillsborough and we have to be ready. It’ll be an exciting game, both teams trying to get the ball down and play.”

Jackson, then assistant manager at The Valley, grew a following during lockdown for videos he posted of himself singing and playing the guitar, suggesting there’s something in the water down there after owner Thomas Sandgaard treated travelling Wednesdayites to a guitar solo before the first game of the season.

Moore missed Jackson’s singer-songwriter efforts but has designs on a private showing after a hard-earned three points.

“He’ll have to give me a little sing-song tomorrow in the office after the game,” he laughed.