Nigel Adkins appointed new Charlton Athletic manager – with AFC Wimbledon his first match in charge

Nigel Adkins has been appointed Charlton Athletic’s new manager.

The former Southampton, Scunthorpe, Reading and Hull City boss has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Addicks owner Thomas Sandgaard has moved quickly to replace Lee Bowyer, who resigned on Monday to take charge at Birmingham City.

Adkins will be in the dugout for Saturday’s League One derby at AFC Wimbledon.

The 56-year-old has won four promotions in a 13-year managerial career, including back-to-back ones with the Saints as they reached the Premier League in 2012.

Adkins said: “It’s a really exciting opportunity for me – something that has happened very quickly. I’m really pleased to be here and am looking forward to meeting the players and getting started.

“I had a conversation with Thomas and he highlighted where he wants this club to go. It’s an exciting and long-term vision. Getting to the Premier League is something that we all want and something that I have done before. I want to achieve that again.

“The team got a great result on Tuesday night and now we need to keep driving on together, because we have got a chance of winning promotion this season.”

Sandgaard added: “What I am doing with all the building blocks I am putting in place is slowly increasing the probability that we will win games. The rest of what happens is decided when the whistle is blown and the game starts. Everything I do on the inside, the infrastructure of the club and now with the new manager is to increase the probability that we’ll end up in the Premier League.”

Sandgaard and Adkins will speak to the press at 3pm on Thursday afternoon in the latter’s first press conference in charge at the club.