'Immense' Portsmouth defender a stand-out performer in first Charlton start - two months after deadline day loan move
Tom McIntyre made a ‘superb’ impression on Charlton Athletic fans after he was handed his full debut by the Addicks against Mansfield Town on Tuesday night.
The on-loan Pompey centre-back has been finding regular game time at The Valley hard to come by following his move until the end of the season during the January transfer window.
But given Nathan Jones’ side are on a superb run of 12 wins from 16 games - form that has propelled them from 12th in the League One table to fourth – that’s completely understandable.
A rare opportunity for McIntyre to find himself in the Charlton starting XI presented itself at Mill Field, with fellow centre-half Lloyd Jones unable to travel because of a calf injury.
With the 25-year-old’s last competitive start coming in Pompey’s FA Cup defeat to Wycombe on January 10, the call-up represented a huge moment in what has largely been a frustrating season to date.
Yet the former Reading man stepped up to the role in style as he helped the promotion-chasing Addicks claim a 2-1 win while putting himself in contention for man-of-the-match honours.
Tyreece Campbell, who scored the visitors’ 74th-minute winner against the Stags, ultimately claimed that prize following a poll on Charlton’s official X account.
Yet McIntyre was named runner-up as he demonstrated the qualties that prompted Jones to bring him to south London for their promotion push, with Addicks fans lauding his very first start for the club after six cameo appearances off the bench.
Here’s a selection of those views shared on X as the Blues defender enjoyed a full debut to remember…
@GeorgeMurfet_: Missed Jones’ leadership at times but footballing wise he put a great shift in. Really impressive with the lack of football he’s had this season.
@IanRobb84: Superb performance deputising for Jones.
@AlCAFC1905: Massive 3 points. Don't care we it wasn't pretty we need the 3 points. They had me worried coz they played well. Well done McIntyre on first 90mins. Done really well.
@mightymitch2007: Brilliant performance, really had to dig in there. McIntyre was superb as were all of them.
@owencafc1417: He was immense tonight.
@lewis_cafc05: He was brilliant tonight, big boots to fill and he done well.
@rustos3911: McIntyre 100 percent.
@Bazzer198197612: MOM tonight to come in and perform like that.
@Martin477857067: Great game, outstanding.
@MillerFred87032: Was great even though he’s left footed playing on the right.
@georgiabu1: Great result and only 6 points off second… starting to give me hope again. Mcintyre did a superb job filling in for Jones.
@BenH93_: Tom McIntyre MOTM. It isn’t easy to come into the middle of back 3. What a win.
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It’s not clear how long Lloyd Jones – who has started 32 league games for Charlton this season – will be out for. However, boss Nathan Jones stressed the calf injury suffered was not serious, with his absence on Tuesday night purely precautionary.
Regardless, McIntyre’s performance against Mansfield will surely give him greater hope of featuring more regularly over Charlton’s remaining six games of the season - and during a likely play-off campaign.
Up until Tuesday night, his six substitute appearances for Charlton had granted him just 43 minutes on the pitch. In total, the centre-back has made 20 appearances this term – 13 of which have come for parent club Pompey.
It won’t be near as many outings the Scotland under-21 international would have wanted. However, it’s easy to forget he only returned to the Pompey ranks in September after breaking his ankle on his Fratton Park debut in February of last year.
And even then he was thrown straight into the mix alongside Regan Poole – who had only just returned from an ACL injury – as the Blues coped with injuries to Conor Shaughnessy and Ibane Bowat.
McIntyre was eventually replaced by midfielder Marlon Pack in the centre of defence, with his last league game for John Mousinho’s side coming against Derby on December 13.
The defender is contracted to Pompey until 2026. Charlton are at home to Lincoln on Saturday.
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