Why former Portsmouth keeper and on-loan Fratton Park defender weren't spotted in epic Charlton v Wycombe play-off decider

Pompey fans checking in on the Charlton v Wycombe Wanderers League One play-off semi-final game on Thursday night all probably had similar thoughts - where’s Will Norris and Tom McIntyre?

Neither player was involved in the pulsating clash at The Valley, which ultimately saw the Addicks book their place in the final against Leyton Orient thanks to Matt Godden’s 81st-minute winner - the only goal that separated the Championship hopefuls over two legs.

That’s despite both only moving to their respective current sides during the January transfer window, when their services were in great demand. Indeed, keeper Norris was allowed to join the Chairboys on a permanent deal after being released by the Blues on a free transfer. Meanwhile, McIntyre was granted a loan move to Nathan Jones’ side as they looked to bolster their ranks ahead of their promotion push over the second half of the season.

The reasons for their absences on Thursday night could not be more contrasting.

Norris, who featured 18 times for Wycombe in the league and kept eight clean sheets following his deadline day move to Adams Park, surprisingly missed out on selection due to illness. That allowed Franco Ravizzoli to start for Mike Dodds’ side for the first time since the keeper’s arrival in early February.

As for McIntyre, his non-appearance was less of an issue, with the defender simply not picked for the match-day squad by former Southampton boss Jones.

Tom McIntyre’s Pompey and Charlton struggles this season

McIntyre moved to The Valley on loan on the same day Norris joined Wycombe, after falling down the pecking order at Fratton Park.

The former Reading defender started 10 Championship games in a row for John Mousinho’s men following his recovery from a broken ankle suffered on his Pompey debut against Northampton on February 3, 2024.

But with the Blues struggling to keep the ball out of their own net, he was axed from the starting XI at the beginning of November and offered only three more appearances before completing his loan switch to Charlton at the beginning of February 2025.

Despite his fresh start, the 26-year-old had to wait for his Addicks debut, which came as an 85th-minute substitute against Exeter on February 22. And it wasn’t until the April 1 trip to Mansfield that the Scot was awarded his first Charlton start, after club captain Lloyd Jones missed out due to injury.

McIntyre’s stand-out performance that night earned him huge praise from Addicks fans and saw him start the next three games.

Yet he hasn’t been seen in a Charlton shirt since the 2-1 win against Northampton on April 18 - a game that saw the Pompey defender give away a first-half penalty when he punched a cross into the box away rather than heading it from danger.

Two unused substitute appearances on the Addicks bench followed. However, on three occasions McIntyre has been left out completely - including both semi-final games against Wycombe.

It remains to be seen if he’ll play any part in Charlton’s play-off final match against the O’s, which will be held at Wembley on May 25.

Will Norris’ career after Pompey

In truth, Norris’ time at Wycombe has been plain sailing in comparison.

Signed after losing his place in the Blues starting XI to Nicolas Schmid, the League One title-winner was an ever-present in the Chairboys’ team up until their trip to south London.

He enjoyed a save percentage of 70.2-percent in the 18 league games he featured - his save percentage rate for Pompey in 2023-24 was 72.1 - and helped Wycombe maintain their play-off push until the end of the regular season.

However, his huge error in the 4-0 loss to Charlton on April 21 showed the 31-year-old wasn’t having it all his own way, with defeat that day seeing Wycombe slip out of the top two.

The Adams Park side then lost their next two games to finish the season in fifth spot - a point and one place worse off than the Addicks, who are now heading to Wembley in the hope of joining champions Birmingham and Wrexham in the Championship next season.

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