4 Charlton Athletic players we are surprised didn’t leave last month
Charlton became the first team to sack their manager in the Football League and other boardroom decisions means their season has nosedived…
Charlton’s season has already gone awry before it’s even properly begun.
A win on the opening day had fans in good spirits, but four consecutive losses in the league – against opponents such as Bristol Rovers, Port Vale and Oxford United – saw Dean Holden sacked at the end of August, with the club gaining just three points from five games.
It’s far from ideal in terms of a start, and new signings must be wondering just what is happening at The Valley. But whilst the window is shut, there is a large nucleus of the squad that fans will be happy to have seen stay – and others that will face questions as to why they’re still in the playing ranks. Football League World takes a look at four stars who fall in that bracket.
Miles Leaburn
Leaburn is just 19 years old, but he had a huge breakthrough season last time out at the Valley.
Being released by Chelsea aged 16, the striker has been at the Valley since, and his 12 goals in last season’s campaign saw him stand out as one of the better players in south-east London despite a generally disappointing season.
It surely won’t be long until teams are looking at taking him on to develop – and even last season, former Addicks defender Steve Brown claimed that fellow London side Brentford should target Leaburn, saying: “I am surprised Brentford haven’t come down and had a look at Miles Leaburn, as that is the type of player that they go for, someone who catches the eye.
“He is young and will have a sell-on value if they are happy to coach him up. He is not the finished article but has enough assets.
“Miles would be ahead of where Ollie Watkins was, I can promise you. I am watching him and every week he is getting better and better. If he can learn to pin defenders and hold them off at 6ft 5in – he has got some serious assets.”
Charlie Kirk
Kirk earned his big move to the capital in 2021 after breaking through the ranks at Crewe Alexandra, making his debut aged just 18 for the Cheshire outfit.
But it hasn’t quite happened for him at The Valley. Just eight appearances in his first season saw him join Blackpool on loan, whilst a half-season last campaign saw him join Burton Albion in January.
Three appearances this season in the league – despite the club being managerless – have seen him on the fringes, but other players being ahead of him means that his career could well be stalling.
Scott Fraser
Fraser is a player that deserves a shot in the Championship, without doubt. He made his name in England at Burton Albion, though it was his campaign at MK Dons in 2020-21 that really got the ball rolling with 14 goals in the league.
A nine-goal haul from last season has seen the Scot become a top player at third-tier level, and aged 28, it almost seems like a ‘now or never’ approach to his career if he’s to play in as high a league as possible.
Deji Elerewe
Elewere is just nineteen years of age, but despite two separate loan spells in the National League last season, a step-up to the third-tier is likely to be too big.
He’s made one appearance this season for the Addicks, but with the signing of Tayo Edun, there is another left-back ahead of him in the pecking order.
If he is to continue his development, a League Two loan would have been all but ideal to press on and challenge when the time is right.
