Football Season Review

It has been another frustrating season for Charlton Athletic, with off-field problems continuing to hold them back on it. Still smarting from relegation, manager Lee Bowyer struggled to get to grips with the job, made even harder by the global Covid-19 pandemic. The season was only a fortnight old when Thomas Sandgaard completed his takeover of the club. The side were in the play-off picture leading into Christmas but the January transfer window added yet another distraction into a heady mix which led to a poor run of form. Bowyer couldn’t hide his frustrations and when former club Birmingham City came calling in March, he was off. Nigel Adkins was appointed as his successor and made an immediate impact. His overly positive and optimistic outlook might not be for everyone but it seemed to work on his new players, who responded with an impressing run of form to put themselves back in with a shout of the play-offs. Sadly one defeat in ten still wasn’t enough as they missed out on goal difference to Oxford United on the final day of the season. It might be a blessing in disguise with Adkins having the summer to build his own squad. He will have to do it without player-of-the-year Jake Forster-Caskey, who has suffered another serious knee injury. He also needs to replace key loanees in the likes of Akin Famewo and Ian Maatsen, although there is a good chance Jayden Stockley will make his loan move permanent.

Player of the Season: Jake Forster-Caskey