Hollands and Hughes

Players contracts has been a topic of supporter’s conversation all season. Charlton won’t be alone in having a scratch squad left after June 1st, and I am sure there will be a record number of professionals available on free transfers.

With the loan players gone, Charlton have 18 players out of contract plus the coaching team of Alex Dyer, Damian Matthews, Karel Fraeye and Jose Riga all contract-less after June 1st.

Today Andy Hughes officially left the club, this on the back of Danny Green and Danny Hollands also moving on, although these two yet to be confirmed by the club.

Hughes and Holland will leave with fond memories. Danny was fundamental in our promotion to The Championship playing in 46 games and the box to box midfielder played with a big heart. I also sponsored his shirt for two seasons and he is a gracious and everyday bloke. A move to Portsmouth would be idea.

Hughesy will be missed, and his influence around the club and particularly with the younger players should not be underestimated. I personally think he was pivotal between the time when Powell left and Riga joined, in keeping the spirit and the focus alive. A certain future coach or manager Andy deserves one more season back nearer his family playing in as many games as possible.

Of the 15 players remaining Ceddy Evina has made clear his intentions to find a new club amd Bradley Jordan, Oliver Muldoon, Harry Osborne and Kevin Feely have yet to make a first team appearance. Feely has been on loan at Newport County, scoring on the final day and midfielder Jordan at Forest Green Rovers. 

Young striker Ade Azeez, with one sub’s appearance to his name has been at the Daggers and bagged a couple of goals.

Mark Gower, Jordan Cook and Richard Wood all have their deals end on June 1st as does Bradley Pritchard, who completely dropped off the radar. Leon Cort spent almost the entire season on the sidelines but I would hope that Ben Hamer, Michael Morrison, Dorian Dervite and Diego Poyet are all convinced to stay.

It is widely thought that Alex Dyer will move on and await Chris Powell’s next move, but Damian Matthews will stay. There are so far unfounded rumours that Riga’s assistant Karel Fraeye has another job within Duchatelet’s network and Jose Riga’s future we all wait on.

It always amazes me that players get signed, retained and shown the door by clubs even though they are managerless, and Andy Hughes said that it was ‘Katrien Meire and the club’ that handled his exit. Personally I hope Riga is asked to stay and is given the tools and authority to rebuild the side and then he is allowed to convince the out of contract players that he wants, to stay.