Former Swindon Town And Lincoln City Players Among Possible Departures From Charlton Athletic

Conor McGrandles joins Cambridge on loan | Charlton Athletic Football Club

Three players are highlighted as potential departures from the club. Conor McGrandles, Jack Payne and Charlie Kirk are suggested to potentially leave on either a loan or permanent deal.

McGrandles joined the club on a free transfer following his release from fellow League One side Lincoln City and has since struggled to stake a claim in the squad. When Dean Holden was appointed, he was out with an injury with the new boss opting to send him out on loan to Cambridge United upon his return. He performed well as Mark Bonner’s side avoided relegation and confirmed their status as a League One club. However, he was still unable to gain a place in the Addicks starting line-up at the start of the season despite the team’s poor form.

Payne joined at a similar time to McGrandles but from League Two Swindon Town. He was one of several players who followed boss Ben Garner to The Valley as part of his rebuild of the squad. He has since appeared 54 times for the Addicks scoring on seven occasions but has found his game time more limited this season having been left on the bench against Oxford United and Leyton Orient as well as only appearing as a late cameo in their 3-2 defeat by Port Vale.

Conor McGrandles: Cambridge United sign Charlton midfielder on loan for rest of season - BBC Sport

Kirk joined the club in 2021 and has since been on loan at Blackpool and Burton Albion and has only made three appearances this season, with a combined 13 minutes of League One football this campaign as he was left out of the squad entirely for Dean Holden’s final match in charge.

Writer’s View

These are all quality players that for one reason or another are deemed surplus to requirements. It’s unusual to see the club continue to actively try and push them out the door despite there being no new manager in situ. It is clear the club want to make moves in the final days of the window and perhaps they need to shed some money off the wage bill to be able to complete the deals they want? Both Payne and McGrandles were in high demand prior to joining the club so I suspect there will be no end of suitors.