This Chelsea TV film discusses Conor Gallagher's time at Charlton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix7xD0u0DXs
If he'd stay for the season we might have avoided relegation.
Pleased to hear that pitch announcer Brian Cole is on the road to recovery after being seriously ill in hospital.
Jonny Williams discusses how Connor Gallagher benefitted from his stay at Charlton: He's left a man
Much criticism has been directed at Chelsea for his departure, but according to the authoritative Richard Cawley 'It is thought that Chelsea were not pushing for a recall and that it was Gallagher’s representatives who wanted him to join a club that could be involved in the Championship promotion race.'
Richard Cawley of the SLP has tweeted: 'Swansea [Dinas Abertawe] looking to confirm Conor Gallagher deal today. The Welsh club have already landed Rhian Brewster, who had been on Charlton's list of loan targets this window.' So it's a double blow.
The offer of free Welsh lessons for Gallagher may have been decisive. I wonder how much he will like being so far from the bright lights of London, where he is said to have a girl friend.
Richard Cawley has further clarified in response to the Chicago Addick: 'My understanding is that there was to be a loan fee paid for Swansea move and they would pay greater proportion of his wages.'
So it's really about the money, no surprise there, Chelsea are a football business that seeks to maximise returns from its young players.
Chelsea fans sites have picked up on the fact that Charlton fans are furious about the sudden recall of Connor Gallagher, a move that stunned already shell shocked supremo Lee Bowyer: Charlton fans fuming.
The site linked to above commented: 'It seems a bizarre decision from Chelsea to disrupt the deep-lying playmaker during a loan where he was earning regular minutes and developing his game, but they have clearly spotted something. Charlton are 19th-placed in the Championship table and perhaps Frank Lampard’s side feel he could continue improving at a higher level.'
One comment I have seen online was that it was felt that when Gallagher started at Charlton there was a more mature and impressive side, but he was now surrounded by 'youth' players. This strikes me as rather patronising, but because of our thin squad (thank you, Roland) and our injury crisis, we are playing several Academy players whose main experience up to now has been with non-league clubs. They have performed very well, but it may not be a good look from a Chelsea perspective.
The SLP's Richard Cawley has called the decision 'a proper kick in the nuts.' That about sums it up and we have a real challenge in putting together a team for the trip to Preston on Saturday.
Lee Bowyer admits that he was taken by surprise by Chelsea's decision to recall Conor Gallagher, but is full of praise for his contribution: Lee Bowyer expresses his shock
It's essentially a business decision by Chelsea who specialise in promising young players who are loaned out. According to Richard Cawley, 'It is thought that West Brom and Swansea are both keen to take Gallagher and will pay a loan fee as well as paying a hefty portion of his salary.'
Football London and other sources are claiming that Cbelsea intend to recall Conor Gallagher. It is not clear why or where he would go, although Burnley and Norwich City have been interested. Gallagher has been developing well at The Valley and it had been thought that he would be allowed to stay for the rest of the season.
Richard Cawley has confirmed that Gallagher is being recalled and will be loaned out to a club near the top of the Championship. Baggies? Aston Villa has also been mentioned by the Currant Bun.
Swansea City are the latest club to be linked with Gallagher, hardly much of a step up: Swansea join Gallagher bidders
A byddai'n rhaid iddo ddysgu Cymraeg!
Supercharged supremo Lee Bowyer wants to lead Charlton to the Premier League: Premier League comeback
Before one gets too excited, there is the challenge of not getting relegated to League One. There are many clubs who think their rightful place is in the top flight.
The Sub-Standard says: 'The 43-year-old Bowyer has done an outstanding job at the club and is fast building a reputation as one of Britain’s best young coaches.'
Warning: much of the content of the interview appears to have been lifted straight from the SLP. One piece of information in the report is that Chelsea have said we can have Conor Gallagher until the end of the season.
Former Addick and Ram Darren Bent has made it clear what he thinks about the reckless tackle on Conor Gallagher that got Krystian Bielik sent off. Bent takes the view that the more you look at it, the more reckless it gets: News reaches Derby
Perhaps Bielik thought he was demonstrating his commitment to his new team by going in high with studs up! Rams fans clearly thought that Gallagher had faked it and kept booing the Chelsea loan player. In fact it could have had a broken ankle or leg.
One would never have had that reaction from opposition fans (who were not segregated) when I started watching football in the 1950s. Fans have become more partisan and it is 'my team right or wrong'. Perhaps some Derby fans will now accept that the referee made the right decision.
The stats quoted before the game by Richard Cawley suggested that defeat at Derby was more or less inevitable, but it is still unpleasant when it happens. A Lyle Taylor penalty made for a respectable 2-1 home win by the 10 men of Derby County.
Former Addick Krystian Bielik was sent off for a reckless studs up and high tackle on Conor Gallagher, but the home fans then relentlessly booed the youngster because he had failed to break his ankle or leg. He finally got a yellow card, meaning that another two will lead to a two game suspension. The same goes for Darren Pratley.
Richard Cawley said that this was a 'desperately poor Charlton performance'. By the end of the game there were five Academy graduates on the pitch which could be seen as a badge of pride or a mark of inadequacy.
Derby went ahead after 10 minutes. Phillips made the initial save, but the ball was nodded in at the far post.
Bonne had problems with his hamstring after 35 minutes and was replaced by Taylor at half time. Louis Mendez summed up the first half performance as 'very lethargic from the Addicks'. Social media critics focused on Sarr as the scapegoat player of the moment.
In the second half Charlton struggled to fashion chances and Knight had plenty of room to score the second goal for Derby.
The penalty came after Curtis Davies felled Gallagher in the area. Charlton came alive in the last 10 minutes. Derby were then indebted to a great double save by goalkeeper Ben Hamer from Ben Dempsey and Taylor.
Charlton are now 19th, seven points above the drop zone, but it should be remembered that the objective this year is to survive.
However, none of the injured players will be back for Swansea/Abertawe with Bonne now ruled out as well with his hamstring.
Richard Cawley of the SLP tweeted, 'This takeover needs to happen soon. Or actually get the likes of Williams and Oztumer back. Charlton running on fumes tonight.'
More than usually shell shocked supremo Lee Bowyer told BBC London: 'W were poor, from start to finish. We got out-battled, outfought. We were second to all the second balls. We got what we deserved - nothing.' I's a low point, but there will be higher ones.'
As for the takeover, the EFL will ratify if and when they are ready. They are a trade association running a competition for their member clubs with just 75 staff. They are also under political pressure to be more stringent, not that I think they had any grounds under their test to rule out Roland's takeover.
Smiling supremo Lee Bowyer is confident that Conor Gallagher will stay at Charlton for the rest of the season right than being sent to Burnley: Bowyer reacts to Burnley link
Apparently Chelsea are really pleased with the way in which he is being developed at Charlton. Let's celebrate the fact that we do get some things right.
Burnley are interested in making a bid for Conor Gallagher in the January transfer window: Want Chelsea starlet
Of course, many of these reports, especially in the Daily Mail, are just clickbait. Nevertheless, this one does have some plausibility. Burnley could do with a box-to-box midfielder after Drinkwater disappointed.
We are already missing losing Cullen and the departure of Gallagher would be an even bigger setback. Chelsea can recall him.
Incidentally, one national newspaper who went to Burnley to investigate the crumbling 'Red Wall' was puzzled by two blokes wearing 'Clarets for Food Banks' tops. Wouldn't a house red do, he asked?
Charlton are 18th in the Championship after losing 1-0 at Middlesbrough today. Boro needed just 52 seconds to score as George Saville pounced after Britt Assombalonga's shot had taken a deflection and Ashley Fletcher kept the ball alive. The Addicks, who have won just twice in 14 games since mid-September, created no chances of note in a performance that will worry stunned supremo Lee Bowyer.
Bowyer later said that the display was 'not good enough': Accepts display wasn't good enough
The only positive for Charlton was that Lyle Taylor returned after more than three months out with injury as a half-time substitute.
Saville almost doubled the lead after eight minutes, and Hayden Coulson came close to scoring after a defensive blunder. It was more of the same after the break as Tavernier volleyed over from four yards after an hour and Dillon Phillips saved well as Fletcher went close late on for Boro.
Conor Gallagher had Charlton's best effort with 20 minutes to go, but having turned his man well and run into the penalty area, he curled an effort wide.
Further cause for concern is that Oztumer has done his ankle ligaments and will be out for a few weeks. Aneke broke down as he returned to training on Thursday with a new injury.
The report from Louis Mendez is here: Lacklustre Addicks beaten again
It was six games without a win for an injury ravaged Charlton as they were defeated 2-1 at Luton Town tonight in front of 1,032 Addicks. There were doubts about Luton's first goal, but there is no denying that they edged it. Indeed, the scoreline could have been even worse if they had taken all their opportunities.
In another blow Conor Gallagher picked up a fifth yellow card and will not be available against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
Luton hit the crossbar in the opening minute. Then on seven minutes Leko burst past the Luton defence and found himself one on one to score. It was three in three for the often criticised player and his first without a deflection.
Then on 19 minutes a Luton free kick led to a Luton corner. It was cleared but came back in and Luton equalised through Roddick-Mpanzu. The referee did consult the linesman. At first it was thought that there might have been a hint of handball, but it seems that there was a Luton player in an offside position obstructing Phillips.
Luton then dominated possession until after the half hour mark when there was some Charlton possession. On 34 minutes a free kick enabled Solly to put in a good cross but Bonne's header was just wide. Leko put in a cross across the six yard box, but there was no one there to connect. Lockyer intervened to stop Luton scoring from a counter.
On 52 minutes Pratley, who had made some good interceptions, lost out in midfield. Cornick turned provider for Brown who scored. Luton then went on to hit the post.
Sarr was replaced by Doughty. Charlton then switched to a 4-4-2 and their play improved. A Luton corner was headed away by Pratley. Gallagher hit the post. Purrington was replaced by Josh Davison on 85 minutes. Charlton had some late corners but, as happened earlier in game, they came to nothing.
Charlton have gone down to 14th on the same number of points as Hull and Birmingham.
Full report from Louis Mendez here: Luton come from behind
Shell shocked supremo Lee Bowyer thinks that two refereeing decisions led to defeat at Luton: Refereeing decisions cost us
Having watched the highlights, Louis Mendez commented, 'Can see how the ref missed the handball but the offside decision is risible.'
Josh Cullen will be out until after Christmas with ankle ligament damage, Otzumer might be fit for Saturday.
Conor Gallagher played a key role in England's Under 21 victory against Albania yesterday. First, Gallagher's fierce strike from distance was deflected narrowly wide by Jon Mersinaj, only for Swiss referee Lionel Tschudi to point to the spot for handball.
He then unleashed a left-foot rocket from the top of the D two minutes before the break. You can see the goal here: Long range bomb
Jake Forster-Caskey thinks that work rate was key to Charlton's victory over Derby County on Saturday. Derby were simply not allowed time on the ball but were hounded out of possession: Work rate key
Forster-Caskey admits that the success of Conor Gallagher, named in the EFL team of the week, does not help his chance of a starting role in central midfield, but says that he has been comfortable playing at left wing-back in place of Ben Purrington.
As Addicks have had the chance to reflect on a compelling victory, many have praised the contribution made by Darren Pratley.
A rainbow was seen at The Valley this afternoon as Charlton secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Derby County with goals from Bonne, Sarr and Gallagher. Serving the first game of his touchline ban, Lee Bowyer directed operations from the press box.
The attendance was 19,408 but the Jimmy Seed emptied out after Charlton's third goal.
Charlton started brightly with a Forster-Caskey effort blocked on four minutes. On six minutes Sarr released Jonny Williams who charged down the left side and cut the ball back for Bonne who put a left foot finish into the far left hand corner.
A good sliding challenge by Pratley denied Malone.
A Charlton counter attack on 20 minutes started with Pratley winning the ball of Bielik. Bonne's low cross was just in front of Williams. Sarr put in a great tackle on the edge of the area.
Derby were not being given any time on the ball and Bielik in particular was being aggressively closed down. The impressive Williams had to be withdrawn on 31 minutes, but Sam Field who replaced him played well. Roos made a big save from Cullen before the break.
Naby Sarr took advantage of a Cullen corner at the far post to make it 2-0 with a header. Waghorn fouled Gallagher and received a yellow card. On 60 minutes Derby made a double substation with Bielik going off to a standing ovation.
Gallagher made it 3-0 wit a brilliant strike from 25 yards into the top left-hand corner. Bonne was replaced by Hemed on 75 minutes. Gallagher was then replaced by Kayal. Phillips had to make an excellent save from Bennett to deny the Rams a consolation. Hemed shot straight at Roos in time added on.
Charlton are now 7th in the table and two points behind Leeds in second place.
Charlton are waiting for an assessment of the Jonny Williams knee injury: Anxious wait
Match report from Louis Mendez here: Rams swept aside
Conor Gallagher has been promoted to the England Under 21 squad following his excellent performances with Charlton: Promotion
We would have taken a 2-2 draw before the game which again reflects credit on Lee Bowyer and his team. Fulham twice came from behind to draw a pulsating London derby against Charlton at Craven Cottage.
The Addicks deservedly led at the break through Conor Gallagher's smart low finish after Forster-Caskey fed Solly.
The lively Ivan Cavaleiro fired into the top corner after exchanging passes with Bobby Reid and evading Sarr to make it 1-1, only for Macauley Bonne's looping header to restore Charlton's advantage 90 seconds later.
But Fulham, much improved in the second half, levelled for a second time when Aleksandar Mitrovic forced the ball home from close range.
Dillon Phillips stopped Reid from scoring a time added winner for the home side. Lee Bowyer praised the great saves that Phillips made: Today I thought he was outstanding
Lee Bowyer said that it was a perfect away performance and a point was the least that Charlton deserved: Bowyer praises side
The report from Louis Mendez can be found here: Thrilling draw
Johnnie Jackson says that the recruitment of Conor Gallagher was down to Steve Gallen: Who takes the credit?
Jackson said: 'Gallen is unreal. We have got no chief executive in place and no chief scout. So our head of recruitment is dealing with contract negotiations with clubs as well. He’s really stepped up. We see players through the year and highlight ones we like. But Steve comes to us with players that we’re not even aware of, take Connor Gallagher for example.'
