Charlton Athletic were once competing against the best, and an XI of former Addicks stars still playing today could get them doing so again.
Relegation from the Premier League in 2007 and going down to League One three times since means it’s been hard for the south Londoners to keep talent coming through the doors at Sparrows Lane.
Charlton are currently trying to escape the third-tier at the fifth attempt after their relegation back there in 2020.
Ex-Luton and Southampton boss Nathan Jones is using a blend of academy products including Tyreece Anthony Tupac Shakur Campbell and Karoy Zidane Anderson.
Yes, you read that right – as well as experienced pros such as Luke Berry and Chuks Aneke to aim for promotion.
But despite underachieving for the most part of the last decade while battling ownership saga after ownership saga, Charlton have had some of Europe’s current best wearing the shirt in that period.
From Premier League loanees to homegrown talents, the Addicks have helped develop some of the stars you see shining every week in the top flights and even for England.
There have been that many that you could make an XI out of them, and we’re sure some of our readers had no idea some of them played at The Valley.
We don’t think they’d fair too badly if they were to be chucked in the Premier League, either.
So, what team could Addicks fans have witnessed in SE7 had they been able to hold on to all of them? talkSPORT.com has taken a look…
Goalkeeper – Nick Pope
Newcastle and England goalkeeper Nick Pope signed for Charlton from Bury Town in 2011, with the former Ipswich youth player making his Addicks and professional debut in 2013 in the Championship against Bristol City.
He went on to make 38 appearances between the sticks for the south east London club, amongst a series of loans, before being sold to Burnley in 2016 following the Addicks’ relegation to League One.
Defender – Ian Maatsen
Aston Villa star Ian Maatsen had his first senior loan during the Covid season with Charlton in League One.
Still on Chelsea‘s books at the time, the Blues academy product played predominantly at left-back for the Addicks as he helped them finish in seventh place – just outside the play-offs.
Defender – Joe Gomez
Liverpool and England defender Joe Gomez started his career with the Addicks, signing for them at the age of ten before making his under-18s debut at the ripe age of 13.
He broke into the first team at 17, and it took just one season for Liverpool to swoop in and snap him up for £3.5million.
He’s since won the Premier League and the Champions League among other honours with the Reds.
Defender – Ezri Konsa
Ezri Konsa also came through at Sparrows Lane.
The Aston Villa and England defender joined the club at the age of 11, making his break through into the first team in the 2016/17 season.
The Addicks sold him to then-Championship side Brentford for a reported fee of £2.5million in 2018, before he left for Villa in 2019.
Charlton’s former Academy Director Steve Avory recently told talkSPORT he and Gomez are still involved with the Addicks.
Defender – Alfie Doughty
Alfie Doughty was one of Luton’s stand out players in the Premier League last season, and Charlton fans weren’t surprised he shone at the highest level.
The versatile star joined Charlton in 2007 at the age of eight.
He was named Young Player of The Year for the 2019/20 season, but turned down a new contract with the Addicks after interest from Stoke in January 2021.
Midfielder – Joe Aribo
Moving on to midfield, Charlton fans would love to have Joe Aribo creating attacking moves in the middle of the park again.
He left the club for Rangers after the Addicks’ promotion from League One in 2019.
After joining from Staines Town in 2015 as an 18-year-old, he made his senior debut just over a year later.
He’s now playing for Southampton in the Premier League after winning promotion at Wembley, again, with the Saints last season.
Midfielder – Conor Gallagher
Now starring for Atletico Madrid and England, Conor Gallagher had his first senior loan at The Valley too.
Still a teenager, the midfielder arrived in SE7 when former Premier League star Lee Bowyer was in charge.
He found the goal six times for the Addicks, and Charlton fans were gutted when Chelsea cancelled his season-long loan early to send him to Swansea.
Since then he’s played for Chelsea, England and now Atletico.
Midfielder – Josh Cullen
Shock, it’s another Premier League youngster sent on loan spell to The Valley.
Then at West Ham, midfielder Josh Cullen played in Charlton’s promotion-winning side in 2018/19 and quickly became a fan favourite.
He was loved that much in south London that he came back on loan for a second time in the Championship.
Addicks fans were gutted when they didn’t snap him up permanently.
He played for Burnley in the Premier League last season and represents the Republic of Ireland.
Forward – Stephy Mavididi
Stephy Mavididi made just 20 appearances for the Addicks across his two loan spells from Arsenal in 2017 and again in 2018, scoring twice and grabbing one assist in that time.
However, he’s since kicked on his career, playing for Juventus, Montpellier and he now stars for Leicester in the Premier League.
Forward – Ademola Lookman
On his journey to bagging a hat-trick in the Europa League final for Atalanta last season, Lookman played in the red and white of Charlton.
He signed for the Addicks’ youth set up in 2014 as a teenager, before quickly rising into the first team.
That catapulted him onto the radar of top clubs, with Everton signing him for a deal worth up to £11m including add-ons.
Forward – Omari Hutchinson
Ipswich’s Omari Hutchinson never played for Charlton’s first team, but did play in their academy for two years.
In 2012, he was scouted and signed by the Addicks while playing football in The Valley car park as his brother, Oshaye, was training with the youth team.
He caught the eye of London rivals Arsenal, having impressed in a game against them.
If Charlton had been sitting high in the English football pyramid, he may well have stayed an Addick.
https://talksport.com/football/2090097/conor-gallagher-ademola-lookman-charlton-xi-ex-players/
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