EX-ADDICKS STAR TAYLOR ON HIS CONTROVERSIAL DECISION NOT TO PLAY AFTER LOCKDOWN

LYLE TAYLOR has insisted he is not to blame for Charlton’s relegation from the Championship.

The striker joined Nottingham Forest last week on a three-year deal after causing outrage when he refused to play on for Charlton after the Covid-19 lockdown when his contract ran out.

Taylor was concerned that if he picked up an injury after football’s restart he could have jeopardised his chances of a big move.

Charlton ended up winning only two of their last nine matches and were heartbreakingly relegated on the last day of the season, after just one year in the Championship.

But former AFC Wimbledon striker Taylor, 30, who had scored 11 goals before the lockdown, insisted: “I’m not blaming myself for Charlton getting relegated. I’m not happy they got relegated – it hurts – but no one inside the club is blaming me.

“I’ve had messages saying thank you for everything you’ve done for the club.”

Taylor had been linked with a move north of the border to Rangers before eventually joining Forest. He said: “I was in a fortunate position where a lot of teams in the Championship would have taken me. And there was interest from abroad.

“I had to weigh up what was the best move, in terms of potentially playing at the highest level I can play at.

“People mistook that to mean I was going to go and play in the Premier League. No. I wanted to play at the highest level possible.”

Taylor came in for huge criticism when he refused to sign an extension and play on – as did Chris Solly and David Davis, both on loan at Charlton from Birmingham.

TalkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan branded Taylor “dishonest”, and Taylor said: “There was a barrage of abuse nationwide for four days.

“I was abused for the decision I’d made, which was the best for myself and my family. That was tough to take.

“I got to the point where I thought, ‘It doesn’t matter what anyone says’. I’ve