Lee: Bring in fresh blood
THE Charlton takeover cannot come quickly enough for Lee Bowyer after a sickness bug swept through his side and saw them slump to another defeat.
Bowyer had two players withdraw from an already injury-ravaged squad before boarding the coach to The Valley and was able to name only five subs.
To make matters worse, midfielder Albie Morgan was vomiting before kick-off and then at half-time.
The takeover, by Abu Dhabibased East Street Investments, still has to be ratified by the EFL, but should be completed in time for Bowyer to bolster his squad in January.
The Addicks have lost four of their last five games and Bowyer said: “It was a tough day. We’ve got enough injuries but then to chuck in a few illnesses as well doesn’t help. It was a bit of everything. Sickness, diarrhoea, not good.
“Ben Purrington was down to start, but he was ill just before we got on the coach so we had to send him home.
“Then once we got here and put the team sheet in, Albie Morgan was being sick just before the game. We couldn’t do anything about that. We just had to see how he went. Then again at half-time he was sick. That’s why we took him off. He couldn’t move.
“I’ve spoken to the potential new owners and it was a positive conversation. If they do get the green light from the EFL, it’s going to be good news for the football club.
“They have said there is money to spend in January and me and the staff will get proper contracts.
“It sounds good, so we need to start planning for January. It’ll be nice to be able to strengthen the squad.”
Two late goals, a Steven Fletcher penalty and an Atdhe Nuhui header, gave Sheffield Wednesday a victory which lifted Garry Monk’s side towards the play-off places.
Fletcher guided home his 17th-minute header from a Barry Bannan cross before Charlton levelled when Macauley Bonne’s deflected shot squirmed in.
Erhun Oztumer lunged in on sub Jacob Murphy and Fletcher calmly converted an 80th-minute penalty. Nuhui then made the game safe, heading in an Adam Reach cross.