Sport
Charlton Athletic’s best Premier League players
For much of the early 2000s, Charlton Athletic proved to be one of London’s stronger sides, maintaining a regular presence in the top flight. Competing in the Premier League from 1999-2007, The Addicks finished a best of 7th in the league and provided a launching pad for several future England regulars. Whilst the club have jumped through the middle divisions of the English professional system, there’s still plenty of fond memories to be had about some of the names who played for the club in past seasons. But who are Charlton Athletic’s best Premier League players?
Dean Kiely
Often a forgotten part of Premier League history, Dean Kiely often made the difference between victory and defeat for Charlton. Kiely’s fearless nature and determination often helped him win duels against strikers and pull off big saves when it mattered. In over 200 games for the club, Kiely earned call-ups to the Ireland squad and a spot in the 2002 World Cup Squad. With 2xPlayer of the Year awards at the club, Kiely remains a popular figure at The Valley and a fond memory of better times for the squad.
Luke Young
Even though Luke Young enjoyed some cameo appearances for Tottenham at the start of his career, the full-back really came into his own during his time with Charlton. Playing mainly as a right-back, Young used his pace and excellent passing skills to make the most of his time with the ball. With excellent tackling and aerial abilities, Young easily shone at the back as well as when having possession. He stayed with the club until they were relegated at the end of the 2006/07 season before leaving to join Middleborough. It proved to be a platform that set Young up for future England appearances and several seasons with bigger clubs such as Aston Villa.
Scott Parker
Fewer home-grown players made an impact for Charlton quite like Scott Parker. Parker proved to be the perfect midfield player for the club as his excellent passing and endless runs caused problems across the entire pitch. Parker was also excellent at set-pieces and his free kicks also caused a lot of menace for opposition goalkeepers to contend with. It was why Parker was whisked away for big money in 2004 when Chelsea signed him as part of their plans to dominate the Premier League. It was a calling that cemented Parker’s reputation as an elite top-flight midfielder.
Jason Euell
Charlton often struggled to find regular goalscorers but Jason Euell was someone they could always trust to find the net. The English-born Jamaica international used his pace and positioning to find opportunities in the box and score whenever he could get the chance. He was consistently scoring double figures each season with a best return of 11 goals in the 2001-02 season. With 34 goals for the club in his five seasons with the club, Euell remains Charlton’s top scorer in Premier League history. A record likely to stand for several years to come.
Darren Bent
Very few players have transitioned to life in the Premier League as fast as what Darren Bent did. Moving up a division after joining from Ipswich in 2005, Bent used his pace and finishing skills to regularly lead the line for The Addicks. This was none more apparent than in his debut season for the club in the 2005-06 season where he scored 18 goals and was the third highest scorer in the league that season. He repeated his success the following season scoring 13 goals although it wasn’t enough to save Charlton from relegation. It would be why Tottenham swooped to sign Bent in 2007 to keep one of the league’s hottest strikers in the top flight as Charlton disappeared from the Premier League scene.
