Charlton Athletic defender – set for January transfer window exit – back in favour in SE7

Dean Holden has praised Terell Thomas for working his way back into his first-team plans at Charlton Athletic.

The Addicks were prepared to let the 27-year-old move on. Thomas was set to sign for Forest Green Rovers. The plug was pulled on that deal after the League One club sold Eoghan O’Connell to Wrexham with Sam Lavelle heading to Burton Albion on loan.

Central defender Thomas has played in recent matches at left-back and has won a call up to St Lucia’s squad for Concacaf Nations League qualifying matches.

“He’s been training really, really well,” Holden told the South London Press.

“I was quite open after the Morecambe game, Terell was one of the players looking like he might leave on deadline day. Later in the day when other bids came in for other players we had to keep Terell in the building and he wasn’t involved in the squad on the back of that. He was getting quite frustrated.

“We had two really good, honest chats. His training has been excellent. With Steven Sessegnon managing this knee injury, I felt Terell deserved a shot at it.

“He was excellent at Morecambe, coming in from nowhere really having not played for so long. It’s certainly a position he’s not used to playing, as well.

“He played really well. His passing was good. He got himself booked early in the game and he had to manage that. He plays on the front foot and is aggressive. He gets tight to his opponent and is good in the one-v-one duels, aerially he is strong.

“It’s brilliant for him and his family that he has been called up, just like Jojo (for Ghana). They are representing themselves, their families and the club. From a selfish point of view, we lose two players for the game at Wycombe. We’ll just have to manage that.”

PICTURE: KYLE ANDREWS