Lyle Taylor reveals his message to Joe Aribo after Charlton sealed third place in League One
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk
Lyle Taylor has told Joe Aribo to savour playing in the current Charlton Athletic side – because he might never experience the same kind of connection again.
Both players were on target for the Addicks in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Rochdale.
The result saw Charlton finish third in the League One table. They go to Doncaster Rovers on Sunday in the play-off semi-final first leg.
Taylor, who was voted the club’s Player of the Year at their awards night on Sunday, won the League Two play-offs with AFC Wimbledon.
He quit the Dons last summer and has banged in 24 goals for the SE7 outfit this season.
Taylor, speaking on Saturday evening, said: “I just had a conversation with Joe Aribo and he said: ‘This group is unbelievable’. And I said: ‘You need to savour this, because you might never feel like this again in football’.
“I was lucky enough to have a good team when I was at Wimbledon, when we got promoted. But this team is streets ahead of that. These boys can fight, these boys have got a togetherness which is as good, if not better, than that Wimbledon team had. And these boys can play football. Seriously, these boys can play.
“We want it all. We want every single point, every single goal – everything we can get. And that will stay the case over the coming weeks.”
Taylor had sat out the penultimate fixture of the regulation campaign at Gillingham.
And he came off to a standing ovation after Krsytian Bielik had netted Charlton’s fourth goal at the weekend.
“The Gillingham game was a precaution,” said Taylor. “I could’ve played, if I’d been needed.
“It’s just a case of keep going. I felt good out there. There’s a little more left in the legs and hopefully that’s enough for me to get a few more goals.
“I’m just a part in the machine. We all have to play our part. And if we do that, we’ll be fine.”
Taylor could have been lining up for another team in the play-offs – if had not been for Lee Bowyer’s powers of persuasion.
Asked about what made him choose Charlton in the summer, the frontman replied: “The manager. It was a choice between here and Sunderland.”
PICTURE BY PAUL EDWARDS
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I wonder if the conversation will have any effect on Joe Aribo, I hope so and he doesn’t listen to his agent too much !! Overall, it has been an amazing season and if we had been able to pick from a full squad from day one, I think we would have been in the top two – no problem. Still a lot of work to be done against a very dogged Doncaster side and then, hopefully, success at Wembley. The manager, staff and players all deserve it and so do we long suffering supporters.
I think the boys and the manager and his staff have been absolutely fantastic this season in the face of very demanding circumstances. Many teams and backroom boys would have wilted under the onerous conditions they have been forced to operate under.
I live in Spain but if they can get through the playoffs, I’m on the plane to Wembley ! If, heaven forbid, they don’t make it to the Final, well, thank you for a fantastic season……but you surely will !