End of the line for striker at Charlton Athletic – as he joins League Two promotion-chasers
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
Nicky Ajose’s Charlton career is over – with the striker signing on loan for Mansfield Town.
The striker is inside the final six months of his contract and has started just six of the club’s 28 League One matches this season.
It means the Addicks have shifted one of their top earners off the books. The former Manchester United man was a big-money signing from Swindon Town in July 2016 but struggled to cement a first-team spot.
He has been loaned to Swindon and Bury during his time in SE7.
“Every player wants to play and it has been hard for Nicky,” Charlton boss Lee Bowyer told the South London Press. “He has got two strikers who are doing well in front of him.
“I hope he does well. He has been a great pro. Mansfield are looking to get promotion from League Two and it will be a new challenge for him.
“They create a lot of chances. It’s a good opportunity for him to go there, play games, score goals and maybe get promotion with them.
“I wish him all the best. I’ve not had one ounce of a problem with him around the place.
“I told him on Friday that he’d been a good pro. I understand sometimes people just want to go and play – that’s the situation with him.”
Ajose netted 11 times in 58 outings for the Addicks.
Bowyer made his third signing of the January transfer window when he snapped up Ben Purrington on loan from Rotherham last Thursday.
The Millers recalled him from AFC Wimbledon – where he spent the first half of the campaign – and he almost instantly headed back out to the League One promotion chasers.
“They’ll probably be a bit of a gap now to see what is happening more towards the end [of the window],” said Bowyer. “I’m happy with what we’ve brought in.
“We have sorted out the left-back situation, which has been a problem for us. Jonny [Williams] has been a great addition and Chris [Maxwell] as well.
“They are the areas we needed to strengthen in and I think we’ve done well on that side.”
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