‘I’ll do what I can to get into the league side’ – Charlton midfielder Jack Payne
Charlton midfielder Jack Payne says he will keep working hard to try and claim a starting place in Ben Garner’s league side.
The former Swindon man, who followed Garner from the County Ground to The Valley in summer, has started just three league games this term – but has amassed an impressive five goals and six assists in all competitions.
The 26-year-old, who grabbed a brace in Saturday’s 4-1 FA Cup win over non-league Coalville Town, will keep trying to secure that starting berth.
He explained: “I’m on five goals and six assists now, which is a good return that I’m really pleased with. We’ve got some really good players.
“Every game the manager names a team that he thinks is most equipped to win the game on that day. I’ve just got to do what I can to get myself in that team. I have full trust in the gaffer and I speak to him. It’s just about doing what I can on a regular basis to get myself in the team regularly.”
He opened the scoring on Saturday with a fine header from Tyreece Campbell’s centre. That was his second headed goal of the campaign – no mean feat for a player who stands just 5ft 5 tall.
“Two headers this season,” he added.
“It’s something I work on a lot in training – not heading but timing into the box and arriving at the right time. Tyreece put a lovely ball in for me. Really pleased to see it go in. Two headers this season. Not used to scoring headers so really pleased when they go in.
“[Coalville] made it a lot more difficult than we expected. We got the goal in the first-half and then the second just before half-time. We thought we’d go on to get a few more in the second-half but it didn’t go quite like that. They pulled one back but we were able to get it back in our favour and we’re really pleased to be through to the next round.
“Really pleased. To get two goals and an assist is a good return for me today. It adds nicely to the goal on Wednesday [against Brighton u21 in the EFL Trophy]. I said to myself before this week that I’ve got a few cup games that I should play in and do what I can to stake a claim for a place in the team on a regular basis.”
PHOTOS: PAUL EDWARDS