"Didn't necessarily impress" - Charlton Athletic player criticised for underwhelming 2023-24 season | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

An underwhelming season for Charlton Athletic left them closer to the bottom of League One than the top, and one fan believes a few signings over the past year haven't quite lived up to initial expectations.

Both Lewis Fiorini and Freddie Ladapo arrived at The Valley on loan from Manchester City and Ipswich Town respectively, and both failed to have the desired temporary impact in the eyes of our Charlton fan pundit, Ben Fleming.

It is however goalkeeper Harry Isted who was found to be the most underwhelming first-teamer from the 2023-24 season, having arrived last summer with much promise.

Isted spent the previous campaign on loan at Barnsley from Luton Town before he linked up with the Addicks as a free transfer.

Charlton Athletic's Harry Isted underwhelmed in 2023-24 performances

Although Ben believes Isted has it in him to be a good goalkeeper for Charlton, he was expecting a more solid campaign to retain the no.1 shirt - he feels the ex-Luton man fell slightly short of expectations though.

Fleming said: “I think there’s probably a couple of obvious candidates. Freddie Ladapo came in in January, Lewis Fiorini came in in January. Neither really made the impact that was hoped.

"But I think the one I’d probably go for, maybe a bit controversially, is Harry Isted.

“Look, he’s good and did have the no.1 jersey for large parts of the season, obviously struggled a bit with injury, but he had a really impressive spell at Barnsley at the end of last season and it was sort of thought that he was going to come in and really nail down that no.1 jersey and be our set ‘keeper for a number of years, and he really hasn’t done that. “It looks like we might go into the market for a ‘keeper again in the summer because he didn’t necessarily impress fully. “So, I guess in that sense, because he came in with so many rave reviews from Barnsley fans, I think I’d have to consider him the underwhelming player.

“I'm hoping that he can come good on his potential next season, but right now I would say he underwhelmed relative to perhaps what the fan base was expecting.”

A season to forget for Harry Isted and Charlton Athletic

Finishing up in 16th place in the third tier isn't where Charlton want to be, and the season will likely be one to put to the back of the mind for Isted too.

The 27-year-old managed just 21 appearances in League One this season as he heads towards what should be the prime years of his career, having suffered from a combination of injury and selection setbacks.

Isted signed a two-year deal with the option for an additional year but, as Ben points out, the season he had between the sticks appears to have sent the Addicks back into the market after just a year.

The club have been credited with an interest in Cambridge United free agent Will Mannion, suggesting that they also believe an upgrade on Isted is needed - although he only came into the first-choice spot for the U's towards the end of last season.

It remains to be seen who takes the starting spot in-between the sticks at The Valley next season, but Ben believes that Isted's underwhelming performances have left the situation with a previously unexpected doubt.