Powell leaves with a heavy heart

Chris Powell left Charlton's playing staff for the second time in his career today and has signed a one year deal with Premiership newcomers Watford. He's been an absolute legend during his two spells at Charlton, and I'm sure that his personality and passion will be missed as much by the rest of the squad as it will by those of us in the stands.

Murray has left the door open for a return in a coaching role once he hangs his boots up, but I thought that was the point in re-signing him anyway, Why not just offer him the deal now? The manager must have had the final say as to whether or not Powell was offered a new playing/coaching deal, so perhaps the two of them just don't see eye to eye.

No one truly expected Powell to play as many games last year as he did, but it is a testament to the stamina and skill of the man that he rose to the challenge once again and performed admirably in the Premiership. In short, he is a consumate professional who stands for all that is good in football, and I'm gutted that he's leaving us. The full story is here, and an email sent round on the bulletin promises that a full interview with Chris will be up on the official site tomorrow.

With regards to the squad Powell leaves behind, we have now lost Murphy, Smertin, Kiely, Powell, Perry, Bothroyd, Spector, Jeffers, Johansson and Bartlett, and signed only Marcus Bent and Cory Gibbs to replace them. According to this article Gibbs isn't likely to start training until November at the earliest, and he will likely require at least a month in order to get his match fitness back so we might as well rule him out until 2007. Luke Young has had a new deal on the table for a month now which he still hasn't signed, and if he does decide that his future lies elsewhere then as far as I am concerned, we will be in the midst of a defensive crisis.