Where are they now? Charlton’s last Premier League XI

Follow us on Google Discover

We catch up with the last Charlton Athletic XI to play in the Premier League.

It has been over nine years since Charlton Athletic last played in the Premier League. That day saw Alan Pardew’s already-relegated side draw 2-2 away to Liverpool.

So let’s catch up with the Addicks’ XI from that game.

Only one member of that team now plays in the Premier League. Darren Randolph had spells with Motherwell and Birmingham City before moving to West Ham United in the summer of 2015. The ‘keeper has started the Hammers’ last three Premier League games.

Darren Bent is still playing in the Championship with Derby County. The poacher has two goals in 15 games for the Rams this season.

Four players from this XI have since hung up their playing boots. Luke Young suffered relegation with Queens Park Rangers before injuries brought an end to his career in 2014. Left-back Ben Thatcher decided to retire in 2010; while Darren Ambrose finished up with Colchester United at the end of last season.

Matt Holland would play on for another two seasons before ending his 17-year playing career with the Addicks in 2009. The midfielder now does media work and was recently invited to watch Charlton train by new boss Karl Robinson.

Hermann Hreidarsson decided to stay in the game following his retirement. The no-nonsense defender returned to Icelandic football in 2013 to become player-manager of his boyhood club IBV. Last year, he joined Icelandic rivals Fylkir but it didn’t end well. After being relegated five times as a player, Hreidarsson suffered the same fate as manager of Fylkir and was sacked in October.

Zheng Zhi, Alex Song, Majid Bougherra and Lloyd Sam all play their football abroad. Zhi returned to Chinese football after a brief spell with Celtic. The midfielder has spent the last six years at Guangzhou Evergrande, helping them to six consecutive Chinese Super League titles.

Song was on loan at Charlton from Arsenal, and has gone on to play for Barcelona and West Ham. The Cameroonian moved to Russian football with Rubin Kazan in July. Bougherra had stints at Rangers, Lekhwiya (Qatar) and Al-Fujairah (UAE) before joining Greek club Aris.

Sam has spent the last four years in the MLS. He played alongside Thierry Henry for the New York Red Bulls, winning the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2013 and 2015. He now turns out for MLS rivals D.C United.

A majority of the substitutes on that day have now called time on their playing careers. Marcus Bent went on to play for another seven clubs after leaving Charlton in 2008. He ended his time in football with Indonesian based side Mitra Kutai. Jonathan Fortune and Bryan Hughes finished off their careers in non-league football with Dagenham Redbridge and Scarborough FC, respectively.

Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink kept playing for another year after Charlton’s relegation with Cardiff City. The forward moved into management with Royal Antwerp, Burton Albion and – most recently – Queens Park Rangers. However, he was sacked at the start of November following a disappointing start to their campaign.

The only substitute to still be playing is Rob Elliot. The goalkeeper is part of Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United side but is yet to feature this season due to injury.