Charlton Athletic have confirmed the appointment of Ben Garner as the club’s new manager on a three-year deal, as announced on Twitter this afternoon.
Garner arrives in SE7 off the back of a sixth placed finish in League Two with Swindon Town, where the 42-year-old was commended for his attacking brand of football.
The Robins were one of the most easy-on-the-eye teams in the division and that clearly struck the right note with Addicks owner Thomas Sandgaard.
It was a shock to see Johnnie Jackson dismissed of his duties promptly after 2021/22 reached its conclusion, with the 39-year-old swiftly taking up a new opportunity at AFC Wimbledon, but Garner does boast a more experienced background in coaching and management.
The 42-year-old’s most recent managerial role at Bristol Rovers in League One did not go to plan, he was in charge of the Gas for the best part of 11 months between December 2019 and November 2020, when he was sacked and replaced by Joey Barton, as the club were relegated to League Two.
Garner has local ties having been involved in a coaching capacity at Crystal Palace at the beginning of his career, working his way up from an academy role to a first team coach as the Eagles were promoted to the Premier League.
The Verdict
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There is certainly an element of risk to this appointment, given Garner’s modest experience in management compared to the demand of the supporter base that the Addicks return to the Championship in the not too distant future.
In the position that Charlton are in, as one of the larger clubs in the third tier, results are certainly more important than style of play and that could pose its challenges if the Addicks are dealt a tough hand in terms of the fixture list, particularly at the beginning of the season.
No new signings have been announced as yet and the squad jet off to Spain for their pre-season tour in eight days time, there is a lot of preparation to be done to allow Charlton to improve on their 13th placed finish in 2021/22.
