Garner reflects on summer transfer window

'

Ben Garner is focused on moving forwards after what he feels was a 'positive' summer transfer window.

The Addicks completed seven summer signings in Eoghan O'Connell, Mandela Egbo, Joe Wollacott,  Conor McGrandles, Steven Sessegnon, Jack Payne and Jes Rak-Sakyi. 

"For me it's about looking forwards now," said Garner. "Everything is done and as a whole I think it was a good window, it was positive.

"What we've done in the early part of this season is establish a clear way of playing and an identity that we're going to have moving forwards. We've also established a really strong culture and environment here at the training ground. As I've said previously we've got a group of young men here who are going to give everything for this football club.

"We probably need another window or two to get it exactly where we want in terms of full strength in the squad and full depth in every position, but we've made a really good start to that. Now we need to push forwards and work hard."

Asked if the club were scouting the free agent market, the manager said: "There are opportunities to look at that and that's something we've already been doing and have done. Any avenue available to us we will look at seriously and if we feel we can add and strengthen still then we will be looking to do that."

Garner issued the following message to the Charlton faithful. 

"Whatever that date that is in the transfer window... if that date was two weeks ago it all would have happened two weeks ago," the gaffer explained. "It's like anything in that if you give people a period of time everyone uses that time.

"We're disappointed not to get at least one more in and we worked hard to do that. It was no lack of effort on our part and we were trying to push that through, but stay positive, stay behind this group of players that have started the season really well.

"They're a fantastic group and I'm really proud to come in and coach them every day and get the opportunity to work with them because they're fantastic people as well as players," he added. "Let's move forwards, get behind this group, we'll push as strong as we can now into January and then hopefully I'll have some money to spend in January and we can strengthen and move forwards."

Read Time: 2 mins