Charlton Athletic are thrilled to announce the signing of Macaulay Gillesphey from Plymouth Argyle for an undisclosed fee.
The experienced, left-footed centre-back, who lifted the Sky Bet League One title with Argyle last season, has agreed a deal that will run until 2026, with the option of an extra year.
Gillesphey becomes the club's fourth addition of the winter window and the second signing of a busy day following the arrival of highly-rated midfielder Conor Coventry.
After putting pen-to-paper on his Charlton contract, the 28-year-old said: "Charlton's a great club to be at and I'm looking forward to being part of the journey here. I want to get another promotion under my belt and get back to the Championship with Charlton."
Michael Appleton is delighted to bolster his backline. The Head Coach commented: “I'm delighted to bring Macaulay in. He's a man mountain which helps and is left-sided, which gives us a little bit of balance.
“He's very comfortable in possession of the ball, very dominant in the air and he's someone who was part of a title-winning Plymouth squad last season. I'm really excited to start working with him.”
Technical Director Andy Scott added: "We're delighted to welcome Macaulay to Charlton. He's a tall, left-sided centre-back of the type that Michael has been wanting ever since his first week here. He played a critical part in winning this league last season with Plymouth.
"He will add the experience and quality we've been looking for in our defensive line and we're looking forward to seeing his leadership on and off the pitch."
Born in Ashington, Gillesphey began his career with Newcastle United where he progressed through the youth ranks to earn a professional contract.
He joined Carlisle United on loan in September 2015 and made his senior debut in the Cumbrians’ League Cup tie against Liverpool at Anfield, with the Premier League side progressing on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
The defender re-joined Carlisle on loan in the 2016/17 season before making the move permanent in the summer of 2018.
After featuring almost 100 times for Carlisle, he signed for Australian top-flight side Brisbane Roar in June 2019.
He collected the club’s 2019/20 Player of the Year award following an impressive debut campaign with the three-time A-League champions.
The Englishman made a further 23 appearances for the Roar during the 2020/21 season, scoring three goals and registering three assists.
Gillesphey returned to England in June 2021, joining then-League One outfit Plymouth.
He would go on to become a regular member of the Pilgrims’ backline in the two seasons that followed, culminating in promotion to the Sky Bet Championship after finishing top with 101 points.
The deal is subject to EFL approval.
Gillesphey will watch his new teammates take on Peterborough United at The Valley on Saturday. Click here to purchase your tickets.
