Charlton’s development squad have added two new additions ahead of the 2018/19 following successful trials.
Central defender Toby Stevenson and striker Wilberforce Ocran both impressed for the U18s in the final stages of the season and have been snapped up by the Addicks to boost Jason Euell’s U23 options next term.
Academy Manager Steve Avory introduces the two new arrivals to the academy ranks…
Toby Stevenson
“Toby was released by Leyton Orient, essentially because they don’t run an U23 programme. He had been there for three years and we took him on trial at the end of the season.
He was thrust into the U18 play-off final against Crystal Palace a few weeks ago, simply because we had released a centre-back at that time and wanted to have a look at him. He did outstandingly well and we gave him a contract off the back of it.
Being a left-footed centre-half, he gives us a nice balance that we’ve been looking for.”
Wilberforce Ocran
“Wilberforce caught our eye when we played Barnsley around six weeks ago. He scored against us and we found out he had been released so we invited him down for a trial.
“He enjoyed an impressive month with us and scored a few goals for us at the back end of the season to help us towards the title, prompting us to offer him a contract.”
The two new additions join six other former scholars who have signed their first professional contracts with the club.
“As well as the two incomings, we’ve seen the progression of those who have already been in our system as scholars and part of that successful U18 team this season,” Avory added.
“All of those players, Ben Dempsey, Albie Morgan, Dan Birch, Luke Carey, Jordan Zamora and Alfie Doughty, have been with the academy for a considerable time, a lot of them since U9s. So they’ve been another example of that long-term development pathway that we have here.
“They’ve been a successful group all the way through the academy and that ended quite nicely with them winning the national title.”