Charlton announced their initial list of non-retained players on Thursday.

Though it was mainly comprised of youngsters, it did confirm that Chris Solly and Lyle Taylor had left the club following the expiry of their contracts, as well as loanees David Davis and Matt Smith. 

Solly and Taylor did not want to finish the season, fearing injury would scupper their chances of finding a new club.

Though Solly seems to have been around forever, he is still only 29. Any chance of a new contract at The Valley was extinguished by his decision not to complete the season.

The club skipper has well known knee problems which will limit his options, but former manager Karl Robinson – now at Oxford – is a known admirer.

All thoughts now turn to Friday’s vital clash with old foes, Millwa‎ll, at The Valley. Well though the Addicks have done in their three comeback games, they need a result from this game.

With sides around them also picking up points, it is still very tight at the bottom. And with a tough trip to promotion chasing Brentford coming up on Tuesday, ‎Lee Bowyer will be dtermined to pick up three points from this game:

“Every game I go into, I want to win, even more so with this game, especially with what happened at their place – it took me a good few days to get over that,” he explained. 

“I’m ready, the players are ready and they’re in a good place. We’ve had three good results and if we do the right things tomorrow, I don’t see why we can’t carry on this unbeaten run. 

“We’ll just take one game at a time. There’s nothing more I want tomorrow than to stop that rot that’s been going for a long time,” said Bowyer‎.

Charlton lost to a late Matt Smith goal at the Den earlier in the season, and Bowyer is well aware of the physical threat the Lions bring:

‎”They bring physicality. I think that’s a big threat. The game at their place, we lost on two set-pieces, so it was disappointing and we have to put that right.

“They’ve got some good players in the final third, so we have to defend like we have the last three games. If we can keep a clean sheet, then we’ve got a good chance of winning it.

“Gary Rowett has done well. He’s made them very solid. He’s got them all fighting and they’re a strong, physical side.

“They’re a difficult side to beat and have players that can hurt you. Wallace is a very good player and to have Smith come off the bench at times, he’s a massive presence – he scores from set-pieces like he did against us.

“Defensively, the lads know that we have to be as solid as we can to win games, because we’ve lost a lot of flair players. We have to defend properly, we can’t afford any slip-ups. 

“Set-pieces is no different. We’ve been very good in the first three games, everybody knows what’s at stake and they’re putting their bodies on the line, which is what’s needed at the moment.”

Bowyer himself has fond memories of the fixture. He featured in both games when the Addicks completed the double over their old foes in 1995/96 .

He was sent off at the Den on a snowy December night, and scored in front of the Millwall fans in the return game at The Valley in March:

“I remember both games. I got sent off in the first one after about 20 minutes before Kim Grant went and scored us the winners! 

“It was snowing and very cold. I was sent-off unfairly – Alex Rae was a lot more experienced than me and jumped in the air twice for two yellow cards.

“It’s ok though, I got him back later on in my career!

“Scoring in front of the Millwall fans was very good, so it’s good memories. I’m surprised it’s taken so long for us to beat them. 

“There’s never much between us when we play them and tomorrow will be another tight game. The first goal will be massive.”

Bowyer’s side will need to defend resolutely and hope to snatch something at the other end. On paper, it looks likely to be a low scoring game, and one goal could well win it.

The manager has hinted there will be changes, and could start a player who has not been involved in the first three comeback fixtures.

The game starts at. 8.15pm and will be shown live on Sky.

The referee will be Dean Whitestone.

A Charlton win in this fixture is long overdue. There could scarcely be a better time to end the winless run.