Ahead of the weekend's Sky Bet League One fixture against Charlton Athletic we've profiled six of the Addicks' Key Men. Starting with a former Manchester United stopper.
Ben Amos
Age: 27 | Position: Goalkeeper | Signed From: Bolton Wanderers | Nationality: England
Amos came through the youth system at Manchester United to make his professional debut for the club in a 3-1 League Cup victory against Middlesbrough in September 2008. He made a total of 7 appearances for the club and had a number of loan spells away from Old Trafford during his seven years in the senior setup.
His first loan stint was with Peterborough United in 2009 and then he went on to play for Oldham Athletic, Hull City, Carlisle United and Bolton Wanderers before a move to the Macron Stadium is July 2015 on a permanent basis.
He made 44 appearances for the Trotters during the 2015/16 season, but following the club’s relegation to League One, he signed on a season-long loan at Cardiff City for the entirety of the 2016/17 season. The stopper made 16 appearances for the Bluebirds and still under contract at Bolton, he signed on loan at Charlton Athletic in July; to date for the club, he’s made 13 appearances.
Patrick Bauer
Age: 24 | Position: Defender | Signed From: Maritimo | Nationality: Germany
A towering central defender, Bauer was sent off in last season’s goalless draw between today’s two teams and is a constant presence in the heart of the defence for the Addicks.
Coming through the youth system at VfB Stuttgart, he made his debut for the club’s second team in 2010 before going on to become a part of the first team squad. He ultimately never got his chance in the first team and in 2012 he moved to Portugal to sign for Maritimo.
During three years with the club, he featured regularly at some stage for both the first team and the second team and in 2015, he moved to England to sign for Charlton Athletic. Since signing for the club two and-a-half years ago, Bauer has made 72 appearances (7 goals) and to date this season has made 13 appearances (2 goals) for Karl Robinson’s side.
Ricky Holmes
Age: 30 | Position: Midfielder | Signed From: Northampton Town | Nationality: England
A talented attacking midfielder who can certainly pick out a goal from distance, Holmes arrives in decent form with 4 goals in 12 appearances to date for the Addicks this season. A summer 2016 signing from Northampton Town, he scored 13 goals in 38 appearances last season and in total for the club, he has made 50 appearances (17 goals).
Barnet brought Holmes into the Football League when they signed him from Chelmsford in May 2010 and he caught the eye during three years at Underhill, the Bees’ former home. In total for the North London outfit, he made 104 appearances (17 goals).
His next move was to Portsmouth in June 2013 and he spent 18 months at Fratton Park, making 62 appearances (3 goals) before a move to Northampton Town on a free transfer in January 2015. It’s at Sixfields Stadium under Chris Wilder’s guidance that Holmes brought his game onto a new level; he helped the club to promotion from League Two in 2015/16 and in total for the club, he made 53 appearances (16 goals).
Tariqe Fosu
Age: 21 | Position: Midfielder | Signed From: Reading | Nationality: England
In Tariqe Fosu, Charlton have a man in a real rich vein of form with 6 goals in his last 4 appearances and that includes a hat-trick in a 3-1 away victory at Fleetwood Town at the end of last month. A quick winger who carries the ball well, he came through the youth system at Reading and made his professional debut in a 3-0 win at Derby County in May 2015.
He made just two more appearances for the Royals and he spent time on loan at Fleetwood Town and Accrington Stanley during the 2015/16 season before spending the vast majority of last season out on loan at Colchester United in League Two. Last season for the Us, he made 34 appearances (6 goals) before Charlton Athletic paid an undisclosed fee for his signature in June.
To date for the Addicks, he has made 14 appearances (7 goals) and will provide the Bantams with a real test this afternoon.
Billy Clarke
Age: 29 | Position: Forward | Previous Club: Bradford City | Nationality: Republic of Ireland
A player we know all about here at Bradford City, Clarke put an end to a three year association with the Bantams when he signed for Charlton Athletic last summer. Arriving at the Northern Commercials Stadium in July 2014, he made a total of 122 appearances (25 goals) for the club before a move to the Capital.
The Cork-born attacker came through the youth ranks at Ipswich Town and made his debut for the club in November 2005 in a 2-1 defeat at Cardiff City. In total, for the Tractorboys, he made 56 appearances (4 goals). During his 4 years in the senior setup at Portman Road, he also had loan spells with Colchester United, Falkirk, Darlington, Northampton and Brentford before signing for Blackpool on a permanent basis in July 2009.
Clarke spent two and-a-half years with the Tangerines and helped the club to the Premier League; in total, he made 32 appearances (2 goals). After a loan spell with Sheffield United in 2011, he signed for Crawley Town in January 2012 and went on to make 92 appearances (24 goals) for the club before his move to West Yorkshire.
Josh Magennis
Age: 27 | Position: Forward | Previous Club: Kilmarnock | Nationality: Northern Ireland
An imposing presence at the spearhead of Charlton’s attack, Magennis has also been a hit on the international stage with Northern Ireland in recent years with his cap tally up to 32 (4 goals) since making his debut in 2010.
Coming through the youth system at Cardiff City, he made his professional debut for the club in a 4-0 Championship victory against Scunthorpe United in August 2009. In total for the club, he made 10 appearances (1 goal) and shortly after a loan spell with Grimsby Town, he signed for Aberdeen in July 2010.