Charlton 'legend' Avory steps down as Academy Director after 23 years
Steve Avory: Charlton have consistently had one of the most productive Academies on his watch
Written by Training Ground Guru — September 11, 2024
Charlton ‘legend’ Steve Avory has stepped down as Academy Director after 23 years with the club.
Avory joined the Addicks in 2001 and helped to bring through players including Joe Gomez, Jonjo Shelvey and Ademola Lookman. Charlton have consistently been one of the most productive Academies in the country on Avory's watch and were 16th in our 2021/22 Academy Rankings, making them the second most productive Category Two side in the country (behind only Crewe).
Academy Manager Tom Pell, who joined Charlton from Cambridge in 2022, will now take overall charge of the Academy. Avory will continue in an advisory role and the club will also appoint a Head of Player Development to ensure “young players are being developed in the right way.”
Avory said: “I have taken the decision to step away from my day-to-day role. It was an enormously difficult decision to make but I felt that the time was right.
“Through my conversations with (Chairman) Jim Rodwell and (Director of Football) Andy Scott, I’m still able to continue at the club in a part-time advisory role, which I am very pleased about.
“I am very proud of the environment that I have contributed to. I have been privileged to lead this Academy, in terms of trying to create that pathway with all the various departments here that contribute.
“I feel that, at the moment under the current manager Nathan Jones there is more of a deliberate strategy and process into getting those players into the first-team. I’d like to think that it will continue.”
Rodwell added: “Steve is a club legend, given the work he has done at Charlton across almost 25 years and the quality and quantity of players that have come through our Academy during his time here.
“He came to us explaining he thought the time was right to step away from his day-to-day activities and we are delighted we will continue to benefit from his knowledge and expertise as he stays on in an advisory role.
“Given the calibre of Tom Pell and the staff we have in place at the academy, we have been able to put in place a structure to ensure that we continue to be one of the leading Academies in the country.”
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