Lee Bowyer has revealed that his recent contract offer from Charlton was 'different', with an incentive-based reward system rather than a standard wage.

The Addicks boss played down the significance of such an offer, saying he's now waiting for another deal structured in a traditional way, but it's news that must surely worry Charlton fans.

They've seen their club torn apart in recent seasons and yet somehow, they've thrived on the pitch. Behind the scenes there's horror stories of youth players not being given water, of cut backs going to the extreme.

Owner Roland Duchatelet has even asked the EFL to take the club over, such is his complete lack of interest in carrying them forward.

They've lost key players too, Karlan Grant a classic example. he joined Huddersfield Town for a £2m in the winter window, but Bowyer wasn't allowed to bring in Joe Mason as a replacement.

Recently, QPR were linked with a move for Bowyer, who despite all of the upheaval has put the Addicks in the top five in League One. Perhaps, with reinvestment of the Grant money, they could be challenging for the top two right now.

The fans will be eager to see their former YTS player stay and carry them forward, but hearing news of this offer will be very unsettling. What the club should be doing is moving heaven and earth to keep Bowyer in place, offering him a proper deal that staves off the threat of another team coming in.

That's what any normal club would be doing, at least offering them a deal structured in a traditional way.

Instead, they offer a deal which Bowyer has seemed very calm about, but that will concern fans. Why do they have to be different? Why, when they made good money from Grant, are they not spending it on keeping their up and coming young manager in place?

The Addicks faithful will see this as yet another slap in the face, another example of how a rogue owner is threatening to destroy their once-proud football club.