Controversial former Elland Road favourite Lee Bowyer has taken over the managerial reigns at League One Charlton Athletic, the club he started out with as a youngster. 

Addicks boss Karl Robinson left the club this morning, with rumours spreading he's about to take over at Oxford United, who have been without a permanent manager for 59 days since dismissing Pep Clotet.

“I’m very pleased to be given the opportunity to take this team forward," Bowyer told the Charlton Athletic website. "We have a talented squad of players and our focus has to be on winning games and giving ourselves the best opportunity to make the play-offs."

41-year old Bowyer was never far from controversy, starting out by being caught smoking cannabis with fellow Charlton team mate Dean Chandler, before being sentenced to community service for his part in a Leeds city centre brawl.

It wasn't all about the controversy though, Bowyer racked up 604 club appearances, scoring 99 goals in a rich and successful career. He forged a reputation as a tough-tackling midfielder with a no-nonsense approach to the game. He represented England once, in a friendly against Portugal in 2002.

Bowyer joined Charlton's coaching staff in 2017 after a spell out of the game managing a fishing lake. He stepped up to Assistant Manager in July 2017 and now assumes temporary control alongside Johnnie Jackson.

The Verdict

For all of the controversy and negative press, Lee Bowyer was a fine footballer, dogged and determined to succeed. His ability to bounce back from those early setbacks, especially the high-profile court case, paid testament to his attitude and I think he'll be a great success as a manager. He's worked under Robinson for a while now and both him and Johnnie Jackson are Charlton heroes. This might just be the most unlikely successful duo The Valley has ever seen.