Charlton Athletic boss Lee Bowyer has revealed that he only discovered that negotiations to extend his contract with the club had failed, when his wife told him following a club statement yesterday.

The 42-year-old has since agreed a one-year contract extension with Charlton, which means he will no longer be leaving the club at the end of the month.

In a statement which was released yesterday afternoon, the club said that they had been unable to agree a new contract with Bowyer and that a caretaker manager would be appointed in due course.

The club also noted that they were unable to give the Charlton boss a multi-year deal as it "would not be good business" while the owners are trying to sell the club.

According to Evening Standard journalist Giuseppe Muro, Bowyer has claimed he was not aware that contract negotiations had failed with the club until after the club's statement.

Bowyer said: “As everyone knows at Charlton nothing is straightforward."

"I was not aware of the statement yesterday. I'm in France and it was only when I spoke to my wife she said ‘apparently you’re gone’. But I had a civilised conversation with the owner and we sorted it last night.”

The Englishman first took charge of the Addicks as caretaker-manager in March 2018 after Karl Robinson's departure and was given the full-time job in September 2018.

Last season he led his side to promotion to the Championship after they defeated Sunderland in the League One playoff final.

Verdict

The more that comes out about this contract saga, the stranger it gets.

The fact that Bowyer was unaware that contract talks had failed when the club made a statement on their website is baffling.

The important thing for Charlton fans now is that the manager will be in charge for the club's return to the Championship next season. It is important that the club put move on from this episode as quickly as possible and concentrate on their preparations for life back in the second-tier of English football.