There may come a time in the not too distant future, when Ben Garner will have to start picking on character at Charlton Athletic due to a distinct lack of professionalism within the squad.

The reason for that being necessary may come with pressure around his future and ability in the dugout, or with the side looking over their shoulders in the table.

The latter scenario is unlikely, but with the gap widening between the club and the play-off places, there are a lot of factors that need to be evaluated, reflected on and essentially improved.

One player who will leave everything on the pitch, contribute to the side with and without the ball and lift the energy levels of those around him is Jack Payne.

The 28-year-old arrived in the summer following an excellent season in League Two under Garner at Swindon Town, where he chipped in with 20 goal contributions in all competitions.

With that in mind, it has been a surprise to see the versatile attacking midfielder pick up just three league starts this season, having been available for all 19 outings.

The inconsistent form of Corey Blackett-Taylor and Charlie Kirk has played a part in Payne being involved mainly from the bench, but with scrutiny increasing on Garner's position in the dugout, he will want players he can trust to go to war with him on the pitch, Payne is one of those.

As a specialist number ten, it has been difficult to make room for Payne in the 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 formations that the Addicks have deployed by and large this season, but three league starts is still a disrespectful number of opportunities given what Payne has contributed from the bench.

Only Kirk and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi have come up with more goal contributions than Payne, who has five, in League One this season, but the former two have both had far more exposure on the pitch to build their tallies.

Whether it be shoehorning him in on the wing ahead of Kirk or Blackett-Taylor, or as a number ten in a 4-4-2 diamond, Garner needs to find a place for Payne, or it may be something he lives to regret if he does not remain in the job for the long term.

Payne has scored as many headed goals, two, as misfiring striker Jayden Stockley has this season, and he is 5 ft 5 in.

The Addicks are too reliant on unreliable players, and in Payne, Garner has a player he can guarantee maximum commitment from, something that the side is lacking on the whole.