The play-offs have arrived.
Alongside the likes of Leeds United, West Brom, Aston Villa and Derby County in the Championship, Charlton will also be competing in a battle royale to reach the second tier of English football.
The Addicks will take on Doncaster Rovers over two legs, with the winners facing the top dogs in the Portsmouth vs Sunderland clash.
They're set to be high drama occasions, but can Lee Bowyer's loan players take part in the end-of-season series?
The message that Lee Bowyer had for his Charlton squad about reports linking him with QPR job
During past years, players’ loans would end on a specific date right at the end of the season - making them available for their parent club from then onwards - and inevitably, ready to battle in the play-offs
However, due to recent amendments, in 2018, the EFL introduced new rules - stating that all loans extend right until the new transfer window opens.
Meaning, loanee players on a season-long deal cannot turn out for their parent clubs in the play-offs - because they are still registered as on loan.
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Regulation 53.1.4 states: “A player whose standard loan expires (or terminates) at the end of the season of the transferee club but prior to the completion of the league matches of his parent club (where it is a member club) will not be eligible to play in any remaining league matches in that season.”
While this may sound negative, it means loan players will be eligible for action.
Of course this is great news for Charlton in particular who have a number of players on loan.
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Most notably Josh Cullen from West Ham and Krystian Bielik from Arsenal who are set to play a huge role in the Addicks' push for promotion.
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