Three Charlton Athletic players are refusing to play after a provisional plan was announced to restart the second-tier league season on June 20, manager Lee Bowyer has said, including their top scorer Lyle Taylor who fears getting injured.
Bowyer told talkSPORT https://talksport.com/football/efl/712002/charlton-lyle-taylor-chris-solly-david-davis-refusing-to-play-championship-lee-bowyer that defender Chris Solly, who has played for the club since 2009, and on-loan midfielder David Davis have also refused to play for the relegation-threatened side with their contracts ending on June 30.
"We have 15 players out of contract... six loans and nine of our own contracted players out (at other clubs). Unfortunately for us three of those players have said they're not going to play and Lyle is one of them," Bowyer said.
"That's tough for us, that's tough for me as the manager. Lyle's a big player for us, a bit like (striker Troy) Deeney at Watford. When he plays we can win games and Lyle has said he's not going to play because of risk of injury.
"Chris Solly has said the same and Davis is on loan from Birmingham (City) and he'd said he doesn't want to come back and play games."
Lyle has scored 11 league goals this season for Charlton, who are 22nd in the standings and two points off the safety zone.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
