South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition

South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition

Charlie Kelman on freakish nature of shoulder injury that needed surgery, why goal against Hull City is best of his career and how he rated his first season in a Charlton shirt

Forward missed nearly two months after suffering injury at Gillingham

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Rich Cawley
Oct 09, 2026
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Charlie Kelman has revealed the freak nature of the shoulder dislocation that ruled the Charlton Athletic striker out of the opening eight matches of the season.

The 24-year-old, signed from Leyton Orient last summer, was forced off with the injury in a pre-season friendly at Gillingham on July 18.

Kelman ended up needing surgery to rectify the problem and made his playing return as a 76th-minute substitute in the 0-0 draw against Portsmouth just under two months later.

Charlie Kelman warming up before the Portsmouth match/Picture: Kyle Andrews

“They had an U21 goalkeeper playing and he had a kit too big for him - as I pressed him, my arm got caught in his shirt. He sort of went the other way and popped my shoulder out,” Kelman told South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition. “It was so innocuous.

“I put it back in and didn’t think anything of it. Then Con (Conor Coventry) went to pass me the ball, I looked at my shoulder and it was hanging down.

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