'Matty Godden was like a ghost to defenders - he was untouchable'

Charlton Athletic striker made brave move - backing his ability - to kickstart his career in non-league game

There are crossroads moments in the career of a player. And one of the biggest for Charlton Athletic’s Matty Godden came in May 2014 when he signed for Ebbsfleet United.

The striker, 22 at the time, chose to drop from League Two, where he had been on the books of Scunthorpe United, to the Conference South.

It was a gamble that handsomely paid off.

Canterbury-born Godden wanted to get back to his Kent roots. He scored 13 times in 37 matches for the Fleet in the 2014-15 season. The following campaign he banged in 30 goals in 45 matches, his performances attracting the attention of Stevenage.

Former Charlton Athletic centre-back Steve Brown was Ebbsfleet manager when Godden made his return to Stonebridge Road after a successful loan there in the 2012-13 Conference Premier season, netting five goals in 10 league outings.

“When you are in non-league, as a manager, you are responsible for absolutely everything - finding the players, negotiating with them, training and tactics,” Brown told South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition. “There aren’t departments, like in the professional game. There is you - that’s it. You are reliant on friends and people you’ve worked with in the past chucking you a name or two.

Matty Godden jostles with Leyton Orient’s Rarmani Edmonds-Green during the League One play-off final

Picture: Paul Edwards

“Sometimes you get given a name and told ‘Matty Godden’s been in touch and wants to come back down south. He’s just had a year out with a cruciate ligament injury but definitely wants to come back to Kent’.

“We signed Matty on a contract. Back then you only had four or five like that in non-league football at that level, the rest of the players were non-contract.

“I didn’t know anything about him. The first session we did, a tactical one with the ball, we set off on 11-v-11 and Matty’s movement and understanding of football was just way ahead of everyone else’s on the pitch. I turned to my coach and said: ‘What the hell is he doing dropping to this level?’ That is when you have to look at the individual and their circumstances.

“Matty didn’t care about where he dropped to, it was just about getting here, because I think he knew deep down he’d score a shedload of goals - then what comes his way, comes his way.