Charlton Athletic pulled a blinder with £300k signing - Radostin Kishishev was an utter work-horse | OneFootball

Charlton Athletic struck gold with £300k signing of Bulgarian international Radostin Kishishev

Charlton Athletic pulled a blinder for the £300k signing of Bulgarian work-horse Radostin Kishishev.

Bulgarian defensive midfielder Kishishev arrived in the summer of 2000 for Charlton Athletic and left a cult hero.

The midfielder made just shy of 200 appearances for the Addicks and will forever be remembered for his brutal and bullish nature alongside his work-horse mentality that he gave to the Charlton fans in his seven-year spell at the Valley.

Kishishev signed for Charlton from the Litets Lovech club for an initial £300,000 on a four-year deal and quickly won the hearts of all involved at the Valley for his die-hard style of play and willingness to give his all for the badge on the pitch.

As well as being a fan favourite among Charlton fans, Kishishev had a wealth of experience at international level as well as for club. He was a key part of the Bulgarian teams in both Euro 96' and the France World Cup in 98' and eventually went on to play 88 times for his country.

His signing was part of former Addicks boss Alan Curbishley's plans for plotting a return to the Premier League. He was brought into the building as part of a trio of marquee signings which included striker Jonatan Johansson, and another player who went on to be a fan favourite, Claus Jensen.

Alan Curbishley unlocked a hidden gem in Radostin Kishishev

After signing for Charlton from his native country, Kishishev originally played right-back and was known for his versatility and dynamism in wide areas. However, Curbishley had other ideas for the Bulgarian's future in England as he switched him to the midfield position where he shone in Red and White.

The warrior midfielder soon became a staple in Charlton's side and was considered irreplaceable due to his reputation for being a work-horse, showcased by the distance he ran in games.

Despite playing almost 200 games, Kishishev's specialties lied in the defensive side of the game, as even when he made the change further up the pitch to midfield, the Bulgarian merely scored two goals for the Addicks, but were vital nonetheless.

The Bulgarian's ability to play in the defence and midfield, as well as out wide and centrally, made him a player that was near enough always available for selection. Kishishev marked himself down in Charlton history, being fondly remembered by all at the Valley.

Radostin Kishishev's legacy lives on at the Valley

His best moments for Charlton came in the 2002/03 Premier League season as they went on to beat Everton 2-1 thanks to Kishishev's early strike. His other goal came against West Ham in a 4-2 victory where his 90th-minute right-footed strike put the game to bed for the Addicks.

With goals and attacking returns not being at the forefront of the tackling midfielder, he will surely be remembered for his long service to the club, which helped the Addicks through a successful era.

The Bulgarian also spent time with other English clubs, Brighton, Leeds and Leicester, but is most notably known for his time in South-East London due to his longevity.

After a successful seven years with the club, he has certainly gone done as one of the club's most value-for-money signings in Charlton Athletic's history.