Ex-Charlton Athletic, Reading FC and Gillingham player confirms retirement | OneFootball

Former Charlton Athletic, Reading, and Gillingham winger Callum Harriott has released a lengthy statement following his retirement from football...

The EFL is littered with players who have bounced around the divisions, including some who feature in each league for clubs such as Charlton Athletic, Reading, and Gillingham.

That trio are each in separate divisions, with Charlton Athletic about to embark on their second consecutive Championship campaign, Reading in their fourth League One season in a row, while Gillingham have been in League Two for four years prior to 2026/27.

The three clubs are fairly close geographically and will all have ambitions of getting up their respective leagues after somewhat disappointing campaigns last year. Charlton had the best season but only narrowly avoided relegation in their first year back in the second tier since 2020.

One thing they all share is that a winger, who came through the ranks with Charlton, has played for all three clubs. He also featured for the likes of Colchester United, Yeovil Town, and York City, but he has decided to retire at the age of 32.

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Callum Harriott has enjoyed a varied career across the EFL and the National League but he has decided to hang up his boots. A product of Charlton's academy, Harriott made 95 first-team appearances for the Addicks, scoring 12 goals and registering five assists. He was regarded as one of the club's brightest young talents before joining Reading in 2016.

His time with the Royals proved to be less fruitful, featuring 29 times in all competitions and netting four goals and two assists across three seasons before moving on. Harriott later rebuilt his career at Colchester United before a short spell with Gillingham, where he made four appearances after signing as a free agent in November 2022.

It was arguably with Colchester, also in League Two, where he enjoyed his best football. Harriott scored 19 and assisted 20 in 87 games. However, since leaving Priestfield, Harriott continued his football journey in non-league with clubs including Yeovil, York, Ebbsfleet United, Maidenhead United, and Braintree Town.

He never quite fulfilled the promise he showed during his breakthrough years at Charlton but Harriott has since called time on his career in a statement today. Speaking via Instagram, he said: "After 16 incredible years, the time has come for me to officially retire from professional football.

"As a young boy from South London, all I ever dreamed of was becoming a professional footballer. To have lived that dream is something I’ll never take for granted. ❤️⚽️

"From making my debut at Charlton Athletic to representing England at youth level and Guyana on the international stage, football has taken me on a journey I’ll cherish forever.

"The highs, the lows, the lessons and the memories have all shaped who I am today. To my family, thank you for every sacrifice you made to help me chase my dream. Every early morning, every long journey and every word of encouragement meant more than you’ll ever know.

"To my wife… You have been my rock. Watching you battle triple-negative breast cancer with incredible courage while continuing to support me every step of the way has been the greatest inspiration of my life.

"To every manager, coach, physio, teammate, member of staff and every club I’ve represented… Thank you for believing in me and giving me opportunities throughout my career.

"And to every fan who supported me, thank you. Your support never went unnoticed. Football gave me a purpose, memories I’ll cherish forever and friendships for life. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. I’ll leave the game with nothing but gratitude.

"Forever grateful."

There was a time when Harriott absolutely looked destined for far bigger things. After breaking through at Charlton as an exciting and fearless winger, many believed he possessed the talent to establish himself in the Championship and perhaps even earn a shot at the Premier League one day.

His move to Reading in 2016 felt like the natural next step, offering him the platform to kick on and fulfil that potential. Instead, opportunities proved to be limited and his career gradually drifted away from the higher levels of the EFL.

Even so, Harriott still enjoyed a respectable professional career spanning more than a decade and remained in the game into the National League. Following his retirement, he can look back with pride on a career that many aspiring footballers can only dream of. He even featured nine times for Guyana, too.