Charlton Athletic fans may be angered by Lyle Taylor’s take on Rob Edwards to Wolves | OneFootball

The former Addicks forward's thoughts on Edwards' managerial saga can be viewed as ironic

Former Charlton Athletic striker Lyle Taylor has been amongst those to weigh in on Rob Edwards' switch from Middlesbrough to Wolverhampton Wanderers — but those connected to the South East London side may feel a sense of irony when reading said verdict.

The story which eventually ended in Edwards returning to Molineux was one that dominated English football headlines for a week-long period, with those in the North East left furious by the 42-year-old's actions.

Just five months ago, Steve Gibson offered the ex-Luton Town boss a managerial reprieve after a calamitous end to a previously successful stint at Kenilworth Road, during which he will forever be remembered as the man who led the Hatters to the Premier League after their Championship play-off final success in May 2023.

There was a high chance that such feats could, once again, be achieved on Teesside as Boro supporters long to end what is currently an eight-year exile from the Premier League.

Yet, despite the Reds setting the early-season pace in the Championship alongside Coventry City and Stoke City, Edwards returned to the club who he played for over a four-year period, as well as beginning his managerial career as a first-team coach in his native West Midlands, regardless of Wanderers' precarious position at the foot of the top-flight.

Such a crucial decision has led to many within the game issuing their two-pence on the matter. Yet, whilst fully entitled to his thoughts, those at The Valley may be quick to remind the aforementioned Taylor of the circumstances which surrounded his SE7 exit five years ago.

Lyle Taylor issues verdict on Rob Edwards' switch from Middlesbrough FC to Wolves

At the time of his appointment at the Riverside after penning a three-year deal, Edwards spoke extremely highly of Middlesbrough's stature, the loyal and passionate fanbase and the ingredients required to formulate a successful period.

Those words were reiterated when Boro winger, Morgan Whittaker, was ironically jeered off the pitch during a 2-2 draw with Preston North End in September. However, they are now also meaningless in the eyes of every supporter in the North East, who unveiled a series of banners during the 2-1 success over Birmingham City last weekend, just hours after Edwards was stood down from his position as head coach before talks with the Wolves' hierarchy began.

The likes of Wayne Rooney and Simon Jordan have pledged their allegiances to Middlesbrough supporters when reacting to the aforementioned managerial saga, with Taylor also deeming the fact that Edwards has left a club seemingly on the up for one in freefall as 'incomprehensible', whilst also questioning, once again, if loyalty and the modern-game have no link whatsoever.

"You go to war together. Your manager is the captain of the ship, and you kind of look up to that person and "okay, so what is it we're doing?" Taylor said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily Podcast.

I can only imagine what's going through those players' heads right now, and they are absolutely flying by the way, so it's almost incomprehensible that you can be doing really well and the manager still goes.

"The lack of loyalty is evidenced by the fact that fans live in this football utopia whereby loyalty exists, but when a fan doesn't think a player is good enough — what do they do? They want the player out.

"When a player wants to leave a club to better themselves, they are treated like a turncoat. When a manager wants to do the same thing, it is the same situation," Taylor explained.

"Football is a business and ultimately money rules business.

"Let's be honest, if there is ever a time Rob Edwards has to manage against Middlesbrough, he will get dog's abuse.

"But, for me, the presumption that there is loyalty in football is wide of the mark," he claimed.

Charlton Athletic supporters will sense irony in Lyle Taylor's Rob Edwards verdict after controversial 2020 exit

Rather unsurprisingly, Taylor's verdict has been met by a swath of Addicks supporters, who were quick to remind the 35-year-old of the circumstances which surrounded his departure from SE7 during the 2019/20 season, in which the club were relegated immediately back to League One under Lee Bowyer.

The striker had made himself a firm favourite at The Valley during his first season, scoring 25 times across 45 matches in all competitions as the Reds returned to the Championship for the first time in three years, defeating Sunderland at Wembley Stadium in dramatic circumstances.

Taylor then scored five times across the opening six matches upon Charlton's strong initial return to the second-tier, before a knee issue sustained on international duty with Montserrat sparked an initial long-term absence.

He remained in-and-out of Bowyer's side after returning amid talk of interest from several Championship sides, before playing his last game for the club against Middlesbrough on March 7th, 2020.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the second-tier season was paused and then resumed in late-June, just days before the initial expiry date in Taylor's two-year contract.

As such, it was confirmed two weeks before 'project restart' that he would not extend his contract by a month in order to protect his future career prospects, which left him unavailable for the final nine games of the season.

Charlton were then relegated by a point on the final day after a 4-0 defeat to Leeds United, which left many fans furious with Taylor's decision, and it is one they clearly haven't forgotten despite another impressive return to the Championship under Nathan Jones.

Taylor of course headed on to Nottingham Forest a month-and-a-half after his Charlton contract expired, but he wasn't able to make too much of an impact at the City Ground, and some five years later he's now coupling up his media appearances with a stint at National League South side Chelmsford City, where at the age of 35 he is leading the line for the Essex outfit and is still scoring goals.

And despite it being over five years now since his decision to cut his ties with Charlton at a time where they desperately needed him most, Taylor's comments on a fellow professional making the move to another club in controversial circumstances will certainly come across as extremely ironic to many.