Charlton Athletic defender Lewis Page hopes to stay off the treatment table this season
Photo: Ben Peters
By Louis Mendez
Charlton’s Lewis Page is hoping to go injury-free for the upcoming season.
The 22-year-old left-back, signed from West Ham United in January 2017, has had an Addicks career blighted by lay-offs – which included spell on the side-lines that ran for just a day less than an entire calendar year before he returned to the fold in March.
But the Enfield-born full-back, who scored one goal last campaign, hopes to have a clean bill of health this year after completing a tailored pre-season.
“I’ve got to do my specific conditioning for my hamstring and Achilles, so I’ve got to keep on top of that in the off-season,” explained the West Ham academy graduate.
“Otherwise I can break down straight away with the hard grounds in pre-season. That was important for me to do that. And we got given our programme to do and I think everyone stuck to it.
“I had literally a week off and the rest of it in the gym. I did a few runs but more of it was gym work. I like to do a bit in the gym so I come back stronger than before. Running in pre-season was tough, so I should be fit and powerful hopefully.
“I’m fine. Touch wood, all good. So, I’ve got to keep that up, stay on top of things. Hopefully have a fully fit full season.”
The left-back berth was rotated between Page and Chelsea loanee Jay Dasilva in the latter stages of last season. Dasilva has now returned to his parent club, leaving Page as the only senior left-back in the Charlton squad.
“I don’t know if we’re going to bring anyone in but I hope to be the number three,” added Page.
“It was good with Jay last year. He got injured for a little bit and I was playing, kept him out for a bit. It was good competition but you want to have the position on your own, make that shirt yours. It’s a bit of both. Either way it doesn’t really matter to me, I’ve got to just do what I can do on the pitch. That’s all that I can do.”
Lee Bowyer’s side continued their preparations for their League One campaign with a 2-1 friendly win over Dulwich Hamlet at Imperial Fields on Wednesday evening.
“I thought we should win,” said Page, who featured for the final 30 minutes of the clash with the Hamlet after playing for an hour in a behind-closed-doors game with Cambridge United the day before.
“But it is what it is, it’s a pre-season game, we’ve got to get our minutes under our belts. Get sharp for two and a half weeks’ time.”
