Former Charlton boss Karl Robinson insists Ricky Holmes was told “he had to go” after the winger returned to the Valley for the first time since leaving.

On loan at Oxford United from Championship club Sheffield United, the 31-year-old was effectively booed on his every touch during the 1-1 draw.

While the U’s boss, who quit a few months later in March, was greeted with mostly applause he defended Holmes following the less-than-positive reaction.

READ: Player ratings from Charlton's draw with Oxford United

He said: “I thought I had a good one! The fans on the right-hand side clapped and that was something I appreciated. You’re always going to bear the brunt of some of the jokes, I know that.

“I’m surprised at what Ricky Holmes got. He was told he had to go, so why blame Ricky Holmes?

“Why did you blame Ricky Holmes?

“The club got money, we take it and you go. If he gets a better contract going into the Championship he’s obviously going to go for it, but at no stage was he told he wasn’t for sale.

“That frustrated me.

“Fans play the ear, players play the ear, club play the ear. I’m sure he was towards the back end of my first year [at Charlton] and then the club sold him, so it’s not his fault is it?

“I know when he was coming back he was someone I had a tremendous relationship with in the time that we spent here, so when he was available I was obviously going to try and bring him back.”

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Robinson leapt to Holmes’ defence when the wide man first swapped south London for south Yorkshire in January.

At the time, Sheffield United were on the cusp of the playoffs but eventually tumbled down table to a 10th place finish.

Now the Blades are currently sat second in the Championship, eyeing Premier League promotion, though boss Chris Wilder has shipped Holmes out on loan for more game time.

Robinson also believes Lyle Taylor, who nabbed his eighth goal this season in the draw, could’ve been at Charlton “six months earlier”.

However, he refused to say whether it’d have made a difference to the club’s promotion bid last season.

He added: “It’s not for me to comment on that because, again, it’s always a flip of the coin.”