Charlton's Jonny Williams on how Lee Bowyer has helped his career

Having signed in the summer, the attacker has featured in each of the Addicks opening five games in their unbeaten start, chipping in with four assists.

His stellar start to the season has seen him earn a re-call to the Welsh set-up for the upcoming internationals proving that the 25-year-old is recapturing his best form.

Williams believes part of the reason he’s enjoying life at The Valley this season is because there’s no uncertainty as to where he’ll be playing.

Before making his move from Crystal Palace permanent in July, the 25-year-old was sent out on no fewer than eight loans during his eight-year spell at Selhurst Park, more often than not sent out after the season had started.

“It’s the fittest I’ve felt in a long time,” he said.

“Sometimes I was still looking to go out on loan, with the deadline what it was I would miss the first five games of the season usually.

“Had he (Lee Bowyer) not invited me along with the team I don’t know where I’d be fitness wise, whether I’d played as much as I have, I probably wouldn’t have.

“I’ve had a full pre-season thankfully, and that's down to him.

“Sometimes it’s hard to maintain for 90 minutes with the tempo I play at, but Lee’s managing me.

“It’s definitely the best start of the season of my career, performance wise I would compare it to the time I had at Ipswich, when I went on my first ever loan.

“Working under Mick McCarthy, I played 16 games on the trot, the end product was there, and I was feeling great, it’s probably up there with that.”

Bowyer Effect

Williams has overcome a number of injuries that threatened to blight his career, and now working with Bowyer the midfielder believes he can improve his game further.

“Belief, he believes in me and as a player I haven’t always had that,” he added.

“That helps with my game because at Palace I didn’t really have that.

“I was having to find it within myself and I wasn’t the player I’m showing today.

“It’s down to him believing in me and giving me a chance.

“The end product is something I wanted to work on, it was something that was missing from my game, and now I’m starting to add that.

“It’d be nice to get on the end of a few chances, but he (Bowyer) keeps telling me to get into the box and things will drop.

“He’s working all aspects of my game, going forward and going back.

“He’s made me fitter, I’ve hit the ground running this season and I’m really enjoying my football at the moment.”

Wales Call-Up

His early season performances haven’t gone unnoticed by Welsh Coach Ryan Giggs either.

Both he and fellow Addick Tom Lockyer were called into the Welsh squad for their upcoming fixtures against Azerbaijan and Belarus, and for Williams it’s the first camp he’s been involved in since 2017.

“It’s something I’ve missed, I probably haven’t deserved to be in it because I haven’t played enough.

“But it’s hard to take as it’s such a great camp to be part of.

“It’s brilliant to be playing club level, and to get the call up is just the icing on the cake.”