It was whilst with the Welsh International team that Tom Lockyer decided to join Charlton.

Having spent eight years with Bristol Rovers the 24-year-old’s contract had expired and the defender was unsure of his next move.

A player who’d played over 250 games for Rovers, from League One to Conference and back to League One again, there was no shortage of takers from Championship and League One sides for his services.

Undecided of where he’d spend the 2019/20 season the six-cap international was named in Ryan Giggs’s squad for their European qualifiers against Croatia and Hungary in June, and that’s where a certain Jonny Williams stepped in.

“Jonny sold me the dream!,” he said.

“He must’ve been told by (Head of Recruitment) Steve Gallen to have a word, because he sold it to me.

“When he joined up with Wales after the play-offs, he knew it was on the cards, but I hadn’t made my mind up, so I was getting feed-back from people.”

News Shopper:

The decision has proved a wise move for Lockyer who has played every minute of Charlton’s positive start to the season.

In his first season in the second tier, the Cardiff-born Lockyer is doing his international chances no harm, the reason why he knew he had to leave Bristol.

“It was having a taste of international football that made me want to move,” he continued.

“Having that taste, I thought, I need more of this.

“Looking at everyone in my position, they were playing Premiership, Championship football.

“I realised if I want more of this I need to be playing Championship football, that’s a fact.

“I had great eight-years there but it was time to move on.”

News Shopper:

The 24-year-old made his international debut under Chris Coleman in 2017 and has been a squad regular in the squad under Ryan Giggs since he took charge.

Despite not featuring competitively under Lawrence, Lockyer feels the exposure he’ll get at Charlton will only help him add to his cap tally.

“It’s not rocket science.

“I spoke to Jonny about it, just because you’re at a club in a higher league doesn’t make you a better player, but because your higher it gives you more chance of playing.

“If a manager chooses a League One player over a Championship or Premiership player all the fans are going to say –‘what is he doing?’

“It’s just a pecking order.”

Football aside, it was also the move to London that Lockyer was sceptical about.

Having spent his youth in Radyr, a suburb of Cardiff, followed by eight years in Bristol, he found the idea of a move to the capital was daunting.

“I wasn’t sure what to make of London when I first joined or when the offer was on the table.

“The outside perception, it’s 100mph, non-stop, but that hasn’t been the case.

“It’s been nice, really enjoyable, I’ve settled in and hopefully there’s more to come for me.”

READ:'We shouldn't fear Leeds' - Charlton ace on league leaders visit