Let's not over-use the word great, especially when referring to Charlton players. If we're honest, there haven't been that many. But, without doubt, one of the greatest post-War players was the midfielder Mark Kinsella. And I mean the Boer War.

Mark Kinsella

Cast your mind back - if you can - to 1996. Kinsella had been on trial at The Valley, whilst on the books of Colchester United. Alan Curbishley wanted to buy him, but the board had to think long and hard about the massive fee: Colchester wanted £150,000. As usual, the board did the right thing, dug deep and found the money to sign the player who became Charlton's most influential signing - along with Clive Mendonca - of the 1990s.

Kinsella's passionate, committed displays laid the foundations for the growth in Charlton's fortunes in the 1990s. He was named Charlton Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999 (and is the only former winner currently employed by the club). He lifted the Play-off winners' trophy at Wembley in May 1998 and, following relegation in 1999, helped drag Charlton back up as Division One Champions in May 2000.

Injury, and the form of Scott Parker saw Kinsella drop down the pecking order and it was with a heavy heart that Charlton fans read about his departure to Aston Villa in 2002. But, perhaps that was a good deal all-round for Charlton. The fee of £1m represented a profit of £850,000 on Kinsella, whose Villa career was blighted by injuries. And Parker's subsequesnt sale to Chelsea for a then club record £11.1m represented an even bigger slice of net revenue.

Kinsella was capped 48 times by the Republic of Ireland - including captaining his country against Finland - mostly whilst as a Charlton player. And in 2000, he was named as the eircom/FAI Senior Player of the Year.

Following a loan spell from Villa to West Brom, Kinsella signed for Walsall, for whom he played for two seasons. But throughout his career, Kinsella remained Charlton through and through. And, when Les Reed came calling, he quit Walsall and joined Charlton as Development Coach, with responsibility for the development of young professional players, liaison with the academy and the managing the reserve team.

"Walsall have been brilliant to me," he said. "But they know how I feel about Charlton, which is my club. It's difficult to leave, but I'm very excited about coming back to Charlton." bbc.co.uk

He is currently Reserve Team Coach.