New Charlton striker Stuart Fleetwood has admitted that his arrival at The Valley represents a second chance to make the grade following his release by Cardiff City.

Fleetwood, 22, the Blue Square Premier League's 36-goal Player-of-the-Year, joined Charlton on a three-year deal following his move from Forest Green Rovers. An independent tribunal will fix the fee.

He confessed: "I thought my hopes of playing at the top were in tatters after I left Cardiff. I thought I had blown it after failing to live up to a lot of hype.

"It went to my head and I didn't think I had to work hard anymore. Coming to Charlton is a second chance at this level and I'm determined not to miss out out on the opportunity.

"I might have played at Cardiff if Lennie Lawrence (former Charlton manager) had stayed but he didn't and the new manager (Dave Jones) wasn't keen on me."

Instead, Jones opted for the powerful and aggressive Cameron Jerome who has since gone on to play in the Barclays Premier League with Birmingham City.

While Jerome's career blossomed following a £3 million transfer, Fleetwood's slipped back, forcing him to rebuild at non-league level.