CHARLTON again re-connected with their past following Mark Kinsella’s appointment as club development coach.

The 34-year-old former Republic of Ireland international midfielder will succeed Mark Robson as reserve team manager, leaving Robson to concentrate exclusively on his first team duties alongside boss Les Reed.

Kinsella makes his farewell appearance for Walsall against Swindon on Saturday before returning to The Valley on Monday.

Reed, who goes back a long way with Kinsella, said: “I was here when we bought Mark from Colchester in 1996 and he ended up being our captain and leading the club to promotion through the play-offs.

“He remained here and we went up again from the Championship and I remained friends with Mark over those years. He’s very well thought of at Charlton and played with several of the present first team members.

“He is also a well-respected figure within the dressing-room and his role of player-coach/reserve team manager at Walsall fits in perfectly with what we’ve been looking for.”

Kinsella made 226 appearances for the Addicks between 1996, when Charlton pipped Gillingham to sign him from Colchester for £250,000, and 2002.

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