How striker went from Leicester City scrapheap to Charlton Athletic cult hero – He made Foxes pay.

Yann Kermorgant, a former Charlton Athletic striker, showed Leicester City what they were missing after leaving the King Power Stadium for The Valley in 2011.

The Frenchman joined the Foxes on a free transfer after leaving Stade Reims in the summer of 2009, but he struggled to make an impact in his first season in England, scoring only one goal in the Championship. Leicester made the play-offs at the conclusion of the season, and Kermorgant appeared as a substitute in both legs of their semi-final against Cardiff City, with the second game in South Wales being his final appearance for the club.

The game was settled in a penalty shootout, in which Kermorgant attempted a panenka that was easily stopped by goalie David Marshall, and the Bluebirds advanced to Wembley.

The striker spent the 2010/11 season on loan at Ligue 1 side Arles-Avignon before being given no squad number and advised to find a new club when he returned to Leicester in 2011.

Kermorgant signed for Charlton

Kermorgant joined Charlton in September 2011, with the Addicks hoping for promotion back to the Championship under Chris Powell, who had previously worked with the striker at Leicester.

According to Sky Sports, he discussed his desire to relocate to The Valley during a recent interview. “I had a number of offers from clubs in France, but during my time at Leicester City, I had an excellent relationship with Chris Powell,” says Kermorgant.

“Once I met Chris, and discussed his style of play and his ambitions for the club, I felt that Charlton is going to be an exciting place to be over the next few years, and I want to be a part of it.”

Kermorgant’s choice to join Charlton paid off, as he forged an excellent strike partnership with Bradley Wright-Phillips and scored 12 goals on his way to winning League One in 2012.

He then scored 12 goals and assisted nine times the following season as Charlton finished ninth in the Championship, their best league performance since being demoted from the Premier League in 2007.

Kermorgant’s aerial presence, physicality, and hard-working temperament, along with his free-kick-taking, link-up play, and finishing ability, make him one of Charlton’s most complete centre-forwards since the club’s relegation from the Premier League.

Kermorgant made Leicester pay

Kermorgant scored several memorable goals during his time in SE7, but the ones he scored against Leicester were probably his favourites.

Charlton played the Foxes three times in the Championship until Kermorgant was mysteriously moved to AFC Bournemouth in January 2014, shortly after Roland Duchatelet finalised his ownership of the club.

The Frenchman showed Leicester what they were missing by scoring every time he played them, contributing to three 2-1 victory for Charlton, despite the hostile welcome he received from the opposing fans, who obviously remembered his missed penalty at Cardiff City Stadium in 2010.

“I hear the abuse, but I love it,” Kermorgant told The Telegraph in 2013, just after scoring his third goal in as many games against his previous team. “I don’t understand why they booed me. Perhaps they should cease. “I am still scoring, and we are winning every time.”

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