Lincoln City have announced that striker Charley Kendall has joined National League side Dagenham & Redbridge on loan.
The 22-year-old forward has appeared five times for the Imps since joining 18 months ago, scoring once. During that time, he’s had loan spells with Eastbourne Borough, Sutton United and Bromley with varying degrees of success. His Eastbourne spell, an immediate loan back after his move, proved to be prolific, but both Sutton and Bromley gave him limited game time.
He’s been a part of the Imps’ pre-season campaign, playing this week as they lost 2-0 to rivals Grimsby Town, but he hasn’t done enough to warrant a spot in the first-team squad. Instead, he will move to the Daggers and remain there until the end of the season, but he will be eligible for Lincoln’s EFL Trophy fixtures against Notts County, Wolves Under 21s and Derby County.
“Development is rarely linear, and Charley will have learnt a lot about himself and what is required as a centre forward in professional football last season,” said Lincoln’s director of football Jez George. “What Charley now needs is regular football and the opportunity to do what he does best: scoring goals.
“Their manager Ben Strevens knows Charley’s game really well, having tracked him from his days at Eastbourne Borough, and we have been impressed with Ben throughout the process of identifying the right loan for Charley.
“Nothing has changed from our perspective. We signed a talented young player with potential and we are still committed to doing everything we can in helping Charley to succeed at Lincoln City.”
Kendall is the second promising young striker from the Imps’ squad to head out on loan this season; Freddie Draper recently joined Walsall in League Two after a successful spell in the League of Ireland with Drogheda. A third young player, Jovon Makama, is expected to be around the first team squad, behind Ben House and summer recruit Tyler Walker in the pecking order.
Writer’s View
It’s make-or-break time for Charley Kendall this season. He was a revelation at Eastbourne after leaving QPR, but last season has set him back. He struggled to get to grips with Sutton’s style of play and then had limited exposure at Bromley for various reasons. Lincoln fans seem to love the lad, despite his meager game time, and have coined the phrase ‘Charley Kendall scores goals’. It’s time for him to prove that with the Daggers, who finished 10th in the National League last season.
As for the Imps, they do look light up top going into the new season. Tyler Walker was the headline signing of the summer, but he has yet to play a minute in pre-season, and whilst Ben House is expected to lead the line, only Jovon Makama is a recognised striker to back him up. Makama, who started his youth career with derby before moving to Lincoln, also had a loan spell last season, appearing five times without a goal for Brackley.