Pards hails tough Thatcher
12 Jan 2007 - 10:31:35
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- Pards hails tough Thatcher
Charlton Athletic have completed the £500,000 capture of left-back Ben Thatcher from Manchester City.
The 31-year-old former Wales international arrives as a direct replacement for Djimi Traore, who left the Addicks on Thursday to join Portsmouth in a £1million deal.
Addicks boss Alan Pardew feels Thatcher will give his side a more physical edge, telling the club's official website: "I feel we're going to need a tougher, harder edge if we're going to get out of this.
"I looked at Ben, saw he was available and that he would improve us. We've conceded more goals than anybody else and I feel we need a bit more dialogue in the back four.
"Ben Thatcher brings great experience and spirit to the team. He is going to be the sort of character we are going to need.
"I just feel we need to strengthen up a bit and need a bit more experience of what the Premiership is about.
"We do not need wholesale changes, just a few players to freshen things up and kick-start our season."