Charlton Athletic manager Dean Holden has paid tribute to Sam Lavelle after the defender left the club for Carlisle United.

The 26-year-old signed a two-year deal with the Blues, ending a two-year stay at The Valley.

Holden admitted Lavelle had endured a tough time with injury last term and said he could not have guaranteed the ex-Morecambe man a role in the side in 2023/24.

But he said the defender had still contributed well to the club in his spell in south London.

"Sam had a tough season last year with an injury that ended his season and he wants to get back to playing regularly,” Holden said on the Addicks website.

"We have some very promising young centre-backs at the club, in addition to the experience of Michael Hector, Lloyd Jones and Terell Thomas, so Sam was unlikely to get that regular football he wants to be playing.

“The move to Carlisle gives him that and frees up space for us.

"He’ll always have a place in the Charlton history books for his winning penalty against Brighton at The Valley [a shoot-out goal that sent Charlton into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals last December.”

“He’s a fantastic person who gave his all for Charlton during his time here and everyone at the club wishes him the best for the future."

Lavelle made 41 appearances for Charlton after his move from Morecambe in 2021, which followed a four-year spell with the Shrimps, during which he made 165 appearances and captained them to League Two promotion via the play-offs.

The Blackpool-born player, who is a former Scotland Under-19 international, also made two loan appearances for Burton Albion last season before his stay in the second-half of the 2022/23 campaign was hit by injury.

Lavelle could face his former club when United take on Charlton at Brunton Park on November 23 in the new League One season, before the sides meet at The Valley on March 9.