Ex-Blackpool and Charlton winger returns to former club as striker joins League One rivals

Former Blackpool winger Charlie Kirk completed a deadline day transfer to Crewe Alexandra.

The 26-year-old had been made a free agent by Charlton Athletic just before Christmas. His contract was terminated and he was allowed to speak to clubs and now he has landed on a return to Gresty Road.

He re-joins the Alex at a time where they are battling for promotion from League Two. Managed by Lee Bell, they are currently fifth in the league and are just a point off of Mansfield Town who occupy the final automatic promotion spot.

Kirk has signed a short-term contract at Crewe and will be hoping to replicate his previous spell at the club. He came through their youth academy system and went on to play 206 times in all competitions, scoring 32 goals. He was a 2020 promotion winner and got a place in the Team of the Year after nine goals and 14 assists.

Kirk was at Blackpool on loan in the 2021/22 Championship season and played nine times, providing three assists. It was reported last August that Blackpool were interested in re-signing Kirk however a return to Bloomfield Road failed to materialise. He remained at Charlton and remained on the fringes of their first team but departed having made eight appearances in all competitions for the Addicks.

Elsewhere, Joe Nuttall moved up two divisons as he has left Oldham Athletic to join Darrell Clarke at Blackpool's League One rivals Cheltenham Town. The 27-year-old had scored one goal in 12 National League appearances this season and hadn't played in the league since the end of October, but is now joining the Robins at a time where they're fighting for their lives in the third tier.

Nuttall played 33 times for Blackpool in the 2019/20 campaign and netted three goals as they finished 13th. Blackpool face Cheltenham at Whaddon Road on Tuesday, February 13.