THE rumour mill is in full flow surrounding a £1.5m move for Everton striker Marcus Bent. Boss Alan Curbishley has shown interest in the 27-year-old before and Everton are now braced for a renewed bid once the transfer action starts in January. If Bent does move to The Valley, Charlton would be the ninth club in 10 years for the much-travelled star who started out as a Brentford trainee.

CHARLTON got into the festive spirit for their Boxing Day clash against Arsenal by distributing more than 4,000 Father Christmas hats to fans at The Valley for the live-on-Sky match. The Addicks-branded headgear was handed out to supporters outside the ground and by ball boys prior to kick-off.

THE reserve clash away at Watford on January 17 has been postponed as the Hornets are playing a first-team fixture on the same night.

Meanwhile, a date has been set for the fourth-round FA Youth Cup clash between Charlton and Wolves the game will be played at Molineux on January 17.

FRANCIS Jeffers is set to return to The Valley on New Year's Day following the end of his four-month loan spell with Scottish giants Rangers. The striker has yet to find the net following Rangers' Boxing Day 3-3 draw with Dunfermline Athletic, in which he was an unused substitute.

HERMANN Hreidarsson got an early Christmas present when the Addicks defender scooped an award from the Icelandic Football Association. For the second consecutive year the giant Hermannator was pipped to the top spot in the Icelandic player of the year category by Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen.