Charlton boss Iain Dowie says he has been delighted with Simon Walton's progress since the midfielder joined the Blues on loan. The Addicks coaching staff have been keeping a close eye on the 18-year-old they bought from Leeds for £1 million in the summer.

Dowie said: "Simon has been watched by myself, [assistant head coach] Les Reed and [development coach] Mark Robson already, and we're delighted with his progress.

"We bought Simon as a player who could be a big, big player at this football club. He's certainly one for the future and he's got great potential.

"I'm delighted the way things have gone at Ipswich and it's exactly the sort of outcome we envisaged. We thought he would feature and be a positive influence on the team.

"I know Jim Magilton and the way he works, and it's good for Simon. He's playing competitive football week-in, week-out."

Dowie says that he might not have extended the spell from the initial month until January 3rd had he foreseen his side's current fitness problems: "In hindsight he probably would have played here more than we might have expected in light of the injury situation at the moment, but we weren't to know that at the time and we can't change that.

"You have to make decisions based on the circumstances of the time.

"We're looking forward to him continuing that development and I'm sure he will improve as games go on and that when he comes back in January he will be a player that is much, much closer to being involved."

Walton has scored three goals - two of them penalties - in his five games for the Blues, already equalling his total in his 38 matches for Leeds.

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