The return of the 28-year-old to the all black kit was one of the few positives for Pools in Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Scunthorpe United.
Despite only expecting to get the last 10 minutes, Charman was sent on with just over half an hour to go at Glanford Park and emerged unscathed.
It was good to have the attacker back after a succession of injury frustrations over the last 12 months.
He impressed last season – his second at the club – and had just set up Vadaine Oliver’s goal in a 2-0 win over Solihull Moors in October when he suffered a foot injury late in Nicky Featherstone’s first match in charge.
Charman returned for the festive programme, scoring in the 2-1 win at Rochdale, and was in fine form again when disaster struck in February at Solihull, where he badly damaged ankle ligaments, an injury which ended his season.
After agreeing a new contract in the summer, he shone in pre-season, including a goal at Hebburn, only to injure his knee in the home defeat by Grimsby.
But the versatile forward is back and determined to help Pools up the table.
How tough has it been for Charman? To be out once is unfortunate, to be out three times is cruel.
“It has been hard, but that’s football,” Luke told Life. “But worse things happen in the world.
“There are going to be set-backs but you have to use them as fuel, you have to motivate yourself.
“This my life, football is what I love doing.
“None of my injuries have been muscle issues, they have all been from impact situations.
“I said to my mother that I would change the way I play.
“But I’ve broken my promise – I’ll keep playing the way I’ve always played football.
“That’s how I am in football, in life, in everything I do. There’s no point doing it unless you are going to try your absolute best.”
His quote about worse things happening in the world is a poignant mention to the passing of footballer Michael Newberry, who died in December 2024.
Michael was Luke’s best mate and, naturally, has been a big miss for Charman who is highly-motivated to shrug off the set-backs in order to dedicate himself to football and honouring his’s friend’s life.
Charman worked his socks off in a lost cause against the Iron. He did tire late on, but that was no shock or crime given it was his first competitive game in seven months.
“I’m absolutely gutted about this result and the results this season,” he told BBC Tees. “It’s a bad situation to be come back into but, at the same time, I’m trying to look at it as positively as possible and hope I can help us start to turn results around.”
Life would suggest that Charman gave the best Pools performance of the day at Glanford Park.
Not necessarily for his efforts on the park, though they were admirable, but off the field where he gave three honest and powerful interviews to BBC Tees, the Red Radio and, of course, the town’s best newspaper.
He revealed how the squad had indulged in a frank discussion in the dressing room.
“We’ve had a really open and honest conversation with each other,” said Charman.
“There were some things said that people didn’t like, but that’s football.
“If everyone wants to pull in the same direction you have to have that honesty and you have to be able to receive that criticism if it is aimed at you.”
Charman was asked if Pools were still capable of pushing for the play-offs.
“Without a doubt,” he told the Red Radio. “The quality in that dressing room is definitely enough to get us there.
“I believe in the lads massively.”
Author: Roy
Author of Sports Life and all sports articles.