page_title: Linvoy Primus
section_title: Charlton Athletic
hierarchical_section_title: Linvoy Primus / Football career / Charlton Athletic
caption_attribution_description: English: The Sir Trevor Brooking Stand at West Ham's Boleyn Ground
context_page_description: Linvoy Stephen Primus MBE is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender.
  Born in Forest Gate, England, to Caribbean-born parents, Primus began his professional career at Charlton Athletic, where he made four league appearances. Primus moved on a free transfer to Barnet and established himself as a first team regular in the lower divisions of English football before earning a £250,000 transfer to Reading.
  A Bosman transfer to Portsmouth followed after three successful seasons at the Berkshire-based club. Initially, Primus struggled to break into the team and had his progress hindered by injuries. But the 2002–03 season signaled a change in direction as Primus broke into the first team and won Portsmouth fan's player of the season as well as the PFA Fans' Player of the Year for his division. For the next three seasons Primus was in and out of the first team and worked under three managers: Harry Redknapp, Velimir Zajec and Alain Perrin. The 2006–07 season was the last injury-free season for Primus as a career-threatening knee injury meant he would not make an appearance the following season.
context_section_description: After finishing his GCSEs, where he achieved three A grades, Primus signed a two-year apprenticeship with Charlton. He also received an offer from West Ham United, who were in a higher division, but he rejected this because he felt his first team opportunities would be greater at Charlton. Primus was playing in various positions until the club's youth team coach, Colin Clarke, decided that he should play as a centre back, "I see you as a centre back, that way you can see everything you want in front of you".
  Under the Youth Training Scheme, Primus was earning £35 a week while training with the youth and reserve teams as well as having cleaning duties. He had to study Leisure Management at a nearby college which he disliked. Primus, along with Jermaine Darlington, was chosen to travel to Charlton's temporary stadium Selhurst Park to lay out the kits and the boots for the senior players. He admitted this may have earned him "Brownie points" with the youth management. Primus began playing in the reserves under manager Alan Curbishley and, at the end of his apprenticeship, Primus was offered a one-year professional contract by the new youth team coach John Cartwright. Darlington was the only other apprentice who was offered a contract.
  Due to injuries to first team centre backs Simon Webster and Darren Pitcher, Primus made his professional debut against Birmingham City. The match took place at their substitute stadium Upton Park in November 1992 and Primus was awarded man of the match for his performance. Primus played the next two matches against Leicester City and Brentford but was disappointed with his performances. Primus made two further first team appearances in the 1992–93 season but soon found himself lower in the pecking order after other players returned from injury and Primus got injured. He felt that he had to leave the club: "I really felt as though I wasn't wanted and that my days were numbered."
  Despite this, he signed a one-year extension with the Greenwich-based club. However, he suffered another muscle injury, and with further competition for places in the form of Dean Chandler and Richard Rufus, he failed to make a single appearance for Charlton in the 1993–94 season. He was released at the end of it.
caption: Boleyn Ground, often known as Upton Park, the stadium where Primus made his Charlton debut
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