Lee Bowyer says Charlton striker Lyle Taylor needs to show some caution on and off the field of play

Lee Bowyer has warned Charlton striker Lyle Taylor that he needs to be cautious on and off the field after a goalless draw with Blackpool.

The former AFC Wimbledon man returned from a three-game suspension to face the Seasiders, but immediately edged closer to a further two games on the side-lines after picking up his ninth booking of the season.

Taylor was also spoken to after the frontman questioned Addicks owner Roland Duchatelet’s running of the club, following the Belgian tycoons decision not to give the green light to the signing of free agent Joe Mason. Bowyer had wanted to pick up the former Wolves man to bolster his attacking options but Duchatelet didn’t agree to the move.

“Obviously, there’s disappointment [within the squad],” Bowyer explained when asked what he made of Taylor’s comments.

“We lost a good player. He was Lyle’s partner. So, he’s going to have frustration and disappointment. But that’s something that he has to keep to himself, whatever he might think. I’ve spoken to Lyle. He said he didn’t mean it to come out that way and he’s apologised. At the end of the day, no matter what he might think or might not think, the owner is the man in charge. The owner pays his wages. He has to be careful. I’ve said that to Lyle, he has to be careful what he says. It was between us.

“There’s a lot of disappointment because we’ve lost a very good striker, but that’s football. It happens in football. It happens at most clubs. I’ve spoken to Lyle, he knows the situation. He’s apologised and it’s done.”

Taylor had sat the last three games out after his red card against Accrington Stanley. He was booked shortly before half-time of the stalemate with the Tangerines after a clash with Curtis Tilt.

That leaves Taylor on nine bookings. If he were to be cautioned again within the next four games, before an amnesty wipes previous cards out, he will have to face a further two game ban.

“Lyle knew the situation,” said Bowyer.

“I said to him before he came back that he’s got to be careful. To be fair, I don’t know what he did in that corner. It didn’t look like much. He was fouled. I don’t know what happened but it didn’t look like he had done much to me. It didn’t look like a yellow card offence whatever he did. I don’t know. He’s just got to be careful. There’s nothing we can do about that – that’s Lyle when he’s on the pitch.”