West Ham United spent nearly £18 million on players last month, but the imminent return of Dean Ashton from a broken ankle could be priceless. Terence Brown, their former chairman, reflected after relegation four years ago that starting the season with three main strikers and a teenager in Jermain Defoe had been relying upon at least one too few.

So when the club ended the transfer window last summer with six strikers, it should have been sufficient. Yet they have scored only 18 goals in 27 league matches, and two of their four away goals came against Newcastle United last month. Marlon Harewood and Bobby Zamora have scored nine goals in all competitions — compared with 26 last season — but more importantly they have missed the physical presence and link-up play provided by Ashton.

It is why Alan Curbishley, despite the signing of Kepa Blanco, a similarly-built striker, on loan last month, may test the fitness of Ashton against the Charlton Athletic reserve team on Monday. It would be a risk because Ashton has not yet trained with the first team. “We will push him on the weekend and see what happens,” Curbishley, the West Ham manager, said. “It will be a big boost to everybody if he is involved. His fitness is good, he has been kicking balls, so we could take a short-cut on him. He feels quite confident about where he is at.”

Curbishley’s more pressing concern is his return to The Valley tomorrow to play Charlton Athletic, the club he was managing this time last year. The teams are level on points, and neither can afford the six-point gap to Wigan Athletic — who play away to Manchester City — to grow. West Ham lost to Watford in what Curbishley had described as a “must-win match” two weeks ago.

“Our match against Watford and this one against Charlton have massive significance,” Curbishley said. “We have blown the first one and we can’t blow the second. Watford have been boosted by some wins and we are waiting for similar. There are managers looking over their shoulder. No one will feel safe until they get to the target. People have said that will be 40 points, but it may be 36 or 37. We have not had our lift-off. If we can do that, it will give everyone a lift.”