An ever present since new coach Dean Holden took charge of the League One Addicks in December, the 23-year-old West Australian hasn’t looked back since his League Cup penalty shootout heroics against Brighton earned a dream tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

While that ended in a 3-0 loss, Maynard-Brewer emerged with his reputation enriched and a new-found belief which permeates every performance.

Schwarzer’s endorsement hasn’t done any harm either, with Maynard-Brewer, who joined Charlton aged just 16, counting his blessings after apparent ill fate ended up smiling upon him.

“At the start of the season I got shipped out on loan to Gillingham but I got injured and had to return to the club,” explained the gloveman who was farmed out to Ross County last season.

While in Scotland, Maynard-Brewer suffered a broken nose, quickly followed by a dislocated shoulder, restricting him to 17 games.

The shoulder popped out again two weeks into pre-season with the League Two Gills, and he was back in London for surgery which sidelined him until November:

But then the fortunes turned the shot-stopper's way when both goalkeepers ahead of him at Charlton at the time got injured.

“It was crazy really,” he added. “I found myself almost immediately in the team and played three games. Things can change to fast in football and you have to try and be ready for anything.

“What happened all kind of turned out as a blessing in disguise. Then when you get somebody like Mark Schwarzer saying good things about you it’s pretty encouraging.

“He came up to interview me (for Optus) at Ross County and that was exciting. I grew up watching him for the Socceroos and in the Premier League, and he had a fantastic career with so many appearances at the top level.

“For him to say he liked the look of me and thought I could one day be in and around the Socceroos meant a lot.”

A part of the Olyroos' Tokyo Games squad - though he didn’t play - Maynard-Brewer, along with Huddersfield’s Nicholas Bilokapic, is a potential heir apparent to long-time Australia No.1 Mat Ryan.

“A lot of those boys from the Olympics played a big part for Australia at the World Cup, and it’s always been my ambition to one day wear the shirt," he said.

“It would be amazing to be in the next generation of the Socceroos. One of the things about coming to the UK was to try and put myself in the best position possible to play for the national team.

“I first came out on trial when I was 14, and once I was 16 I got a two year scholarship and with a few loan spells along the way it’s slowly progressed from there.

“It’s maybe taken a bit longer (to crack the first team) than I expected but I’m really grateful to be in that position I’m in now. 

“I’m still learning the game and just want to get a run going now. Charlton has a great reputation for bringing through academy players - and it’s a club where they back youth.”

Harking back to last month’s Old Trafford adventure, Maynard-Brewer recalled: “It was pretty full on. Playing in that stadium against world class players is something I’ll never forget. 

“I was nervous and just wanted to focus on the game. It was really special with 9000 of our fans there.

“The result was unfortunate. We held them at 1-0 for a long time there but when you’re up against quality opposition they punish you for any small error.”