Charlton Athletic

Mills' Charlton spell may be over
Danny Mills may have played his last game for Charlton after being sent off in the 1-1 draw with Hull. Mills, who is on loan from Manchester City until the new year, was dismissed for using foul and abusive language. "We have been discussing the situation with City in terms of keeping Danny," said Charlton manager Alan Pardew. "We need to absorb what happened here on the back of that. It's difficult to reflect now. He will miss three games, so we have a big decision to make." Mills was sent off after reacting angrily following a clash with Hull striker Caleb Folan. Pardew added: "It (the sending off) was for something he said and not something he did. I'm afraid that's inexcusable."

Wagstaff signs deal with Charlton
Young winger Scott Wagstaff has signed professional terms with Charlton. Wagstaff, 17, skippered the club's under-18's to FA Youth Cup success at Wolves last month, has signed a two-and-a-half year contract. "Now I just want to keep pushing for a place in the senior squad in 2008. I'm already getting involved with the first team, so that's a bonus," he said. Meanwhile the club have recalled defender Kelly Youga from his loan spell at Scunthorpe United.

Charlton striker joins Southend
Southend have completed the £200,000 signing of striker James Walker from Championship side Charlton. The 20-year-old, who has spent the last three months on loan at Yeovil, has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal. "I am at the age where I need to play games now - I live in Leyton so it's close, and I am really excited about the move," he told Southend's website. Meanwhile, Plymouth striker Rory Fallon, 25, has rejected a proposed £250,000 move to Roots Hall. The New Zealander, who joined Plymouth from Swansea nearly a year ago, wants to fight for his place at Home Park.

Charlton sign Lita on short loan
Charlton have signed former England Under-21 international Leroy Lita on a 28-day loan from Reading. The 23-year-old striker scored 14 goals for the Royals last season but has struggled to force his way into the first team this term. Lita was injured on the eve of the new campaign when he hurt his leg while stretching in bed. Last week the Addicks added to their attacking options with the loan of Scott Sinclair from Chelsea. "Leroy has been frustrated at his lack of first-team action recently," Royals boss Steve Coppell told the club website. "This loan move will be a perfect way for him to retain match sharpness at the highest level of Championship competition."

Pardew bemoans erratic home form
Charlton manager Alan Pardew thinks the Addicks' home form is to blame if they do not gain promotion this season. Athletic have won just eight games in 22 matches at the Valley in the league this season, and drew 1-1 with Southampton there on Saturday. Pardew told SSB: "In front of our home fans we haven't been good enough. "For all their support I feel we've let them down on that. "Home form is the key to promotion." Meanwhile, striker Andy Gray, who scored his first goal for the club against Southampton, thinks his side have not always felt comfortable at the Valley this season. "I think for the lesser teams to come here, it's a big scalp for them, they tend to raise their game. "It's a bit of a vicious circle because it becomes harder for us to play at home. There's a bit more pressure, we're a bit more on edge." Charlton sit four points off the play-off places with just three games to go this season.

Reading recall Lita from Charlton
Reading striker Leroy Lita has returned early from his loan spell at Charlton as the Royals seek top flight safety. Reading manager Steve Coppell invoked a 24-hour recall clause in the loan to bring back Lita, who has scored three goals in his last eight matches. Reading, one point above the Premier League relegation zone, have not scored in their last four games. Lita had joined Charlton in March for a month but the loan was extended to the end of the season. "Leroy has been playing regular football for Charlton and will be raring to go," said Coppell whose team have the second-worst goal difference in the Premier League. "I made the call to Alan Pardew. We agreed it would be beneficial to bring Leroy back now that it's mathematically impossible for Charlton to get into the play-offs."

Charlton make Waggott new chief
Charlton Athletic have appointed Steve Waggott, the leader of the club's charitable trust, as their new chief executive officer. The 53-year-old succeeds Peter Varney, who said in March he planned to leave Charlton at the end of the season. Waggott told SSB: "It's been one of my dreams to run a football club, it's a great opportunity. "When Peter decided his tenure had come to an end after 11 fantastic years I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring" Waggott added: "I have nothing but full admiration for the job Varney's done." Waggott aims to develop the next generation of fans and wants to keep the supporters happy with the direction of the club over the next few years. "We've got plans if and when we get back into the Premier League to redevelop the Valley and to go up to 40,000. "We have a whole range of progressive pathways to take on in the next few years but the next generation of fans is key and the work out in the community in schools and youth centres is vital to that growth." As the chief executive of the Charlton Community Trust Waggott is well aware of development in the local area. "It's my job to factor the club into everything that's going on within the growth of the South East of England. "But one of the first things I've got to really do is sit down and discuss how we're moving things forward next year on the pitch." "It's going to have to be a team approach on and off the pitch to get us back into the Premier League and we've got to build on everything that has been delivered under Peter Varney's remit of the last 11 years and kick it onto the next level," he added.

Holland sets sights on top flight
Matt Holland is determined next season will end in promotion for Charlton. The midfielder was disappointed with last season's eleventh-placed finish but signed a new one-year deal because he thinks the Addicks can go up. The 34-year-old said: "I wouldn't have signed a new deal if I didn't believe we could challenge for promotion. "The season we had wasn't good enough and that's all that really counts. But I know everyone will be striving to do a lot better next season." Holland added: "I'm already looking forward to the start of the season because it will give us a chance to put last season behind us."

Charlton snap up Pompey's Primus
Charlton have agreed the signing of Linvoy Primus on a season-long loan. Primus, 34, started his career with the Addicks and returns to the club having fallen down the pecking order of central defenders at Portsmouth. Charlton boss Alan Pardew said: "He'll spend the first part of the week with Portsmouth. He's still carrying a knock but he'll be with us on Wednesday. "He's an old Charlton player, loved by the fans here and his experience and character will add to what we've got." Pardew has been looking for a centre-back since Madjid Bougherra joined Rangers last month. Primus, who has had spells with Barnet and Reading, could go straight into Charlton's squad for their game at Preston on Saturday.

Primus moves to Charlton on loan
Portsmouth have allowed defender Linvoy Primus to re-join former club Charlton on a three-month loan. The Addicks wanted to take Primus, who started his career at the club, on a season-long loan to cover for Madjid Bougherra's departure to Rangers. But Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp called off the deal after saying the 34-year-old was part of his long-term plans at Fratton Park. Primus has not played a league game for nearly 18 months after knee surgery. Pompey were happy to let the 34-year-old regain full match fitness in a spell at the Valley as the Addicks target a promotion push from the Championship. Primus told the Pompey website: "It's good. I have a connection to Charlton and I'm going to be close to my family. "It's a great opportunity for me to play at a high standard, with a club who have ambitions and are moving forward. "It's a chance for me to get match-fit and to play regular football, which I need to do.

Pardew felt the pain at Selhurst
Charlton boss Alan Pardew has revealed how painful the Addicks' 1-0 defeat against Crystal Palace was for him. Charlton lost to their local rivals on Tuesday for the first time in the league since 1996. Pardew told London 94.9: "I can't tell you I've had a good week. Charlton fans think they were hurting. "The responsibility that I have as the manager meant I was hurting - I didn't get much sleep, worrying. Luckily the players have come through for me." Charlton reacted with a 2-1 victory over Ipswich on Saturday and Pardew paid tribute to two of his players who missed the Palace defeat - Svetoslav Todorov and Zheng Zhi. "I was bold in my selections of Todorov and Zheng Zhi and I've been rewarded for putting more flair on the pitch," said Pardew. "Zheng Zhi and Todorov showed that bit of quality that we needed at Crystal Palace. "We're not going to out-fight Crystal Palace or anyone in this division but we need to be good enough technically to out-play them and that's where we fell down on Tuesday. "It's a very fine line in this division. We've no given right to be in the top six, you've got to earn that right. "Managers are going to be under pressure like I was, it will drift to someone else next week." Pardew is hoping to have a full squad to choose from for Charlton's next assignment at Cardiff.

Dubai group abandons Charlton bid
Charlton have confirmed a Dubai-based consortium has pulled out of a bid to buy the Championship club. Zabeel Investments, which had also been linked to Newcastle, made an indicative offer for the club earlier this month. A statement from the club said the group had decided to focus on domestic investment opportunities instead. "This, the debate over foreign ownership of clubs and the worsening UK economic climate contributed to their decision to pull out," it said. The investment group insisted it had not found anything during the due diligence programme which had caused it to abandon its interest in the club, and it was a decision made on purely economic grounds. It also denied rumours it was considering a move for Everton and said it was in fact now not looking to invest in any English club. "Contrary to recent press reports, Zabeel Investments has confirmed to Charlton that it has not approached any other club since it made an indicative offer for Charlton Athletic on 10 October, nor has it authorised any approach on its behalf," said the statement. The news will be a big blow to the Addicks, who have reported debts of £20m. The club are in the final year of their parachute payments following relegation from the Premier League in 2007, and after Tuesday's home loss to Bristol City they dropped to 20th in the table.

Pardew and Charlton part company
Alan Pardew has lost his job as Charlton manager after the club failed to win for the eighth successive game. "My record coming to this club has been good, but it's been difficult here," said Pardew, 47, after Charlton were beaten 5-2 at home by Sheffield United. "When I arrived they were on the slide and I haven't been able to stop that." More than 300 fans protested against Pardew after the latest defeat, with Phil Parkinson set to take charge against Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday. Former West Ham United boss Pardew had been in charge for just under two years after he was appointed manager in December 2006. He succeeded Les Reed, when the then Premier League club faced a battle to stay in the top flight, but was unable to prevent relegation. Parkinson, who was previously assistant manager at The Valley, will attempt to halt the Addicks' slide towards League One. Charlton have already lost 10 matches in the league this season and were eliminated from the Carling Cup by Yeovil Town. Malcolm Pearson, chairman of the Maidstone and the Weald branch of the Charlton supporters club, told BBC Radio Kent: "I'm not surprised. He's done his best but it hasn't worked. "We really don't know who is available. We want someone with passion. People talk about Alan Curbishley coming back but I don't think so."

Soares extends Addicks loan deal
Stoke City midfielder Tom Soares has had his loan extended at Charlton for a further month. The deal, which includes a 24-hour recall clause, kicks in on Friday and keeps the midfielder at the Valley until 21 March. The Addicks will then have the option to extend the loan for a further month until the penultimate game of the season at Derby County on 25 April. Soares, 22, initially joined Charlton on a month-long loan on 15 January. The former England under-21 international played for the Addicks' local rivals Crystal Palace before joining the Potters for £1.5m in August. Manager Phil Parkinson told the club website: "We'd like to keep Tom so it's something I'll have to discuss with the chairman. "Tom would like to stay. He was lacking match practice when he came here but as the games have gone on he's got better and better and we're pleased with his contribution."

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