Wednesday 10 February 2010

Promotion imperative, says Murray

Addicks chairman Richard Murray has told the South London Press that the club will almost certainly be forced to sell their star players in the summer if they do not win promotion from League One. Nicky Bailey has recently been the subject of interest from Burnley.

Murray insists making an instant return to the Championship is 'imperative' for the Addicks' medium-term future, since they face losing a number of key men in the summer if they are still in the third tier in six months' time.

The Charlton supremo commented, 'The differential between League One and the Championship in terms of TV money and gate receipts is about £4million per year, and that is not something that can be sustained over a long period. That makes a huge difference to the squad we can run with.'

I understand that the Charlton playing budget is currently around £6.5m a year, a little short of the £7m the directors put in earlier in the year. In contrast the wage bill at Swindon is believed to be £2.8m a year.

Leeds can now concentrate on the league after losing to Carlisle on penalties in the paint drying trophy. Apparently just before the end of the game the referee had to intervene after Leeds players fell out with each other over a misplaced pass. Southampton now look like favourites to win the Johnstones Paint Trophy and they also have their cup match against Pompey on Saturday to look forward to.

Swindon beat Oldham 4-2 last night, suggesting that we did quite well (or were lucky) to hold the scoreline against us to one on Saturday. If Swindon move their two games in hand they will move above Charlton. The fact that they conceded two late goals against Oldham does, however, suggest a somewhat suspect defence.

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