Comment: Pardew simply ran out of time and excuses

The result, the latest in a long line of defeats in SE7, provoked a furious response from supporters immediately afterwards and several hundred gathered outside the main entrance to make their displeasure known to the club's hierarchy.

Pardew was hardly flavour of the month with large sections of Charlton's support going into the game, but it seems his programme notes on Saturday alienated even more people than ever before.

In them, Pardew quoted a recent interview from Frank Lampard in which the Chelsea player criticised England fans for booing their own players during the game.

Pardew added: "The point Lampard was making, which applies equally throughout football, was that teams and players need as much support as possible during games; the critcism can come later.

"We cannot afford any negativity from the stands this afternoon. We are in a hole, we know we are, and, with your support, we are determined to get out of it."

However, far from uniting supporters behind the common cause, it appears his comments were the final straw for some.

Ed from Blackheath said: "I didn't appreciate what he had to say and neither did anyone else sitting near me.

"We didn't get on the players' backs straight away against Barnsley, it was only when we went 3-0 down and the game was lost that people started to air their frustrations.

"He lost the plot about six months ago. We've given him every chance and plenty of time, but it is just getting ridiculous.

"The trouble is the board should have got rid of him after the Barnsley game, but they haven't got the balls.

"Apparently we can't afford to sack him, but what happens if we go down to League One?

"That will be even more costly and there comes a point where you've got to say enough is enough."

The supporters got their wish a couple of hours later when the board did announce Pardew's departure, but the former manager's last question as boss in the second of his press conferences related to his programme comments.

Did the soon to be sacked manager feel he had got what he had asked for from the fans?

Pards said: "I thought they were very patient I have to say.

"In terms of the abject goals, there was a little bit of derision and I think that is understandable and is a human reaction.

"We can't keep asking for favours, but I felt what I put in was a fair quote from Frank Lampard of what they need to see and what needs to happen.

"They want to see commitment from the players and a level of professionalism.

"Unfortunately we didn't show that, especially at set plays today and although Sheffield United did a good job and played well, I'm afraid you can't give a team as good as them those type of goals and we were always going to have a battle from there."

And with that he walked out of the room for the last time, never to face the assembled hacks as Charlton manager again.

So how did it all go so wrong?

Pardew arrived at Sparrows Lane on Boxing Day 2006 as Charlton's potential saviour only a fortnight after being sacked by relegation rivals West Ham.

In fairness, he did make a very promising start and it looked going into late March as if what had appeared an unlikely escape from the drop could be on the cards.

However, the wins started turning into draws and then the draws became defeats throughout April at just the wrong time.

Although the relegation wasn't officially confirmed until the 2-0 home defeat by Spurs on May 7, the psychological impact of the 2-1 loss at Goodison Park on April 15 was probably the real killer blow.

Darren Bent looked to have earned a share of the spoils with an 89th minute equaliser against an Everton side involved in the race for UEFA Cup places.

But what should have been a crucial point from a difficult fixture was snatched away in the cruellest of circumstances when James McFadden's 94th minute wonder strike secured victory for the Toffees.

The look on Pardew's face in the dugout and the reaction of Charlton's shocked players, who all sunk to the floor in disbelief, said it all.

When Charlton did go down, Pardew was a busy man assembling a squad ready for the rigours of Championship football, while dismantling a Premiership one at the same time.

The likes of Darren Bent, Luke Young, Hermann Hreidarsson and a whole host of other star names from the Addicks' seven-year stay in the top flight were replaced by some unfamiliar sounding incomers.

Still, in Championship terms, Pards was spending big, forking out £2.5m for striker Luke Varney and £1.1m for Izale McLeod.

Add to this a number of key players from the Premiership era who stayed – Andy Reid, Madjid Bougherra, Zheng Zhi, Darren Ambrose, Jerome Thomas, Matt Holland – and on paper it looked like an immediate return to the Premiership was a realistic expectation.

Things certainly started promisingly and the inspirational form of Reid was crucial in propelling Pardew's side into the thick of the promotion race during the opening months of the campaign.

But the loss of Reid and experienced striker Svetoslav Todorov through injury produced a dip in form in the run up to the New Year as Charlton began to fall behind the pace setters.

Pardew was dealt a massive blow when he was forced to sell Reid to Sunderland at the end of the January transfer window.

With him went Charlton's hopes of promotion as temporary loan signings like Scott Sinclair and Greg Halford failed to set The Valley alight and the Addicks were forced to settle for a disappointing 11th place finish.

Having failed to deliver on his target of winning instant promotion, for which he had been given substantial financial backing by the club's board, Pardew knew he would have to make further cuts this summer.

Out went the likes of Iwelumo, Marcus Bent, Amdy Faye and Bougherra before the campaign began as the Addicks were forced to adjust to the reality of a second unwanted campaign in the Championship.

Pardew complained to the press he was unaware he would be forced to sell.

But News Shopper understands this claim caused widespread anger at boardroom level as the club's hierarchy had made it perfectly clear to the manager what would happen if promotion wasn't achieved.

Was Pardew living on borrowed time from then on?

Possibly, although poor results on the pitch would ultimately prove to be his downfall.

Ironically the season started well, with home wins over Swansea and Reading delivered in the first two games in SE7.

But a disastrous return of just nine points from the 42 available since the 4-2 success over the Royals on August 23 did for Pards.

Some of the explanations offered by the manager left supporters and journalists alike perplexed.

The unavailability of Zheng Zhi through injury seemed a particularly odd excuse after the 2-0 defeat against Bristol City.

Pardew claimed the Chinese star was key to his plans, conveniently forgetting the Addicks had spent the entire summer trying to offload the player.

Then there was the suggestion the absence of injury prone defender Linvoy Primus had been the deciding factor in the humiliating 3-1 defeat against Barnsley at the start of this month.

Amazingly he managed to survive the Barnsley result, but Saturday's Sheffield United debacle, and the reaction of supporters during and after, finally forced the board's hand and Pardew's two-year reign was finally over.

So where do Charlton go from here?

Supporters at Saturday's demonstration were calling for the return of Alan Curbishley, but they are unlikely to get their wish as the former manager indicated yesterday he would prefer to take on a Premiership club.

Phil Parkinson has been handed temporary control and as an employee already on the payroll, will certainly be the most appealing candidate to a club with little or no money to spend.

However, sceptics will point out he was there with Pardew on the training ground and in the dugout and should maybe move on as well.

News Shopper is prepared to give Parkinson time to prove himself, starting with tomorrow night's game at Loftus Road.

It is absolutely vital the Addicks do not drop into English football's third tier within two years of leaving the top flight and we urge readers to get behind Parkinson and his team immediately.

Any kind of result at QPR could act as a platform going into what promises to be a crucial Valley date against relegation rivals Southampton on Saturday.