FOURTEEN years in the job and Charlton chief Alan Curbishley probably thought he had seen it all, writes Matt Wright.

Promotion, relegation, a play-off victory and a Championship title not to mention the Addicks' sensational return to The Valley the long-serving boss has experienced the lot.

But Curbishley revealed last week the way the current campaign has unfolded, with Charlton's fine early-season form crashing down around their ears towards the end of last year, has been completely new to him.

The Valley side started their sixth consecutive season in the Premiership in blistering fashion by winning six of their opening nine games.

However, before a recent mini-resurgence which has seen the Addicks go three matches unbeaten including two victories and an impressive and well-deserved point at Chelsea Charlton endured a slump of only one victory in eight games.

Curbishley said: "I don't think I've been nvolved in a season where the first 10 games have differed so much from the second 10.

"I think what has got to the fans is the way we've accumulated our points. If we had got our total by winning one game and then losing the next one, it wouldn't have looked as desperate.

"I'm no different to anyone else. I was delighted with our first 10 games and very disappointed with our next 10 but we've been trying our hardest to arrest it."

Curbishley has often mentioned his current squad is the strongest ever.

It was strengthened by the arrival of Darren Bent, Gonzalo Sorondo, Jonathan Spector, Darren Ambrose, Alexei Smertin, Thomas Myhre and Chris Powell before the end of August and more recently Marcus Bent from Everton.

But the alarm bells were ringing in Curbishley's ears when his team suffered a sixth defeat in eight home league games against Arsenal on Boxing Day.

Curbishley, who has reshuffled his pack in recent weeks in a bid to make his side tougher to beat, said: "We've worked hard and set about defending better and I hope now, after grinding out a few results, the confidence will return and we can start to play the good football again.

"I'm using my squad to the full. We took 25 points from the first half of the season and if we can do the same in the second half we'll finish in the top 10."

What could also prove vital for the Addicks is the two games in hand they have on a number of Premiership rivals following the postponement of games against Liverpool and Newcastle United.

He said: "We'll see what happens from here on in.

"I read an article before last weekend which said despite being in the relegation places Birmingham were just nine points behind us, which is three wins.

"But there are teams three wins ahead of us who are in the European qualification places, so you can't have it both ways."