Parkinson in frame after Pardew axed

CHARLTON will hand Phil Parkinson the chance to stake his claim for the manager’s position after Alan Pardew was sacked following Saturday’s 5-2 home defeat to Sheffield United.

The south London club acted after a dismal start to the season which had seen them fall into the relegation places. The latest capitulation to United was the last straw and Parkinson has been placed in charge for tomorrow’s trip to Queens Park Rangers.

Charlton’s precarious financial position — the club was forced to sell players during the summer and to take a cash injection from directors to stave off administration — are in no position to appoint a big-money replacement, although there will be no shortage of applicants.

Adrian Boothroyd, Billy Davies and Peter Taylor — the latter two were both interviewed for the job following Alan Curbishley’s departure in 2006 — have been linked to the post, although Curbishley has dismissed suggestions of a return.

That will disappoint the hundreds of fans who demonstrated outside the ground chanted “We want our Charlton back” after Saturday’s game.

“On reflection of results so far this season, and looking at the future challenges for the remainder of the campaign, it was agreed that Alan would leave the club,” Richard Murray, the chairman, said.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy was happy to take the credit for making Chris Iwelumo stand-in captain after his two goals sent the Championship leaders six points clear at the top of the table.

The acting skipper’s double strike earned Wolves a 2-0 win, leaving Wanderers 10 points clear of third-placed Reading and looking comfortable in the automatic promotion spots.

“If people want to say the armband has helped Chris get two goals, I’ll happily take the credit,” said McCarthy.

“With some players, especially younger ones, the captaincy can have a negative effect but Chris was our most experienced player today and he’s a proper man. Obviously, it was a wonderful decision!

“It was a vital victory because we have Sheffield United and Birmingham to play next. Yes, we have a big lead but I remember us overturning Wigan’s 11-point lead at Sunderland and winning it by eight, so there’s no complacency.”

Reading were the victims of a surprise 2-1 defeat by Southampton, a result which left Royals boss Steve Coppell at a loss.

“We never do well after an international break, but I am at a loss to work out why we started so slowly,” he said after a Bradley Wright-Phillips double rendered Jimmy Kebe’s late goal academic.

Elsewhere in the second tier, Burnley drew 0-0 with Doncaster, Crystal Palace hammered Bristol City 4-2, Ipswich triumphed 2-0 at home to Derby and Nottingham Forest succumbed 2-1 at home to 10-man Norwich.

Plymouth beat Cardiff 2-1, with Barnsley losing at Preston by the same scoreline, while manager-less Watford were 3-0 winners against QPR and Coventry scored the only goal against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.