Tel facing Addicks saying he won't give in

Leeds boss Terry Venables went into a make-or-break game stating in his programme notes he would not be throwing in the towel.

Under-fire Venables has been told results are “not acceptable” by chairman Peter Ridsdale, who was overwhelmingly re-elected as a director of the club at the AGM on Friday.

Ridsdale has so far refused to give his full and unequivocal backing to Venables, with the suggestion he is distancing himself from the former England coach, despite only appointing him five months ago.

But with Leeds down in 15th, and with one win in their last nine Premiership games – including four successive Elland Road defeats – the onus was clearly on Venables to stop the rot.

Venables said: “I’m not throwing in the towel because I don’t believe we are in a long-term decline.”

For the first time this season Venables was able to name an unchanged line-up, the 59-year-old keeping faith with the team which drew 0-0 with Malaga in the first leg of the UEFA Cup third-round.

On the bench, though, Robbie Fowler was back in the senior squad for the first time since the penultimate match of last season at Derby when he sustained a hip injury.

Although Fowler went to the World Cup, he required surgery upon his return which had since led to his season-long omission, other than two reserve outings in which he has scored in both.

Danny Mills returned after a five-game absence through personal problems and an ankle injury, while Teddy Lucic was also available after being ineligible in Europe.

A resurgent Charlton, after two successive victories, were without the suspended Richard Rufus, with Paul Konchesky his replacement, while the only other change from the team which beat Blackburn was Gary Rowett in for the benched Jonathan Fortune.