Curbishley explains Murphy exit

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley has insisted he did not force Danny Murphy out of the Valley.

The 27-year-old former England international joined Spurs minutes before the transfer window shut in a deal that could net the Addicks £2m (€2.9m).

Curbishley, whose side drew 0-0 at home to West Brom last night, had seemed non-committal about Murphy’s departure, with the ex-Liverpool man having already ceased to be an automatic pick at the club.

But he insisted the move had not been his idea, saying: “There had been speculation about Danny and he had become unsettled in recent weeks.

“It was nothing to do with me or the club – it was to do with other clubs. It was none of my doing that he left us and I’m sure it was nothing to do with the club.”

Last night’s game itself had little that will stick in the memory for long and Charlton striker Darren Bent will certainly want to forget one first-half miss when he fired wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Curbishley added: “It was a bit of a scrap. Someone needed to score and I thought we had when Benty went through in the first half. It would have settled everybody down a little bit.

“You have to give West Brom credit, they worked ever so hard and it turned into a bit of a physical game. Most of the half-chances that were produced were probably ours but we couldn’t take one of them.”

Baggies boss Bryan Robson had also been busy in the transfer market, sanctioning the £3.5m (€5.1m) sale of unsettled striker Robbie Earnshaw to Norwich with a view to spending £1.5m (€2.2m) on Southampton midfielder Nigel Quashie.

Earnshaw had hit a hat-trick in Albion’s 4-1 win at Charlton last season but had contributed just one goal this season, much to Robson’s annoyance.

A transfer request had initially been rejected but in the end Robson decided he had no room for an unhappy player.

He said: “I asked him if he would withdraw his transfer request and he wouldn’t do that. It’s as simple as that – I don’t want players at my football club who don’t want to be there.”

Southampton had been keen to sign Earnshaw but the Wales international decided to move to Carrow Road instead.

Albion had threatened only occasionally but Geoff Horsfield came close twice in the first half, first hitting a post with a header and then screwing a shot narrowly wide after some good approach play.

Both sides also had penalty appeals turned down.