Reed goes back to basics

Under-fire Charlton head coach Les Reed has vowed to take the Addicks back to their roots in the battle to beat the drop.

Reed saw supporters at The Valley turn on his Premiership strugglers after they were dumped out of the Carling Cup by League Two side Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday night.

Chants of "you're not fit to wear the shirt" rang out during the 1-0 quarter-final defeat and Reed has promised to revitalise the ailing club by recapturing the traditions put in place by former boss Alan Curbishley.

"This is a club which for many years, to get into the position we are in now with the stadium and the Premiership, depended on developing our own players," said Reed.

"That was either through our youth system or through picking up players from lower division clubs or players who had been rejected elsewhere, working with them and turning them into better players.

"When you do that you develop a kind of kindred spirit amongst them.

"For years we did that and for years Curbs managed to get to a certain level in the Premiership and the next thing was how do we push on?

"The way forward then was to bring in more experienced players - players who had played at the top and to try and bring another element to the club to try to take it to the next level.

"Maybe what has happened in the last few years is that in doing that we have lost a little bit of that Charlton blood in the veins of the players.

"It is something I am very conscious of trying to do something about."