They won't force out Curbishley

Charlton chairman Richard Murray has launched an impassioned defence of under-fire manager Alan Curbishley.

Murray stepped in after Curbishley threatened to quit following Sunday's 4-0 defeat at home to Manchester United.

Curbishley has become disillusioned with the club's fans, who criticised him following a poor run of results at the end of last season and voiced their opinions again at the weekend.

They are angered by their team's traditional endofseason slump and bombarded radio phone-ins on Sunday urging Curbishley to quit.

Curbishley still has two years to run on the £3million contract he signed last season but the reaction of supporters has shocked him.

Murray said: 'Alan has done a fantastic job at Charlton with a restricted budget and he isn't going anywhere.

'Our total gate income each season is £ 7m. A club like Tottenham's is £22m. We can't pay players £50,000 a week, we're not in that league. Alan has done a great job keeping Charlton in the Premiership and will continue to do so.'

Curbishley has been at The Valley for 14 years and most observers believe he has worked wonders keeping them in the top flight.

He still has hopes of managing at the very top level - Liverpool made a tentative approach before Rafael Benitez was appointed last summer - and his reaction following the defeat against United has prompted renewed fears he may quit.

Curbishley wobbled when the club tailed off at the end of last season, but they eventually finished ninth and that persuaded him to stay.

But they are on a similar run this season, having slipped to 11 th, and Curbishley is beginning to question the players' commitment.

Murray believes the club failed to recover from the sale of midfielder Scott Parker to Chelsea last season, but he will make funds available this summer.

Curbishley has provided him with a list of five transfer targets and the chairman will make substantial funds available to strengthen the squad. He is also determined to press ahead with his ambitious plans to raise the capacity of The Valley to 40,000.