Charlton v Wolves

Chris Iwelumo makes a first return to Charlton with Wolves on Saturday backed by a ringing endorsement from former manager Alan Pardew.

The big striker, who finished last season as Charlton’s leading scorer in the Coca-Cola Championship with 10 goals in 32 appearances, moved to Molineux in the summer for £400,000 - a victim of the Addicks' own economic squeeze.

Pardew disclosed: “Chris wasn’t aware that we had to make cuts but one of the strikers had to go.

“It was a good move for Chris but I have to say that of all the people I’ve encountered in the game, as a person he is up there at the top of the list.

“He’s a fantastic guy who I hope doesn’t play well on Saturday. I don’t believe he thinks he has a point to prove to anyone here. What I expect to see him do on Saturday is strive to dominate our centre-backs in the air.

“Wolves play with two wide players who will provide him with plenty of crosses. So we’ll be aware of him.

“But we won’t focus too much on Chris because we’ll be busy concentrating on our game. If we play like we did against Reading, it will be as difficult for Wolves as it will be for us against them.”

Pardew believes everyone will have a clearer idea of how Charlton’s season will develop after a week in which they follow Saturday’s match with trips to Doncaster on Tuesday and Nottingham Forest next Saturday.

And for the first time, he admitted: “What I do know is that this team is definitely stronger than last season’s. I’ve also got good younger players to back it up.”

On-loan central defender Linvoy Primus must wait for his first start since arriving from Portsmouth with Pardew confirming that Jonathan Fortune will start against Wolves.

Midfielder Zheng Zhi, who trained this week for the first time since recovering from a groin strain, is likely to be in the squad as is England Under-21 international Martin Cranie, who joined Charlton on loan from Portsmouth 45 minutes before the closure of the August transfer window.