Charlton Athletic v West Ham United

CHARLTON manager Alan Pardew declined a war of words with former employer Eggert Magnusson after the West Ham chairman cranked up the pressure ahead of Saturday’s clash against their relegation rivals at The Valley.

In an astonishing attack on the man he sacked in December, Mr Magnusson talked of a cancer in the dressing room.

He said: "The key factor was something was not right in the dressing room. Tension had been building between the players and the manager for a while. There was a cancer we had to cut off."

Pardew retorted: "I have nothing to say because nobody at this club is going to try any mind games or rev up the game – it’s revved up enough.

"I am not going to cause any waves and while I have respect for the West Ham players, I am the Charlton manager and my priority is three points for Charlton."

* Keep up to date with all the news from The Valley every week in the Bexley Extra.