PHIL PARKINSON has been appointed assistant manager to Alan Pardew at Charlton.

The 39-year-old former Colchester and Hull City manager met the players at the training ground for the first time on Friday and will be in the technical area with Pardew for Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Nottingham Forest.

The two men are old friends from their time together at Reading where Parkinson was Pardew’s captain.

Parkinson said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I’m really looking forward to working with Alan Pardew for whom I have the utmost respect.

"I believe we can stay up this season. All my energies will be focused on that objective."

In a shake-up of his back-room staff, Pardew confirmed the departures of performance manager John Harbin, who was former manager Iain Dowie’s fitness guru, plus overseas recuitment co-ordinator Jeff Vetere.

Former Charlton defender Phil Chappel returns to the club along with Paul Haversham, who worked with Pardew at West Ham, to beef up the club’s scouting network.

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