Crystal Palace v Charlton Athletic

MANAGER Alan Pardew appealed to the feuding Charlton and Crystal Palace boards of directors to start building bridges and put past grudges behind them.

Pardew, a former Crystal Palace player and crowd favourite, returns to Selhurst Park for Saturday's South London derby knowing the atmosphere will be white-hot, on and off the field.

Three seasons ago, Charlton relegated Palace from the Premier League after which the Addicks plc chairman Richard Murray and opposite number Simon Jordan were involved in a heated boardroom exchange at The Valley.

Relations between the two arch-rivals were reduced to breaking point at the start of last season when Mr Jordan's representative attempted to serve a writ on former Palace boss Iain Dowie during a press conference following his appointment as Charlton manager.

There followed more furious exchanges between the two clubs when Mr Jordan won a High Court case against Dowie alleging misrepresentation over his reasons for wanting to leave Palace.

There is strong speculation that Charlton's directors will shun the Palace boardroom on Saturday and opt to sit with the club's supporters in the visitors' enclosure.

Pardew said: "There are bridges to be built. You cannot carry on in life bearing grudges because we would all be miserable.

"We have got to move on and hopefully the two boards will be able to do that on Saturday."

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