GROUND HISTORY TRAVEL

Under the stewardship of Alan Curbishley, Charlton Athletic established a new Premier League outpost in South London in 1998 but were relegated at the first attempt. Retaining faith with their manager, the return was immediate and saw the club use its experience to firmly base itself in the top flight for more than half a decade.

In their first season back in the Premier League (2003/4), the Addicks nearly defied the competition by battling for one of the Champions League places but fell away towards the campaign's close to finish a commendable-all-the-same 7th. Just four years later, however, the adventure was over yet again.

Another immediate return to the top flight was not forthcoming; in 2007/8, the promotion bid faltered and the club were consigned to a mid-table finish. It was to get even worse in 2009, when Charlton Athletic slipped into the third tier of English football for the first time in nearly 30 years.

Efforts to regain second tier status, let alone Premier League status, were not to be productive in the short term. The first season in League One ended in playoff defeat to Swindon Town, the second saw the club fall away from the top six. It is a period in the wilderness that hadn't proved easy to end.

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