No more affairs away from Addicks
After having what he labelled 'affairs' with West Ham United and Watford, Chris Powell has told of his delight to once again be wearing Charlton red.
The full-back joined the Addicks for the third time in his career on Tuesday following a season-long dalliance with the Hornets - and is targeting the club's immediate return to the top flight.
"Someone said to me the other day that it looked like Charlton was my wife, and I'd had two affairs but she'd let me back again,” laughed Chris, speaking to the official website.
"Maybe that's the case, but I'm forever grateful because I love this place. Just driving into training this morning felt right.”
He added: "When I told my children I was going back to Charlton they said 'what, again?'. Looking back, this club is in my blood and I just can't tell you how happy I am.
"I've always been proud to wear the red shirt, and in some ways I'm synonymous with the club - perhaps due in part to my lack of playing time at Watford.
"On holiday this year people would some up to me and say 'Oh, you're that Charlton player', and I'd reply 'well, actually...".
While Powell has spent just 12 months away from The Valley, he returns to a club that has significantly changed since his last Addicks contract came to an end.
The club has had three managers - Iain Dowie, Les Reed and Alan Pardew - and suffered relegation during that time.
And Powell said he was looking forward to resuming a Charlton career that he believed was going to continue after Alan Curbishley's departure.
"There was a lot of change when I left after Curbs left, in fact when Iain Dowie came in the plan was always for me to stay, but that didn't work out," he said.
"I think I know more staff than players now, so that tells you a lot about the turnover. The club has plenty of good coaches; I know Parky from playing against him - I actually played in his testimonial - and I obviously know Mark Robson and Mark Kinsella, while used to play against Damian Matthew.
"That's progress though, and now I'm taking the first steps with some coaching which was always my planned progression here."
Wanted by several other clubs, agreement between the Addicks and Powell was reached late on Monday night and the defender is looking forward to once more linking up with manager Alan Pardew.
"Everything happened quite suddenly," he said. "If Watford had stayed up I might still have been there but that was always going to be a short term thing.
"I like the way Pards manages and the way he goes about his business," added Chris.
"He wants his players to get better and really express themselves. He knows this league and knows what it takes to get promotion.
"We're under no illusions because it won't be easy. There will be plenty of teams looking at us aiming to bring us down a peg or two and we have to rise above that, similarly to how Sunderland and Birmingham did last season."
One string to Powell's bow is that promotion to the Premiership is nothing new to him, the full-back having achieved that feat on three occasions with three clubs.
Back in 1996 he helped Derby County to the top flight and, after joining Charlton and suffering relegation in his first season in 1999, he helped take the Addicks straight back up as champions the following term. Then, in 2004/05, he joined Pardew at West Ham United to reach the Premiership via the play-offs.
"I suppose that's one of the reasons I'm here, because I've been through that and have done it before," he said.
"My record isn't that bad - and I hope it gets even better.
"No club has a divine right to be in the Premier League, you have to earn that right and that's what we must endeavour to do."
Indeed, although he has spent time away from The Valley, Powell has been keeping his eye on recent events.
"Last season I looked on - I would say from afar but I was actually looking at Charlton's results all the time, hoping they would pull away," he said.
"Sadly that didn't happen and there are big consequences. I know there has been a significant changeover in staff at the club, which is terribly sad, and I was disappointed to hear about the women's team as well because I thought it was nice to give young girls and our female supporters something to aspire to.
"Unfortunately, that's what happens after relegation - and then last week young Benty went as well."
He concluded: "We need to find a new goal hero for the fans to love now.
"They've had them over recent years in Mendonca, Hunt, JJ and then Benty, so let's hope we have a new hero this year that gets us back up."
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