Alan Pardew accepts there is nothing he can do to alter Charlton fans’ perception of him ahead of Wednesday’s League Cup encounter with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Pardew spent just under two years in charge at The Valley between 2006 and 2008, almost saving the club from relegation from the Premier League before failing to deliver an instant return to the top flight.

A torrid start to the Addicks’ second campaign in the Championship ended with Pardew being sacked following a demoralising 5-2 home defeat at the hands of Sheffield United in November 2008.

It might be almost seven years since that miserable day but the current Palace boss still remains something of a hate figure for many Charlton followers who hold him responsible for the club’s slide into League One in May 2009.

Pardew is certain to be the subject of derision from the away end when the two rivals meet in the League Cup at Selhurst, but the man himself is pretty philosophical about the inevitable flak which is about to come his way.

He explained: “It is part and parcel of the game.

“It didn’t work out for me or Charlton unfortunately, as much as I tried.

“Therefore if they have bad feeling about that, there is nothing I can do.

“All I can do is try and create the best team I can here in the job that I’m at.”

Pardew’s previous isn’t the only bit of spice associated with the south-east London derby, which comes just over 30 years to the day since Charlton left The Valley for a controversial six-year ground share in SE25.

The Eagles manager said: “I just think that it is a game which is important for both sets of fans.

“It is a derby, it is two clubs that have had some history - and obviously I’m part of that history as well - so there will be a lot of feeling about the game.

“It is a game I’m looking forward to.”

Things could have been very different for Pardew had he somehow managed to keep Charlton in the Premier League, despite looking dead and buried when he assumed control at The Valley.

He explained: “I went in there and I think they had ten points at Christmas. It was a tough call.

“We got ourselves out of the relegation area. We had a great run and there was a good attitude.

“I lost Darren Bent and it was crucial.”

Pardew added: “When we got relegated the impact of that relegation wasn’t really made clear to me when I joined how financially damaging it was.

“Therefore we were always struggling after that.

“We sold our captain (Andy Reid) at Christmas. We had to do things like that and it made it difficult.”

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