Mortimer: Give Pardew a chance

But Mortimer, who played over 200 times for Charlton, has pleaded with the supporters to get behind the beleagered players for Saturday's clash with Sheffield United at The Valley.

The 40-year-old said: "By giving them stick and booing, what are you looking to achieve, that's what I ask?

"All players are affected by criticism and low-confidence and if you keep booing they are not going to improve.

"You always feel sorry for the fans, who have emotional ties to the club that players maybe don't.

"It's tough for them but a supporter is just that by definition, that's what they do. They go through goods times and bad times but they are always there.

"The fans earn their corn through the bad times not the good ones."

Mortimer, a regular at Charlton's New Eltham training ground where he is head coach of the womens team, was a fans favourite in two stints at the club between 1987-1991 and 1994-1999.

During his second spell at the Addicks, he was in the same team Pardew.

He has full faith in his former teammate to get Charlton out of their current predicament.

"I back him to get the job done, there's no doubt in my mind," said Mortimer.

"I hope he's given time to get it right. This is a community club and it's all about continuity. Pards has played here in darker times and knows what's required.

"It happens sometimes that managers get the sack because people forget what they have achieved before. I just hope that doesn't happen here.

"Pards got West Ham promoted and that must be remembered."

When Mortimer took over the womens side last summer it had just lost financial backing from the club as a result of the mens team's relegation.

After seeing a whole team of female stars leave, Mortimer says he has an empathy of Pardew's predicament.

He said: "It's a little like the girls team, who went from big funding to nothing.

"But Charlton have got good enough players, a good enough squad to turn it around and definitely a good enough manager, who hasn't had the money to bring in three or four quality players but needs support.

"When you look back at the quality of players he's had to let go it's been difficult.

"I feel for Alan Pardew, he's a top man. Some of the players he's brought in haven't really produced sometimes.

"You've just got to keep going and believe it will come back. For that you need a period of stability.

"In football now it's more money, less time. That's not necessarily a bad thing but on this occasion Pards needs time."