Kinsella: Confidence is the key to promotion

He said: "Nicky rallies the troops and leads by example. He's been a big player this year not least with scoring the goals as well.

"Where Nicky is going the rest should follow. We can't have anyone taking their foot off the gas and those out of the team or on the bench need to be ready to come on and play their part.

"You only have to look at Kyel Reid's performance against Southend on Friday to see how important they can be."

Charlton have 12 games to go this season and will need an effort along the lines of the 1998 promotion campaign to catch the top two.

Back then, Kinsella was captain as the team embarked on a winning run that culminated in play-off final victory over Sunderland.

Kinsella said it was a feat he would love the side to replicate this season.

He said: "It was all down to confidence. We were always in the top five but no-one was taking notice of us until March.

"Then we went on a 12 or 13-game run and got ourselves in the play-offs. When you're playing well, the confidence just grows.

"At the beginning of this season, fans would have been happy if we made the play-offs on the back of last year's relegation and the financial situation.

"But we had a great start through to autumn, got to Christmas in a good position, now we're looking good for Easter.

"So it's a good position to make a push for second place. Hopefully we can get that confidence going."

Next up is Stockport, before the Addicks take the short journey to in-form Millwall.
Kinsella said the players wouldn't need any motivating for that local derby.

"You just let them get on with it," he said. "They don't need any telling about this game.

"They would have realised when Millwall come down here before Christmas with the atmosphere and the whole occasion."