Charlton can stay up - Parkinson

Charlton manager Phil Parkinson insists the club can still avoid relegation from the Championship but must bring in new players in January.

The Addicks lost 2-0 to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest on Saturday and are eight points from safety.

Parkinson told BBC London 94.9: "We're going to keep fighting and driving on in one respect to improve what we've got in this transfer window.

"Once we get that first win we'll go on to get several very quickly."

Charlton have not won in 17 matches in the Championship and are five points adrift at the bottom.

Parkinson, who took over as manager on a permanent basis on 31 December, has brought in defender Graeme Murty on loan from Reading.

But he has limited financial resources after the club announced a net loss of £11.5m during the financial year up to the end of June 2008.

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"The support was excellent on Saturday both in terms of numbers, and vocal encouragement"
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"We need a never-say-die attitude running right through the club, but it's getting that first win," added Parkinson.

"We've got to remain positive, I don't want to see the lads walking around with their heads down.

"In my position at the moment, we can't keep knocking the lads all the time, we've got to keep talking about the positives as well as the negatives."

He was delighted with the performance of 16-year-old Jonjo Shelvey in Saturday's defeat.

"There was some good displays and Jonjo Shelvey again was excellent. Obviously at his age he's going to tire but he's such a good player that I felt I had to leave him on for 90 minutes and I thought he was excellent.

"He almost played with no fear, whereas some of the experienced players looked as if they had the whole responsibility of the situation on their shoulders."

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