Former Portsmouth, Leicester City, Blackburn Rovers and Oxford United man's big expectations after unveiling at Charlton Athletic

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Michael Appleton is out to turn Charlton Athletic into a Championship force.

And the former Pompey boss believes he can deliver a brand of football to excite Addicks fans on the way to success.

Appleton returned to the game after his sacking by Blackpool in January, as he was named as Dean Holden’s successor at The Valley.

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The former Leicester, Blackburn and Oxford man is out to turn around the club’s fortunes, after their takeover by SE7 Partners in July.

And he’s clear that means guiding the Londoners into the division Pompey have been trying to reach for seven seasons.

Appleton told Charlton’s official website: ‘What does success look like? Well clearly the club want to be competing in the Championship, so that’s a key thing.

‘I want to be the person who allows them to do that.

‘But first and foremost we’ve got some incredible supporters, who’ve had some tough times coming to The Valley.

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Former Pompey boss Michael Appleton has big expectations after being unveiled as Charlton's new head coach. Picture: Dave Howarth/CameraSportFormer Pompey boss Michael Appleton has big expectations after being unveiled as Charlton's new head coach. Picture: Dave Howarth/CameraSport
Former Pompey boss Michael Appleton has big expectations after being unveiled as Charlton's new head coach. Picture: Dave Howarth/CameraSport

‘I’ve had some tough games here over the years as an opposition manager.

‘I want the fans to have something to really hang on to.’

In a career which has seen Appleton take Oxford to League Two promotion and Lincoln to a League One play-off final, the 47-year-old believes he’s delivered an exciting brand of football which is easy on the eye - something he’s now looking to replicate at his new home.

Appleton added: ‘I like to think I’ve always had a brand of football which has got people out of their seats.

‘I want to be a possession-based team without the amount of passes some teams do when they call themselves a possession-based team.

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‘I’m not looking for 700-800 passes in game - that’s not my way and not how I work.

‘I want us to dominate the ball but do it in the right way - always looking to play forward, be brave and get behind the opposition.

‘I think we have a team which is athletic enough to do that, they just need a bit of guidance which I hope to give them.’

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