Charlton Athletic's experienced midfielder Matt Holland believes
the lowly Addicks can still avoid the drop.
The Addicks have been in the drop zone for virtually the whole of
the season and are currently in their third manager in Alan
Pardew.
However, Charlton have taken four points from their last two away
outings at Portsmouth and Bolton and Holland believes recent
results have boosted confidence.
"The last two away games have given everyone hope," Holland told
the Daily Telegraph. "There's been some real low points.
"Like coming off the pitch at Reading, when we were terrible, and
then at home to Middlesbrough the other day.
"That's when you think, 'blimey, we need to start doing something
here.' But I've never thought we were totally out of it, that we
weren't going to survive.
"It's starting to look like three from four now. But look,
Sheffield United, Fulham, Villa - they're not necessarily out of
it. Every year you see someone drop down into trouble from a decent
position."
Meanwhile, Holland believes Les Reed, who lasted just 41 days in
charge following Iain Dowie's sacking, paid the price for being
recruited within.
"Les probably paid the price for being involved in the previous
regime," he added.
"If he'd come in fresh from the outside that maybe would have
helped, but he had the stigma from before.
"Les had a good record in coaching, but there was always that thing
about him not having been a manager.
"When he couldn't improve things, the pressure built up."