Deano: I tried to come back too soon

Addicks goalkeeper Dean Kiely has denied a row with manager Alan Curbishley and says he was at fault for being left out in recent games, having tried to get back into action too quickly after his injury, according to Australia's TribalFootball site. Press rumours said that he had been in a showdown with Curbs.

The keeper said: 'We'll take the peaks and troughs and react the same to them all. We're in this together and are all culpable. But one thing constant at this club is the feeling we stay together.

We weren't getting carried away when we were second and nobody is getting carried away now that we are in mid-table. It's no good dissecting the side up into departments, because that's just not what we do at Charlton.

Curbs is the one constant thing and has been here since the year dot. When you take the blinkers off and look at the bigger picture, it's the most successful period the club has had.

Bad luck has played no part in our current situation. There is no such thing as bad luck. In my career, luck has played no part in me playing 640-odd games and having a successful time of it. I take responsibility for my own career. At the start of the season, I didn't bide my time.

'I had a serious finger injury that needed to be pinned. When I tried to get back in the team, we were playing well collectively. Overall, though, I am happy with myself.'

All we need now is for Dennis Rommedahl to deny similar rumours of a row with Curbs. Romm's exclusion from the side is more inexplicable than Kiely's inclusion.