Preston urge early decision

Preston chairman Derek Shaw has urged Charlton to make an early decision about whether they want Billy Davies as manager. Whether or not he has been offered the job remains unclear, but the Invincibles chairman insists the matter must be resolved quickly for the sake of all parties involved.

The chairman of the North End club told the Lancashire Evening Post, 'It is not good for the club or the supporters for it to be dragging on day after day - we need to know what we are doing. We want this matter resolving [sic] as soon as possible.'

Shaw stated, 'Like everyone else I am waiting to hear what is going on - but even I do not know if he has been offered the job at Charlton or not. We know he met them on Monday and that is all. I spoke to him early on Tuesday after he had returned from London and what he told me was very similar to what he said in his statement.'

'Of course it is frustrating, very frustrating. Of course we would like to get it sorted out as soon as possible. But we have not given Billy a deadline - and it is less than 48 hours since he went to see Charlton.'

'All he has told us is he is thinking over certain things from the meeting he had with them. He is talking with his family and deciding the next move. We will all know in due course, but obviously the sooner the better from our point of view.' (And from the viewpoint of the Addickted). Charlton are understood to be keen to make an announcement by the end of this week.

All I can say is that I hope that Billy Boy didn't get as tough a grilling as I got in an in camera session of a Commons committee in the Thatcher Room this afternoon! Anyone know if the Tower is on line? :-)