It has been a great start to the campaign for a rejuvenated Chris Powell and Charlton Athletic. The 36-year-old is enjoying a resurgence after his free transfer move back to the Valley in the summer. Powell left Charlton at the end of 2004 following over 200 appearances under Alan Curbishley to link up with West Ham and helped guide them to promotion. He linked back up with Curbishley in the summer and didn't expect to be an ever-present in a team currently lying in second place in the Premiership. However, as he told givemefootball's Ian Clarkson, he intends to keep enjoying the ride for as long as he can.
Q:ARE YOU SURPRISED TO BE AN EVER-PRESENT THIS SEASON?
A:I moved on last year to West Ham and managed to achieve promotion with them but it was a surprise to move back here. However, it has worked out well. I never envisaged that I would play at the start of the season. I think the manager brought me back to lend a bit of experience but not to start. Pre-season went well for me personally and there were a few injuries and I got the nod and at present it is going well.
Q:DO YOU THINK THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE HAD A SETTLED TEAM ALL SEASON HAS BEEN A MAJOR FACTOR IN YOUR EXCELLENT START?
A:We have had a settled team this year which helps because that creates a bit of know-how between the players, especially the back four. If you don't chop and change then the players get to know each other and I think we have only made one change from the starting XI. Darren Ambrose was enforced after his sending off and Alexei Smertin missed the game against Chelsea because of loan rules, so it is all going swimmingly and it is a good time to be a Charlton fan.
Q:YOUR AWAY FORM HAS BEEN BETTER THAN YOUR FORM AT THE VALLEY SO FAR HASN'T IT?
A:When you are at home the majority of your supporters want you to perform and are willing us on. We did that against Wigan but not against Chelsea and they limited us to two shots. It was disappointing to lose against Spurs after being 2-0 ahead. We have shown this season that we have two sides to our game, which is guile allied to the ability to defend and that can only help us in our quest to finish as high as possible. I feel with the squad we have and the way we are performing that we could possibly have the best finish we have ever had. It is still early days yet though.
Q:YOUR LAST TWO AWAY WINS AT BIRMINGHAM AND ALBION HAVE BEEN VERY SIMILAR HAVEN'T THEY – DOMINANT IN THE FIRST HALF AND THEN UNDER PRESSURE AFTER THE BREAK?
A:It's great playing away from home because we keep winning, but the manager has said that. He likes us to stamp our authority on the game at the beginning to keep the home fans quiet and we have done that on the road so far. Maybe we relax too much at half time thinking we have done the job but there is still 45 minutes to go. We put ourselves under pressure of our own making at times but we have got the perfect blend on the road.
Q:WHAT BLEND IS THAT?
A:People have been criticising teams for having just one man up front this season, but the way we play it - with two wingers - means that we are quite exciting to watch at times. The manager encourages us to push forward and Danny Murphy is our playmaker who makes things happen and they system is working well for us at present. Long may it continue.
Q:HAVE YOU SEEN A CHANGE IN LUKE YOUNG SINCE YOUR RETURN?
A:Luke has grown in stature as a player and done terrifically well. I missed most of last season as I was at West Ham but every time I came back to watch he was always outstanding. He has got a consistency level to his game, which is good for a defender. People trust him and he likes to get forward so there weren't too many people at the Valley who were surprised when he got the England call-up.
