LEEDS United remain the biggest club in the Championship, according to Addicks manager Chris Powell ahead of this weekend’s Valley clash.

The Yorkshire side’s fall from grace has been well-documented and May will mark the tenth anniversary of their relegation from the Premier League.

But although gates have inevitably dropped since those days at Elland Road, the club remain well supported and another big travelling contingent is expected in SE7 on Saturday, prompting Powell to concede Leeds probably are the biggest side in English football’s second tier.

The Charlton manager said: “I would say so, I mean their following is phenomenal.

“We’ve got one of their fans playing for us in Andy Hughes, he is an honoury Leeds fan who still lives in the area and always talks about what they are about.

“Traditionally we know what their history is winning the league, being in Europe, being a famous side in the 1970s and what have you, so they’ve got a rich history.

“I suppose all they are trying to do now, their players and manager, they’re trying their best to make a bit of new history for them.”

Brian McDermott’s side arrive at Floyd Road on the back of four straight away defeats in the Championship, a poor run Powell is determined will continue against a Charlton side now unbeaten in five.

He said: “It is quite strange because they’ve won six games but they’ve lost six, which is more than us.

“They don’t draw too many. They haven’t done particularly well on their travels so far but they’ve been good at home.

“I know Brian McDermott and he will be trying to rectify that, and will definitely be trying to rectify it before the international break against us.

“They’ve changed their system recently, they are trying three at the back, which a lot of teams have tried this year, and they’ve picked up a couple of results with it.”

Powell added: “They’ve got some good experience with one or two young players in there.

“Stephen Warnock, Lee Peltier and Paddy Kenny have been around a bit, they know the Championship.

“But then he has introduced young Alex Mowatt, a midfield boy and good player, and big Matt Smith who they took from Oldham, so they’ve got some good players.

“Rudolph Austin, their captain, has been in good form.

“We’ve watched them and will be preparing and making sure our tactics are right to do our best to win the game.

“It is good to see Brian working after what happened with him at Reading but of course I want to make sure their away run continues at our place.”

When asked if sometimes it hinders Leeds being as big as they are in the Championship, Powell replied: “When they had Rio Ferdinand, Alan Smith and Harry Kewell they were a side who were young and vibrant.

“There was a lot of excitement around them but it is tough for them because the city they are in, everybody supports Leeds.

“I’ve got family there, my wife’s family is there and it is a huge, huge football club and I suppose all they can do is embrace what they’ve done in the past but look at what they can do now.

“Just like us they’ve even been in League One, it took three years like us to get out and it is the next step – consolidate in the Championship, make yourself stronger year by year if you can and really try and make a push.”

Powell added: “I’m sure Brian, who knows this league and has got out of this league with Reading, him and Nigel Gibbs will be just looking at it, they know what it takes.

“He is a good manager for someone like myself to look at because he took Reading up when they lost their first six or something like that.

“There’s no need to panic when things go against you, just carry on, keep believing and installing that confidence in your group, which I’m doing here - I’m trying to do with my staff, with our players - because things will eventually turn for you.

“At the moment they are going OK for us but I know how quickly that can change and I’m sure Brian is the same.”

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