Karl Robinson is closing in on one year as Charlton manager.

He is already the Addicks’ longest serving manager under owner Roland Duchatelet, and he will reach the 365-day mark next Friday.

Duchatelet, who has employed seven different bosses in just under four years, could have pulled the trigger on Robinson when Charlton won just once in 14 league games last season.

But the Belgian tycoon stayed patient with the former MK Dons chief, who inherited a thin and under-performing squad, and is now reaping the rewards.

Fifteen games into the new campaign, the Addicks are third in League One and are pushing for an automatic promotion spot.

When asked whether he thought he would get the sack, Robinson joked: “It crosses my mind every morning I wake up!

“It’s not something I get involved in. Everyone knows I have a plan and I prepare. I’ve said openly I’m not someone who comes in and wins games through hustle and bustle.

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“Last season, the reshuffling had an effect on immediate games. We went into that period with a lot of players out - Chris Solly, Declan Rudd, Jason Pearce and Ricky Holmes.

“We’d lost Morgan Fox and Ademola Lookman [in January], too. We had challenging games and it was very difficult.

“But we had to stick to the [long-term] plan and couldn't go off on a tangent. We would've suppressed the negativity more, and while the results weren't going too well, we had to stick to the plan.

“The players did and listen, they're now in a great place.”

Robinson was sacked by MK Dons last October after a successful six-and-a-half-year spell. 

But just a month later, he was back in football with Charlton.

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Karl Robinson | Picture: Benjamin Peters Photography 

The Liverpudlian added: “It’s strange. I got a message on my phone with photographs from this time last year, I was in Spain having a coffee on the beach and today I got up with frost on my car in minus one temperatures.

“I said to my wife look where we were this time last year - I’m in a much better place 12 months on.

“I’m thankful for the people of Charlton and the players and players who have been here and gone.

“It’s been hard and been a very difficult challenge something I haven't faced before, it’s completely new to me. I didn't know if I could do it or not and I still don't know.

“Again that’s never for me to judge, it’s down to the fans to say - it’s their club. I want to make sure we’re doing the right things and never get too up or down after games. We want to do right for the future.

“The 12 months have gone very quickly and I’d like to think for the next 12 months, if I'm still at this great football club, we’ll be better again. We've improved every month.”