MICHAEL Slater is already lining up potential signings for Charlton, four days after taking over as the new club chairman.

Reds boss Phil Parkinson revealed after the 3-3 draw with Colchester on New Year’s Day that he hadn’t yet sat down with Slater to discuss the future of the club.

But at a press conference organised by the new owners before the Addicks played host to Swindon Town, Slater revealed that work is already underway to push for automatic promotion from League One.

Slater explained: “I haven’t yet had a chance to meet Phil, but I’m going to be meeting him today.

“As I said on Friday when the takeover was completed, we are currently third in the league and that speaks for itself but that doesn’t mean we can’t improve.

“We’d rather not have the tension of going through the play-offs, we need to be focusing on securing one of the top two spots so there’s improvement to be made on the field.

“We’re going to have a meeting with Phil to decide what he needs in terms of strengthening and we’ll give him the support that he needs, but this is a results business.

“We’re already identifying a number of players as targets, though we can’t get into the details right now.”

Despite the takeover requiring a week longer than the consortium had hoped, Slater was happy with the deal and the challenge ahead.

He said: “I’m delighted that we concluded the deal and look forward to moving on now with the club. We hope we can strengthen and secure promotion.

“I simply ask the fans to be patient – Rome wasn’t built in a day – but we didn’t pursue the takeover to see Charlton languish in League One.

“This is a terrific club. There aren’t many chances to acquire a London club.

“During the due diligence process we took a very close look at the club finances and the club needs support.

“It’s not where it should be, but I think with the right investment and proper management it’s well placed to secure at least one promotion in the very near future.”

While Slater works with Parkinson to improve Charlton’s fortunes on the pitch, Peter Varney is back at the club to develop outside business opportunities.

In his first media appearance since the takeover, he said: “I think everybody knows where we are.

“We’re based around where the 2012 Olympics are taking place and the Penninsula is a massive growth area with something like 60,000 houses being built by 2016.

“It’s key to us that we have business relationships with people in those areas and of course the 380,000 people coming to live in those areas – we want to see those people as Charlton fans.

“Of course, we’ve got to get it right on the pitch but if we do that then we want to make sure we’re ready off the pitch to take advantage of that.”

Follow us on Twitter @NewsShopperSprt