FORMER Charlton manager Lennie Lawrence believes Charlton and Crystal Palace could have merged when the Addicks were forced to share Selhurst Park in the 1980s.

Lawrence spent nine years in charge of the Addicks between 1982 and 1991 during the most turbulent period in the club’s history.

Charlton were within hours of being wound up in the High Court in 1984 because of unpaid debts and were forced to leave The Valley to share with bitter rivals Crystal Palace a year later.

The controversial move to Selhurst Park is just one of many subjects touched upon in ‘Lennie’, a self entitled autobiography which has a foreword from long-term friend Sir Alex Ferguson.

Lawrence claims almost a quarter of a century on the switch from SE7 to SE25 could have led to a merger between the Addicks and Eagles, something both sets of fans will be relieved to see didn’t actually transpire.

He said: “I think there was even some sort of possible plan to amalgamate the two clubs. I’ve always believed that, although I’ve got no proof, but I think that was the intention because there was a lot of talk about that sort of thing of the 80s.

“I was told about it on the Friday night before we played Palace ironically at The Valley.

“We beat them but I told the players at 1.30pm before the game.

“In a masterpiece of public relations they put an insert in the programme telling fans how to get to Selhurst Park by train and bus, which was unbelievable.”

Despite the upheaval of switching grounds, Lawrence still managed to lead Charlton to the top flight, an achievement he concedes is one of the biggest in his long career.

“It would be right up there because you’ve done it on somebody else’s ground,” he said.

“Nobody has ever done that because Wimbledon got promoted at Plough Lane “We got promoted but I’d signed six or seven players in the summer. We moved in September and they had only been at The Valley for six or seven weeks, so they weren’t that used to it.

“We went over to Selhurst Park and to be honest it didn’t affect us one iota. We won the first game there and only lost twice at home in the whole year.”

Behind the scenes, fans were mounting a campaign to return the club to The Valley and although it proved successful, Lawrence believes it did have an impact on the field and the club were finally relegated after four years of struggle in 1990.

“We were up against it but it became a cause, not just a club. That’s what happened in the end and that’s what got us through until we sold too many players and then paid the price with relegation.”

“I don’t blame anybody for that but it became more important than results. As a football manager I understand it, but it was still difficult at times.”

‘Lennie’ is published by Green Umbrella Publishing and is on sale priced £14.99.