CHARLTON coach Mark Kinsella is urging The Valley faithful to play their part in tonight’s crunch derby clash with bitter rivals Crystal Palace.

The Addicks go into the game at the bottom of the Championship and in serious danger of slipping into League One within two years of their relegation from the Premiership.

Charlton have picked up only three wins in SE7 to date this season but despite the woeful record on home turf, Kinsella believes playing at The Valley with the backing of passionate fans can make a difference.

He said: “Whatever club you are at, you’ve always got a derby game.

“They are great games for the fans as well and there will be a great atmosphere.

“You’ve got to stand up and be counted. We are at home and we are looking forward to it. We are at home and we want to win our home games.

“We haven’t won a lot at home this season and we want to kick it on on Tuesday and that is what we are looking to do.”

He added: “The fans have been brilliant, at home especially.

“You go back on our home games to Derby County when they got a 94th minute equaliser and we went in feeling like we had lost the game, QPR when we got ourselves back in it in the second half – the fans were brilliant.

“The fans have seen us try and put the effort in and we just need their support for the next nine home games.

“They can be the 12th man because they have been before and I’m sure they can do it again for us.”

There is no love lost between the two clubs, stemming back to Charlton’s days as lodgers at Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace’s relegation at The Valley on the final day of the 2004/05 season and the controversial appointment of Iain Dowie as Addicks boss 12 months later.

Himself a former Charlton player, Kinsella is more aware than most of the rivalry but feels the respective squads will be professional enough to put it to the back of their minds.

He said: “In every derby game the fans don't like each other. It doesn't filter down as far as the players but we know how important it is to the football club and to the fans to get a win and have the bragging rights.

“It will be no different on Tuesday and the players will know all about it by then.”