Fulham boss Scott Parker has claimed he holds Charlton in "nothing but high regard" ahead of his side's clash with the Addicks on Saturday afternoon.

The Cottagers will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in the Championship to six matches when they welcome to Lee Bowyer's side to West London in Saturday's lunchtime fixture.

Fulham initially made a steady start to life back in the second tier but they are currently in a rich vein of form and enter the match against Charlton on the back of an emphatic 4-1 victory over a disappointing Reading side on Tuesday.

However, their upcoming opponents did not see such midweek success as the Addicks failed to build on their weekend victory  over Leeds by suffering a 2-1 home defeat against league leaders Swansea City.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Parker has now paid tribute to Charlton after he started his playing career at The Valley and represented the club at senior level for seven years before he sealed a move to Chelsea in 2004.

The 38-year-old claims he owes much to Charlton for helping him develop as a footballer in the early days of his career, while he also believes the club helped instil core values in him that he still holds today.

“I went and watched Charlton last night against Swansea…going back to The Valley and seeing some old faces there," he said on the Fulham club website.

“This is a club that was a large part of my life and a club which I owe so much to. It gave me the opportunity to become the player I did.

“It gave me that opportunity to show what I could do under Alan Curbishley. It nurtured me and gave me some of the core values I have today. I hold Charlton in nothing but high regard.”

Parker made 145 senior appearances for the Addicks between 1997 and 2004, while he scored 10 goals from midfield during that time.

The Verdict

Parker clearly holds fond memories from his time at Charlton during the early part of his footballing career, but there will certainly be no room for sentiment on Saturday with his side desperate to continue their unbeaten run.

The Fulham boss will be under no illusions that his side will face a tough test against Bowyer's side, who have already shown their ability to compete this season through their impressive victory over Leeds last weekend.

Parker's men hold something of an advantage ahead of this meeting as they will have had an extra day to recover from their midweek exploits, with Charlton having played their match against Swansea on Wednesday.

The West London side should be considered as favourites ahead of this match, but Parker will be well aware that his side will need to dig deep against a resolute Charlton side in order to win the three points.

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