Charlton set to appoint Dowie

Just over a week after he left Crystal Palace, Iain Dowie is expected to be presented as Charlton Athletic's new manager. A press conference is scheduled for Tuesday with Neil McDonald due to follow Dowie from Selhurst Park as his assistant while Les Reed, who has worked under Charlton's previous manager Alan Curbishley, is also expected to be part of a new management team.

The announcement brings to an end Charlton's search for a successor to Curbishley who quit after 15 years at the Valley. Hull City's Peter Taylor pulled out of the running and after interest in Preston's Billy Davies cooled, the way was left open for Dowie. The 41-year-old also attracted interest from Middlesbrough and Derby County, but the likelihood is that he has accepted Charlton's offer, although there have been suggestions that Colchester United's Phil Parkinson was still being considered. On Thursday Dowie was shown around the club's Sparrows Lane training ground by chairman Richard Murray and newly-appointed general manager, Andrew Mills.

If Dowie does take the position it will go down badly with Simon Jordan, his former chairman at Crystal Palace. Jordan said on Monday that Dowie wanted to move closer to his family in the north-west, and he also claims Charlton showed a lack of respect when Palace were relegated at the Valley two years ago.

Charlton yesterday announced that they have released strikers Shaun Bartlett, Jonatan Johansson and Francis Jeffers. The trio hardly featured last season. Charlton - who have signed United States defender Cory Gibbs and Uruguay centre-back Gonzalo Sorondo - are expected to step up their interest in Reading's Steve Sidwell, who has a £2.5m buy-out clause.