It may have taken Phil Parkinson almost a year to feel safe from the sack but the Charlton manager insists he is finally ready to enjoy life at the Valley.

Parkinson admits barely a day has passed since he assumed control last November when he has not feared a summons to the boardroom, particularly after he oversaw the club's relegation to League One - the first time they had dropped into the third tier of English football in almost 30 years.

But the directors ignored the clamour for his head and their faith has been justified by five consecutive victories which have propelled Charlton to the top of the table. Suddenly, the good times are back.

"I had doubts over my future - very real ones, in fact," said Parkinson, whose side entertain London rivals Brentford tomorrow. "To be honest that was going on all the way through the summer, given what had happened last season. But what can you do?"

There remains doubt over Charlton's off-field future, with a proposed takeover by former chief executive Peter Varney no nearer completion, but Parkinson has urged his players to retain their focus as they seek to build on their turbo-charged start.

"To some extent I've asked to be kept informed about the takeover situation but I'm doing my best to put all that to one side," he said.