Curbs: We'll be bigger than Spurs

Alan Curbishley today claimed that Charlton can become the third biggest club in London.

Charlton have revealed plans to expand The Valley to 40,600 and yesterday announced financial results that will be the envy of the Premiership, with a turnover of £35million and losses of just £464,400.

Curbishley has been repeatedly linked with a move to Tottenham but believes that Charlton have the potential to become a bigger club than their London rivals.

He said: "We're looking at the nearest teams to us, Tottenham and West Ham. If we get the new stadium we could become a club of that size. We might not have their history and trophy cabinet, but we know we could get 35,000 fans coming to watch us.

"When we came back to The Valley we wanted to be a decent First Division side like Norwich or Queens Park Rangers. When we were promoted we looked at establishing ourselves as Leicester and Derby did, but now we're looking to match West Ham and Tottenham.

"Financial problems have made clubs like Southampton and Charlton stronger and the so-called bigger clubs could start coming back to us. Charlton are run properly and don't take the quick fix. Danny Mills was the last significant player we sold and we've been a buying club for the last four years."

Charlton's financial health is put into perspective by the continuing crisis at Leeds, tomorrow's visitors to The Valley. Leeds have debts of £80m and admitted this week they are close to administration, but Curbishley has a message of hope for the directors at Elland Road.

He was playing at Charlton when they went into administration in 1984, and has played a huge role in bringing the club back from the brink. Curbishley said: "In 1984 we could have gone belly-up but we've shown you can get out of these problems. Leeds have bought players they couldn't afford, but it's not too long ago we were in a similar position.