ALAN Pardew has been appointed as the new manager of Premiership side Chalrton Athletic on a three-and-a-half year contract.Former West Ham boss Pardew was appointed after Les Reed, who had only been in charge for eight games after taking over from Iain Dowie, left the club by mutual consent.

ALAN Pardew has been appointed as the new manager of Premiership side Chalrton Athletic on a three-and-a-half year contract.

Former West Ham boss Pardew was appointed after Les Reed, who had only been in charge for eight games after taking over from Iain Dowie, left the club by mutual consent.

Reed won only one of those eight games and the final straw was Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough which followed last Tuesday's Carling Cup quarter-final defeat at home to League Two side Wycombe Wanderers.