Charlton boss Lee Bowyer has urged fans to be 'realistic' after back-to-back defeats for the first time this season.

After an impressive start to the season, Bowyer’s side sat a lofty third in the Championship and started murmurs of promotion in the Valley stands before defeats to Birmingham and Wigan the last two outings. 

Welcoming Leeds United to The Valley on Saturday, a team tipped for promtion, the Addicks manager has asked fans and pundits to be pragmatic in regards to the aims this season.

“We had such a good start this season, people started getting stupid!"  he said.

"Saying we will be challenging for promotion?!

"That's ridiculous, be realists, I am a realist.”

With the a significantly lower budget than most clubs in the division, Bowyer's side were favourites with many bookies to go straight back down on their return to the second tier.

However, the manager is not surprised about his teams positive start to the season but remains adamant that survival is still is the main priority.

“This season I said our aim is to stay in the division.

"We got the lowest budget by a mile, I said we would surprise a few with our intensity and fight.

“All I ask is my players give me 100% and I know they will do that on Saturday."

Bowyer was full of praise for his sides work ethic and intensity on the pitch, urging them to keep that up with arguably their toughest fixture of the season on Saturday.

With a run of fixtures coming up against the so called 'bigger' teams in the division in Leeds, Swansea and Fulham, Bowyer was keen to reiterate how competitive the championship is as a whole.

“The first eight games were very tough. Blackburn away, Stoke at home, who were in Premier League only two years ago with a budget through the roof.

"Wigan too, they’re no mugs, they won League One Two seasons ago. Birmingham as well, they were near the play offs before points reduction last year.

"There are no bad teams in this division.”

Charlton will be looking to get back to winning ways on Saturday in front of a sell-out home crowd. Bowyer will be looking for his team’s intensity and fight to continue with a long season ahead. 

READ:Charlton injury update ahead of Leeds visit

READ:The one question Bowyer wants to ask Leeds' Bielsa