The Addicks face a "must-win" clash against basement rivals Sheffield United on Saturday knowing a victory will haul them one point above the Blades and out of the drop zone.

The lucrative television contract which comes into existence next season makes Premiership survival imperative.

As a manager, Pardew is only used to looking up. He guided both Reading and West Ham to promotion and last season the Hammers reached the FA Cup final and qualified for Europe.

So that is the approach he has taken with Charlton. Pardew is determined to ignore the pressures that are usually associated with a relegation scrap.

He explained: "I have stressed to the players that we are trying to win something here.

"This is like a major trophy, more important than the trophy Manchester United and Chelsea are going for in terms of finance. Let's win it.

"I don't stress about it, I don't fret about it. Two or three months ago we would have jumped off buildings to be in this position.

"Let's be thankful for what we have got in terms of where we are. We still have a great chance. Let's try and seize it."

Pardew breathed new life into the ailing Addicks when he joined in December and his positive approach has helped inspire an impressive turnaround.

He said: "Our form over the last eight games has been European form.

"We have come up against Newcastle, Wigan and Everton who have been right at full steam. But so have we and we have really competed.

"We have come from a long way back, clawed in three or four teams who were way past us, 10 or 12 points away, and got it down to three points. We have done terrifically well.

"But the important game is always the next one. If we are going to get out of it, this is a must-win game against Sheffield United.

"We are all taking that approach into the game. It focuses the mind and that can't be a bad thing."

Charlton are one of five teams - plus West Ham, Sheffield United, Fulham and Wigan - separated by just six points and fighting for their lives at the bottom of the Premiership.

Charlton were dragged back into the relegation zone on Sunday night after they followed Sheffield United's 3-0 win over West Ham with a last-gasp defeat at Everton.

Watford are on the brink of a return to the Coca-Cola Championship but Pardew would not rule out his old team West Ham pulling off a few surprises.

And he believes the race to land the grand prize for survival will go right to the last weekend of the season.

Pardew added: "Sheffield United are in a great position but it is not just between us and them to stay up. There are still others involved and we are all playing under the same pressure and intensity.

"It swings so much with one result. Sheffield United got a great result last week and it swung in their favour against West Ham and ourselves.

"The week before it was the opposite so it could swing again this weekend.

"The one beauty you have at the bottom, which you don't get at the top where you have got to win or you are out of it, is that teams around you still lose so it gives you another bite of the cherry.

"And while we are still in there we will keep fighting."