Charlton 0-2 Blackburn: After some 15 seasons at the helm, guiding the Addicks from troubled times to promotion glory at Wembley and into top-flight stability, Alan Curbishley deserved better than to see his final game as Charlton manager at The Valley end in a 2-0 defeat by Blackburn.

The impromptu, and somewhat unexpected pre-match announcement on the pitch by chairman Richard Murray that Curbishley was to step down at the end of the season added an extra sense of occasion to a game which had little resting on it for the home side.

Curbishley was given a hero's welcome when he finally emerged from the tunnel and, tearfully, returned the affection to The Valley faithful before then heading to the dugout where many of the club staff shook his hand as they walked back off the pitch.

There was, however, no room for sentiment from Rovers as they closed in on a UEFA Cup place after Steven Reid's first-half header and an own-goal from veteran defender Chris Powell handed Mark Hughes his third victory of the season over Curbishley's men.

What the future now holds for both the south-east London club and their soon-to-be former manager remain uncertain, the 48-year-old having been linked with the England job, but more likely destinations seem to be old team Aston Villa or indeed Newcastle after Curbishley had told Murray he did not intend to renew his contract when it expired at the end of next season.

Charlton head to Old Trafford for the final match of the season, where Curbishley can expect a few words of encouragement from mentor Sir Alex Ferguson, who himself knows a thing or two about how to rise to new challenges year after year.