Crystal Palace

When Manchester City visit Selhurst Park on Monday night, they will quickly come to realise the tension that has hung over Crystal Palace for most of the season has now evaporated.

Palace’s stirring 2-1 win at Stoke City on March 21 all but guaranteed their place in the Premier League for an unprecedented third consecutive season.

Before the Easter weekend fixtures, the win at the Britannia Stadium had left Palace sitting 11 points clear of Burnley in the closest relegation position of 18th, and with a vastly superior goal difference, too.

Before the end of March, and a week before the clocks had even gone forward, Palace had been able to banish any lingering relegation fears by already accumulating 36 points. 

Starting with City’s visit, they will stop nervously looking over their shoulders and instead now start to look upward and hope to overtake Stoke and West Ham United to finish in the top half of the top flight for the first time since the 1991-92 season.

This is quite a turnaround for a club who appeared to be doomed to relegation when Tony Pulis, the architect of last season’s great escape, walked out on them just two days before the start of the season.

Pulis’ first successor was Neil Warnock, an underwhelming appointment, who once again looked largely out of his depth in the Premier League as he steered Palace to just three wins in 16 games and into the relegation zone.

After their Boxing Day defeat at home to Southampton, Palace were cut adrift at a worrying 18th in the Premier League, forcing the club to dispense with Warnock and welcome back Alan Pardew.

Since Pardew took charge at Selhurst Park at the start of the year, he has engineered an incredible revival in Palace’s fortunes.

Pardew has lifted Palace to the safe uplands of 11th by winning 19 points from just 10 games with six wins and a draw.

Palace won their first Premier League game under Pardew after coming from behind at home to beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1, before adding impressive wins on the road at Burnley, Leicester City, West Ham and Stoke City. 

And in contrast to Pulis’ approach last season, Pardew hasn’t achieved this with safe and defensive football.

Instead, Pardew has gone on the attack and brought the best out of his wingers and creative players, especially the revived Wilfried Zaha, Jason Puncheon and Yannick Bolasie.

As Pardew told the Daily Mirror when he was appointed, “We’re not going to stay in the Premier League unless we express ourselves, and I’m going to promise the fans two things. One: We’re going to put the ball at 
risk, and Two: We’re going to have a go.”

This has all been a personal triumph for Pardew, and it's helped transform him from the diminished figure he had become at the end of his time at Newcastle United to a now vastly respected manager.

Last season, Tony Pulis was voted the Premier League’s Manager of the Year for rescuing Palace, leading them from the relegation zone to an 11th-placed finish. 

Pulis was rightly lauded for saving Palace, but the truth is that it took him longer than Pardew, for he started a month before in December, and Palace did not begin to feel they were safe under him until later, nearer the middle of April.

Could Pardew now be a contender to be the Manager of the Year for 2015? 

It is my own belief that Pardew’s transformation of Palace has earned him the right to be seriously considered for one of the Manager of the Year awards.

Over the last five years, there has been a trend for both the League Managers Association and the Premier League to not automatically give their Manager of the Year award to the manager who wins the title.

The title-winning manager has only twice in the last five years won either of the Manager of the Year awards, with Sir Alex Ferguson collecting both in 2011 and 2013. 

There is now willingness to reward managers who have excelled without winning a trophy, with last season Pulis and Brendan Rodgers being able to call themselves the Manager of the Year.

It is unlikely Jose Mourinho will win either award with Chelsea’s imminent Premier League title win seen as a regulation and expected triumph. He has the best squad, he should win the title.

Instead, it is again likely to go to a manager who has won his own personal battle in the Premier League without the silverware to show for it. 

Pardew’s main rivals for the awards this season should be Southampton’s Ronald Koeman and Burnley’s Sean Dyche.

After a summer of upheaval and the loss of five major players, Southampton’s success in remaining close to the summit of the Premier League for most of the season under Koeman has been a revelation and a joy to watch.

The Dutchman would be a worthy and popular winner for proving it is possible to compete with the status quo, but the Saints have recently faded and look likely to finish outside the top four.

If Dyche manages to keep his callow and inexperienced Burnley squad in the top flight, he too would deserve recognition.

But at the moment, Pardew is the only manager of this trio who looks on course to achieve—and even exceed—his aim.

Pardew was both the LMA and Premier League Manager of the Year for guiding Newcastle to a fifth-placed finish in the 2011-12 season.

Three years later, after escaping the turmoil at St James Park, he could be on the brink of winning one of these awards once again for this season’s transformation of Crystal Palace.

Wilfried Zaha's loan move to Crystal Palace was turned into a permanent transfer on Monday, bringing an end to the youngster's time with Manchester United in disappointing fashion.

The news was confirmed by Crystal Palace via their Twitter account:

OFFICIAL: Wilf Comes Home - @wilfriedzaha signs five and a half year deal #DeadlineDay #CPFC http://t.co/226dqXvOhF pic.twitter.com/fTQx5LmxXs

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) February 2, 2015

Zaha himself spoke about the move on his own account:  

Glad to be back permanently and appreciate all the messages #CPFC #home

— Wilfried Zaha (@wilfriedzaha) February 2, 2015

The tricky winger joined the Red Devils from Palace in 2013 but was immediately loaned back to the Eagles, and by the time he finally made his way to Manchester, manager Sir Alex Ferguson had retired and was replaced by David Moyes.

As shared by Manchester Evening News' Samuel Luckhurst, the 22-year-old expressed a deep regret he never had the chance to play under the legendary United boss:

Zaha: 'Sir Alex saw something in me but I never got to be coached by him. I signed and by the time I came he had left. That was weird.'

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) February 2, 2015

As Zaha stated, Ferguson saw something in him, whereas his successor Moyes did not. According to the Daily Mail's Sami Mokbel, Charles Sale and Sam Cunningham, he made just four appearances for the club before being loaned out again, this time to Cardiff.

Louis van Gaal, Moyes' replacement, also didn't appear to have any plans for the young winger, loaning him back to the Eagles, the club where he first shot to fame. The England international is playing regular minutes in south London, and the fact both parties have now found a permanent solution is no real surprise.

Some fans and pundits will wonder whether Zaha ever had a real chance at United—bet365 asked the question as soon as rumours of a permanent deal started to spread:

REPORTS: Wilfried Zaha will re-sign for #CPFC today. Did he have ever have a fair chance at #MUFC? pic.twitter.com/gh8D0udgRj

— bet365 (@bet365) February 2, 2015

Whether he did or not is irrelevant. The 22-year-old has the chance to resurrect his career and develop at his own pace, without the pressure of performing for one of the biggest clubs in the world on his shoulders.

The Red Devils lose money on what basically amounts to a six-month rental of a young, inexperienced player, but given the fact Van Gaal likely didn't have any plans for the winger, selling him now seems like the best course of action.

https://twitter.com/Angus66Mainland/status/558991690229628928

A Crystal Palace fan has called on the internet to help him find a missed connection, and the sports media world is doing its best to help him. 

Angus Mainland "fell in love" with a girl on a train to Crystal Palace's FA Cup clash with Southampton and even gave her his scarf. 

However, he didn't ask for her number and went on to Twitter to plead for help. 

He is now getting plenty, with even The Daily Telegraph publishing his request. 

His Twitter name is @Angus66Mainland. This, in @TelegraphSport today is sweet. So please RT! pic.twitter.com/0DMVC6CDEY

— Georgie Bingham (@georgiebingham) January 26, 2015

My phone hasn't stopped going off. This is mad.

— Angus Mainland (@Angus66Mainland) January 25, 2015

Whether it ends in joy or tears for poor Angus remains to be seen, but with the entire internet seemingly behind him, he at least now has a chance. 

[Twitter: @Angus66Mainland] 

Crystal Palace have had their ups and downs but are in the Premier League once again and have a new, but familiar face in charge.

Former player John Salako is confident that Alan Pardew will do well, but he has concerns for the club’s well-being.

“What we achieved under Steve Coppell, (finishing third in the old First Division in 1991 and reaching the 1990 FA Cup final), was just incredible, with a bunch of players who cost less than £200,000 each. Together we were very strong-minded and hungry in that dressing room. It was a special team."

Salako continues: 

Nowadays I’d say that players do deserve their big wages but they get it all too early and are spoilt, which must dent their hunger. I actually think the last two administrations at Palace have killed the club over the last 10-15 years. From the Academy upwards we’re not producing the players any more. I coached at the Palace academy for three years and parents can see that the facilities aren’t great, so young players are looking to get away to Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham, and even Reading and Brighton for example.

Crystal Palace used to use the league pyramid really well…Brighty (Mark Bright) came from Stoke, John Pemberton and Geoff Thomas came from Crewe, Andy Gray from Dulwich Hamlet…we had a great network and infrastructure of people, teachers and taxi drivers for instance, who worked the Sunday Leagues and the Non-Leagues and used to bring those players to Palace.

I really hope that we can get that back, but Steve Parrish needs to invest heavily in the infrastructure, the training ground and the Academy. I do think that Alan Pardew is perfect for the job and we’re so lucky to have got him. He just wanted to come home and he’s got a chance to make himself a legend as a manager at Palace because he understands the club, from the tea lady to the board, He signed me at Reading and he’s a fantastic manager. He knows players and is tactically astute.

And what about Alan Pardew’s reputation for being a bit cocky and saying the wrong thing sometimes? Salako is unequivocal and sympathetic to his old teammate:

Alan came from non-league. He didn’t have a stellar playing career. So when he came into management he had to take on a persona. He had to believe that he deserved to be there, that he had what it takes to manage at the highest level, and sometimes that spilled over into arrogance. But I’m sure he has learnt from his rows with Arsene Wenger and Manuel Pellegrini, and the headbutt incident with David Meyler in that Hull game. I’ve got no doubt that he’ll keep Palace up and I think he’ll take them forward in the future. We want Palace to be a Stoke, to do what Wigan did over a number of years. I think Palace need a run in the Premier League to get that infrastructure to become the club they’ve always threatened to be.

LONDON — “Our season starts now,” announced the banner unfurled by the most prominent collection of Crystal Palace supporters, the Holmesdale Fanatics, before kick-off on Saturday at Selhurst Park.

Ninety minutes later, the banner was hoisted for an encore, Palace’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur meaning what was initially intended as a message of encouragement now read much more like a statement of intent.

New manager Alan Pardew arrived at Selhurst Park asked to save a flagging Premier League campaign, 18 games to save a season, and a come-from-behind three points was nothing less than a perfect start in that regard.

“An eventful 90 minutes,” was how Pardew would surmise it later. It was a careful statement, but it felt like an important 90 minutes, too. His new team started the game 19th in the table; they finished it in 15th—out of the relegation zone already.

Crystal Palace fans: "Our season starts now."

They seem to like this Alan Pardew fella'. pic.twitter.com/mdUcKW9HtB

— Squawka (@Squawka) January 10, 2015

"Alan Pardew's red and blue army" rings around the stadium #CPFC

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) January 10, 2015

Most Palace managers have to earn the adulation at Selhurst Park, have to achieve something of note before they hear the song’s about it being their “red and blue army.” Pardew, by virtue of his achievements during his time as a player at the club, has already earned that honour—making Selhurst Park a world away from St James’ Park, where the Newcastle United fans would not hesitate to make their opinion of the 53-year-old known whenever things were not going to plan.

Pardew had just over four, often successful, years on Tyneside, but he perhaps never received the same uniformly rapturous reception as he did when he walked out onto the pitch as Palace boss for the first time, a reception he deferred with a few meek waves.

Only at the final whistle, when Dwight Gayle’s penalty and Jason Puncheon’s precise finish had turned the tide following Harry Kane’s fine opener, did he really interact with the crowd, punching the air in delight as the three points immediately lifted the club out of the bottom three.

“The start of the game, with all due respect, doesn’t mean much,” Pardew noted, when asked why his entrance had been slightly subdued. “It’s nice to get a warm welcome—but you need to win.”

For the 25,000 fans drifting away from Selhurst Park late in the evening it was a day to savour, but Pardew was keen to acknowledge that not everything had gone to plan. Palace, perhaps frozen by the occasion, struggled to even get out of their half in the opening 20 minutes, only growing into the contest as half-time approached.

At the break, Pardew swapped the lightweight Barry Bannan for Adlene Guedioura, the latter a player he admitted afterwards he knew little about beforehand but, having seen glimpses of a raw physicality in training, one he thought his side now needed.

The switch had a subtle but significant impact, shifting the midfield battle, although it was Benjamin Stambouli’s rash tackle on Joe Ledley in the penalty area that truly changed the tide. It was a rare correct decision from referee Anthony Taylor, who bemused both sides with some questionable calls.

This one went for Palace, and Gayle duly stepped up and beat Lloris—who had previously made a couple of world-class saves—before another Pardew substitution, Wilfried Zaha, finally gave Palace a real attacking threat, a creative spark who would end up creating Puncheon’s winner with his trickery down the right.

“All the boys thought it was a penalty,” Gayle said. “Luckily it was given, and I tucked it away.”

Pardew would say of Zaha’s impact: “I left him out because I wanted to see what his reaction would be like. This is a boy who really needs his confidence rekindled, and that 20 minutes will do him the world of good.”

The result will also do Palace a world of good—with Pardew keen to point out that “momentum can be a great leveler.” But next week’s visit to Burnley remains a hugely significant fixture, and Pardew knows his side will not be able to get by on adrenaline and good fortune as they perhaps did on this occasion.

“[He had] a lot of positive things to say about the team,” Gayle said, when asked what Pardew had said to the team after the game. “But the important thing is next week we continue it against Burnley.”

The Pardew Effect: Palace's 2-1 win vs. Tottenham just their SECOND in the Prem since Sept. 27. The other victory? 3-1 vs. Liverpool.

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 10, 2015

Pardew already seems settled on what needs to change at Palace to turn things around, albeit still trying to work out exactly how to achieve those changes. After the final whistle he spoke repeatedly about the need for more “maverick” behaviour from his side: While he was keen to pay huge credit to the regimented structure installed by Tony Pulis (and then continued, in inferior fashion, by Neil Warnock), he clearly feels adopting that approach for so long has robbed the squad of some of its flair, some of its unpredictability and, perhaps, some of its self-belief.

Restoring that at Selhurst Park, while retaining the solid back line that was the hallmark of Pulis’ success, is Pardew’s initial ambition.

By playing the tricky Bannan in central midfield, the new boss tried to get that from the off against Spurs, but it actually was not until the Scot was removed, and then Zaha was added, that he got a taste of what he was trying to attain.

Guedioura injected some more steal, and then Zaha—doing his best impression of the absent Yannick Bolasie—petrified Tottenham’s back line with his quick feet.

“Maybe Crystal Palace pushed more than us, were more fresh than us,” Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino said. “We scored, and then after that we cannot manage the game.”

The penalty changed the tone, although both managers hinted that perhaps Harry Kane was unlucky to be denied a decision at the other end following a very similar challenge not long after. Once Palace got on top, however, Pardew saw signs of last season’s team in the way they held on for victory.

“I tried to take the shackles off the team a bit in training, but that didn’t really work,” the new manager acknowledged. “We were organized and disciplined without really carrying that much of a threat. We grew into it, at the end of the first half we began to move up the pitch. In the second half we shaded it.”

Pardew having an immediate impact on #cpfc as everyone expected. Mood, shape & balance of team good. Long way to go though.

— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) January 10, 2015

He added: “In the end it was our discipline that saw us home. One unbelievable tackle from [Damien] Delaney, and a brilliant save from [Mousa] Dembele [by Julian Speroni]. I was behind that shot, it went everywhere.”

Leaving a club where he was often loathed for one he has long been loved, Pardew now wants his team to start enjoying the same feeling of freedom. That did not quite go to plan the first time around—it was passion, and a certain amount of luck, that ultimately delivered the victory—but for now that is just fine with everybody connected to the Eagles.

“An eventful 90 minutes,” as Pardew noted, “that has kind of worked out really well for us.”

A fresh start, a winning start. Crystal Palace's season starts now.

All quotes obtained first-hand unless otherwise stated.

LONDON — Alan Pardew's first Premier League game in charge of Crystal Palace produced three spectacular points, and his decision-making played a huge part in earning them.

In 2015, Selhurst Park is hardly the fortress it was under Tony Pulis, where Palace continually bullied and buried their teams en route to safety, but Pardew overcame an exceptionally tough assignment on Saturday—home to fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur sans Mile Jedinak and Yannick Bolasie, his two best players—by using his squad properly and appropriately.

On paper this match was a whitewash; a front three of Dwight Gayle, Glenn Murray and Jason Puncheon, just ahead of Aston Villa outcast Barry Bannan, was doomed to failure against a far stronger Spurs XI. But despite positive performances from Harry Kane, Benjamin Stambouli (in the first half) and Kyle Walker, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was their clear and obvious best player.

Pardew used his substitutions superbly and sensed the right time to bring on a relative trump card in Wilfried Zaha. It was his performance, among others, admittedly, that epitomised the turning nature of the match over the course of 90 minutes.

It was also a reminder of exactly what Zaha is capable of; his star has fallen so far most Premier League fans have forgotten the obvious talent he possesses, and he chose the ideal time to remind Pardew, too.

Sensing a stretched game, Pardew hauled an ineffective Murray off the pitch and moved Gayle inside to run at Federico Fazio. The Argentinian won every header going, but having a speedster run at him is a sure-fire way to gain ground and exert pressure on Spurs.

With Gayle central, Zaha came on to play from the left and took advantage of the swathes of space Walker was leaving as he pushed forward. The pass over the top on the counter-attack only had to be semi-accurate for Zaha to successfully bring it down.

The Manchester United loanee's work in the build-up to Jason Puncheon's superb winner was what we all expected, on a more regular basis, after signing with Sir Alex Ferguson's men in January 2013. Just shy of two years to the day since that moment, Pardew put his thirst for success to the test and came out delighted with the result.

"Wilfried came on and gave me exactly the reaction I was looking for. I left him out, to be honest, to see what would happen and what kind of reaction I would get," he admitted to reporters in the post-match press conference.

"He's done himself no harm today. That 25 minutes was electrifying. Rekindled."

A resurgent Zaha is a weapon—a devastating weapon, in fact—when you're set to fight against relegation from the Premier League. With Bolasie to return and a potentially rejuvenated Puncheon, too, Pardew has no shortage of creative armoury to play with between now and the end of the season.

The key question regarding Zaha will, though, remain: Can he produce at the end of his mazy dribbles, and can he fire in consistent, deadly crosses and cut-backs for his colleagues to profit from?

End product has been his biggest enemy since the spotlight fell on his fledgling career; is Pardew the man to keep the fire burning?

Follow @stighefootball

While the rest of Crystal Palace’s squad were just about to start going through some final preparations for Saturday’s Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur, club captain Mile Jedinak was on the other side of the world converting a penalty as Australia beat Kuwait 4-1 to kick off the Asian Cup.

If Alan Pardew was to draw up a list of players he would want to be available for his first league game as Palace manager, Jedinak would almost certainly be at the very top. As it is Jedinak will be missing for nearly a month, along with Yannick Bolasie (who is off to the Africa Cup of Nations) and, perhaps for a shorter period, Marouane Chamakh (who is recovering from injury)—two players who would also surely feature near the top of Pardew’s proverbial list.

The ex-Newcastle manager might have been relieved to have been offered an escape route from St James' Park, but if his switch has hardly seen him jump into the fire, it has certainly shifted him into another frying pan. Palace have not exactly looked like a side capable of retaining their top-flight status in the months since Tony Pulis departed, which is the predominant reason why Pardew has now been parachuted in to try and find a solution.

But Pardew now starts what is effectively an 18-game survival bid without two of his key players and with doubts about the quality of much of the rest of the squad. No wonder he is already talking about needing to make a few additions this month.

The focus will be in attack, as Jedinak, the club’s top league goalscorer to date, has just five goals.

“I can’t say anything about the financial side—I think that’s unfair on any club we’re talking to,” Pardew said on Friday, per the Press Association (h/t The Guardian). “But the chairman and the board are keen to try to bring a player or two, and I know they’re working hard towards that.

“We have to wait and see; it’s complicated securing any player and particularly a striker.”

VIDEO: Highlights of Alan Pardew's first press conference as Crystal Palace manager are on youtube now!https://t.co/OIkzKRxkFf

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) January 9, 2015

The club have been linked with Bafetimbi Gomis, although Swansea City are surely unlikely to let the forward leave if they are on the verge of selling Wilfried Bony to Manchester City. Another target might have to be identified, although in the interim Glenn Murray—back after a loan spell at Reading—could well be given a chance to show he has the game to play at this level.

With eight goals at Championship level, Murray at least has shown a recent goalscoring touch, although it does not sound like Pardew anticipates his proving to be either the short- or long-term answer.

Pardew added: “I spoke to Steve [Parish, Palace co-chairman] on my arrival here. ... I told him we’re going to need some funding because we need to get new players, and he gave me the assurances that he would do his very, very best to do that.”

It will be interesting to see who Palace, and Pardew, identify. Pardew leaves a Newcastle United side that have gained a widespread reputation for astute recruitment in the transfer market, with Ayoze Perez (the former Tenerife striker) the latest bargain acquisition that has gained the Magpies a lot of plaudits from journalists and fans alike. However, questions remain about exactly how much input Pardew really had into transfer activity on Tyneside; during his tenure the club tended to look to the continent (particularly France) for reinforcements, an approach that differed significantly from Pardew’s operating methods when at Southampton, West Ham or Charlton.

That is not to say Pardew cannot identify talent, of course: When at Southampton he signed Rickie Lambert for £1 million, a figure that seemed expensive at the time but soon proved to be a bargain. Palace would love it if Pardew could find a similar deal over the next few weeks.

Sanogo to join Crystal Palace on loan after Wenger decided he'd be better off there than at Bordeaux or Aston Villa (L'Equipe)

— Matt Spiro (@mattspiro) January 9, 2015

Meanwhile, betting suspended on Jermain Defoe joining Palace! Yikes!

— Five Year Plan 🦅 (@FYPFanzine) January 8, 2015

Palace have other areas of need—a left-back is a priority, so Joel Ward can return to his preferred right-back role, while a mobile centre-back to partner Scott Dann would solidify things further—but none of those can be addressed before Saturday’s game against Spurs.

Pardew will have to use his coaching smarts to get a result against one of the league’s in-form sides, perhaps looking to build on the momentum created by last weekend’s 4-0 FA Cup victory over non-league Dover Athletic.

Spurs, meanwhile, drew away to Burnley, but in the league they are finally starting to look solid and settled under Mauricio Pochettino, with the New Year’s Day 5-3 win over Chelsea a huge marker heading into 2015. Slowly but surely, the Argentine’s assertions that the players would always need a few months to adjust to his preferred methods have been validated.

Unfortunately for all concerned, Pardew does not have the luxury of that same amount of time to impose his own vision on his new club. Palace could theoretically sit bottom of the table by the time the game kicks off (although admittedly Leicester City would have to win handsomely against Aston Villa for that to happen), which would only underline the gravity of the club’s situation.

“It’s important when you’re fighting relegation you don’t hit teams in red-hot form, and Tottenham are, so it’s not the greatest of starts,” Pardew acknowledged. “They were terrific against Chelsea.

“The fact the Europa League campaign has closed down has helped them because that’s a huge factor, which we suffered with at Newcastle.

“This is a great period for them, and we’re going to have to try to knock them out of their stride.”

The game might come too soon for Pardew to really put his own stamp on the squad, but at least the return of the man who scored Palace’s winning goal in the famous 1990 FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool should ensure the return of the famous Selhurst Park atmosphere: the intimidating wall of noise that earned such plaudits during the club’s first season in the Premier League but flagged somewhat at the start of this campaign, as it quickly became evident the Warnock era was not going to bring the same highs.

“What I do know is from the welcome I’ve had, the place will be jumping for us,” Pardew noted. “We need to exploit that.”

Without their on-pitch leader, Jedinak, and main creative spark, Bolasie, Pardew starts his Palace tenure without all the weapons he might want at his disposal. Palace will be hoping his arrival alone can help overcome that, but it might not be until reinforcements are brought in that the club and their new manager can really start to turn their season around.

In the midst of an extremely turbulent, roller-coaster season at Newcastle United, Alan Pardew has officially left St James' Park to become the new manager at Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace confirmed the news on Saturday:

Crystal Palace Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Alan Pardew as the club's new manager after signing a three-and-a-half year contract.

Chairman Steve Parish welcomes the former Palace midfielder back to Selhurst Park. 'We wanted a manager with a great track record and proven experience in the Barclays Premier League. In Alan we have both these things as well as a man who has great affection for this club and shares my determination to take us to the next level.'

Commenting on his new role, Pardew said, 'I am absolutely delighted to be the new manager of Crystal Palace. Everyone knows my history here, what's important now is to move the club to the next level. I believe with the backing of Steve and the board I can help achieve that and create some new exciting history for the club.'

Newcastle United also released a statement:

Newcastle United can confirm that Alan Pardew has been released from his contract in order to be installed as the new manager of Crystal Palace.

Pardew said: 'It has been a privilege to manage Newcastle United and I want to thank my captain Fabricio Coloccini and all the players, John Carver, Steve Stone, Andy Woodman and all the staff, all of who have been outstanding servants to Newcastle United.

'A special thanks also goes to the fans for all their support over the last four years. I must also thank Mike Ashley and the board for their unwavering support during my tenure at the Club.'

Newcastle United managing director, Lee Charnley, said: 'I would like to thank Alan for his service to the Club. 

'Despite public perceptions, fuelled by the media, Mike Ashley had never met nor spoken to Alan before his appointment. However, what developed over the last four years was a very strong and positive relationship between all parties.

'It is these relationships that, four years later, means the Club is in a far better position, both on and off the field, and Alan has had a big part to play in that.

'During his time with us, Alan achieved two top-ten Premier League finishes, including a fifth-place finish in 2012, as well as taking us to the quarter-final of the Europa League. He goes with our best wishes and thanks.'

Pardew himself talked about the move on Saturday, according to Crystal Palace's official Twitter feed:

PARDEW: “I felt it was right for myself and for my family and my career. Every time I came back here it was always nice feeling. #cpfc

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) January 3, 2015

PARDEW: A real big bonus for this club is the fans and we can't lose that,otherwise we'll take away a big power source at home games #cpfc

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) January 3, 2015

PARDEW: Fans remember that era I was in and they admired the spirit and the way we approached games, hopefully I can bring that back .#cpfc

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) January 3, 2015

PARDEW: The players have got great attitudes here - they have been first-class and I've been very impressed. #cpfc

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) January 3, 2015

PARDEW: My home is in this area. For me, it's what you would class - as about as close as you can as a manager - to your own club.#cpfc

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) January 3, 2015

The 53-year-old had served as the Magpies' manager since 2010, making him the second-longest tenured boss in the Premier League prior to this switch. But it appears that off-the-field unrest, particularly from the Newcastle supporters, has prompted Pardew to take his services elsewhere.

As was first reported by Joe Bernstein, Neil Ashton and Craig Hope of Daily Mail on Dec. 29, Newcastle owner Mike Ashley agreed to allow Pardew to return to the club at which he saw some of his greatest success as a player.

Palace are in trouble, currently sat 18th in the Premier League, but they will take great inspiration from one of their own.

The 2014-15 campaign has been a particularly bizarre one for Newcastle supporters thus far. Whispers regarding Pardew's job security have existed for quite some time, but the volume was turned up significantly during a 4-0 loss to Southampton on Sept. 13.

A sizable Newcastle contingent travelled to that match and made its feelings known during the onslaught, per Lee Ryder of The Chronicle:

#nufc fans: "We want Pardew out"

— Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) September 13, 2014

Pardew was under so much scrutiny during the contest that even fans of former employer Southampton got in on the chants, according to CNN's James Masters:

Rare to see fans unite in song, but #saintsfc fans and #nufc fans treat Pardew to a round of "You're getting sacked in the morning."

— James Masters (@Masters_JamesD) September 13, 2014

Newcastle sat at the bottom of the table after that Southampton defeat, and the firing of Pardew seemed inevitable. Even Pardew himself acknowledged that his squad's play against Saints was unacceptable, per Mark Chapman of 5 Live Sport:

Pardew on #nufc fans protests: They're fair, because you can't get beaten 4-0. It's tough to take - it's not easy to digest.

— Mark Chapman (@markchapman) September 13, 2014

Despite that, Pardew was able to retain his position under seemingly impossible circumstances. He revealed that while Ashley was unhappy with Newcastle's performance, he didn't consider making a management change at that time, according to Miles Starforth of The Shields Gazette.

We didn't have a conversation regarding my position. He was upset with the performance, and I think he has every right to be that as an owner. I told him some things which I think should be sorted out, and some things that can help me. 

At the end of the day, Mike and myself do not want Newcastle to lose. We want to have the best possible team and we want to win. At the moment, of course, we haven't got that. So how are we going to achieve it? I think it was about how he could help me and support me, and I appreciate that.

That only served to further fan the flames of the Newcastle supporters who wanted Pardew out of power. A movement known as "Sack Pardew" started to pick up plenty of steam, and the movement even tweeted out a graphic outlining Pardew's ineptitude while at Newcastle:

In case you missed it earlier in the week, here's Pardew in Numbers again. Pass it on the Pardew defenders! #nufc pic.twitter.com/IjQKdN4Jc3

— Sack Pardew (@SackPardew) September 13, 2014

Following the Southampton match, Newcastle hosted Hull City on Sept. 20. Pardew was harassed by the home crowd for much of the match, as there were chants and banners galore. Ryder blamed the fans' fury partially on the fact that Newcastle leadership refused to give clarity on Pardew's status:

One morning paper says Pardew has one game to save job, another says until Christmas. #nufc saying nothing. No wonder fans are disillusioned

— Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) September 15, 2014

Pardew really seemed to be on the ropes with Newcastle trailing Hull, 2-0, but Papiss Cisse saved the day, scoring two goals off the bench on his return from injury to salvage a draw.

Interestingly enough, that comeback sparked a spectacular run by the Magpies, which saw them win seven matches, lose three and draw three over a 13-game stretch. That run even included shocking upsets over perennial powers such as Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Despite that turnaround from out of thin air, it still appeared inevitable that Pardew would ultimately move on from Newcastle.

The Magpies were all over the map during Pardew's tenure, and while there were unquestionably fleeting moments of brilliance, the fans are desperate for something more substantial.

In the end, Pardew has left on his terms, walking before he was pushed. Newcastle fans finally got what they have been asking for, and it will be interesting to see who Ashley tasks with finally making Newcastle United contenders in the Premier League.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter

Crystal Palace have reportedly already lined up a replacement for Neil Warnock, who was sacked on Saturday just 17 matches into his second spell in charge of the Eagles.

According to ESPN FC's Kevin Palmer, former Tottenham Hotspur boss Tim Sherwood is the favourite to take over as manager, having already interviewed for the job during the summer before Warnock was eventually appointed.

Telegraph Magazine's Charlie Parrish also believes Sherwood will be in charge of the club soon:

Spurs visit Selhurst Park on 10 January. Tenner says it's Sherwood's first home game as Palace boss.

— Charlie Parrish (@charlieparrish) December 27, 2014

Warnock was sacked on Saturday after a series of disappointing results. The Eagles are currently sitting in the relegation zone less than a year after former manager Tony Pulis guided the club to an impressive 11th-place finish.

The 56-year-old left big boots to fill, and as expected, Warnock couldn't continue the club's ascension in 2014-15.

Palace co-chairman Steve Parish told talkSPORT that the Eagles want to find a new manager as soon as possible, and given Sherwood's previous interest and the contact he had with the club, the 45-year-old makes a lot of sense:

It's pretty simple really, we just need to get some results.

Hopefully we'll get a reaction from everyone.

As for a new manager, we just want to get one as soon as possible really. So speculate away, we'll leave that up to you guys [in the press].

Sherwood was widely expected to land a job during the summer after his up-and-down spell in charge of Spurs, where he was sacked after the 2013-14 season.

Former FC Porto manager Vitor Pereira is another potential candidate, according to the Daily Mail's Martin Samuel. Meanwhile, Pulis has reportedly already ruled out a return to the Eagles, via the Daily Telegraph's John Percy.