"Be positive" is Iain Dowie's message as Palace approach the climax to a remarkable season and why not?

Ten points from the remaining four games will do and given that Palace were fighting relegation in December, still having anything to play for should be considered a bonus.

But let's face it, who's ever happy with what they have got? We want more!

When Simon Jordan said Palace could still make the play-offs on appointing Dowie, everyone, myself included, scoffed. But less than four months later here we are.

That Saturday's draw with fourth Wigan, was greeted with disappointment, shows expectation levels have now risen to the chairman's heights.

In Dowie he has found a man to match his ambition and a bid for Mark Hudson, plus the deal to keep Nico Vaesen for the play-offs, suggest that Britain's 950th-equal richest man will back his manager's decisions.

It is a huge shame that Hudson cannot at least see out the season in SE25, but he will undoubtedly be remembered as fondly as Ashley Cole, as a big star of the future who came of age at Palace.