Crystal Palace started the season on the right foot, winning their first three games to top the table, but that was as good as it got under manager
Steve Kember and, after a 5–0 defeat at newly promoted
Wigan Athletic in November saw the club in 20th place, Kember was sacked (chairman
Simon Jordan had previously declared that Kember would have a "job for life" at Palace).
Kit Symons stepped up as caretaker until Northern Irishman and former Palace striker
Iain Dowie was appointed. Under Dowie, Palace rocketed up the table to reach the play-offs. After beating
Sunderland on penalties in the semi-final to reach the
Millennium Stadium, they beat
West Ham United to regain promotion to the Premiership. Crucial to Palace's promotion was striker
Andy Johnson, who scored 28 times in the league alone. He finished as the First Division's top scorer, and was voted as the club's Player of the Year. ==Kit==