Why 2013/14 should give Crystal Palace hope of avoiding relegation

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Crystal Palace may be bottom of the Premier League currently with no points from seven games but 2013/14 should give them hope.

Fans make their way to the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Southampton at Selhurst Park.

It must be pretty tough being a Crystal Palace fan currently. Going into the recent international break they were the only team in England’s top four divisions without a point and are the only side in top flight history to lose their first seven games without scoring a goal.

There are legitimate concerns that run could extend to eight matches when they return to Premier League action this weekend (October 14) with a clash against champions Chelsea.

Roy Hodgson, manager of Crystal Palace, reacts during the Premier League match against Manchester United.

Many are already tipping the Eagles, who sacked manager Frank de Boer after just four fixtures and replaced the Dutchman with Roy Hodgson, for the drop but perhaps a brief look back in history should give the supporters hope.

In 2013/14 and fresh on the back of promotion from the Championship via the playoffs, Ian Holloway was sacked as boss following a 4-1 home defeat to Fulham and with Palace having picked up three points from eight outings.

By the time Tony Pulis took charge on November 23 that had become four points from 11 games and the South Londoners were rock bottom and once again many had written them off as relegation fodder.

Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis whistles to his players during the Barclays Premier League match against Everton.

What followed was nothing short of remarkable, with Pulis’ side not only staying up but actually finishing 11th with 45 points, including a five-match winning streak in their final eight games, which earned the Welshman the Premier League manager of the season award.

Hodgson will admittedly need to majorly turn things around if he is to emulate the achievements of the current West Bromwich Albion chief and while it could be argued it is beyond the 70-year-old, at least 2013/14 shows that it can be done.