Alan Pardew. Pic: Crystal Palace FC.

Alan Pardew has got off to a winning start upon his Crystal Palace return, following his replacement of the former Eagles manager Neil Warnock.

Pardew led the team to a 4-0 FA Cup victory against Dover Athletic on Sunday following his appointment on January 3.

Praising Pardew, chairman Steve Parish said: “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.”

Former Eagles frontman Neil Warnock became the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season after a crushing 3 – 1 defeat by Southampton on Boxing Day.

Despite Warnock’s efforts to keep Crystal Palace in the Premier League, he only managed to guide the team to three wins during his short tenure. This leaves them one point adrift of their goal of Premier League safety.

In a post-game press conference, Warnock criticized his defenders after the Southampton defeat.  But the club decided that the change was to be made with the management, not the players.

Following Warnock’s dismissal, assistant manager Keith Millen took charge on a care-taker basis. Pardew has now signed a three-and-a-half-year contract and it is hoped that his impact will be immediate.

His appointment is also likely to be popular with supporters as he already has a strong affiliation with the club as a former player. He played 128 times during his time with the Eagles and was part of the famous Palace side which reached the FA Cup Final in 1990.

Crystal Palace have thanked Pardew’s former employer, Newcastle United, in particular Chairman Mike Ashley, for their cooperation with negotiations during the deal.

Despite a turbulent year with Newcastle, Pardew was named Premier League manager of the season in 2012 for guiding the team to a fifth place finish.

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.”

His next game will take place at their home ground, Selhurst Park, against Tottenham Hotspur on January 10 at 5:30pm.