March 23 2005

Iain Dowie

Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie says his team will be ready to "rouse themselves into a big finale" after slipping into the relegation zone for the first time since New Year's Day, by Stuart Pink.

Southampton's win against Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Saturday meant Palace replaced the Saints at the third from bottom spot, after the Eagles left Stamford Bridge empty- handed.

But Dowie is still as confident as ever that his team will avoid the drop, despite Southampton and West Brom picking up good results last weekend.

Dowie said: "Anything worth doing is going to be hard to do and we're aware of that. I'm not going to come over all sweetness and light and expect everyone to lose and we're going to progress without doing anything, but it's not going to happen. Teams are going to pick up results.

"But we beat Birmingham, we've got a point against Manchester United, so let's go. We've got the Middlesbrough game, let's get into it with great spirit, let's lift ourselves and rouse ourselves into a big finale."

Dowie feels that this stage of the season is when the Palace players and staff can really show if they are capable of performing on the big stage, by putting on a display in the big matches.

Dowie said: "This is when people will step up to the plate and show their mettle. This is when we're going to need it all, everyone from staff to supporters."

The Palace boss hopes that the club can learn from the success of West Brom and Middlesbrough by encouraging and helping fans take all the Eagles allocation for matches, in the bid to get behind his team in the bid to avoid the drop.

Dowie added: "I want the place rammed against Middlesbrough, it's vital we have a full house and its vital we take as many as we can away against Everton.

"I want as many as we took to Chelsea. You've seen that Middlesbrough and West Brom take coach loads wherever they're going, it's important.

"This club has got good support for sure so let's let all the supporters polarise in the same direction."

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