The Coca-Cola Championship. The so called real league for real football fans' or so the marketing men would have you believe. Like deluded rappers, the notion that something is more real', and therefore better, is rubbish.

Yes, we'll be one of the biggest clubs in the league and we'll get to play Millwall and Brighton. Plus, we will win more than we will lose.

But that's not why I support Crystal Palace; I don't want to make do with second best. I want Palace to take on the best teams in the country. But will we bounce back at the first attempt? Personally I think it's a dead cert.

In Iain Dowie we have one of the best young managers in the country. Yes, his head may have been turned by offers from other clubs but Dowie is now securely ours. To be frank, he now has an unfinished job on his hands. Dowie hates failure more than anything else, and it'll be hurting him that Palace got relegated.

Capturing Neil McDonald from UEFA Cup-bound Bolton will also bring fresh ideas to the mix.

On the pitch I would argue that we have the strongest defence in the league. In Gabor Kiraly we have the best stopper outside the top flight, together with the best centre back Fitz Hall.

All along the back four we have strong players as well as cover in all positions. We have the same situation up front where England international Andrew Johnson will have four others competing for the berth next to him.

Jobi McAnuff looks better than Wayne Routledge already, while Aki Riihilahti and Michael Hughes will dominate in midfield. Tom Soares has an immense season ahead of him too.

Promotion will be wrapped up on April 8, 2006, away to Leicester.