Last season, their first in the Combination after winning the Greater London League, they were beaten in their opening game but bounced back quite nicely – they won every League match which followed!

"That first match defeat was the best thing that could have happened to us," said manager Michael Beale as he reflected on an outstanding season.

"I’d only been appointed manager two weeks before the start of the season so I knew very little about the players and their capabilities, but I quickly found out and that game against West Ham was very useful to me even though we lost it.

"We got more together as a unit as the season went on and as one or two new players came in, and in the end it was a tremendous campaign for the club."

As well as their League success Palace reached Round Four of the FA Cup, beating Southern Division side Division Enfield 4-2 on the way but then narrowly losing 1-0 to Sheffield Wednesday of the Northern Division.

In the South East Combination Cup Palace went all the way to the final and gave themselves a great start with an early goal against Norwich City, but the Canaries came back to win 2-1 and deny Beale’s team a memorable double.

Despite that disappointment Beale, a former Charlton Athletic trainee and Rushden & Diamonds player, could be well satisfied with the efforts of his team.

Now Beale, who at 23 will be the youngest manager in the Premier League, is preparing his side for their biggest season to date and is doing so with a number of additions to his first team squad.

Striker Chantelle White has arrived from Fulham and midfielder Emily Arnold from Brighton, while three young Nigerians – all with Under-19 international experience - have been added to the squad.

Striker Shola Owelusi has been signed from Sunshine Queens and two players, goalkeeper Juliana Akabeuze and striker Nancy Osuji, have come to Palace from Delta Queens.

"We’ll obviously need to be stronger in the Premier League," noted Beale, "and these signings – plus a few more we’ve made – will add to the squad’s strength in depth.

"I feel confident that we’ll give a good account of ourselves at the higher level and it will certainly be an interesting Southern Division this season.

"With no teams relegated from the National Division I think it will be pretty open and we’ll definitely be looking to establish ourselves in the Premier League."