Crystal Palace fans - get ready for a rollercoaster ride, says Mark Bright

The former Eagles striker turned pundit watched Palace more last season than he has any season since leaving the club as a player in 1992 after 92 goals in six seasons.

He was present at Wembley when Kevin Phillips’ penalty earned Palace a spot in the top tier of English football for the first time since 2005.

And despite Ian Holloway’s side being made firm favourites for an immediate return to the Championship, Bright believes they have every chance of staying up.

“You have got to be realistic but you look at Swansea and West Ham, and they did quite well with the squad they got up with,” he said.

“We know there will be down times and good times.

“Beating any of the teams in the top six would be incredible but it needs to be balanced out by getting points against the other promoted teams.

“They are trying to get players and they need a team that can compete and see them stay in the game.

“Ian Holloway is always gung-ho at the end and if they can enter the last 10 minutes still in the game then you know he will change it and have a go.”

One player already signed by Holloway is Peterborough’s Dwight Gayle, and Bright expects the 22-year-old, who two years ago had just finished playing for Stansted in the Essex Senior League, to be a big hit.

“Dwight Gayle has come in and shown huge potential,” he added.

“He is a beacon for anyone playing in Non-League football as he has gone from Non-League to Premier League in two years - it's remarkable.

“Ian Wright and I got from Non League to the top and it is an exciting time for him and he is an exciting signing.

“He is off the cuff and will score goals”

Bright has recently returned from Dubai where he coached 20 Afghan football coaches as part of the British Council and Premier League’s Premier Skills initiative.

New friends: Mark Bright with the Afghan football wannabes   Picture: Gabriela Maj

The week-long course saw intensive training and tactical lessons for coaches involved in the Afghan Premier League, which started last year, and two female coaches who represent the Afghanistan national women’s team.

“It was a really interesting time with Afghan coaches of all ability,” said Bright.

“It is a community-based project to get people in to sport and get people interested.

“It's my second one, I went to China last year and it was totally different.

“No one spoke English in China but two thirds of the Afghans understood or spoke English which makes it more interesting – it was amazing how much more we could achieve.”