Last night saw the conclusion of another completely bonkers season in the Championship. Here's a short thread on how, IMO Crystal Palace's 2003/04 campaign was the most batshit mental of them all.

Ahead of the new season fans favourite Steve Kember is appointed as the clubs new manger after two previous spells as caretaker boss. The season starts well with a 3-2 victory away at Burnley. All the more impressive was that Palace ended the game with nine men.

That opening day win is then followed up by two further victories. Only three games in but Palace are sitting pretty at the top of the table.

The winning theme though doesn't continue and Palace then register only one victory in the next fourteen games. The ultimate humiliation follows in the shape of a 5-0 defeat to Wigan live on TV and results in Palace slipping into the bottom three and Kember being given his P45.

Kit Symons is given the managerial reigns temporarily and steadies the ship with an impressive three wins and three draws during his eight games in charge. Most importantly the club are now outside of the relegation zone.

Iain Dowie is unveiled as the clubs new manager despite very little managerial experience. The remit must have beej simple, avoid relegation. His first game is a 1-0 home defeat to Millwall which results in Palace slipping back into the bottom three.

Palace's misery is short lived as they then go on to record six wins and a draw in the next seven games. Scoring goals no longer seems an issue either as during their upturn in fortunes they hit five away at Watford and six at home to Stoke.

Three defeats in the following six games halts Palace's progress and although their league position is healthier than before Dowies arrival a mid-table finish seems the most likely outcome.

A remarkable run of seven wins and one draw from the next eight games puts Palace firmly in the promotion race. They go into the final game needing only a draw to confirm a top six finish and with that a place in the play-offs.

The final game though doesn't go to plan, they lose 2-1 to Coventry and are left needing results elsewhere to go their way.

Results elsewhere do go to plan courtesy of a last minute equaliser for West Ham (you'll see the irony of that in the last post) that results in Wigan missing out and Palace securing sixth place and setting up a play-off against Sunderland.

A narrow 3-2 win for Palace in the first leg sets up a tense trip to the Stadium of Light a few days later. Things certainly don’t go to plan for the Eagles though as they enter stoppage time 2-0 down and set for another season in the second tier.

That is until Darren Powell heads home a corner with virtually the last action of the ninety minutes to send the game into extra-time. Palace then progress to the final on penalties.

Remember West Ham scoring in the last minute of the last game do secure Palace’s play-off place. Wouldn’t it just be fate if Dowie’s men pipped them to a place in the Premier League?