Crystal Palace ‘at start of fantastic journey’ after first-ever promotion to WSL

Crystal Palace boss Laura Kaminski already has one eye on next season after her side sealed a maiden promotion to the Women’s Super League in front of a record women’s first-team crowd at Selhurst Park.

England international and Eagles defender Marc Guehi was one of the 6,796 who watched Palace play out a goalless draw with Sunderland before lifting a trophy they had all-but mathematically clinched last weekend.

There will no doubt be more celebrations to come, but Kaminski conceded it will not be long before she is back at Palace’s Beckenham HQ, plotting out summer business and a plan for how her Championship winners can stay competitive in their first top-flight season.

Kaminski, who only joined Palace in July from south London rivals and Championship runners-up Charlton, where she was an assistant, said: “I think this club is at the start of a fantastic journey.

“This is the step we needed to take, ready to gain momentum and progress forward. We want to give ourselves the best opportunity in the WSL, we’ve got fantastic backing from the club, and I feel like we’ve worked hard this year to get all the infrastructure in around the team.

“We’re more ready than ever to take this step forward.”

Kaminski is an increasingly rare example of a home-grown, female manager in the upper tiers of English women’s football, with a CV that includes five years in charge of England’s Under-19s and three seasons as an assistant at Tottenham, including their own first-time promotion to the WSL in 2019.

Her move to Palace came two months after the club appointed a new head of women’s football, Grace Williams, the duo now tasked with devising their strategy ahead of an unprecedented era for Palace’s women.

More than one player confessed after the confetti had fallen in south London that promotion still felt like a bit of a shock – a possibility that only crystallised, depending on who you ask, in the business end of the season – but their boss revealed reality had sunk in for Palace’s front office and chairman Steve Parish earlier.

One of the many questions could be where Palace – who stage the majority of their matches at Sutton United’s Gander Green Lane – will play, and if more fixtures at Selhurst could be on the cards.

Kaminski said: “We’ve got great relationships in-house, we’ve not shied away from it. We knew this was perhaps on the cards, and the wheels have been in motion for some time regarding it and the preparations have already begun so we give ourselves the best chance.

“It’s a big step, we know we’ve got a lot of work to do and not just on the pitch but also additions, and maybe some changes. We’ll reflect on our current season, but we’ve really built a base to build on.

“I think that once we sit down and take our time to reflect, I think we’ll move quite quickly.

“The plane’s on the runway, put it that way. I need to have a little breather, as does anyone, but believe me, it won’t be for long because I’ll be back and getting everything right for next season.”