DOWIE STAYS PUT: LAST week the club received a formal approach from Portsmouth with a view to obtaining permission to speak to Iain Dowie regarding their managerial vacancy, which was subsequently rejected. Chairman Simon Jordan said: "Iain Dowie has been instrumental in achieving my ambition to create a top football club, capable of competing with the elite. Over the two years he has been with the club his work at all levels has been of the highest standard, and he has a further two-and-a-half years to go on his existing contract. I see him as pivotal to the club's success in a) regaining our Premier League place and b) establishing Crystal Palace in the top flight."

TEAM NEWS: MARCO Reich will definitely be missing for Palace for tonight's visit to the Riverside to take on Middlesbrough in the fourth round of the Carling Cup. Having experienced some abdominal pain in recent weeks the German international is to undergo a hernia operation and will be sidelined for two to three weeks. In better news for the club Tony Popovic is ready to make his return to the first team having helped steer his native Australia to next summer's World Cup finals. He could partner Mark Hudson in a new look defence, though Danny Granville is unlikely to make the trip. In midfield Aki Riihilahti is likely still to be missing as well.

FOXES VISIT: TICKETS for the home game against Leicester on Monday January 2 are priced as follows: £20 to £40 for adults, £12 to £27 for concessions and £7 for under-16s in the Croydon Advertiser Family Stand. Fans are able book tickets for this and any other matches by calling the box office today on telephone number 08712 00 00 71.