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Irishnews 4mos ago
Crystal Palace ‘at start of fantastic journey’ after first-ever promotion to WSL
Source:Irishnews

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.

Wheels are already in motion for next seasonWheels are already in motion for next season Wheels are already in motion for next season (Rhianna Chadwick/PA) "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.