Despite making significant progress over the last few years, Crystal Palace chief executive Phil Alexander has vowed to keep driving the club forward.

Since recovering from their plunge into administration in 2010, Palace have made substantial inroads both on and off the pitch.

The Eagles have developed into an established Premier League club this season while the business continues to thrive.

However, Alexander – the longest serving CEO in English football – insists the club must not stagnate.

He told News Shopper: “We often pinch ourselves but the moment you stop and think ‘We have got there’, I think you’re stagnating so you need to keep pushing forward.

“The club has recently had a restructure in its shareholding and that’s given us the ability to finance the stadium which is so desperately needed.

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“This is the start of a new beginning.

“We need to push on and improve the match-day experience for our fans. There’s a continued drive to do all of that and now we’re in a position where we can do it with the financial support.”

Palace have already enjoyed three successful seasons in the top flight after sealing promotion from the Championship in 2013.

Relegation appeared likely last year but Alan Pardew led a fine revival after his appointment in January, becoming the first manager to take over a Premier League club in the relegation zone and guiding them to a top half finish.

After a bright start to the current campaign, results have dramatically fallen away and Alexander has reiterated the need to retain their place in the top flight.

He said: “Recent investment has opened up different opportunities but you can’t take your eye of the ball in regards to what’s happening on the pitch.

“You need to retain Premier League status, at the same time we need to develop the stadium and we do need to increase our ability to take in more revenue on a match-day which will allow us to compete with our rivals up and down the country.”

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Crystal Palace were tipped as surprise contenders for Europe after a fine run at the start of the season.

Alexander, 53, insists that the prospect of European football coming to Selhurst Park in the next five years is realistic.

He added: “Our ambition to play European football is a big thing and it drives us all on. In five years it is definitely realistic.

“You’ve got to look across the business and keep moving forward - both with the team, the training ground, the stadium.

“You can’t stand still in the Premier League and we need to be aware of that.

“This is our third year in the Premier League but we’re by no means getting complacent and we want to keep driving the business.”

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