Alan Pardew says Crystal Palace treated Dover with the same respect as they would have a Premier League opponent, before ending the Whites fairytale run in the FA Cup Third Round.

Two goals in either half saw the Premier Division strugglers cruise through at the Crabble on Sunday afternoon and after his first game in charge of the Eagles, Pardew revealed his friends encouraged him to wait until after the Dover game before taking charge, as they feared it could prove to be a potential upset.

Pardew said: “I had a couple of texts from friends saying ‘why the hell are you putting yourself up for that one? Couldn’t you have waited a couple of days and let it ride by?’

“I think it’s important when you’ve signed your contract that you start work from that point. There was no hesitation on my part to make sure we did some work on the team and made sure we prepared ourselves for Dover as if it were a Premier League team, albeit with two days preparation.”

The 53-year-old admitted ‘it was lovely’ to be back at the club for whom he played more than 120 games in a four-year-spell in the late 80s and early 90s, adding: “The fans have a special bond with me from my playing days.”

Pardew claimed Palace’s fast-start paved the way for the comprehensive win and could serve as a blueprint for their Premier League survival.

He said: “From the outset we put into the game what I would ask. The attitude and application I didn’t really question, it’s about passing, opening up the pitch, quality and a bit of exuberance - we ticked that box in a really good way.

“We’re not going to stay in the Premier League unless we express ourselves, and I thought we did that today.“

Pardew also praised the work of the Dover groundsman to prepare the playing surface for the game, adding: “It was an excellent pitch. No complaints on that front.”