Darren Ambrose signed as a free agent on a two-year deal in the summer of 2009.

His contract had run out at Charlton Athletic and Neil Warnock was quick to snap him up with a host of other clubs also chasing his signature.

He started his career at Ipswich in 2001 and quickly attracted the attention of then Premiership outfit Newcastle United, who paid in the region of £1m for him in 2003.

His tenure on Tyneside would see him score five goals in 37 games and play under the stewardship of Graeme Souness and Sir Bobby Robson.

Between 2003 and 2005, Ambrose made 10 appearances for the England U21's and with first team chances being limited at Newcastle he returned to the South East with Charlton's Alan Curbishley winning the race for his signature.

In his first season he scored three goals as the Addicks finished 13^th in the league but in the next season Ambrose played under three different managers in less than a year, a season that would eventually end in relegation from the country's top flight.

An unsuccessful season in 2007/08 saw Ambrose's team fail to qualify for the play offs with an 11^th place finish in league, but he still managed to find the net nine times.

The 25 year-old joined his former club, Ipswich, on loan in November 2008 but after making nine appearances he returned to the Valley the following January.

Just like in 2007, Ambrose felt the pain of relegation, this time not from the Premiership but to League One after the Addicks finished bottom of the Championship.

During his four year stay at the South East London outfit he made 112 appearances scoring 13 goals.

Amazingly he managed to better that record in just one season at Selhurst Park when he scored 20 times, including one in the final game of the season at Hillsborough to help Palace stave off relegation.

His incredible form lead to a lot of interest for his services throughout the closed season, and with Palace struggling with financial uncertainties, it looked like the club would cash in on him to help keep afloat.

That was until the arrival of the new owners, who immediately set about stalling his proposed move to QPR and instead offered him a new three-year contract, which he signed in July 2010.

A season affected by injury saw Darren make 28 appearances in the league, scoring seven goals including one at home against Sheffield United in a vital 1-0 win which would go on to be voted Goal of the Season by the Palace fans.