Townsend arrived from Newcastle United where he spent the second half of the 2015/16 season having moved from Tottenham Hotspur in January, scoring four times in 13 appearances for the Magpies but couldn't prevent them slipping into the Championship.

 

Having come through the ranks at Spurs, Townsend broke into their first-team in the 2010/11 campaign and after enjoying nine loan spells in the Football League for Yeovil Town, Leyton Orient, MK Dons, Ipswich Town, Watford, Millwall, Leeds United, Bimringham City and Queens Park Rangers between 2008 and 2013, he went on to play a key role in Tottenham’s midfield, making 93 appearances for the Lilywhites in all competitions.

 

His form at White Hart Lane saw him win the first of 11 caps for the Three Lions in October 2013 and Townsend scored on his debut against Montenegro in a game that saw him named man-of-the-match.

 

After arriving at Selhurst Park, Townsend would find the net three times from 40 appearances in his debut campaign, including the club's Goal of the Season winner after bagging a wonderful solo effort against West Bromwich Albion in Febraury 2017.