Photo: Crystal Palace and Neil Warnock

Crystal Palace received another blow, as manager Neil Warnock, 61, has signed with QPR. Paul Hart,  who has just left  Rangers  after only a month in charge, has been named as his replacement.The managerial swap comes just weeks after the club went into administration, which resulted in 10 points being docked in the Championship League.

This points penalty puts Crystal Palace in danger of relegation.

Warnock, who recently raged at a linesman during the club’s FA cup quarter final match against Aston Villa, has left the club after 3 years as manager, half way through the 2009/10 season, along with coach Keith Curle and assistant manager Mick Jones.

Club captain Shaun Derry, 32 said: “It is a massive blow for us. It is huge considering what we have tried to achieve over the past two years, but at the same time we have 14 games left and there is still time to get ourselves to a point of safety and that is what the aim has got to be”.

Club’s Administrator Brendan Guilfoyle announced Hart as the Eagles new manager at a press conference on March 2nd.  The club Chairman was not present.

Hart, 56, who had a successful career as a defender at clubs such as Stockport County and Blackpool, as well as numerous managerial positions, joins after being sacked from Portsmouth and spending a month at QPR.

Fans followed the press conference on Sky Sports as well as twitter, where it was reported that Guilfoyle said: “No players will be leaving the club”.

Along with Paul Hart comes former Crystal Palace favorites Dougie Freedman from Southend as his assistant coach, and John Pemberton  as the first team coach.

A Crystal Palace fan from Croydon said after the announcement: “Neil Warnock’s departure could well lead to certain relegation!  This would be a disaster”.