There are blue skies over Crystal Palace’s training ground, smoke is billowing from a nearby barbeque and not even the threat of a soaking from an errant sprinkler can dampen James Tomkins’ spirits.

For the first time in over eight months, Tomkins can afford to relax. The stress of a campaign which began by setting new standards in wretchedness - seven straight defeats and no goals scored – ends with a home match against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday which could see Palace secure a top-half finish. ‘Implausible’ does not begin to do it justice although, for Tomkins, the overwhelming feeling is relief rather than joy.

“It’s lovely now but it’s been difficult,” he says, stretching out on a chair in the sunshine. “I try and keep whatever troubles we might be having on the pitch to myself and not take it home to my family. But it’s always at the back of your mind.”

A pause. “But even though we started so badly, I never felt we were in serious, serious trouble.”

There is a simple enough explanation for that. The appointment of Roy Hodgson might not have prompted street parties in south London, the memory of England’s Euro 2016 exit unfairly obscuring his impressive body of work at club level, but his steadying influence was exactly what was needed for a club scrabbling to regain its sense of self in the wake of Frank de Boer’s chaotic 77-day reign as manager.