Crystal Palace have confirmed the appointment of Tony Pulis as manager on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Pulis will take charge of the Barclays Premier League side following Saturday’s match at Hull.

Pulis will be in the stands at the KC Stadium as caretaker boss Keith Millen leads the Eagles for the final time.

“Crystal Palace Football Club are delighted to announce the appointment of Tony Pulis as manager on a two-and-a-half-year contract,” a club statement read.

“The experienced 55-year-old has agreed terms at Selhurst Park following a six-month break from management, since his highly-successful spell at Stoke City came to an end in May 2013.”

Pulis’ first game in charge of Palace will come away to Norwich next weekend.

Pulis' appointment brings an end to Palace's month-long search for a replacement for Ian Holloway, who left Selhurst Park by mutual consent on October 23rd.

Pulis, who established Stoke in the top flight during his seven-year spell at the Britannia Stadium, was swiftly rumoured to be high on the shortlist of Palace co-chairman Steve Parish after Holloway's departure.

However, weeks of speculation over the vacancy followed, with Aitor Karanka, Dan Petrescu, Chris Coleman, Andrea Stramaccioni and former Palace boss Iain Dowie all linked with the post before Pulis finally got the nod.

Pulis, who has also had spells in charge of Gillingham, Bournemouth and Plymouth, has famously never been relegated as a manager but will have his work cut out to preserve that statistic come May. His new charges are bottom of the Premier League with four points from 11 games ahead of Saturday’s fixtures.

Following the trips to fellow relegation rivals Hull and Norwich, Palace face West Ham and Cardiff — two more sides whose primary aim this season is to beat the drop.

Palace appeared to improve under the temporary stewardship of Millen, particularly in their 0-0 draw at home to Everton prior to the international break — a result that snapped a run of seven straight league defeats.