Other successes include Joonas Kolkka, a £250,000 signing from Borussia Monchengladbach, and the £1.5m buy from Southampton, Fitz Hall.
But Gonzalo Sorondo probably makes the best case for Dowie. Out of the reckoning at Inter Milan, the Uruguay defender was signed on a season's loan last August.
He had never seen Palace play but it is a credit to Dowie that he has looked good enough to play for a much bigger club and now wants to stay.
Sorondo said: "It's the first time I have played for a team that is looking to stay in the top flight, but that is not a problem for me. I don't think we will go down.
"The initial idea was to stay until June but we will see what happens. I would like to stay. I feel very happy here."
When Manchester United were held to a goalless draw at Selhurst Park two weeks ago, Ruud van Nistelrooy hardly got a look in and he was not the first international striker to struggle against Sorondo.
Dowie said: "Sorondo has been a great signing. He is very composed and one of the best readers of the game I have seen.
"I suppose he was a bit of a gamble when we brought him in but that was the position we were in then and it has worked out well." He has had flops. Ivan Kaviedes was released halfway through the season and the gamble on Nicola Ventola's fitness after signing him from Inter Milan failed.
But his side came up through the play-offs with no time to plan and little money to spend, so Dowie's trading has been encouraging. The Palace manager insists he is more concerned about Chelsea and not thinking about Manchester City. He said: "We hope to get something but know it will be a massive task."
