Crystal Palace v Newcastle United matchday programme 2425 by Crystal Palace F.C.

cover story

cover story#7 Welcome back to Selhurst Park – and welcome back to the matchday programme, where we are celebrating 100 years of football at this very stadium, from 1924 to the present day. Every edition of the programme this season will feature a special handillustrated cover, marking one of the many landmark dates that has made this such a unique place over the last century.

his afternoon, we move on to 1948 as the Olympics arrive in London – with Selhurst Park selected as one of the venues to host matches, alongside Craven Cottage, White Hart Lane, Fratton Park, and the Empire Ground (later plain Wembley Stadium) amongst others. The British team were managed by up-and-coming coach Matt Busby, who had just taken over at Manchester United and finished runners-up in the First Division. He guided the side to fourth place, losing out to Yugoslavia in the semifinals and Denmark in the bronze medal match. Although Great Britain played elsewhere, Selhurst

Park witnessed Denmark take on Egypt, and eventual gold medallists Sweden thrash Republic of Korea 12-0. Our cover star this afternoon is Tyrick Mitchell, who can be seen deep in discussion with Busby in the dressing room at Selhurst Park. We have an insight into the mud-soaked dressing rooms of the period from the images above, which were taken just a year later in 1949. Remember, you can keep collecting each original illustration throughout the campaign as we journey through our timeline from 1924 to the current day – make sure you get the matchday programme each week.

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contents

Crystal Palace √ newcastle united sat 30 nov 2024 | 3:00pm k.o. Directors Chairman Steve Parish, David Blitzer, Joshua Harris, John Textor Chief Financial Officer Sean O’Loughlin Sporting Director Dougie Freedman Club Secretary Christine Dowdeswell Head of Sports Medicine Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad Academy Director Gary Issott Director of U21 Development Mark Bright Chief Operating Officer Sharon Lacey Chief Commercial Officer Barry Webber Chief Marketing Officer Aaron Duckmanton General Counsel David Nichol Head of Ticketing Paul McGowan Head of Retail Foz Bowers Head of Marketing Matt Franks Head of Safeguarding Cassi Wright Head Groundsman Bruce Elliott

Editor Will Robinson Design Billy Cooke, Stu Ellmer, Lucas Gough Front cover David Flanagan

06 08 12

25 10 CHAIRMAN 36 HALL OF FAME 38 EAGLE EYE

41 STATS 44 DOC BROWN 46 MACCA 50 ACADEMY

Contributors Robin Johnson, Toby Jagmohan, Doc Brown, James

56 PALACE FOR LIFE

McArthur, Ed Dowling, Ian King, Tommy Macarthur, Lee Ryder Photography Neil Everitt, Peter Hurn, Sebastian Frej, Pinnacle Photo Agency, Kontent Haus, Toby Jagmohan, Getty Printer Bishops Printers

60 100 years of selhurst park

66 from the archive 70 eagle arcade 72 WHAT’S ON?

Manager

oliver glasner Welcome back to Selhurst Park, and welcome to Eddie Howe and his Newcastle players and staff for this afternoon’s game.

e had a very positive display at Villa Park, coming away with a good point – we even had the chance to win it at the very end. Overall I’m really pleased with the performance, but I want to reiterate something that I mentioned after the game, and that was your support on the day. It was a great away support again despite terrible weather, train delays, a long distance to drive and more, so thank you. I was pleased with how the young players did, particularly Justin who was rewarded for a good performance with a goal. At the start of the season we said that we wanted to keep the number of players in the squad relatively low, so that when there was a situation our Academy players could step up and show how good they are, and Justin took this opportunity, so that’s very positive. It is still the beginning of his career and it was a good first step into the door, and now it is up to him to go through it. We have had to deal with injuries over this period, but we are welcoming some important faces back. Ebs is returning, while Jefferson

Newcastle is the first in a threegame week, and we have to manage this week well. We will manage the players’ minutes, but always under the headline that we want to win the game

Manager

and Chris earned their first minutes against Aston Villa and Cheick had only his second start in 12 months. Every training session, every minute in a game will bring them closer to their best form, because we can’t expect a player who has been out for weeks or months to be back exactly as they were before. Newcastle is the first in a three-game week, and we have to manage this week well. We will manage the players’ minutes, but always under the headline that we want to win the game. This busy Christmas period is what makes the Premier League the most-watched league in the world. I can see why they like this schedule, and we have to deal with it – I was talking about it with Dougie who was in the Premier League for many years. It is part of the reason we gave the players who weren’t featuring for their national sides a whole week off during the break, so they could recover mentally and physically. But remember, many of the players here are used to the Premier League, so it is nothing new for them. We as coaches have to learn from those who have experience in the situation. This weekend’s matches are part of the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign. For me, it’s beyond understanding that in the 21st century we still have to talk about this issue, and that people can’t live how they want to live and be who they want to be. It’s not acceptable to me that we still live with this discrimination, because we all live on one planet and we are all human beings. Nobody knows where they will be born or how they will grow up, but everybody

deserves a chance in our community. I met with our LGBT+ supporters group Proud and Palace recently, and it was great to see what a welcoming football club Crystal Palace can be.

It’s not acceptable to me that we still live with this discrimination, because we all live on one planet and we are all human beings Long may that continue, and I hope one day we will no longer have to discuss incidents of discrimination. I will have the chance to speak to you before the Manchester City game, but before then we have two important games starting with Newcastle. We want to get back into our stride at Selhurst Park, against a team playing well under a good manager. Then we head to Portman Road. The statistics show what kind of matches these will be: in the last month the three teams topping the charts for intensity are Newcastle, Ipswich Town and us. There will be many duels, a lot of effort, but we will fight to compete on every level and I hope we can come away with two positive results

in the last month the three teams topping the charts for intensity are Newcastle, Ipswich Town and us. There will be many duels, a lot of effort, but we will fight to compete on every level and I hope we can come away with two positive results

Captain

marc Guéhi Our last outing at Villa Park had a bit of everything, and in the end we came away with mixed feelings: pleased to get a point at a difficult ground to go to, but disappointed that we couldn’t hold on for all three.

t felt like an old-school Premier League game, in the pouring rain under the lights, with tackles flying in and chances at both ends. We started exactly as we had hoped, with Ismaila’s fantastic finish putting us in a strong position, getting in behind Villa’s high line as we had worked on in training. After their equaliser, the period before half-time was crazy. We were disappointed the VAR chose to award what we felt was a soft penalty against us, but in those moments you need your key players to step up, and that’s exactly what Dean did by making a fantastic save. You could see from everyone’s reaction the lift that gave us, and less than 60 seconds later Justin was putting us ahead at the other end, after another brilliant counter-attack. The celebrations after that second goal showed just how pleased we were for Justin to score his first Premier League goal in just his second appearance. He has worked so hard since joining us in first-team training and absolutely deserves the opportunities he has been given, and

We were disappointed the VAR chose to award what we felt was a soft penalty against us, but in those moments you need your key players to step up, and that’s exactly what Dean did

Captain

We know how difficult this afternoon will be against a Newcastle side chasing European football, but we know that at Selhurst Park we can beat anybody

He has worked so hard since joining us in firstteam training and absolutely deserves the opportunities he has been given, and I know this moment will only make him more driven to succeed

I know this moment will only make him more driven to succeed each and every day in training. We have so many players from the Academy who have joined us in first-team training this season, including two – Caleb and Asher – who have made their debuts, and moments like this should be an inspiration, and a reminder of what you can achieve with hard work and dedication.

Today’s game truly kicks off the busy Christmas period, which will be non-stop until the New Year with eight games between now and 2025. We know how difficult this afternoon will be against a Newcastle side chasing European football, but we know that at Selhurst Park we can beat anybody. Then, we head to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town, before welcoming the champions Manchester City next weekend. At Villa Park, we could hear your support loud and clear, and that support will be so important to us over these next seven days. Thank you as always for sticking with us, and I look forward to seeing you at Selhurst Park and beyond

chairman

steve parish Welcome back to Selhurst Park for this afternoon’s match, and welcome to the supporters, players, staff and directors of Newcastle United this afternoon.

fter the disappointment of our defeat to Fulham in our last game at Selhurst Park, it was great to see the fighting spirit of the players in our hard-fought draw with Aston Villa last weekend. The game was a thriller, and we were more than value for a point, and could even have come home with all three against a side playing Champions League football this season. To do so without being able to call on plenty of key players missing through injury is credit to the work done on the training ground over the international break. To see a young player who has made his way through our Academy sides scoring for the first-team gives everyone a fantastic feeling. Huge congratulations to Justin on a first Premier League goal, and well done to all of the Academy coaches, teachers and staff members who have helped along the way. We also have Caleb and Asher knocking on the door, showing that there is a pathway for young players to succeed at this football club. I hope we can see even more in the future, perhaps from the players out on loan: Jes Rak-Sakyi has three

we were more than value for a point, and could even have come home with all three against a side playing Champions League football this season

Chairman

Huge congratulations to Justin on a first Premier League goal, and well done to all of the Academy coaches, teachers and staff members who have helped along the way

goals in his last three games at the top of the Championship, David Ozoh is performing really well at Derby, Owen Goodman and Joe Whitworth have been consistently excellent for Wimbledon and Exeter respectively, and Danny Imray got

his first goal for Bromley this week to cap a host of impressive displays, not forgetting Tayo Adaramola at Stockport, Malcom Ebiowei at Oxford United, Roshaun Mathurin at Hartlepool, Killian Phillips at St Mirren, Jack Wells-Morrison at Wealdstone, Luke Plange in Helsinki and Ademola Ola-Adebomi at Beveren. Congratulations are also in order for our players who represented their countries over the international break, so well done to Marc, Dean, Daniel, Chris, Matt, Daichi, Ismaila and Justin. It’s always an honour to represent your country, and I’m sure more players will earn that accolade in the future. Today marks the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign, a campaign we at Crystal Palace are always pleased to support as we look to make Selhurst Park and football as a whole an inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+ community. We are heading into an important week for the club, with two difficult matches here at Selhurst Park, starting today with Newcastle before welcoming Manchester City next weekend, with a trip to Portman Road in between. Let’s throw everything behind Oliver and his players throughout this busy Christmas period as we look to head into the New Year on a positive note. Thanks as always for your support. Up the Palace

Let’s throw everything behind Oliver and his players throughout this busy Christmas period as we look to head into the New Year on a positive note

From the cages of North West London to stepping out at Wembley as an England international, Tyrick Mitchell speaks movingly about his long journey to the top of the game, and what he has learned along the way. Interview: Tom Wrigley Words: Will Robinson

tyrick mitchell

aving just turned 25-yearsold, you might think it a bit premature for Tyrick Mitchell to be looking back on his career. But that’s forgetting that the journey to the Premier League doesn’t start with a nervy teenager making his debut. If anything, that is the culmination of years of hard work – years of overcoming adversity to reach the top. Mitchell is an England international and the youngest player in Crystal Palace history to reach 100 Premier League appearances. What a journey it has been. It began in North West London, where the conditions were far from pristine – but the competition was no less ferocious. “The cages in Hatch End were basically nothing: it was like a prison yard,” he remembers. “Just two entrances which you used as goals to do 60 seconds or one bounce, one touch. “Then Headstone Manor Park was where I first properly played for a team. Pinner Albion were my first Sunday League team. It was a massive rivalry with Headstone Manor, because we shared a pitch. When we were playing one game, they were playing another 10 steps away. Then anytime we played each other, it was like Inter versus AC!” Off the pitch, life ticked along like any normal kid, but there was a dream beginning to grow. “Sam’s was like Morley’s before Morley’s – when we were younger, everyone used to go and get two burgers and two chips for two pounds! “That was basically your dinner. That will set you for the whole

Pinner Albion were my first Sunday League team. It was a massive rivalry with Headstone Manor, because we shared a pitch. When we were playing one game, they were playing another 10 steps away. Then anytime we played each other, it was like Inter versus AC!

day. That was massive for me, my cousins, friends – it was like a hotspot, so we used to go there. “There were so many buses that would go past Wembley, so you’re always within sight of it. To look at it and see it and know so many great players from so many great nations have played in that stadium, so many legends of the game have played in that stadium… to be able to say I’ve now played in that stadium for England is special.” Mitchell achieved the first step towards making his dream a reality during the COVID lockdown, coming on for his Premier League debut against Leicester City in the strangest circumstances. “It was just pure emotions,” he remembers. “I was just thinking: ‘I’m going to be on Match of the Day!’

tyrick mitchell

To look at it and see it and know so many great players from so many great nations have played in that stadium, so many legends of the game have played in that stadium… to be able to say I’ve now played in that stadium for England is special

tyrick mitchell

It’s about 10 different emotions in one. Naturally, you can’t wait to go and check your phone to see people saying congratulations. It was a surreal moment. It’s hard to explain exactly what I was feeling, but it’s something that’s unmatched

tyrick mitchell

“Match of the Day was a big thing growing up, so I was thinking I’d finally made it. I watched it after my debut, but then I stopped watching it because sometimes you don’t want to watch your matches!” His first goal followed shortly after, against Aston Villa at Selhurst Park. “The best goal in Premier League history,” he declares, laughing. “It was the relief of finally ticking off that box. I got my first assist in that game as well, and we won the game, so I couldn’t ask for any better. It was just disbelief that I had actually scored. “It’s about 10 different emotions in one. Naturally, you can’t wait to go and check your phone to see people saying congratulations. It was a surreal moment. It’s hard to explain exactly what I was feeling, but it’s something that’s unmatched. “I was just running. With my celebrations, sometimes emotion takes over! You don’t even know what you’re doing, you’re just happy. It was a good moment, because Ebs was there, Schluppy, Wilf. It was a good moment to see everyone happy for me.” Mitchell’s most recent Palace goal came in one of the club’s greatest performances, thrashing Manchester United on a ‘magical’ night under the lights in South London. “I’ve been wanting to score more goals and to be in situations like this, so it was a nice feeling,” he explains. “Towards the end of the season I was getting in good positions to get shots off, and in one situation I tried to cross it. “I remember going into the changing room and the coaches

United are a massive club, so it’s always good to beat massive clubs in the Premier League. All my [friends] support United, most people support United, so when you score against them you can go back to your friends and you can trash talk

saying: ‘Why didn’t you shoot?’ In my head, I thought: ‘Next time I get in that situation, I’m not thinking about anything else, I’m just going to shoot.’ I shot to get us the corner, and then when Joa [Andersen] hit it across I scored. If I didn’t do that we wouldn’t be talking about this goal.” The hard work paid off for Mitchell, who took the bragging rights back to his friends and family. “United are a massive club, so it’s always good to beat massive clubs in the Premier League,” he says. “All my [friends] support United, most people support United, so when you score against them you can go back to your friends and you can trash talk. “That’s how we grew up: when you’re supporting teams you trash talk to others. Now I’ve got the bragging rights over a couple of my

tyrick mitchell

[friends]. It was an amazing feeling because Man Utd are one of the biggest clubs in the world. To score against them is always a blessing. It was a magical feeling.” Potentially the most magical feeling of all for Mitchell wasn’t to take place in South London, but around the corner from where it all began. In March 2022, he reached the pinnacle, nervously warming up on the touchline, clapped on the back by former Palace captain Gareth Southgate, and sent on to the pitch at Wembley to make his England debut. “It was surreal because it was in Wembley, which is local to me,” he remembers. “That made it extra special. It’s something massive to do, a massive checklist that I didn’t think I would have ticked off at one point in time, but I was able to do it. “That is something I hold very close to my heart. It’s a blessing. It’s even more of a blessing knowing that the stadium is so close to home. “You grow up seeing the arch lit up with different colours, so it’s always something that’s in vision when you’re dreaming. It’s amazing to actually step on to the pitch to represent England. It was just something that I have always dreamt of, and I was able to achieve it.” That’s what makes Mitchell’s journey – and those of so many other players – so special. He’s gone from wide-eyed hopeful to playing alongside and against his heroes. He remembers the moments it started to sink in. “For example, when it was [Sergio] Agüero’s last season and we played [Manchester] City, that’s

You grow up seeing the arch lit up with different colours, so it’s always something that’s in vision when you’re dreaming. It’s amazing to actually step on to the pitch to represent England. It was just something that I have always dreamt of, and I was able to achieve it

someone that I used to watch on Match of the Day. He’s a Premier League legend, isn’t he? When I actually stepped out onto the field and he was there, it was surreal for me. “That’s when it clicked: ‘This is a crazy feeling – that’s actually Agüero!’ Nine times out of 10 you’re not really starstruck, but there were a few situations, a few players, that when you come across them and share a field with them, you realise that you’ve actually done something that you can be proud of.” What makes Mitchell reminiscing so joyful is the humble, almost abashed, sense of pride he feels in his journey from the Hatch End cages to the very top of the game. As he looks back at pictures of his childhood figure, wearing the shirt of local side AFC Wembley, he considers what that child might think of the established

tyrick mitchell

Nine times out of 10 you’re not really starstruck, but there were a few situations, a few players, that when you come across them and share a field with them, you realise that you’ve actually done something that you can be proud of

tyrick mitchell

That person, he loved football but he didn’t think it would go this far, if that makes sense. He just used to play football for playing football’s sake. If I was ever to go back in time and tell myself where I would end up, he wouldn’t be able to believe it

tyrick mitchell

professional sitting here today. “That person, he loved football but he didn’t think it would go this far, if that makes sense,” he says. “He just used to play football for playing football’s sake. If I were ever to go back in time and tell myself where I would end up, he wouldn’t be able to believe it. “It was something that, in my head, was so distant. Obviously it was a dream, but at the same time so distant. Looking at the picture and seeing the contrast, it’s a grateful feeling. Looking at pictures, they’re a nice, distant memory, but I feel like being in it every day, the people you come across, the situations you’re in, that’s when I personally sit down

It’s something that I’ll forever be proud of. I’ll be able to say that I accomplished something that I basically set my whole life to do. In this world, that’s what everyone wants to do, isn’t it?

and think: ‘This is actually real. This is actually my life.’ “That’s the biggest thing.” Football is arguably the world’s last true meritocracy. It takes plenty of things to make it as a professional in the most competitive industry of all: a supportive community, inspirational coaches, dedicated mentors and, like anything in life, the benefit of good fortune. But most importantly, it takes years of hard work. Mitchell puts it better than we ever could. “It’s something that I’ll forever be proud of. I’ll be able to say that I accomplished something that I basically set my whole life to do. In this world, that’s what everyone wants to do, isn’t it?”

captain

SHARE GOOD TIMES WITH

GREAT PILSNER GRAB A BEER THAT’S CRISP, BRIGHT AND REFRESHING 22

rainbow laces

rainbow laces Crystal Palace are proud to back the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign this weekend to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in football.

tonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign kicked off in 2013 and since then, over a million participants have laced up in support of LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport, fitness and physical activity. This year, Rainbow Laces has partnered with the Barclays Women’s Super League, the Football Association (FA) and with grassroots teams across the nation who will all celebrate their commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion from 16th November – 5th December. We are proud to promote equality and diversity in everything we do – but there is still much more to be done as we continue to work together to support inclusivity in all areas of the game. New research released by Stonewall this week shows that one in four LGBTQ+ people (26%) do not feel welcome at live sports events, whilst nearly a third of LGBTQ+ people (29%) do not feel welcome watching live sport in a pub. As a club, we are clear that everyone is welcome at Palace, regardless of gender or sexuality. We will not tolerate racial or homophobic chants or discriminating comments towards a particular individual, or group of individuals, at Selhurst Park.

We can all play a part in reporting homophobic and transphobic abuse or chanting. If you see it on a matchday, challenge it and report it, by using the Anti-Social Behaviour Text Alert Service: the number is 07507 477 669. Football is for everyone, and all should feel welcome. Palace Men’s manager Oliver Glasner said: “It’s so important, especially in the times in which we live, to have supporters from all parts of our community with us. We have a great relationship between our supporters, our players, and the whole club.” Palace Women’s head coach Laura Kaminski said: “It’s easy to forget that there are still restrictions and barriers for people in terms of taking part in the game – football is for all, and we should celebrate that every day.” Goalkeeper Matt Turner said: “I think it’s very important for everyone to feel comfortable to support the club in whatever way they choose to support them. Everyone should be able to be themselves. “You want to be able to live the game and life how you want to live it, how you feel you should live it – that’s really, really important.” Together, we can make sport safer for all.

HOW TO REPORT ABUSE You can report discrimination on a matchday by using the Anti-Social Behaviour Text Alert Service: Service: the number is 07507 477 669. 669. Please include as much relevant information as possible. Please include the stand, block, row and seat number you are in, and also identify the location of the antisocial behaviour, being as precise as possible. Please state if you wish to remain anonymous in your message. Security staff will make every effort to deal with the issue. If they are unable to resolve the issue, each text will be followed up and investigated by a club staff member. You can also contact your nearest steward to report issues, who will do their best to help.

FOR THE CLUB captain

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The World’s Game

tottenham hotspur

newcastle united

the magpies 1892

EUROPEAN DREAMS -

Newcastle’s season so far has been a mixture of the inconsistent and the sublime. Victories over Arsenal, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest before the international break followed disappointing results against Brighton, Everton and Fulham, with Eddie Howe searching for consistency from his side – and a response to Monday night’s defeat against West Ham United.

Howe’s main task this season is to get Newcastle back into Europe once again, with a tightly congested Premier League table keeping them within touching distance of the Champions League places. If they are to repeat magical nights like the victory against Paris Saint-Germain last season, they have to be in Europe’s elite competition – but the competition for places has never been greater.

THIS Season Position

10th

Points

Top Scorer Alexander Isak

Most Assists Alexander Isak

away

home

ROLLERCOASTEr -

It’s not just the league to focus on for Newcastle. Their last major domestic trophy came almost 70 years ago, back in 1955. They face Brentford in the League Cup quarterfinals in December, and having lost the final to Manchester United at Wembley two years ago, have a great chance to go one step further this time around.

third

ENDING THE WAIT -

newcastle united

head2head

2-1 √ chelsea Stamford Bridge

√ chelsea St. James' Park

1-0 √ arsenal St. James' Park

1-3 √ nottingham forest City Ground

0-2 √ west ham

lastfive

2-0

newcastle

draw

palace

0-0

3rd September 2022 St. James’ Park

0-0

9th November 2022 St. James’ Park

0-0

21st January 2023 Selhurst Park

4-0

21st October 2023 St. James’ Park

2-0

27th April 2024 Selhurst Park

(pens)

St. James' Park

0-2 newcastle √ west ham

“It was a mixed night for us. I was disappointed by the two goals we conceded and the last half hour was really disappointing. We got our organisation slightly wrong and made a couple of individual errors.” Eddie Howe

Monday 25th November / St. James' Park

14 Substitutes M. Dúbravka

k. Trippier

S. Tonali

joelinton

gordon

36 longstaff

C. Wilson H. Barnes

M. Targett

W. Osula

J. Murphy

M. Almirón

pope

goal cards

20 hall

subs

Guimaraes

isak

willock

schÄr

kelly

21 livramento

newcastle united

key players Eddie Howe is hoping to get his side back competing for the Champions League places this season – so who might prove the stars of the show? Here, we take a look at four of his most important players in the fight for European football...

CAPTAIN Consistent -

MID Bruno

Guimarães age

Height

6’0

joined

from

2022

There has been plenty of drama surrounding Newcastle’s midfield selections over the past two seasons, with the long-term suspension of Sandro Tonali, the breakthrough and subsequent injury of Lewis Miley, the continued reinvention of Joelinton and the purple patches of Joe Willock. Amidst the chaos comes the consistency of Bruno Guimarães, who has been at the heart of midfield for Eddie Howe’s side since his arrival from Lyon in 2022, and has since been linked with the biggest clubs across the continent. He was awarded the captaincy on a permanent basis at the start of the current campaign, and continues to be a fan favourite on the Gallowgate and beyond. His form in black and white has seen him earn the ultimate accolade: international recognition. He has 32 caps for Brazil, including representing the five-time world champions at the World Cup in Qatar in the winter of 2022, where featured against Cameroon and Switzerland as the Seleção reached the quarter-finals.

fwd anthony

gordon age

10 Height

6’0

joined

from

2023

Anthony Gordon’s lack of minutes at Euro 2024 was the basis of much discussion, as the left-wing position for the Three Lions continues to be up for grabs. Lee Carsley’s interim tenure saw him begin to add to his tally of international caps. Gordon played a major role in keeping Everton in the Premier League after coming through the academy system at Goodison Park, before moving to Newcastle in a big-money deal in 2023. His fine form in his first full season saw him nominated for the club’s Player of the Year award. This season has started in slower fashion, including missing a penalty back at Goodison Park, but he has vowed to turn his form around and help Newcastle back into European football for the next campaign.

newcastle united

NO. 11 FLYING Barnes’ final season at Leicester City was a rare bit of positivity amidst a dire campaign, which saw the Foxes relegated but his reputation established as one of the brightest young forwards in the game, scoring 13 Premier League goals. He made the move to Newcastle United, starting at a steady pace by scoring five times in all competitions as form and fitness saw him moving in and out of the team. He has made a flying start to the current campaign, scoring three times in his opening six games and raising questions over an England recall, having made his international debut back against Wales back in 2020. A goal off the substitutes bench against Nottingham Forest, as Newcastle came from behind to claim all three points, will remind Howe and his coaching staff once again of the talent they have on their hands. Whether he can sustain that form throughout an entire campaign will go a long way to deciding the Magpies’ fate come May.

fwd harvey

barnes age

11 Height

5’9

joined

from

2023

Isak has established himself as one of the finest centre-forwards in Europe, turning heads both in the Premier League and abroad but kept hold of by Newcastle United this summer. He has flourished under Eddie Howe since arriving from Real Sociedad in 2022, scoring 10 league goals in his first season and 21 in his second, finishing behind only Cole Palmer

fwd alexander

isak age

14 Height

6’4

joined

from

2022

and Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot. He is a 50-time Sweden international, scoring 14 times for his country including four in his last eight games. His next task will be to try to take a talented Swedish squad, including players like Anthony Elanga, Dejan Kulusevski and Viktor Gyökeres to a first major tournament in the post-Zlatan Ibrahimovic era.

newcastle united

gk Martin

Dúbravka age

joined

35 2018

def Kieran

Trippier age

joined

34 2022

from

2 from

def Jamaal

Lascelles age

joined

31 2014

from

gk Odysseas

Vlachodimos age

joined

30 2024

def sven

botman age

joined

24 2022

def matt

from

4 from

age

nick

pope age

Fabian

Schär age

from

age

29 2022 30

joined

32 2018

emil

krafth joined

from

def

joined

32 2022

def

targett

from

30 2019

from

newcastle united

def lewis

hall age

20 joined

20 2023

def dan

burn age

33 joined

32 2022

mid sandro

tonali age

from

joined

24 2023

from

8 from

def tino

Livramento age

joined

22 2023

def alex

from

murphy age

from

academy

mid

joe

willock age

joined

25 2021 31

from

def lloyd

kelly age

joined

26 2024

from

mid

joelinton age

joined

28 2019

mid sean

from

longstaff age

from

academy

newcastle united

mid Bruno

Guimarães age

joined

27 2022

fwd anthony

gordon age

joined

23 2023

fwd William

Osula age

joined

from

21 2024

from

mid lewis

miley age

67 from

academy

fwd

harvey

barnes age

joined

26 2023

fwd jacob

from

murphy age

joined

29 2017 32

from

fwd callum

wilson age

joined

32 2020

fwd alexander

isak age

joined

25 2022

fwd miguel

from

Almirón age

joined

30 2o19

from

newcastle united

squaddepth st Alexander ISAK Callum WILSON William OSULA

lw Anthony GORDON Harvey BARNES Garang KUOL

rw Miguel ALMIRON Jacob MURPHY

am Joe WILLOCK

cm JOELINTON Sandro TONALI Sean LONGSTAFF Lewis MILEY

Dm lb

Bruno GUIMARÃES

Lewis HALL Alex MURPHY Matt TARGETT

Kieran TRIPPIER Tino LIVRAMENTO Emil KRAFTH CB

Dan BURN Lloyd KELLY

Sven BOTMAN Fabian SCHÄR Jamaal LASCELLES GK

Nick POPE Odysseas VLACHODIMOS Martin DÚBRAVKA John RUDDY Mark GILLESPIE

Academy Graduate

New Signing

newcastle united

through time 1892 A club called Newcastle West End were the initial tenants of St. James’ Park, before merging with Newcastle East End in 1892 and becoming a single club, changing their name to Newcastle United at the end of that year. As the city’s only club, the rate of growth was extremely fast, and they joined the Second Division in 1893 alongside Liverpool and new South London club Woolwich Arsenal.

1905 -

1951 -

After reaching the First Division in 1899, Newcastle embarked on a golden era, winning the league title in 1905, 1907 and 1909, losing two back-to-back FA Cup finals in the same period. They finally won the FA Cup in 1910, losing the final next season to Bradford City.

The 1950s were a golden period, winning the FA Cup three times in five years, beating Blackpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, inspired by legendary figures like Jackie Milburn and Tommy Walker.

1924 A fallow period either side of the First World War ended in 1924, when they won their second FA Cup, winning a fourth and final league title three years later. Before the Second World War, however, they were relegated to the Second Division, where they would remain for a decade until promotion in 1948.

1892

Founded as Newcastle United

1905

First Division winners

1907

First Division winners

1909

First Division winners

1910

FA Cup winners

1924

FA Cup winners

1927

First Division winners

1932

FA Cup winners

1952

Back-to-back FA Cup winners

1955

FA Cup winners

1969

Inter-Cities Fairs Cup winners

1992

Kevin Keegan appointed

2007

Mike Ashley takeover

2009

Relegated to Championship

2016

Relegated to Championship

2021

Saudi Arabian PIF takeover

newcastle united

1996 Players like Paul Gascoigne, Kevin Keegan, Chris Waddle and Peter Beardsley came and went in the 1980s with no real sustained success, but the early years of the Premier League saw Newcastle challenging for the title. They were 12 points clear in 1996, before being overhauled by Man United – Keegan’s ‘I will love it if we beat them’ rant remains famous to this day.

dreamfive GK Shay Given Given will go down as one of the Premier League’s most consistent goalkeepers, sitting in third place in the club’s all-time appearances charts having played 463 times across 12 years at St. James’ Park. No player has featured more often in Europe for Newcastle than the former Ireland international’s 54 appearances.

def Bobby Moncur Moncur remains the last captain to lift a trophy in a Newcastle United shirt, doing so more than 50 years ago in the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Despite playing at the heart of the defence, he scored three times in the twolegged final, sealing his place in the club’s history.

mid Peter Beardsley Having twice won the club’s Player of the Year award, Beardsley left Newcastle for Liverpool in 1987, winning two league titles and an FA Cup, before returning to the North East in 1993 to add to his legacy. He scored 21 goals in his first Premier League season in black and white, with his mazy dribbling marking him out as Kevin Keegan’s finest ‘entertainer’.

fwd Jackie Milburn Unquestionably Newcastle’s greatest player until another No. 9 arrived, Milburn fired Newcastle to FA Cup glory on three occasions in the golden period of the 1950s. Wor Jackie, as he was affectionately known, scored 200 goals for the club, setting a record that seemed unbeatable – until…

2021 The Mike Ashley era brought about a struggle to stay in the Premier League, suffering relegation on two occasions, the first under Shearer’s management in 2009, and a huge subsequent turnover of managers. A buyout in 2021 from the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of the state of Saudi Arabia, has transformed fortunes on the pitch.

fwd Alan Shearer The Premier League’s all-time top scorer had already netted 135 topflight goals by the time he joined his boyhood club, eschewing the interest of Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson to make himself a legend at St. James’ Park. He scored 206 goals to break Jackie Milburn’s record, and mark himself down as the club’s greatest ever.

newcastle united

kitstory

celebrity mags

best

worst

Home: 1995/96

Home: 2013/14

The clean stripes, the iconic Newcastle Brown Ale sponsorship. The only thing this shirt needed was a league title, and boy were they close.

A fairly boring kit in general, but made even worse by the addition of a bright blue block at the centre. Never again.

best

sam fender

worst

You may not be aware, because he very rarely mentions it, but the Hypersonic Missiles singer is a Newcastle fan. Who knew?

ant and dec Britain’s most famous Geordies are regular attendees at St. James’ Park, and could be forgiven for thinking ‘get me out of here’ over some recent seasons.

tony blair away: 1998/99

away: 2009/10

An underrated effort, with the oldschool sponsor complementing the bright blue with gold trim – Brazil meets Tyneside.

They may have stormed to promotion, earning 102 points in the Championship, but they didn’t look great while doing it…

Blair’s game of head tennis with Kevin Keegan in 1995 was lucky for one of them, but we won't say which. Newcastle blew a 12 point lead in the title race, Labour soon won a first election in 18 years.

newcastle united

greatestgames 0-1 THE ORIGINAL CUP UPSET Some context: Newcastle dominated the early 1900s. Of their four league titles to date, three came within a five-year spell at the turn of the century, as well as winning the FA Cup in 1910 – they very nearly became the first side to do the double, losing to Aston Villa in the 1905 FA Cup final. But not to be forgotten was an encounter with a plucky side from South London. St. James’ Park was a genuine fortress, with regular crowds approaching 30,000 and an unbeaten home record stretching back more than a year. In the FA Cup itself, they were unbeaten at home for more than a decade, since 1896. That all changed, to the astonishment of the footballing world. More than a century later, the result of that January day in 1907 still lives on as one of English football’s greatest upsets.

5-1 FIVE-STAR FOOTBALL When Papiss Cisse gave Newcastle the lead at Selhurst Park back in 2015, there may have been a few sighs of resignation – but the game soon turned on its head. James McArthur equalised for the Eagles just four minutes later, with Yannick Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha creating a commanding half-time lead. Bolasie added a fourth shortly after the break, before Macca added a fifth in added time to cap a perfect afternoon.

2-0 THE JP SHOW After smashing five past West Ham the previous weekend, Palace welcomed Newcastle to Selhurst Park for midweek Premier League action under the lights, and provided a fitting display. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s hot streak continued, scoring twice in the second-half to make it three straight Premier League wins for the first time in more than a year, with JP the first Palace player to score in five consecutive top-flight home games since Mark Bright in January 1991 – he would later extend that run to seven.

newcastle united

eagle eye

@lee_ryder

Lee Ryder is The Chronicle’s Chief Newcastle United Writer. He joined the newspaper in 2005, and has reported on the club from across England, Europe, China, New Zealand, the United States, Russia, Ukraine and more. What have you made of Newcastle’s start to the season? Already there have been some extreme highs with a great win over Arsenal, the Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea and the very impressive come-from-behind triumph at Nottingham Forest. But to go with that, an awful loss away to Fulham, a disappointing home defeat against Brighton and a narrow 2-1 reverse at Chelsea. The truth is it has been a mixed bag and not the absolutely flying start many anticipated with no European football on the menu. For all that, Newcastle are very much up there in terms of a fight for the Champions League places and there have been plenty of encouraging signs on Tyneside. I think a lot of people thought that things weren't going to go well because of the political side of things, when sporting director Paul Mitchell, performance director James Bunce and Eddie Howe appeared to clash in July. That was at least the impression many had after some outspoken comments from Howe on the "boundaries" that needed to be respected in terms of the departmental dynamics.

The truth is it has been a mixed bag and not the absolutely flying start many anticipated with no European football on the menu

newcastle united

Shortly after, Mitchell made comments saying that the scouting network was not "fit for purpose", which again indicated trouble. However, that seems to have settled down now and a smiling Bunce in dressing room victory pictures as well as Mitchell and Howe pictured together after unveiling Anthony Gordon's contract suggests things can work for the greater good at Newcastle.

What constitutes success? It's a minimum of qualifying for one of the European competitions – even the Europa Conference League. A cup run would be nice, but a sign of progress would be getting back into continental competition again. I honestly don't think you'd have a player in that dressing room disagreeing with me on that. If you asked them if they have hit their very best levels yet I think they'd say no. What I believe is that there is much more to come from this team and probably the only thing that they have lacked is a consistent run of results. Perhaps they are timing their run a bit on that one, because if they can notch four or five wins in a row

across the festive period they'd have a wonderful foundation to build on going into 2025. Things seem bright again and you write this lot off at their peril. Just when you think they have come off the tracks they dig deep and get a massive result or two. Will they look to be active in the January transfer window? We've had an early warning from Eddie Howe that there are no guarantees but I think they will be looking for one or two signings this winter. It feels like some trading is possible because there are a couple of senior internationals who could see January as an opportunity to move on. If you handed me a blank cheque I'd bring in another centre-forward and a right winger. Who is Newcastle’s most important player? It's Joelinton in my humble opinion, because Newcastle thrive when he is in his very best form. He was absolutely immense against Nottingham Forest recently and physically he is a star to be feared. He wins a lot aerially and is such a fierce competitor whether he is playing defensively in midfield or contributing offensively. He will also weigh in with a goal or two as well and after Howe got the best out of him, the £40million paid for the Brazil international could be their best pound for pound buy in recent history. Whose contribution often flies under the radar? Dan Burn, because he sets the tone in games and does a lot of the less glamorous stuff, whether that is a

he sets the tone in games and does a lot of the less glamorous stuff, Whether that is a last-ditch tackle, communication on the field or even pulling off a technical foul and taking a booking for the team last-ditch tackle, communication on the field or even pulling off a technical foul and taking a booking for the team at a time when the team is under the cosh. You can throw Sean Longstaff into that conversation as well. Having watched him come through the youth team I know he can bring goals and assists to the table, but his role under Howe often seems to be more of the defensive graft and rolling his sleeves up. When he's not selected, the team miss him. Give us a name for the future to look out for… Sean Neave is a young Geordie centre-forward who is grabbing the attention for the Under-21s after coming through the Under-18s. We've had some interesting Academy breakthroughs such as Elliot Anderson, Lewis Miley, Longstaff and Paul Dummett down the years, but to bring through a goal machine would be special. It's still early days for Neave but he could have something that Howe likes the look of

west ham united

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newcastle united

HEAD TO HEAD

ebere

eze age

POSITION

26 fwd

nat

anthony

Goals

Penalties won

Penalties scored

gordon age

POSITION

23 fwd

nat

Apps

121

Clean sheets

Apps

127

Goals

Yellow cards

Goals

Assists

Red cards

Shot Accuracy

Crosses

328

Crosses

323

Hit Woodwork

Passes Per Match

29.50

league wins in a row for Palace against Newcastle between 1971 and 1972, with today a chance for the first back-to-back wins since.

win in the last nine visits to Selhurst Park for Newcastle, who won their first four visits in the Premier League.

points dropped by Newcastle after taking the lead this season.

Delivered by:

Hit Woodwork

Passes Per Match

5 18.85

doc brown & james m©arthur

doc brown

doc brown Ben Bailey Smith, aka Doc Brown, does it all – acting, rapping, writing, directing, you name it. The multifaceted Palace fan is also a patron of Palace for Life Foundation. In each edition, he offers his unique take on the world in SE25...

JUSTIN TIME No one ever says “I love to say I told you so”. If that grating phrase is ever uttered, it’s invariably prefixed with “I hate”. Fair enough – it’s clearly an incredibly annoying riposte that smacks of arrogance and hubris. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that the kind of people who gleefully say “I told you so” are up there with the most irritatingly smug human beings on earth. That said, I told you so. Wait! Don’t turn the page! Hear me out! Writing a column for the club you love every other week is a joyous challenge, but it is also challenging when A) your remit is to always be cautiously upbeat and B) the club you love is Crystal Palace. The confidence in a club in our position is regularly plagued by fragility and as Eagles fans we know all too well the emotional risks attaching to having hope. Bearing that in mind, I hope you’ll join me in a tiny bit of smugness for the manner in which I’ve remained positive this season. Despite dismissive comments from mainstream pundits, I genuinely believe our league position is a false

one and that we still have plenty to look forward to this season. No one gave us a hope in hell against Spurs – I did. No one gave us a hope in hell against Villa – I genuinely did. Plagued by injuries, missing sold players – we’ve been up against it from the first day this season started and personally I think we’ve outperformed outsiders’ expectations despite the negative results. We’ve drawn games we should and could have won and for the most part we’ve been totally in the games we’ve lost and we’ve done this with a threadbare squad. We can harp on about the end of last season ‘til the cows come home but what we’re facing this time around is an incomparable challenge, so as is my job description, I’m gonna focus squarely on the positives. Yes, we’ve not always got it right on the pitch, but what a breath of fresh air it is to have someone like Oliver Glasner trying to work out different solutions for different opposition. A lot of other teams of our level (including past incarnations of our own team) may well have looked at Villa and thought: “They’re a dangerous team, let’s sit back and hope we can nick

In the space of a little over a fortnight, this kid made his Premier League debut, his international debut and scored his first senior goal in English football. In the same space of time, I played a five-a-side, cooked a half decent spag bol and had six visits to the pub

doc brown

something”. Glasner studied their approach and constantly exploited the space left in behind their highpressing midfield to stunning effect with both our goals. In addition to this brave and bold outlook, in my humble/arrogant opinion we’ve also just been gifted the moment of the season so far. You know exactly what and who I mean. Yep, The Kid. Justin Devenny’s goal was the most joyous moment I’ve had as an Eagle this season, for so many reasons. The first is the most obvious: it is always an unbridled joy to see a youngster burst onto the scene. In the space of a little over a fortnight, this kid made his Premier League debut, his international debut and scored his first senior goal in English football. In the same space of time, I played a five-a-side, cooked a half decent spag bol and had six visits to the pub.

The levels of achievement did not go unnoticed. Then there was the context of the goal: with Deano’s wonder save the passage of play was almost reminiscent of the famous “here’s Hogg… DEENEY!!!” sequence, which is up there with my favourite footballing moments of all time, particularly because that story ended with us getting promoted in the drabbest possible antithesis of that moment football-wise… sorry Watford but lol. Throw in the Hendo knee-slide and THAT photo of three of our senior players worshipping at a delighted Devenny’s feet as if he were some kind of Northern Irish deity and you have an explosion of joy that will still be at the top of my internal highlight reel come May. Justin has done with his feet what I’ve been trying to do with

the keyboard: find light in the darkness. His very existence in a starting eleven reflects that, having been thrown in at the deep end in response to what has been nothing short of an injury crisis. Pretty daunting when you think about it, and yet. So yes, of course I’m gutted we went on to do a bit of trademark Palace-Defending-A-Corner nonsense but who thought we’d get anything at Villa Park? *Columnist smugly raises his hand*. I’m not saying we’re going to wipe the floor with Newcastle today, but when it comes to another game where we run another massive football club mightily close with scant resources, I will love to say I told you so. UTP

James M©arthur

james m©arthur Palace legend James McArthur made 253 appearances for the club, playing over 19,000 minutes in all competitions across nine years. Below, he gives his thoughts on improving performances, Justin Devenny and hitting the back of the net against Newcastle…

A good point -

Devenny’s delight -

Aston Villa have been great for a couple of years now. Villa Park is always a place that is very, very hard to go to and get results. I think when you're leading late on, you're disappointed when you don't hold onto the lead but before the game, I think if you offered anyone a draw, it is a really good point. I mentioned last time about trying to not look at the league table. They’re in the bottom three, but I think they can take confidence from recent results. Obviously Fulham wasn't the result that the lads wanted, but that happens in the Premier League. You're going to lose games that you feel that you should win, but bouncing back with a good point is so important. I think people are starting to play with a bit more confidence. When you look at it from a fixtures point of view, I don't see many games where I don't fancy the lads to get a result. The Premier League is so tough, and I'm sure when you get that win and that little bit of a run, then they'll really push away from that bottom, but definitely things are going in the right direction.

To play in Scotland with Airdrieonians, and then to go to the Premier League is some story in itself, to be honest. To play in the Under-21s is really good, but to make the step up and do what he’s doing in the first-team, is a real credit to Justin Devenny and his family. The scouting system at Crystal Palace is great. That they could recognise a boy at Airdrie, and that they could sign a player who could eventually play in the Premier League, is really good. The boy has really made the step up and is pushing each time to get better as a player. To make his debut a couple of weeks ago will have been such a high and a surreal moment for him. I came from Hamilton, a club at the same level in Scotland, and when you make that step up to the Premier League, it is surreal. You’re still pinching yourself each moment, going from there to playing against the best players in the world. To get that goal, in a moment like that, is something that he will remember forever.

The scouting system at Crystal Palace is great. That they could recognise a boy at Airdrie, and that they could sign a player who could eventually play in the Premier League, is really good. The boy has really made the step up and is pushing each time to get better as a player

James M©arthur

My own first I can remember my first senior goal for Hamilton against St Johnstone in 2006. It was a tackle! The ball went through, one-on-one with the ‘keeper, and I literally just tackled into the keeper, and it went over him! No matter what level you're playing at, that first goal is such a great moment – but doing it at the top of the game is something special. Let's say you score for Hamilton against St Johnstone. It's your moment, and a great moment for you, but no one else really knows! But when you're on the biggest stage, scoring in the Premier League, everyone goes: ‘Who's that boy?’

Festive fixtures I used to love this month – I used to love playing games – but now I’m sitting here on my sofa, I couldn't think of much worse, to be honest! When you're in that moment, it is great because you're literally recovering and playing games. When you're on good runs at Christmas, you're looking forward to the next game. When you're in bad form, you've got the chance to make things right straight away. For the lads, it's not been start to the season they would have wished for, but with how many games you've got in this short period of time, you can start climbing the table very fast if you get a winning run going. When you are playing so many games back to back, this is when you need that momentum, to go into it feeling like you're going to win every game.

Braces against Newcastle I scored two against Newcastle back in 2015, didn't I? It was one of the games where it’s surreal on the pitch. When it’s such a high-scoring game, you’re like: ‘Are we actually up by so many goals?’

I scored two against Newcastle back in 2015, didn't i? I can remember towards the end of that game, I scored in the last minute of injury time – but I had cramp just before it! I knew the right thing to do was just to sit, but because the game was done, I just decided to go forward and see what happened – and luckily it fell to my left foot and I finished it. Those games are amazing, because the confidence you take from winning games at Christmas gives you the momentum you need to feed off. It’s fine margins in this league, and I think the lads just need to keep doing what they're doing, and it will turn for them. There were so many new faces coming into the team and there have been a lot of injuries. I think now people are starting to bed in and feel more comfortable with the new players. Everyone’s starting to get used to each other more and more. I think the second part of the season, the lads will really kick on

I used to love this month – I used to love playing games – but now I’m sitting here on my sofa, I couldn't think of much worse, to be honest!

captain

CHOOSE YOUR

WIIINGS RED BULL GIVES YOU WIIINGS.

INSIDE PALACE

inside palace

palace academy With so much talent coming through at Crystal Palace, it’s time to grill the next generation on the key questions past, present and future. This week, Under-18s goalkeeper Jack Mason tackles our quickfire questions…

FACT FILE

present strongest attribute? For me it’s communication, talking and organising the box.

i model my game on... Jordan Pickford, England’s No. 1. I’m a similar height to him so we have a similar playstyle.

past childhood idol? David de Gea. Watching him play as I grew up inspired me to become a better goalie.

first match you played in? It was against our local rivals, Letchworth. We had a bit of beef with them for a while! It was a battle and the game ended 10-9 to us or something ridiculous.

Favourite Palace player? Dean Henderson.

future in five years time... Hopefully in the Palace first-team, but if not I would like to be playing as much as I can at the highest level possible.

jack mason age

nationality

17 position

goalkeeper

First shirt?

champions league or world cup? World Cup. 100%.

It was a Wayne Rooney shirt from the 2006 World Cup, which my dad got for me.

i want to improve...

First boots?

manager or pundit?

The blue and white Adidas Messi boots that said Messi all over them.

Manager, but I wouldn’t turn down being a pundit.

My distribution.

inside palace

fixtures&results

pos Club

GD Pts

Home fixture Away fixture Cup fixture International Cup fixture (Crystal Palace score shown first)

mci

bha

ful

liv

ars

whu

cry

eve

sun

che

new

nfo

lei

mun

lee

rea

-1

wol

-4

sou

-5

der

-5

nor

-7

avl

-8

wba

-12

mid

-9

u21s

u18s AUGUST

AUGUST Tue 20

Stevenage

0-1

Sat 17

Tottenham Hotspur

4-6

Fri 23

Blackburn Rovers

7-2

Sat 24

Southampton

1-1

Fri 30

Leeds United

1-1

Wed 28 Birmingham City

3-0

Sat 31

3-0

SEPTEMBER Tue 17

Real Sociedad

2-2

Fri 20

Reading

1-1

Tue 24

Gillingham

3-1

Mon 30 Nottingham Forest

2-1

SEPTEMBER

Sat 5

Brighton & Hove Albion

0-10

Fri 18

Sporting CP

1-2

Southampton

2-0

NOVEMBER

Sat 14

Norwich City

4-2

Sat 21

Fulham

0-6

Sat 28

Aston Villa

1-3

OCTOBER

Fri 25

Reading

Sat 5

Liverpool

2-5

Sat 26

Leicester City

1-1

NOVEMBER Sat 2

Arsenal

1-1

Sat 9

West Bromwich Albion

2-2

2-0

Fri 1

Tottenham Hotspur

5-1

Sat 23

Arsenal

Tue 5

Peterborough United

1-4

Sat 30

Brighton & Hove Albion

Fri 29

Newcastle United

DECEMBER

december

Fri 6

Manchester City

Tue 10

Tue 17

Chelsea

RSC Anderlecht

Mon 16 Liverpool

JANUARY

Sat 11

West Ham United

Sat 25

Tottenham Hotspur

Mon 6

Fulham

Fri 10

Leicester City

Fri 17

RB Leipzig

Mon 20 Wolves Mon 27 Norwich City FEBRUARY Mon 10 Stoke City Mon 17 Aston Villa Mon 24 West Bromwich Albion MARCH

tot

-11

bla

-13

sto

-19

FEBRUARY Sat 1

Southampton

Sat 8

Reading

pos Club

GD Pts

Sat 15

Norwich City

avl

ful

tot

sou

bha

whu

che

-1

nor

-2

ars

-2

10 10

Sat 22

Aston Villa

MARCH Sat 1

Fulham

Sat 8

West Ham United

Sat 15

Chelsea

APRIL

Mon 3

Arsenal

Sat 12

Leicester City

Sun 16

Manchester City

Thu 17

Arsenal

cry

-5

Sat 26

West Bromwich Albion

lei

-4

rea

-11

wba

-10

APRIL Fri 4

West Ham United

Mon 14 Chelsea

MAY Sat 3

Brighton & Hove Albion

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Thursday, 28th November.

inside palace

palace academy It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Justin Devenny, the most recent prospect to progress into the first-team from the Palace Academy. Here’s everything you need to know about the youngster from his early playing days right through to that goal against Aston Villa last week…

orn in Scotland, 21-yearold Justin Devenny joined Palace in the summer of 2023 from Scottish Championship side Airdrieonians. He made his way up the ranks of the Kilmarnock Academy, along with a brief stint on loan at Broomhill FC, before joining Airdrie initially in 2021/22 on loan, making the move permanent in 2022/23. After helping the Diamonds to promotion to the Scottish Championship at the end of 22/23, Devenny made the move to South London, and has since been a regular in Darren Powell’s Under-21s. In his first season in red and blue, Devenny made 31 appearances for the U21s, with six goals and four assists across all competitions. He played a major part in the side’s progress towards winning the Premier League International Cup, scoring in the semi-final victory over Everton at Selhurst Park. During the mid-season break in March, Devenny had his first taste of first-team experience, as he featured in the side’s friendly against Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt. He also featured in the first-team side

during their tour of the United States ahead of 2024/25, playing in both games against West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Devenny started the first 10 games across all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign for the U21s, captaining the side, scoring twice and notching an assist. His performances for the U21s saw him earn a place in a Premier League matchday squad for the first time in September against Chelsea, before making his debut from the start against Fulham at Selhurst Park in November. He played 75 minutes under the lights in SE25, receiving a warm ovation from the Selhurst faithful when he was substituted off. “As soon as I knew [I was starting], I just couldn’t hide the smile on my face,” Devenny reflected on his debut. “It was a bittersweet moment because obviously I’m grateful, and it’s such a great achievement for myself, but it’s hard to look past the result right now. “It’s what you dream of, and to have obviously the great supporters behind us as well, it’s always good. Again, as I said, it’s hard to look past the result and that’s just what’s playing

That’s what it starts with, just an opportunity and then you’ve just got to grab it with both hands. I feel like I have done that, but for me, this is not where I want to end. This is where I want to just keep going and going on my mind now – but I’m sure I will reflect and look back on this.” While the result wasn’t in Palace’s favour and left a dent of sorts on Devenny’s debut, his performances didn’t go unnoticed: he earned a place in the Northern Ireland senior squad for the first time in his career a few days later. He was called up by Michael O’Neill ahead of their final UEFA Nations League games against Belarus and Luxembourg, making his senior international debut against the latter off the bench. Devenny came

inside palace

on for the final few minutes as Northern Ireland topped their group in the Nations League, securing promotion to compete in League B in 2025/26. After returning to South London from international duty, Devenny was straight back into training with the first-team and started once more at Villa Park last weekend. He was on somewhat familiar territory, having been in the squad for the victory in the League Cup a few weeks earlier, but this time it was his chance to make an impact and he duly did. Just 60 seconds after Dean Henderson saved Youri Tielemans’ penalty, Devenny was wheeling away in celebration as he got on the end of Ismaïla Sarr’s cut back across the box for a first-time finish. His goal put Palace 2-1 ahead on the stroke of half-time and the side ultimately came away with a point from Villa Park in a 2-2 draw. From making his first-team debut at Selhurst, earning a senior Northern Ireland international cap, to then notching his first goal for Palace all in the space of two weeks has been nothing short of remarkable for Devenny. “Honestly, I was just given an opportunity,” he told Palace TV at Villa Park. “That’s what it starts with, just an opportunity and then you’ve just got to grab it with both hands. “I feel like I have done that, but for me, this is not where I want to end. This is where I want to just keep going and going. The reception I got at the end was very, very special and I’m just delighted.”

u21s Name

u18s apps goals

Name

apps goals

Kai-Reece ADAMS-COLLMAN

Dean BENAMAR

Benji CASEY

Freddie COWIN

Euan DANAHER

Matteo DASHI

Jesse DERRY

Chima EZE

Joel DRAKES-THOMAS

Craig FARQUHAR

Billy EASTWOOD (GK)

Chris FRANCIS

Zack HENRY

Joe GIBBARD

0 Marcus HILL (GK)

Jake GRANTE

Sean GREHAN

Jasper JUDD

Jackson IZQUIERDO (GK)

Joe KHOSHABA (GK)

Mofe JEMIDE

George KING

Caleb KPORHA

Enrique LAMEIRAS

Finley MARJORAM

Jack MASON (GK)

Zach MARSH

David MONTJEN

Roshaun MATHURIN

0 Joshua MUWANA

Louie MOULDEN (GK)

Hindolo MUSTAPHA

David OBOU

Adler NASCIMENTO

Stuart ODURO

David OBOU

Chuks OKOLI

Jadan RAYMOND

Jerome OSEI

Dylan REID

Caleb REDHEAD

Kaden RODNEY

Sean SOMADE

Joe SHERIDAN

0 Charlie WALKER-SMITH

Franco UMEH

Jemiah UMOLU

Harry WHITWORTH (GK)

Jack WELLS-MORRISON

Tyler WHYTE

Seb WILLIAMS

Asher AGBINONE

Victor AKINWALE

Cormac AUSTIN

Luke BROWNE

Rio CARDINES

Jesse DERRY

Justin DEVENNY

Billy EASTWOOD (GK)

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Thursday, 28 November. th

inside palace

palace women As the final international break of 2024 approaches, several Palace players are preparing for crucial matches on the European stage. From Euro 2025 qualifiers to high-profile friendlies, here’s a rundown of the players representing their countries in the coming weeks…

equally vital; she assisted IndiahPaige Riley’s opener against Everton and scored in Palace’s narrow 3-2 loss at Aston Villa. “It feels really good, it’s an honour and I’m really grateful for the opportunity,” Cato said, speaking to Palace TV about her senior call-up. Sweden face a crucial twolegged play-off against Serbia, with the first leg away on Thursday, 28th November, as they aim to secure their Euro 2025 place.

Josie Green & Lily Woodham wales

Katrine Veje & Mille Gejl denmark

Defensive duo Josie Green and Lily Woodham have been called up for Wales’ pivotal Euro 2025 play-off final against the Republic of Ireland. In October, Green and Woodham both played key roles as Wales edged past Slovakia in a nailbiting clash to stay in contention for qualification. The first leg of their play-off takes place on Wednesday, 27th November, at the Cardiff City Stadium, where they will look to secure an advantage ahead of the return leg in Dublin.

Denmark internationals Katrine Veje and Mille Gejl continue to represent their country, earning spots in the squad for their friendly against Iceland on Monday, 2nd December. Denmark have already secured qualification for Euro 2025 after finishing second in their A-tier group. Veje and Gejl featured prominently during October’s friendlies against South Africa and the Netherlands. Both summer signings have been integral to Palace Women’s debut WSL campaign, appearing in nearly every single game in the top-flight.

brooke aspin england u23s

my cato sweden

lexi potter england u19s

My Cato’s superb form for Palace has earned her a second call-up to the Sweden senior team, with a potential debut for the Blågult (The Blue and Yellow). In October, Cato captained Sweden U23s in a friendly against the Netherlands, assisting their only goal in a 1-1 draw. Domestically, her contributions for Palace have been

Fresh from winning Palace’s Player of the Month, Lexi Potter retains her spot in Lauren Smith’s England U19 squad. The team begins their Euro 2025 qualification campaign against Turkey on Wednesday, 27th November, as part of Group A4, which also includes hosts Poland and Italy. Potter has been a consistent presence for Palace this season,

On loan from Chelsea, centre-back Brooke Aspin has been named in the England U23 squad for matches against Norway and Sweden. Aspin recently played the full 90 minutes for Palace against titlechallengers Manchester City and came on at half-time in the fixture against Aston Villa. The U23 Lionesses will first travel to Fredrikstad, Norway, on Thursday, 28th November, before hosting Sweden in Doncaster on Monday, 2nd December.

inside palace

playing 90 minutes against Manchester City, Everton, and Aston Villa in November. Remarkably, she has played more minutes than any other U19 player in the Women’s Super League this term, highlighting how important she is to Palace.

fixtures&results Home fixture Away fixture Cup fixture (Crystal Palace score shown first)

Fri 27

Tottenham Hotspur Chelsea

L L

0-4

Izzy ATKINSON

0-7

Annabel BLANCHARD

My CATO

Aimee EVERETT

Jorja FOX

Mille GEJL

Fliss GIBBONS

Josie GREEN

Shanade HOPCROFT

october Wed 2

Aston Villa

0-2

Sun 6

Leicester City

2-0

Sun 13

Brighton & Hove Albion

0-1

Sun 20

Liverpool

1-1

Sun 3

Manchester City

0-3

Elise HUGHES

Sun 10

Everton

1-1

Abbie LARKIN

Milla-Maj MAJASAARI (GK)

Hayley NOLAN

Lexi POTTER

Poppy PRITCHARD

Indiah-Paige RILEY

Molly-Mae SHARPE

Katie STENGEL

Katrine VEJE

Arsenal

Ashleigh WEERDEN

Tottenham Hotspur

Lily WOODHAM

Annis-Clara WRIGHT (GK)

Shae YAÑEZ (GK)

Sun 17 Sun 24

Aston Villa

Charlton Athletic

december Sun 8

West Ham United

Wed 11 Tottenham Hotspur Sun 15

Palace’s Irish pair, Izzy Atkinson and Abbie Larkin, are set to face their Welsh teammates in the Euro 2025 play-offs. Ireland comfortably dispatched Georgia in the previous round and now take on Wales in a two-legged final. The first leg will be held in Cardiff on Friday, 29th November, with the second to follow in Dublin. Atkinson and Larkin have been instrumental for Ireland in their campaign so far, and both will be eager to make an impact in these decisive fixtures. With five nations represented and several pivotal matches ahead, the international break offers Palace players the chance to shine on the world stage

apps goals

Brooke ASPIN

november

Izzy Atkinson & Abbie Larkin ireland

Name Chloe ARTHUR

SEPTEMBER Sun 22

playerstats

Manchester United

january Sun 19 Sun 26

february Sun 2

Brighton & Hove Albion

Sun 16

Manchester United

2-3 2-0

march P

GD Pts

che

23 24

Aston Villa

mci

Sat 22

Everton

bha

Sun 30

Arsenal

ars

mun

15 9

Sun 2

Liverpool

Sun 16

pos Club

april

liv

-3

Sun 20

Chelsea

tot

-9

Sun 27

West Ham United

avl

-4

may Sun 4

Leicester City

Sun 11

Manchester City

eve

-10

lei

-6

whu

-8

cry

-14

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Thursday, 28th November.

inside palace

palace for life Three Crystal Palace Under-18s Scholars helped unveil a brandnew Astroturf pitch at Oasis Academy Shirley Park in Croydon, which will host free weekly Premier League Kicks session every Thursday afternoon.

rystal Palace Under-18s players Charlie Walker-Smith, Jack Mason and Chuks Okoli, along with Academy Player Care Officer and former Palace Midfielder Alex Wynter, joined pupils at Oasis Academy Shirley Park school in Croydon to celebrate the opening of the pitch, which has been three years in the making. The state-of-the-art facility will not only improve PE and sports lessons for the school but will also serve as the venue for a new Palace for Life Premier League Kicks session. These free sessions, open to boys and girls aged 11–16, will run every Thursday from 16:15 to 17:30, giving young people in the local community a new space to play and develop their skills. Premier League Kicks is a programme – primarily funded by the Premier League – that operates across clubs throughout the football pyramid nationwide. It uses the power of football and other sports to create safer, healthier and more respectful communities by developing young people’s potential. It is all for free in the areas across the country that are often the most deprived and in need of safe spaces for

donate to palace for life below

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young people to express themselves. Premier League Kicks can often be many youngsters’ first introduction to football, and our various teams at Palace for Life work closely together to ensure there is a clear pathway for talented participants. To find out where we run Premier League Kicks sessions in South London, head to the Palace for Life website. “We’re so proud of what we’ve built here and even prouder of how it’s being used,” said Oasis Academy Shirley Park’s Headteacher Saqib Chaudhri at the opening. “It’s taken three years of meetings, persistence, and determination to get this done. Now, we finally have a high-quality pitch for the school and the local community. “Sport is about so much more than just what happens on the pitch. It’s a massive industry with endless opportunities, and we hope this facility inspires you all to dream big, both on and off the field. “Of course, the pitch is also where the fun – and the hard work – happens. So, take care of it, use it, and treat it like it’s yours. With this pitch at the

We’re so proud of what we’ve built here and even prouder of how it’s being used. It’s taken three years of meetings, persistence, and determination to get this done. Now, we finally have a highquality pitch for the school and the local community

heart of our community, we’re showing how much we care, and we hope it helps you all build bright futures.” The Palace Scholars joined pupils for the launch, leading football drills, competing in some intense one-v-ones, and answering questions about life as Academy players at Crystal Palace. The event also marked another step in the strong relationship between Palace for Life Foundation and Oasis Academy Shirley Park, and we’re excited to see it prosper over the coming weeks, months and years

To help Palace for Life change the lives of more young people in south London, donate using the QR code.

100 years of selhurst park

100 YEARS OF Selhurst Park

As Selhurst Park celebrates its 100 th year during the 2024/25 campaign, club historian Ian King is looking back at a century of history from 1924 to the current day…

n the Selhurst Park story, there have been no shortage of supporting characters. Although most flock to SE25 to watch Crystal Palace play, there have been a few occasions when the Eagles aren’t on the bill. The first was an international between England and Wales in March 1926, and the 1930s saw annual games between the British Army and the armies of France or Belgium, right up to the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. During World War Two, plenty of games took place at Selhurst Park, including the Royal Navy against the Civil Defence. The final army game took place as late as February 1962. Back in October 1956, when National Service was still in force, a game between a Palace XI and an Army XI produced the prospect of 17-year-old Johnny Byrne, playing his first senior game for the club. He had a formidable task that afternoon, coming up against Manchester United’s 20-year-old Duncan Edwards just two days after his latest appearance for England. Both found the back of the net in a thrilling 3-3 draw. Edwards would tragically die

100 years of selhurst park

just two years later in the Munich Air Disaster. Selhurst Park was also the venue for the 1948 Olympics, marked on the front page of this programme. It hosted two football games, with Egypt taking on Denmark and Republic of Korea coming up against eventual gold medal winners Sweden. The 1951 Festival of Britain saw Crystal Palace lining up against French club Nancy, and as the decade progressed, there were games against guest oppositions, as

well as a match between a Trinidad XI and the Corinthian League in October 1953. There have also been amateur internationals, with England taking on Ireland in 1929, South Africa in 1953, Ireland again in 1954 and Scotland in 1964. During the 1960s, SE25 was a popular venue for fixtures between county school sides, and in November 1966 the Glaziers’ Under20s played against an England Youth XI, which included future legends Peter Shilton and Trevor Brooking. There was a sizeable

crowd for Under-23s fixtures in 1974 and 1975, as England took on Czechoslovakia and Portugal – Peter Taylor featured in both games. In April 1975, East London Boys played Newham Boys, a match which involved a young Vince Hilaire. The European Youth Championships selected Selhurst Park as a venue for three matches in 1983, including sides like Yugoslavia and Italy, while England – featuring Perry Suckling and Teddy Sheringham – came up against Iceland

100 years of selhurst park

ian king’s Selhurst Squad

More than 900 players have graced the turf at Selhurst Park across a century of special memories, but who makes Ian King’s squad of the finest in each position?

lyth joined the club in the summer of 1968, arriving from Scunthorpe United for just £9,000. Bert Head had raised the money by selling Alan Stephenson, desperate to build a side capable of challenging for promotion to the First Division. Initially playing as an inside forward, he scored on his debut at Cardiff as part of a four-goal thrashing, but just a few games later his height and stature saw him moved into the heart of defence, where he developed a formidable partnership with John McCormick. The duo would start alongside one another for most of the next four years, with Blyth able to bring the ball out of defence knowing that his McCormick would be there to cover for him.

He soon regained his spot at centre-back alongside McCormick, helping the club survive in the First Division until 1973; by the time the Glaziers were relegated, only goalkeeper John Jackson had made more top-flight appearances than Blyth.

mel

Blyth position

nationality

An injury towards the end of the campaign kept him on the sidelines, missing out on the promotionclinching game against Fulham, but he was back in action in the First Division, often moving into midfield to accommodate new signing Roger Hynd. His more advanced role would allow him to score Palace’s first goal in the top-flight, netting against Manchester United in a 2-2 draw. He followed this up by scoring from 25 yards out at Everton.

After a double-relegation, Blyth moved to Southampton in September 1974. His replacement, Ian Evans, would suffer a horrific leg injury in 1977, with Palace moving to bring Blyth back on loan, where he played six more times for the club. After retiring, Blyth could be seen regularly at Selhurst Park, before sadly passing away at the beginning of this year.

100 years of selhurst park

STEPHENSON honourable ALAN -

Mentions

Signing professional forms in 1962, Stephenson forced his way into the promotion-winning team the following season, with his combination of strength and style making him a distinguished defender – and later captain. He gained England youth honours, before making an inevitable departure for First Division West Ham United for a whopping £80,000.

LEN CHOULES Choules (above) arrived at Palace at just 19-years-old from Sutton United, making his first-team debut two years later in 1953 and remaining at the club until 1962, helping the club through the dark days of the mid-1950s. Originally starting as a full-back, he moved into the centre of defence where his rangy, angular figure, coupled with his height and heading ability, made him a standout player in the side.

BOBBY GREENER Greener has the distinction of having played at both The Nest and Selhurst Park, arriving in 1921 and staying for 11 years. He made a place in the team his own, occupying the heart of defence for almost a decade. A year after his departure, he was back as an assistant and later a ‘trainer’, lasting through the Second World War until 1954. In later life, he aided the ground staff, accumulating over 30 years of experience with the club before passing away in February 1970.

JIMMY WILDE William Charles ‘Jimmy’ Wilde (above) was one of the rare footballers who joined Crystal Palace direct from the Army, arriving in 1928. An elegant centre-half, he was a dominant figure for eight seasons, six as captain, as the club were twice pipped to the only promotion place in Division Three South. Injury reduced his appearances towards the end of his Palace career, but he continued to nurture younger talent, including Arthur Hudgell, who would later leave the club for a record fee. Next ISSUE Ian King continues to look at centre-backs for his ultimate Selhurst 100 squad...

selhurst

Squad JOHN GK JACKSON

1964-1973

nigel gk martyn

1989-1996

Paul HINSHELWOOD 1973-1983

joel ward

2012-

kenny lb sansom

1975-1980

lb richard shaw

1987-1995

CB MEL BLYTH

1968–1974 1977-1978

..................... .....................

peter wall

Peter Wall 1944-2024

his game under Allison to become a dependable figure in a ‘sweeper’ role. He was instrumental in our run to the 1975/76 FA Cup semi-finals, playing in our famous wins over Leeds, Chelsea and Sunderland as we reached the last four of the FA Cup for the first time in our history, despite Palace being a Third Division side at the time. Following Ian Evans’ injury at the beginning of the 1977/78 season, Peter took on the captain’s armband under the late Terry Venables. He went on to make a total of 208 appearances for the club in all competitions over eight seasons in South London, scoring four goals, before concluding his playing career in the North American Soccer League (NASL) with St. Louis Stars and then the California Surf, whom he later went on to manage. In 1985, Peter was awarded MISL (Major Indoor Soccer League) Coach of the Year as Head Coach of the Los Angeles Lazers, whom he led for five years. The club are deeply saddened by Peter’s passing, and the thoughts of everyone are with his family at this time.

Peter was born in Shropshire in 1944, beginning his footballing career with Shrewsbury Town prior to successful spells with nearby Wrexham and, in the First Division, Liverpool. It was in South London where Peter spent the longest chapter of his career, however, joining Crystal Palace in the summer of 1970 to become a key part of Bert Head’s side. Peter went on to set up our firstever winning goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford in October 1970, and played 89 times for Palace. Sadly, Peter’s third season with the club was ended prematurely when, just three games into the campaign, he sustained a broken leg against former club Liverpool at Selhurst Park, not long after being selected for an initial England squad. After his rehabilitation, a spell on loan at Leyton Orient in 1972/73, and a brief battle with hepatitis, Peter returned to the pitch under new manager Malcolm Allison in the 1973/74 season, before returning to regular action from February 1975 onwards. Having previously been deployed as a skilful left-back, Peter adapted

1907 from the 100 years of selhurst park