Crystal Palace v Liverpool programme 2324 by Crystal Palace F.C.

Crystal Palace √ liverpool

sat 09 dec 2023 12:30 kick-off

palace √ liverpool sat 09 dec | 12:30

06 08 captain 10 chairman 36 eagle eye 44 Academy 52 History makers 54 FROM THE ARCHIVE 56 RETRO PALACE 62 PALACE FOR LIFE 69 BEAT BRIGHTY 70 stats & results

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. Zaf Iqbal Academy Director Gary Issott Director of U21 Development Mark Bright Chief Operating Officer Sharon Lacey Chief Commercial Officer Barry Webber General Counsel David Nichol Head of Ticketing Paul McGowan Head of Retail Foz Bowers Chief Marketing and Communications Officer James Woodroof Head of Safeguarding Cassi Wright Head Groundsman Bruce Elliott

12 at my first club, it was very Britishbased. Then you come here and there are people from all around the world, and it’s so nice to find out about different things and learn so many different things

Editor Will Robinson Design Billy Cooke, Stu Ellmer, Lucas Gough

Contributors Ian King, Robin Johnson, Toby Jagmohan, Tommy Macarthur, Doc Brown, John Gibbons Photography Neil Everitt, Sebastian Frej, Pinnacle Photo Agency, Toby Jagmohan, Getty Printer Bishops Printers

contents

palace √ liverpool sat 09 dec | 12:30

SUPPORT NEXT GENERATION AT SUTTON Crystal Palace’s Under-21s side are in action in south London twice in quick succession before the winter break, taking on Middlesbrough on Monday, 11th December (19:00 GMT) and West Ham United on Monday, 18th December (19:00 GMT), both at the VBS Community Stadium in Sutton. The Young Eagles have recorded some remarkable results this season, including a victory over AS Monaco and putting seven past Leeds United,

and they need your support to see them into the new year in a positive fashion. Make sure you keep an eye on cpfc.co.uk for all the latest ticketing information for both games, while you can watch both games LIVE in full on Palace TV+.

Palace TV+ gives subscribers access to numerous live broadcasts of Academy fixtures, as well as live audio commentary of all league and cup first-team games – for a full list of benefits and to find a subscription that suits you, head to cpfc.co.uk/ supporters/palace-tv-plus now!

On this day 09 Dec 1989 A Mark Bright brace saw Steve Coppell’s side come from behind to win at Old Trafford, heaping more pressure on Manchester United’s beleaguered manager, then just plain Alex Ferguson. Andy Thorn made his debut in the Palace back-line, keeping Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes, Brian McClair and co. at bay.

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briefing

manager

A very warm welcome back to Selhurst Park for this early Premier League kickoff, and welcome to Jürgen Klopp, his Liverpool team and coaching staff.

ast weekend we gained a hard-earned point against West Ham United, which showed the resilience, the passion and the fighting spirit required to get a result in the Premier League. I was pleased with our first-half performance despite going in a goal down; in the second-half we deserved our equaliser and on reflection I think we did well over the whole 90 minutes. West Ham are an extremely dangerous side, so to come away from the London Stadium sharing the spoils was very satisfying. It was good to see Odsonne Edouard get on the scoresheet once again, and by doing so he eclipsed his Premier League total for last season. This will be a real boost for him and we are working hard to ensure that his tally will continue to grow. A mention as usual for the travelling fans who could often be heard above the 60,000plus home support, and were certainly influential in helping us to get over the line and secure a valuable point.

Wednesday night against Bournemouth was a bitterly disappointing evening for us, because it came on the back of a positive result and the belief we were building on that.

Ultimately results matter though and we all understand that when the results are not coming it leads to frustration both for you the fans, and we the players and staff be right behind us as always We knew Bournemouth would make life difficult for us as their recent performances had shown, and we fell short of our own expectations in terms of performance. I cannot criticise my manager

players for lack of effort or desire because I know they are not lacking in commitment and are giving their all. Ultimately results matter though and we all understand that when the results are not coming it leads to frustration both for you the fans, and we the players and staff. However, the only solution is to continue to work hard to turn things around and we are very conscious of the fact that we really need your support throughout this current spell. And so to today’s opponents Liverpool, who are an extremely good team who will certainly be amongst those teams challenging for the title at the end of the season in May, which means that’s todays challenge is going to be one of our most difficult ones of the season. At the same time, I know my players are more than capable of competing even against the very best teams in this league and we have demonstrated that on multiple occasions. Enjoy the game

Welcome back to Selhurst Park for a second home game this week – we’re looking forward to seeing you for this early kick-off, and to what I’m sure will be an incredible atmosphere.

t goes without saying that we have been disappointed by recent results, but I can tell you that we are working on the training ground every day to make sure we can turn things around. Some of these players I have known for a long time and others I got to know just this summer, but each and every member of the squad is invested in the success of this football club and we are pushing on the pitch to return to the results we all want to see. We managed to come from behind against West Ham United last weekend, with Odsonne’s fantastic finish earning us a valuable point on the road. Your travelling support was heard loud and clear once again – every member of the dressing room comments on how much it spurs us on, so I cannot thank you enough for getting behind us all the way. On Wednesday night against Bournemouth we fell behind early on, and although we pushed hard for an equaliser it never came. In the wake of a disappointing result like that, focus turns to making amends next time out. Thank you

It goes without saying that we have been disappointed by recent results, but I can tell you that we are working on the training ground every day to make sure we can turn things around

captain

to everyone who overcame travel disruption, train strikes and more to get down to Selhurst Park and get behind the team. Congratulations to the Under-21s who continued their success in Europe by beating Benfica in the Premier League International Cup. Benfica are one of the most prolific academies in world football and have produced countless worldclass players, so it is a real sign of how far Palace have come that our youngsters can go toe-to-toe with Europe’s best and emerge victorious. I am familiar with a number of the U21s from their time training with the first-team, and I wish them the very best of luck for the remainder of the campaign. Now attention turns to Liverpool, who are enjoying a stellar season so far. We have plenty of experience facing Jürgen Klopp’s side, and last season we did well to earn a point both at home and away, coming close to victory at

We heard you loud and clear at Turf Moor, so now I ask you to give us that same support and backing in south London – when Selhurst Park is at its loudest, it is hard for even the very best teams to play their usual game. I know you will be right behind us as always

captain

Anfield. My own experience against Liverpool goes back further and includes some of my best memories of playing for the club, including a huge win in 2014 – capped by a superb free-kick from Mile – and, of course, our comeback from three goals down in our first season back in the Premier League. We have been working hard to get ourselves in the best possible position for today’s game, and I want to thank you in advance for your support from the first whistle to the last. It makes such a difference for us – particularly against teams battling for the title – that Selhurst Park is an intimidating atmosphere and a difficult place to come, and I know that will be the case once again today. I hope we can produce a performance that will do you proud. God Bless. JW

Welcome to supporters, players, staff and directors of Liverpool to Selhurst Park for today’s lunchtime kick-off. Welcome as always to each and every Crystal Palace supporter here to get behind Roy’s team.

ollowing a disappointing game on Wednesday, I know the players and Roy will be anxious to give a strong performance and hopefully get a result out of today’s game against a top opponent. Your support as always will be crucial and thank you to everyone for sticking with us in what is proving a difficult run. I would like to commend club captain Joel Ward on his remarkable achievement of becoming our most capped player in the Premier League, overtaking Wilfried Zaha. Joel has been a consummate professional since joining us more than a decade ago, and I’m sure milestones will continue to be achieved, with 300 Premier League appearances on the horizon. Joel also epitomises the fighting spirit that his teammates will need to demonstrate to help get us get back to winning ways. As I said on Amazon prematch, whilst we hope that some players in the medical room will return as soon as possible, we

Joel has been a consummate professional since joining us more than a decade ago, and I’m sure milestones will continue to be achieved, with 300 Premier League appearances on the horizon

chairman

will be trying to strengthen in the January window and to cover longer-term injuries, in particular Cheick, who has been such a consistent and quality performer since joining nearly 18 months ago. Congratulations to Darren Powell’s Under-21s side who beat Benfica 2-1 on Wednesday night in the Premier League International Cup, a tournament the team finished runners-up in last season. The tournament is an excellent yardstick where the players come up against Europe’s best young talent, and it is very encouraging that results continue to be positive in such an elite competition yet again this season, with two wins and a draw so far. On Friday we revealed our limited edition fourth shirt, which our women’s team will play in on Sunday in their FA Cup match; the men will don the shirt during their

The tournament is an excellent yardstick where the players come up against Europe’s best young talent, and it is very encouraging that results continue to be positive in such an elite competition yet again this season, with two wins and a draw so far

chairman

FA Cup clash against Everton. I think it’s a stunning design, and all proceeds from the sales go to our Foundation. It was fitting that the launch photography featured Nathaniel Clyne visiting his old primary school in Stockwell, with the charity continuing to expand their reach into more schools and delivering a variety of programmes to support even more young people in south London. Liverpool games are normally special, and I know everyone here will come together and positively support Roy’s team, as you have done on many occasions over the years. Up the Palace!

Will Hughes is a modern midfielder brought up in the ‘old-school’. Now, as an experienced leader in the Palace dressing room, he tells Will Robinson about the balancing act between tough love and support, welcoming Academy prospects to training and setting a culture in the dressing room…

hen Will Hughes sets out to do a programme interview, he can’t help but speak his mind. As he sits down, he jokingly prepares us for ‘all the clichés’, but it soon becomes clear that this won’t be the case. While on the pitch he is a modern Premier League midfielder, off it Hughes is a self-professed member of the footballing ‘old school’. A first-team player at 16-years-old and now with more than a decade of top-level action behind him, Hughes is part of one of the strongest Crystal Palace squads in years, both in terms of ability on the pitch and their bond off it. It’s a sense of community and togetherness that he can sum up in far simpler and more direct terms: “There are no…. how do I phrase it? No k***heads.” That just about sums it up. In a Premier League dressing room, packed full of characters from every conceivable background, culture and nationality, there is a unity fostered in south London. “It’s difficult [in football], because there are so many different players from different places with egos and different personalities,” Hughes says. “It’s one of the best dressing rooms I’ve ever played in. No k***heads – are you going to put that in the programme?! “Everyone gets on with each other, everyone talks to each other. It is an enjoyable dressing room to be in.” The meeting of

It’s difficult [in football], because there are so many different players from different places with egos and different personalities, It’s one of the best dressing rooms I’ve ever played in. No k***heads – are you going to put that in the programme?!

Will hughes

different cultures is an opportunity to learn from one another both on and off the pitch. “You have got people from all over the world,” he explains. “You learn so many different things. When I broke through at my first club, it was very British-based. Then you come here and there are people from all around the world, and it’s so nice to find out about different things and learn so many different things.” There is a reason why players like Hughes are so valued at Premier League football clubs. They set a culture of performance and dedication, something those at the very top look for throughout the club. On The Rest is Football podcast, Chairman Steve Parish made his thoughts abundantly clear: “I think your

You have got people from all over the world Will hughes

The characters in that dressing room were very big characters Will hughes

culture at the training ground is the most important thing.” Hughes agrees. “I would go along with that. For fans, they mainly see what happens on a Saturday at three o’clock – although nowadays it could be any time during the week – during the 90 minutes, but it happens all the way through the week. “The culture, the standards, the values of the club which relate to the team. How they train, how they act. It does relate to results.” Over summer, Palace lost two influential club servants who help to set that culture: Luka Milivojevic and James McArthur. Hughes says that it was important that other players step up to replace them. “You’re always going to miss players and characters like that. Macca and Luka were big voices around the changing room, so of course you are going to miss that to some extent. But we’ve still got experienced players that have come through – Schluppy, Wardy, Tonks – and so there is still guidance through that. “But it is generational – it’s changing football now. That is the way it is going. Without delving into too much detail, Roy [Hodgson] also guides us through with his experience and his wealth of knowledge. He does guide us. The same with Paddy [McCarthy] and Ray [Lewington], they all chip in. But it’s also got to come from the players to maintain those standards.” As an experienced player, Hughes can step up and influence

You’re always going to miss players and characters like that. Macca and Luka were big voices around the changing room, so of course you are going to miss that to some extent. But we’ve still got experienced players that have come through

Will hughes

the behaviour of the Academy players when they make the journey across Copers Cope Road to train with the first-team. He is chatting on the back of a training session which saw several youngsters called up to join the senior squad, and knows how important it is to take your opportunity. When he was just 16-years-old, he made his debut for Derby County against Peterborough United. It was a firm squad using tough love to bed in a talented youngster, with Nigel Clough and co. helping to shape the young Hughes into a professional footballer. “The characters in that dressing room were very big characters. Like I have said before, it is sink or swim. That has moulded me into the person I am today. It has helped improve me massively from a mental point of view.

“I mean, you’re a product of your environment. When I was brought through there, that was exactly what it was. It was an oldschool mentality, but I’m so glad I came through in that situation.” So how does Hughes nurture the young talent coming through in a changing footballing world? “It’s a bit of both,” he says of the balancing act between tough love and support. “They have got to integrate themselves, but of course you want to help them and if they ever want to have a word with you then I will always be there for them. “But you have also got to tell them how it is. I think football nowadays is a bit soft in a sense with younger players, but the lads we have got here have been brilliant. They take criticism on the chin, they want to learn and their attitude and quality has been top.” It’s not just the Academy players. Hughes also picks out 19-year-old Matheus França, who arrived from Flamengo in his native Brazil without speaking a word of English this summer. “His English has come on brilliantly. He has come on leaps and bounds since he first came, and that has only been a short period of time.” Hughes surpassed 50 Crystal Palace appearances this season, but knows that competition for places is higher than ever with the arrival of Cheick Doucouré and Jefferson Lerma over the past two summers – additions which he says, despite overcoming the language barriers,

you have also got to tell them how it is. I think football nowadays is a bit soft in a sense with younger players, but the lads we have got here have been brilliant. They take criticism on the chin, they want to learn and their attitude and quality has been top

Will hughes

will drive things forwards in the midfield department. “The standard is really high, and I think that is the best way to be,” he says. “You don’t want to be in a team where you are starting and there are only two or three midfielders. You would get complacent, so we keep each other on our toes and if one is not performing we know that the other man is going to come in and take your place, so it keeps the standards high in matches and in training. “Jefferson is brilliant. He is a warrior, a fighter. What you see in the matches we also see in training. He wants to win. He is very competitive and a brilliant addition. “Even if English isn’t your strongest language, you learn words that you would use on the pitch and it comes quite naturally.

The standard is really high, and I think that is the best way to be Will hughes

at Selhurst Park we can give anyone a game Will hughes

Off the pitch, you learn to know what they are saying through various ways of communicating. “I am my own player. You have to adapt your game on occasion but at the same time you have to realise why you are in the team and play your own game as well. Each of us has got our own qualities, and when we are playing with each other it blends together, so it is nice.” Now, with Liverpool ahead and moving into the busy festive period, Hughes knows the whole squad will be pushing one another on to move into the new year in a strong position. “International and European players are more than used to playing a couple of

I am my own player. You have to adapt your game on occasion but at the same time you have to realise why you are in the team and play your own game as well. Each of us has got our own qualities, and when we are playing with each other it blends together

times a week – I think on a lot of occasions the top players are playing even more than Championship and League One teams. We need to rotate players as well and we’ve got a good enough squad to do that. “[Liverpool] have gone back to what they do best this season. Everyone was writing them off after one season when they struggled for a bit, and everyone starts piling on them saying that they are finished. But that is what brilliant teams do: they come back and perform when they have to. “You’ve got to respect them, you’ve got to understand their strengths. They’re going to be Will hughes

hard to stop but you can’t always just rely on trying to stop teams. We’ve got players ourselves that can cause them a lot of damage so we have to utilize them as well, so it’s a balancing act. We know it’s going to be tough. They’ve got world class players, but we know at Selhurst Park we can give anyone a game.” In a dressing room like the one at Crystal Palace, where all players – young, old, experienced, new arrivals, Academy or more – are pulling one direction, that is not a bold claim: in south London, the Eagles can take on any opposition. Just ask Will Hughes

the follow -up

This season, we’re putting your questions to members of the Palace squad. To have a chance of seeing your question answered by a first-team star, just head to cpfc.co.uk and submit your burning enquiries…

will hughes What do you remember about your first game at Selhurst Park? Natalie Buchan We won 3-1. It was a Sunday. I got an assist to Tony Tonks – he put it in from a couple of yards out. It was nice to get a win, it was a good atmosphere under the lights.

Who was your favourite player growing up and why? Ciaran Wood Steven Gerrard was always my favourite growing up, just because of his persona, how he acted on the pitch. Ability-wise he was incredible, but also a tough-tackler and a leader. He had everything.

Who are the best players you have played with and against?

If footballers were like boxers and had a walkout song, what would yours be?

Philip Maidens Against, in midfield, it would be Kevin De Bruyne. Eden Hazard is up there as well. If you go near him he just gets past you, so definitely those two. Played with…that’s a tricky question. Etienne Capoue is up there, because ability-wise he could put it on a sixpence from anywhere. He was a very naturally gifted performer. But I reckon now, I’d say I will look back after my career and say Ebere Eze, Michael Olise and Marc Guéhi. When their careers are done, they will have gone to great heights.

Susan Shah That is a great question. It depends, is it your favourite song or one that is going to get you going? If it was just a favourite song, I would go for Blinded By The Lights by The Streets. That’s a good one, that works. I do like an 80s or 90s classic vibe…I’m overthinking this. Let’s whack on The Streets.

the follow-up

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01/09/2023 12:42

liverpool

liverpool Opposition preview After the disappointment of missing out on Champions League football last season, Jürgen Klopp has his Liverpool side back firing and they will be in the conversation when the destination of the Premier League trophy is decided in May. Talisman Mo Salah remained at Anfield over summer despite big-money interest from Saudi Arabia, and is back among the goals. With the increased confidence of Darwin Núñez, alongside the consistency of Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota and Luis Díaz, Klopp has an embarrassment of riches going forwards. A complete midfield upheaval has had success, with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho

this season pos

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Top Scorer MO SALAH (10) Most assists mo salah {6}

the reds

replaced by Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo, and now Klopp’s ‘Liverpool 2.0’ is ready to make another charge for silverware. Two late goals at Anfield to complete a dramatic turnaround against Fulham was a reminder of Liverpool of old, thanks to Trent Alexander-Arnold's winner. Victory in midweek over Sheffield United confirmed their status as one of the in-form sides in the league. If Klopp can get his side back to their quadruple-chasing best then they will take some stopping this season – can they maintain their title-push in the face of reigning champions Manchester City and last season’s runners up Arsenal? The busy festive period might go a long way to providing us with the answer.

Manager Jürgen Klopp Twice a title-winner in Germany with Borussia Dortmund and only denied a European triumph by Bayern Munich at Wembley, Klopp became the first manager to guide Liverpool to the title for 30 years in 2020. He has won a Champions League, an FA Cup and a League Cup at Anfield to complete the set.

liverpool

Starting xi

0-2 SHEFFIELD UNITED √ LIVERPOOL WED 6 DEC / BRAMALL LANE

C. Kelleher

Adrián

T. Alexander-Arnold

M. Pitaluga

I. Konaté

D. Núñez

V. Van Dijk

C. Jones

J. Gomez

H. Elliott

D. Szoboszlai

K. Tsimikas

W. Endo

R. Gravenberch

A. Mac Allister

J. Quansah

M. Salah

C. Bradley

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BOOT IN BOTH CAMPS Christian Benteke Benteke joined Liverpool in a huge £32.5m deal in 2015, but after a season at Anfield he joined Palace, going on to become the club’s secondhighest Premier League scorer.

23 MAY 2021 ANFIELD

18 SEPTEMBER 2021 ANFIELD

23 JANUARY 2022 selhurst park

15 AUGUST 2022 ANFIELD

25 FEBRUARY 2023 SELHURST PARK

liverpool

briefing What’s the story? Liverpool were founded via a split at existing club Everton. In 1892, Anfield was already hosting sell-out games on Merseyside – but the home side was Everton, not Liverpool. However, when the committee fell out with Club President and owner of the land at Anfield John Houlding, Everton relocated across Stanley Park to Goodison Park. Left with an empty stadium, Houlding found himself in a tricky situation, and launched a new club as a result: Liverpool FC. Initially, the club played in blue and white quartered shirts before adopting the city’s traditional red in 1896 – however, for almost 70 years they wore red shirts and white shorts rather than the familiar all-red. That all changed before a European fixture against Belgian side Anderlecht in 1964. Legendary

striker and broadcaster Ian St John remembers the moment in his autobiography: “He [Bill Shankly] thought the colour scheme would carry psychological impact – red for danger, red for power. “He came into the dressing room one day and threw a pair of red shorts to Ronnie Yeats. ‘Get into those shorts and let's see how you look’, he said. ‘Christ, Ronnie, you look awesome, terrifying. You look seven feet tall.’ ‘Why not go the whole hog, boss?’ I suggested. ‘Why not wear red socks? Let's go out all in red.’ Shankly approved and an iconic kit was born.” You’ll Never Walk Alone first became a part of Liverpool folklore when local group Gerry and the Pacemakers recorded their 1963 cover, which reached number one in the UK charts. Bill Shankley heard a preview of the new record, and decided to incorporate it into the club. “Gerry my son,” Shankley told

lead singer Gerry Marsden, “I have given you a football team and you have given us a song.”

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the greatest manager Bill shankly In some ways Shankly created the modern behemoth that is Liverpool Football Club. He took over with the club in the Second Division, and transformed them into the country’s dominant side. “My idea was to build Liverpool up and up until eventually everyone would have to submit and give in,” he said, and the results speak for themselves: three league titles, two FA Cups, a UEFA Cup and a club primed to dominate English football for years to come.

3-3p ac milan √ liverpool Champions League 25 may 2005 / atatÜrk olympic stadium

Three goals down at half-time, considered to be down and out. This was an iconic Milan side: Cafu, Jaap Stam, Paolo Maldini, Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo, Kaka, the list goes on and on. But Liverpool pulled one back soon after half-time, before Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso completed the comeback. In the shoot-out, Jerzy Dudek was the hero (no comments about ‘keepers off their line, please), saving from Andriy Shevchenko to crown the Reds as European champions.

liverpool

Kenny Dalglish Known as ‘King Kenny’ for a reason. Making 515 appearances and scoring 172 goals for the club, he lit up the Kop year after year during a golden period for the club, winning six league titles, three European Cups and an FA Cup among more. Becoming playermanager in 1985, he was one of the figures the city looked towards in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster, and was a giant figure in holding together a community in mourning.

01 02 05 Joe Gomez

Ibahima Konaté

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21 32 alisson Kostas Tsimikas

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Joël Matip

Arguably the league’s best goalkeeper and twice winner of the Golden Glove, Alisson transformed Liverpool after his arrival and has won every prize up for grabs. He has 61 caps for Brazil, winning the Copa America.

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Premier League Player of the Season in 2018/19 as he led Liverpool to a first title in three decades, and his absences have been keenly felt whenever Klopp’s side have been forced to make do without.

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A major part of Klopp’s midfield rebuild has been the arrival of the energetic Hungarian from RB Leipzig, who has quickly become a fan-favourite for his work on and off the ball. He is a mainstay at international level.

Andrew Robertson

66 78 Trent Alexander-Arnold

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from Could Robertson go down as the manager’s best signing? A relative unknown when he arrived for just £8 million, he became one of the world’s most consistent left-backs and has been integral to Klopp’s success.

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After a difficult first season settling in from Benfica, Núñez has become Liverpool’s main focal point in attack and is halfway to last season’s total goal tally already. With Uruguay he is the heir to Luis Suarez.

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Curtis Jones

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Ryan Gravenberch

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from Signed by Brighton from Argentinos Juniors, Mac Allister became a key part of both his Premier League and international side, winning the 2022 World Cup and earning a move to Anfield.

43 07 11 Stefan Bajcetic

Luis Díaz

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Ben Doak

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Gakpo impressed at the 2022 World Cup, scoring in all three group games. He moved to Liverpool in January after working under Ruud van Nistelrooy at PSV, scoring his first goal against Everton.

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from What else can be said about one the greatest Premier League players of all-time? Salah is approaching 200 goals for Liverpool and sits fifth in the club’s charts, behind only two players in the post-war era.

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Delivered by:

Stat zone

Crystal Palace are winless in their last 12 Premier League meetings with Liverpool (D2 L10), their longest ongoing winless run against an opponent.

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trent Alexander-Arnold

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211

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327

tackle success

64%

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259

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ASSISTS

passes

3346

passes per match

21.59

crosses

125

shots

320

shooting accuracy

40%

big chances created

offides

tackles

140

tackle success

39%

played 10 5

goals

penalties won

penalties scored

clean sheets

yellow cards

red cards

23/24 season goals 14

314

recoveries

1353

duels won

598

assists

passes

12832

passes per match

60.82

cross accuracy

26%

21 14

average possesion 45.9% 58.6%

pass accuracy 78.5% 83.7%

clean sheets 5 5

tackles 298 230

liverpool

forward

Diogo Jota

clearances

conceded

Eagle Eye John Gibbons is a content creator and regular contributor to the awardwinning Liverpool podcast and website The Anfield Wrap.

Can Liverpool sustain a title-charge this season?

Who is a name for the future to keep an eye on?

It’s looking possible! Points wise, we are ahead of where I thought we would be at this stage and we should get better as the team continues to gel. Man City always finish strongly but then so do Liverpool so there is growing confidence we’ll be there or there abouts.

I absolutely love Ben Doak. He has the fearlessness the best young players have and doesn’t give defenders a minute of peace on or off the ball. He should have a great career.

Europa League football: one-season inconvenience or a trophy to be won? It’s been fun to play new teams, actually, and it’s a good chance to give squad and young players a go. The final being in Dublin is a great incentive and it’s the only trophy Jürgen Klopp hasn’t won at Liverpool. But yes, just one year then back in the Champions League, please.

Who is Liverpool’s most important player – and whose contribution flies under the radar? I think Liverpool fans are realising just how important Alisson Becker is after we conceded three goals without him at home to Fulham last weekend. He will still be out for the Palace game which is a worry. Aside from that we have quality in most areas and can interchange but watch out for Trent Alexander-Arnold and his new boots!

Is this Jürgen Klopp’s ‘Liverpool 2.0’? The team needed an overhaul and that’s what it got. I’ve never known a team buy a completely new midfield in one summer and a lot of the forward line are pretty new as well, Mo Salah aside. But it’s exciting and the new signings have settled in remarkably well so far. It’s great to have the energy back in the team! That is crucial for a Klopp team. liverpool

We meet again From memorable meetings to tense transfers to shared stories, Palace have their own personal tale to tell for each of our Premier League opposition this season. Here, a tense cup tie sees legends past and future meet…

THE FIRST (AND SECOND) OF MANY The FA Cup third round draw: as glamorous now as it was almost a century ago. For plucky Crystal Palace, success over Kettering Town and Accrington Stanley meant that the Division Three South side were handed a tie against First Division Liverpool, set to mark the first meeting between the two clubs. Liverpool were not the serial title winners they would soon become; although they had won the league on four occasions they were without a title in 15 years and were yet to taste success in the FA Cup. For Palace manager Tom Bromilow, it meant a reunion with the club he had represented with such distinction: 375 times as an accomplished left-half, winning titles in 1922 and 1923. Liverpool, meanwhile, boasted a young Scot in their ranks who would go on to become one of the greatest managers the game has ever seen: then plain-old Matt Busby. The Glaziers were a little out of form going into the game at Selhurst Park on 8th January 1938 and were missing both full-

backs, but the players naturally hoped to raise their game in front of a rowdy 33,000-strong crowd. Palace started on the front-foot, enjoying greater possession but unable to penetrate Liverpool’s wellorganised defence. A makeshift Palace defence was aided by a huge shift from those in midfield, with manager Bromilow’s tactics paying off early on. In the second-half, played in a grey drizzle that would cause the pitch to become slick and greasy, Palace were once again the better side, with George Walker keeping John Shafto quiet – not an easy achievement for any player. With the game still goalless, the tension increased in the final stages as Palace pushed for a winning goal – and they nearly got their reward. Jackie Horton drove forwards, unleashing a drive that beat Arthur Riley in goal but was kept out by a defender on the line. The rebound was smashed over the crossbar. It finished 0-0, meaning a replay at Anfield four days later. Both clubs picked the same starting lineups, and once again Palace started brightly. They must have thought their luck was liverpool

in when Liverpool were handed the opportunity to take the lead before half-time from the penalty spot, but Alf Hanson fired wide. The hosts were made to rue their profligacy 10 minutes into the second-half when Ernie Waldron nipped in to head home from close-range and give Palace the lead. However, it didn’t last long, and Shafto headed home a controversial equaliser moments later with the Glaziers appealing for handball. With the scores level, Liverpool pushed for a winner in extra-time and, with both sides carrying injuries, and two goals – including a penalty converted – saw them progress into the fourth round as 3-1 victors.

Palace: Chesters, Turton, Booth, Lievesley, Walker, Collins, Pritchard, Gillespie, Palethorpe, Waldron, Horton.

Liverpool: Riley, Cooper, Harley, Busby, Rogers, Bush, Nieuwenhuys, Taylor, Shafto, Fagan, Hanson.

‘It’ is discrimination, in all its forms. Racism. Homophobia, Misogyny. Disablism. If you have seen it or heard it, follow the QR code to report it to Kick It Out. Together, we can put an end to it.

Take action today at kickitout.org arsenal

THROUGH THE LENS

PALACE V BOURNEMOUTH

through the lens

WELCOME TO THE CLUB Play Now

arsenal

ben bailey-smith

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...

AN EAGLE IN EXILE Okay before we start I just want to clarify that I’m writing this article after the West Ham game but before the Bournemouth game, for which I wrote my piece before the West Ham game but after the Luton game. Clear? “Crystal”. Weird as that all is, it’s probably fitting as we enter the festive season in earnest, because it’s always December when I start to forget what day of the week it is. All I can say is I hope Santa brought us some footballing gifts against Bournemouth and if he didn’t, well – bah humbug. Onto the might of Liverpool then. Never easy playing a team challenging for the title, but upsetting the certainty of the Big Guns is easily my favourite Palace trait, so never say never (even though I clearly started this sentence with that very word). They didn’t beat us home or away last season so hey, shrug emojis all round. There’s something deeply evocative about Crystal Palace v Liverpool for me. Obviously there’s been some great moments in recent

upsetting the certainty of the Big Guns is easily my favourite Palace trait, so never say never (even though I clearly started this sentence with that very word). They didn’t beat us home or away last season so hey, shrug emojis all round

ben bailey-smith

memory – of course the iconic 3-3 of Crystanbul, Julian Gray helping dump them out of the FA Cup back in 03 or my personal favourite: Marco Reich scoring the winner to knock them out of the League Cup while they were still European Champions... But we have to go back a lot further to understand why the fixture means so much to me. You see, Liverpool are actually an integral part of why I’m a Palace fan. I’ll set the scene: it’s the end of the summer holidays, 1989. In September I would start my first year at secondary school. A huge deal for any kid, exciting and daunting in equal measure, although my outlook somewhat favoured the daunting side due to my existential dread of the first footballing conversation with my new peers. Having south London raised, Palace supporting parents is all fine and dandy when you’re growing up in say, Thornton Heath, but when they’ve upped sticks to North London and you’re playing football with loads of QPR, Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal fans, you tend to keep your affiliations quiet. Which is exactly what I did. I’m not proud of it. Now, I mentioned fans of London clubs there, but in my area they were dwarfed by Liverpool supporters. They were the undisputed team of the ’80s, young kids are instinctive glory hunters and the school playground is all about footballing bragging rights and taking the mick out of anyone who supports “losers”. First week of September and the inevitable question started coming at

You see, Liverpool are actually an integral part of why I’m a Palace fan. I’ll set the scene: it’s the end of the summer holidays, 1989 me after every breaktime kickabout, “who’d you support then?” My mealy-mouthed response was always the same: “Ah I just love football. Fan of the game.” One suspicious raised eyebrow after another… Only my neighbour knew I was a Palace fan. He was Spurs and was the only kid I’d talk Palace with. Little did I know he’d betray me only a week later.. September 13th. The back pages of every newspaper and the concrete of every schoolyard in the country was buzzing with the news of a record-breaking result in Anfield. The mighty Reds had crushed Palace nine goals to nil. NINE. It was pure ben bailey-smith

comedy for every football-loving kid in my school. I chuckled along, crying inside. Suddenly: “Oi, know who supports Palace? Ben!” Traitor! Then and there began a ribbing that lasted not days or weeks, but months. “Why’d you support Palace?” “They’re rubbish!” “You’re not even from south London! Haha!” That last one was pretty rich coming from a bunch of cockney Liverpool fans. Fast forward to the Spring of 1990. I’ve heard every joke there is about Palace by this point, but the undeniable fact is – we’re having a cheeky little cup run. We make the semi-finals! And we’re drawn against the very same team who walloped us 9-0! Now, you have to understand, back then the FA Cup was huge. Semi-Final and Final day gripped the nation, it was feverish. And, much to the nation’s patronising amusement, lowly Palace were still involved. No-one in the industry or in the playground gave us a hope in Hell. Then Villa Park happened. Wow. I walked into school on the Monday with a pride I’d never felt before. I strutted through the breaktime kickabouts, shouting “Pardew!” whenever I let off a shot. And lo, did the Plastic Scousers bow down in my wake, for thenceforth, from the day of April 8th, 1990, did I stand atop of any playground in Kilburn and say it loud, say it proud: EEEEEEEEEAGLES!

It’s an exciting time to be coming through the Academy at Crystal Palace – each week, hear from one of the next generation on their journey so far…

i joe whitworth Age

Joined

Under-12s

Position

Goalkeeper Career highlight so far

Making his Premier League debut for the club against Brighton & Hove Albion in March 2023. Take note of A modern-day goalkeeper not only good at shot-stopping, but also confident with the ball at his feet and capable of playing out.

joe whitworth

have been training a lot and travelling with the first-team, getting a lot of experience under my belt, but I’ve also been trying to get a lot of game time to keep sharp with the Under-21s. When young players train across the road with the first-team it’s a really big thing. Giving players the opportunity to impress or train with the first-team is an opportunity to bridge the gap. What also helped with bridging that gap was playing against first-team sides in the EFL Trophy. There's a big difference between youth level football and first-team football, but the competition really did help in everyone’s development. When we first competed in the competition we had to learn a lot about the intensity of playing teams in League One and League Two and managing the game. I first played in it two years ago and that was the first time I played in front of a proper crowd. In youth football you’re playing a lot of teams that pass it around and play out from the back, however in the lower leagues it’s tougher as you sometimes face

teams who are more direct with a different setup. As a goalkeeper that was a big eye-opener for me, coming up against that style of football, but it made me consider what I could do to impact the game and manage the game. In the EFL Trophy we had to manage and adapt the way we played based on the score and how they set up.

We went 1-0 down midway through the half against Brighton, so we had to adapt accordingly and as a goalkeeper I’m trying to decide when to quicken the game up and where to distribute under pressure It’s a group stage setup where we’re all competing for three points, by any means necessary, but for us we had to play at the best of our ability to get three points. We tried to make good decisions in games as they happened and get used to the intensity very quickly. I made my professional debut in March 2023, starting against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. It was a massive moment for me and a proud moment for my family too as we are all Palace fans. joe whitworth

My experiences from the games in the EFL Trophy definitely helped me when I was making my debut and in the following game against Arsenal. We went 1-0 down midway through the half against Brighton, so we had to adapt accordingly and as a goalkeeper I’m trying to decide when to quicken the game up and where to distribute under pressure. Giving young players the opportunity to step up against professional first-team sides who are fighting for three points on a Saturday, in the EFL Trophy, is definitely something that helps with their development and can help bridge the gap between youth level football and the first-team.

Speaking at the Crystal Palace Business Club, Academy Director Gary Issott explained the story behind the Academy’s progression – hear the full story below.

next generation When I turned up at the training ground for the first time in 2005, there was one pitch for the first-team to train on, there was a muddy pitch under a dome and two other pitches for 12 youth sides. We have come a long way now, with our new facility. We’ve got a full-sized dome, which is one of only three in the country. It gives you a lot: it allows the boys to train inside on a full pitch, and we can get thousands of players in from the local community to use it as a scouting resource. The next phase is coming at the start of next year, with swimming pools and hydrotherapy pools – even the first-team will benefit from this. It’s also being used by the Palace for Life Foundation for events, and by our women’s team. I think what we’ve built is within the top five in the country, relative to other facilities up and down the country and in the world. It gives us every opportunity to run a programme exactly how we want. When you’ve got little

to no resources, or are restricted in certain ways, you’ve got to be innovative. Where we were before, on an undersized astroturf, you couldn’t do crossing and finishing, you couldn’t do a back-four as the pitch wasn’t wide enough. We had to make certain scenarios on those small pitches in the hope that the players could take that into the matches. The reality back then was that the players could only practise 11 v 11 on a matchday. In terms of retention, we’ve got everything we need here at the Academy

Academy to ensure players can become the best they can be. The Category 1 Games Programme, too, sees us play the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United week in, week out and sees us compete in competitions like the EFL Trophy and the Premier League International Cup, which also helps us. Good coaching does help develop and get the most out of players, but it’s the teams you play against and the need to be at your best every week against tough opposition which also helps bring

players on as well. A combination of the Games Programme and the coaching is part of the pull, along with the facilities. The youth reform back in 2010 introduced the EPPP (Elite Player Performance Plan) to help bring English clubs up to standard in terms of their youth systems. We were typically getting the boys in on a Tuesday or Thursday night and playing on Saturday, while a lot of Europe and South America were getting the boys in schools from the age of 12 and getting about 20 hours of contact time a week. The EPPP created more jobs, more contact time for the players and better facilities for the players to come through in. You’re seeing it now in the national team, reaching finals and semi-finals of major tournaments with players who have progressed through the EPPP in recent years. You can never really know who gets a chance to progress to the first-team from the pool of players at the Academy. Sometimes it’s about getting the opportunity, and that may depend on positions, or sometimes it may be because of an injury crisis. There are a lot of players with a lot of potential who are capable of getting into the first-team. When you look back on Aaron WanBissaka getting into the first-team there were four or five injuries at that time which allowed him to play. It’s a similar story for Tyrick Mitchell as well a few years ago, who was given an opportunity because of an injury to Patrick van Aanholt.

when players come through the Academy you’d want to see all of them stay and take the club forward, but when they move on you’ll never forget about them

academy

In an ideal world, when players come through the Academy you’d want to see all of them stay and take the club forward, but when they move on you’ll never forget about them. There's nothing better for myself or the Academy staff than to come and watch the players who have progressed through the Academy play for the first-team.

Following the final international break of 2023, Crystal Palace Women return to action this Sunday, 10th December (13:00 GMT) with an FA Cup third-round tie against Chatham Town at the VBS Community Stadium in Sutton.

Chatham currently play in the FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division. Having finished seventh last season, they are currently 11th in the table, but reached the third round with an eye-catching 5-4 win over AFC Wimbledon. Palace will be looking to go further in the Cup than last season, when they defeated Watford 5-1 in the third round, but fell in the fourth away at Durham. Matchday in Sutton will once again offer up plenty of family-friendly fun, with indoor activities and the opportunity to meet the players at the end of the game. Turnstiles will open at 12:00 GMT. As a brilliant family day out, a family of four non-Members (two adults and two children) can take advantage of a group offer and buy their tickets for just £25. Season Ticket holders and Members can grab tickets for just £5 online, with Under-16s paying just £2. Tickets are also available on the gate – although prices are discounted if booked online (even if booked onthe-day) via cpfc.co.uk. Please note that home matches in the Adobe Women's FA Cup are not included in 23/24 Women's Season Tickets.

Goal of the Month Shauna Guyatt’s stunning strike at Watford made it three consecutive Women’s Championship Goal of the Month awards for Palace players. The midfielder’s first-ever professional goal was one to remember at Grosvenor Vale, the 18-year-old picking the ball up 30 yards from goal, turning sharply and smashing a brilliant effort in via the underside of the bar. The goal was voted November’s best in the division, and marks a third consecutive Goal of the Month trophy, after Annabel

Blanchard won September’s prize and Araya Dennis took October’s. Congratulations, Shauna!

Internationals Several Crystal Palace Women’s players were called up by their countries in the winter international break, with Elise Hughes starting and scoring her first-ever goal for Wales – a late consolation against Iceland – and Araya Dennis notching a goal and an assist for England Under-19s. You can find out more about how Palace’s players got on via cpfc.co.uk. women

Age 30 Position Defender Nationality English Signed

Annabel Johnson

2019 - London Bees

Versatile defender Annabel Johnson represented Team GB as a captain at the World University Games in Taipei in 2017, and wore Palace’s armband regularly between 2020 and 2023. She remains an important leader within the squad.

We spoke to Annabel about her role in Palace’s last outing…

It’s always an honour to get on the pitch and play with this group of girls – they’re very special anabel johnson

We went in goalless at half-time – so how good was it to emerge 3-0 winners? The first-half was one we expected against Watford. We had lots of changes to our team, especially myself, having not played so much this season, so we needed to work within chunks to build our momentum back up. I know we train with each other, but on the pitch, it’s slightly different to build momentum up. We had a good half-time team-talk. That gave us solutions which, credit to us, we put in straight away, and then we had loads of energy, loads of positivity, a great attitude and scored some great goals as well.

How good was it to go into the international break with a win? Brilliant! It was a good clean sheet for us. It was important to win after our last match [a league defeat to Southampton]. We just want to get into the habit of fixing problems quickly and bouncing back as quickly as possible, and we ticked that off, so it was a job really well done by the whole team. How important is it to recover from disappointments quickly? Very important. That’s the second time this season we’ve bounced back instantly after a loss – albeit we’ve only lost twice! But it’s annabel johnson

a fantastic attitude to get into. It will bode well for us in the long-term. It’s a fantastic habit to get into, and it could be really important for us in both the league and cup competitions. As a defender, you must be happy with a clean sheet… I’m buzzing! There was loads of defending in the first-half, and that’s what I want! I want to keep practising and keep on my toes for whenever I’m needed for the team. I’m really happy with that and it’s always an honour to get on the pitch and play with this group of girls – they’re very special.

For more than 150 years, Palace have paved a way into the history books, navigating wild misadventures, cult heroes, political and social changes and all the ups and downs that come with them. Step back into another world…

retro palace

History Makers Palace players past and tantalising titbits from eras gone by: club historian Ian King takes us through the wacky, weird and wonderful history of Crystal Palace one new tale at a time.

TOM BROMILOW

re-war footballing heroes are often forgotten, but that should not be the case for Tom Bromilow, a man deeply connected with both Crystal Palace and Liverpool in both his playing and managerial career. Bromilow was born in Liverpool in 1894 and served in the First World War, coming home with the desire to represent his home town club. In 1919 he went to Anfield to ask for a trial, and fulfilled his ambition and then some: he played for Liverpool for 11 years, making 375 appearances, winning the First Divison twice and gaining five England caps. Making the bold move to travel to Amsterdam to embark on a coaching career, he returned after two years and became manager of Burnley. In July 1935,

he arrived at Selhurst Park as secretary-manager, replacing Jack Tresadern who had joined city-rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Palace had finished the previous season in fifth place in the Division Three South. Under Bromilow, they developed a reputation among supporters as an entertaining if inconsistent side, combining high-scoring victories with sudden defeats; their plight on the field was not helped by the deaths of two club chairmen in quick succession. After finishing sixth in his first season, Bromilow rocked the club by promptly resigning in the hope of being appointed Liverpool manager, but he was unsuccessful and moved to Newport County instead. Palace director R.S. Moyes took over as history makers

manager, but resigned in December with the club languishing in the bottom-half before Bromilow was persuaded to take the reigns once more on New Year’s Day 1937. Hopes were high that Palace might secure promotion in 1938/39. They led the division early on but were second by Boxing Day, five points behind leaders Newport County, and with only one side promoted their form was not enough to earn a place in the Second Tier. The club experimented with a friendly in Belgium, before meeting Newport in the league and attracting a then-record league attendance at Selhurst Park of 29,115. The Glaziers finished three points short of The Exiles, but Bromilow nonetheless was the only manager who came close to restoring Palace’s Second Division status in 35-years. In 1939, he left for Leicester City, leaving his successor George Irwin with a number of talented players – including Fred Dawes, Les Lievesley, Albert Wilson, Nick Collins and Arthur Hudgell – but the outbreak of the Second World War soon brought English football grinding to a halt.

weird and wonderful -

debuts and curtain calls The opening day of the 1980/81 season saw Palace travel to Anfield, handing debuts to Paul Barron and Clive Allen who had joined the club from Arsenal. In 1991 November, Alan Pardew made his final appearance for the club against Liverpool, while in 1994 Darren Pitcher, Andy Preece and Ray Wilkins made their bows at Selhurst Park – for Wilkins, a former-Manchester United player who was used to fiery clashes against Liverpool, it was to be his only Eagles appearance. More recently, Max Meyer made his debut in August 2018 against the Merseysiders, while Andros Townsend and Patrick van Aanholt waved goodbye by facing Jürgen Klopp’s side in 2021. In August 2022, Chris Richards made his Palace debut at Anfield in a 1-1 draw.

The first recorded ‘red card’ for a Palace player occurred back in September 1908 in the first competitive game between Palace and Croydon Common at The Crystal Palace. The player with the ignominious honour was Jimmy Bauchop, dismissed for kicking a Croydon player, but Palace were victorious nonetheless. Things got rather heated in 1911, when Albert Hatton was sent off in an ill-tempered game

Brief encounters wigan athletic Wigan Athletic were formed in 1932 following the demise of Wigan Borough, founded as the sixth attempt to establish a stable football club in the town. In 1978 Athletic were elected to the Football League in place of near neighbours Southport and by 2005 had reached the Premier League. A League Cup final

history makers

against Plymouth Argyle; his teammate – and lodger – Jimmy Williams was so annoyed that he aimed a kick another Argyle player, who in return punched him and both were sent off. In 1976 things boiled over at Rotherham United. Early in the second-half, both Derek Jeffries and Peter Taylor were booked, and it didn’t take long for both players to earn themselves a second yellow card and an early bath. As the final whistle sounded, Jim Cannon was shown a red card for his reaction as the players headed to the dressing rooms.

followed in 2006 before they beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final in 2013, but the club lost its Premier League status and since then have flitted between the Championship and League One. Palace and Wigan have so far only met in one league season, in 2003/04, as the Latics dished out a 5-0 hammering at the DW Stadium followed by a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park. There has been one League Cup tie in 2011

Times have changed over Crystal Palace’s rich and storied history. In each edition, we dust off the archive and reprint a story from one of the club’s historical programmes. This week, Kevin Day looks back proudly on a successful return to the Premier League – without any idea of the six-goal thriller that was about to unfold…

Crystal Palace √ liverpool – 20 may 2014

bout 15 minutes into the game on Sunday an angry fan behind me shouted: ‘Come on Palace, what are you doing?’ Well, after everything that has happened recently you can imagine what I felt about that – relief mainly, tinged with pleasure. That’s the Selhurst experience we know and love. The setback of an early goal had already brought on a rosy glow of nostalgia and the sound of an unnecessarily angry man shouting at a throwin made me feel right back at home. Because, I have to say, all this recent competence and half-decent football has had a vaguely unsettling effect. Let’s be honest, out loud we were saying we could stay up, but in our heart of hearts we all knew how this was going to pan out: we’d get a couple of wins to get our hopes up and then lose against someone useless because FROM THE ARCHIVE

Howard Webb wrongly sent off three of our players. Then Kayla the Eagle would accidentally drop a dead mouse in Julian’s hair just as he was about to face a vital penalty, a relegated Fulham would play their youth team against us who all turned out to be Brazilian and we would get points deducted after the angry but slightly dim owner of another club convinced the FA that we had tickled information out of his mascot. Not in our wildest dreams did we imagine that what would actually happen was five wins on the spin, some quality goals and

pretty much universal admiration from a lot of really knowledgeable pundits – and Robbie Savage. I know Palace fans who are already worried about ‘secondseason syndrome’. How grown up is that?! I guess there are Liverpool fans reading this who, unless they are really old, will be amused or bemused by that, and by the fact we are celebrating something that didn’t happen. But not being relegated for us represents an achievement as remarkable as winning the title would be for them. So big thanks to Keith Millen for steadying the ship (and for providing the subject of my comedy highlights of the season, when Chris Kamara said: “Four points from four games for Keith – it doesn’t get better than that.”) Huge thanks to our owners for resisting the urge to bring in a young manager who had been doing brilliantly in somewhere like, I don’t know, let’s say Norway, and for stumping up the cash in the transfer window. Tremendous thanks to the players for defying all expectations and turning themselves into Premier League footballers. Humungous thanks to you, without any doubt the best fans in the this league. And if tonight’s display from the creative geniuses in the HF turned out to be an actual waterfall with real red and blue mermaids, I wouldn’t be at all surprised. I am a very proud Palace fan

This article is reprinted verbatim. FROM THE ARCHIVE

1979

nineteen

seventynine

Football, fashion, music and more – step back in time to an era that had it all…

At the

manager: terry venables A recordbreaking night May 1979. A night that will stay etched in the memory of every Palace fan who had the privilege to be at Selhurst Park – and boy, there were many. As the team bus arrived, it had to force its way past more than 50,000 fans on the streets of south London, the buzz of anticipation in the air. For those without a ticket, nearby perches

atop surrounding trees made for an impromptu vantage point. The Eagles’ prognosis for their final fixture against Burnley was clear: lose and another season in Division Two beckoned, draw and promotion would be clinched, win and they would secure the championship from under the noses of league leaders Brighton. “We were under no illusions that it was just another game,” club legend Vince Hilaire recalled. “We came out of the hotel and in the coach it took us about 45 minutes for a five-minute journey because of the crowds.” The visitors started strongly and the tension grew, before Ian Walsh met Hilaire’s inchperfect cross to spark jubilation – and a short-lived pitch invasion. Order was restored and the match could continue, only for Dave Swindlehurst to seal the title with barely 90 seconds of normal time remaining. Hilaire, joining the celebrations after having a key role to play in both goals, later recalled a unique set-back having an apparent advantage: “Early in the match I took a bang on the head and the retro palace

game was a little bit of a blur because I was slightly concussed. I got two assists so a few people said: ‘I think you should play concussed more often!’” At the final whistle the throng of fans re-invaded the playing surface as Jim Cannon led his teammates to the director’s box. Several miles up and flying to America with the season firmly behind them, rumour has it the Brighton squad found out about Palace’s title-clinching win as their Eagles-supporting pilot broke the news.

Music

top 5 singles 1

Bright Eyes

Art Garfunkel

Heart of Glass

Blondie

We Don’t Talk Anymore

Cliff Richard

I Don’t Like Mondays

The Boomtown Rats

When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman

Dr. Hook

Fashion

Films

Disco had taken over. Flares and cloth shirts could be seen across the dance floor, while John Travolta’s white suit in the 1977 classic Saturday Night Fever set tongues wagging. There was an alternative, however, as the mods came rolling back into town on their Vespa scooters, marking a return from their ‘60s heyday.

Life of Brian

Moonraker

Alien

Rocky II

Apocalypse Now

02 february Sex Pistols lead singer Sid Vicious found dead aged 21 09 february Trevor Francis signs for Nottingham Forest to become the first £1m footballer

01 may Queen Elizabeth II opens the Jubilee Line

04 may Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister

12 october The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy is published, selling 250,000 copies in three months

09 may Liverpool are crowned champions for a record 11th time

12 may Arsenal beat Manchester United 3-2 in a classic FA Cup final

30 may Nottingham Forest beat Malmö in Munich to become European champions

retro palace

Treat yours-elf... 58

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inside palace

SUPPORT LOCAL FAMILIES THIS CHRISTMAS

ou can now help to support local families this Christmas by donating to our foodbank appeal, which is open to fans every home matchday in December – or, if you can’t make it to Selhurst Park, you can make a financial donation to programmes that provide free hot food and sporting activities for children on free school meals. Foodbanks are preparing for their worst winter yet, according to the foodbank charity The Trussell Trust. They expect to provide more than a million emergency food parcels across the country between 23rd December and 2nd

January; that is one food parcel every eight seconds, with 7,000 people seeking support each day. With the help of our sponsor, Utilita Giving, we are inviting Palace fans to support local families with the continuing cost of living crisis by calling for donations of long-life food items and essentials to our Christmas Foodbank appeal, which is running at Selhurst Park throughout December. All items donated will be distributed by the Brixton and Norwood foodbank and will be given to local families who are facing the challenging of rising living costs. foundation

Last year, Palace fans made a huge impact on the community by donating a whopping 550 essential items to our appeal and raised nearly £800 towards our Holiday, Activities and Food programme, which provides free hot meals and sporting activities during the school holidays for children on free school meals

WHAT SHOULD I DONATE? The Brixton and Norwood foodbank are currently looking for a variety of tinned items such as: tinned soup, tinned tomatoes, tinned fish, tinned fruit, tinned rice pudding and tinned custard.

Non-food items are also important, like: shower gel, shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, toilet rolls, washingup liquid, sanitary products and laundry detergent pods.

when can I DONATE? You can bring your items along to any matchday at Selhurst Park. The games you will be able to donate in the Fanzone are: • Saturday, 9th December (12:30): Liverpool (H) • Thursday, 21st December (20:00): Brighton (H) • Saturday, 30th December (15:00): Brentford (H)

Support Palace for Life in our mission to raise £1 million to help us transform thousands of more young south Londoners’ lives.

There will be a collection box in the Fanzone and a member of Palace for Life staff there to collect your donation. If you would like to donate on a non-matchday, you can drop items off directly at our offices Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 17:00 GMT throughout December, or you can make a donation to our Holiday, Activities and Food programme by scanning the QR code

donate a pint from your pre-match routine below

scan below to donate

foundation

Every day is a busy one at the Palace, from matchdays – men’s, women’s and Academy – to anniversaries, birthdays to events. Keep track of everything happening at the club right here…

09 dec

10 dec

11 dec

palace √ liverpool | 12:30

palace women √ chatham town | 13:00

palace u21S √ middlesbrough | 19:00

LIVE on

LIVE free on

12 DEC

LIVE on

16 dec

12 DEC

palace u18S √ aston villa | 11:00 Michael Olise turns 22 today.

Victor Moses turns 33 today.

what’s on?

LIVE on

16 dec

1972

man city √ palace | 15:00 LIVE audio commentary on

19 DEC

17 dec

Palace thrash Man Utd 5-0 at Selhurst Park.

19 DEC

Gary Cahill turns 38 today.

18 dec

Palace legend Karim Benzema turns 36 today.

21 dec

20 DEC

reading √ palace women | 13:00

palace u21S √ west ham | 19:00 LIVE on

21 dec 1996

palace √ brighton | 20:00 Fitz Hall turns 43 today.

LIVE on

Neil Shipperley scores the winner against Charlton Athletic.

All times GMT. Head to cpfc.co.uk for more details and ticketing information.

what’s on?

The page for supporters: taking your comments from the terraces into the programme. This week, we print your messages. Want to get in touch? Use the details below.

Congratulations Krystal & Cameron Teague on your Wedding Day! Wishing you all the best for the future. Lots of Love Mum, Dad, Zara & the rest of the family and friends xxx

Rest In Eternal Peace to Robert Coleman, a loving Father, Partner, Son, Brother, Friend, and a lifelong Eagles fan! Robert will be dearly missed by so many.

Dear Dad, Happy Birthday! Love Amy x

Happy 15th Birthday Georgie Thorpe! Lots of Love from Mum, Dad, Alfie & Lorna Xxx

from the terraces

Welcome to Selhurst Park Jack Briggs – about time for your reunion with Jürgen!

Fred Sidwell, sadly passed away on the 15th of November aged 81. He was a lifelong Palace fan and will be sadly missed by Luke, Connor and the Sidwell family.

Happy 40th Birthday Neil! Lots of love Dad, Mum, Corrine, Sean & Paul Welcome to the Palace family, Harry! We love you, we love you, we love you – mummy, nanny, grandad and all of your aunties, uncles and cousins xx

Happy 60th Birthday Horace McDonald - hope you enjoyed your first trip to Selhurst Park using your Freedom Pass! Love from Ali, Hope & Felix

Terry Agnew a beloved Palace fan, husband, dad and grandad. Truly missed and taken too soon.

Congratulations to Paul and Katya Hollingworth on the arrival of another new member of the Crystal Palace family. Leon Hollingworth was born on Thursday 23rd November and will no doubt be dribbling his way around Selhurst Park soon.

A very happy 18th birthday to Tom Garlinge an Eagles fan from Yateley in Hampshire. With much love from Mum, Dad and David and best wishes from all the team at Crystal Palace.

Email programme@cpfc.co.uk with a message of 30 words or Wishing you a very Happy Hairy Birthday daddy! Lots of love Bobby & Ruby xxxx

from the terraces

fewer and an image to feature on our messageboard.

Meet today’s mascots, prepare for a visit to the champions, relive wonder-goal and pit your wits against Brighty below.

Finley Nye AGE:

SCORE PREDICTION:

2-1

Rory Murphy

Mathew Nolan

AGE:

SCORE PREDICTION:

2-1

SCORE PREDICTION:

2-1

Hayden Bradley

William Ratcliff

Erin Georgeson

AGE:

SCORE PREDICTION:

2-2

SCORE PREDICTION:

1-1

Want to feature as a mascot? Email: liam.connery@cpfc.co.uk

round-up

SCORE PREDICTION:

1-3

next up: man city Palace travel to the North West to take on Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday, 16th December (15:00 GMT). Travel: Trains run direct from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, with the stadium a 25-minute walk away. Alternatively, catch the tram to the Etihad Campus or Velopark. Pre-match: While plenty of pubs in the centre of town welcome away fans, The Townley and Bradford Inn are two closer to the ground which have allowed travelling supporters in the past.

BEAT BRIGHTY In each edition, club icon Mark Bright calls it how he sees it and predicts events from the weekend’s football. See how you fare and try to Beat Brighty! Scoring: One point for every correct result, three for a correct scoreline.

Brighty

You

2-0 0-2 2-2 1-2 total Manage to Beat Brighty? Keep track of your score above.

round-up

Best memory: Palace have several positive memories at the home of the champions, but Andros Townsend’s festive volley – in December 2018 – which clinched a famous 3-2 victory must be up there.

team stats: women/U21S/U18S Shauna Guyatt won the Championship Goal of the Month for her strike against Watford in November.

Roshaun Mathurin scored the opening goal as Palace beat Benfica in the Premier League International Cup.

Zach Marsh scored his fifth hat-trick of the campaign with a trio of goals against Fulham.

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

AUGUST Sun 27

Reading

D 1-1

SEPTEMBER Sun 3

Birmingham City

W 2-1

Sun 10

Durham

W 9-1

Sun 17

Sunderland

D 1-1

Blackburn Rovers

W 4-0

OCTOBER Sun 8

Wed 11 Lewes

D 1-1

Sun 15

London City Lionesses

W 6-1

Sun 22

Charlton Athletic

L 2-3

NOVEMBER Sun 5

Watford

W 3-0

Sun 12

Lewes

W 3-2

Sun 19

Southampton

Wed 22 Watford DECEMBER Sun 10

Chatham Town

Sun 17

Reading

JANUARY Sun 21

London City Lionesses

Wed 24 London City Lionesses Sun 28

Charlton Athletic

FEBRUARY Sun 4

Southampton

Sun 18

Blackburn Rovers

MARCH Sun 3

Birmingham City

Sun 17

Sheffield United

Sun 24

Watford

Sun 31

Durham

APRIL Sun 21

Lewes

Sun 28

Sunderland

TBC TBC

Sheffield United

L 3-4 W 3-0

AUGUST Mon 14 Manchester United W Sun 20 Reading L Mon 28 Fulham L SEPTEMBER Fri 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers L Fri 15 Middlesbrough W Tue 19 Wycombe Wanderers L Sat 23 Nottingham Forest L OCTOBER Sun 1 Liverpool L Mon 30 West Bromwich Albion W NOVEMBER Fri 3 Leeds United W Tue 7 AFC Wimbledon L Fri 10 Ipswich Town L Tue 14 Stevenage L Fri 24 Birmingham City W december Sat 2 Manchester City W Mon 11 Middlesbrough Mon 18 West Ham United JANUARY Sun 14 Blackburn Rovers Mon 22 Birmingham City Mon 29 Brighton & Hove Albion FEBRUARY Mon 5 Ipswich Town Fri 9 Tottenham Hotspur Mon 19 Leicester City MARCH Mon 4 Stoke City Mon 11 Aston Villa Fri 15 Southampton APRIL Mon 8 Everton Fri 12 Chelsea Sun 28 Middlesbrough

women/u21S/u18S

3-2 0-2 2-5 2-3 6-2 0-1 3-4 2-4 3-0 7-1 0-2 2-4 2-5 4-1 3-0

september Wed 27 Athletic Bilbao october Tue 24 Monaco december Wed 6 Benfica january Wed 17 Feyenoord

AUGUST Sat 12 Southampton Sat 19 Chelsea Sat 26 Reading SEPTEMBER Sat 2 Liverpool Sat 16 Leicester City Sat 23 Fulham Sat 30 Brighton & Hove Albion OCTOBER Sat 28 Arsenal NOVEMBER Sat 4 Tottenham Hotspur Sat 11 West Bromwich Albion Thu 16 Newcastle United Sat 25 Fulham DECEMBER Thu 7 Plymouth Argyle Sat 16 Aston Villa January Sat 6 West Ham United Sat 13 Leicester City Sat 27 Fulham FEBRUARY Sat 10 West Bromwich Albion Sat 17 Brighton & Hove Albion MARCH Sat 9 Chelsea Sat 16 Arsenal APRIL Sat 6 Norwich City Sat 13 Southampton Sat 20 Tottenham Hotspur Sat 27 Aston Villa may Sat 4 West Ham United Sat 11 Reading tbc TBC Norwich City

D 1-1 W 3-1 W 2-1

W 5-0 L 1-2 W 2-1 W D L D

6-1 1-1 3-4 3-3

D 3-3 W W L W

5-2 2-1 1-4 5-4

women Name

u21s

Apps

Chloe ARTHUR Paige BAILEY-GAYLE

Goals

Apps

Goals

Name

Apps 12

Tayo ADARAMOLA

Kai-Reece ADAMS-COLLMAN

Victor AKINWALE

Asher AGBINONE

Keira BARRY Annabel BLANCHARD

Lia CATALDO

Araya DENNIS

Polly DORAN

Aimee EVERETT Anna FILBEY

Cormac AUSTIN

Justin DEVENNY

Cormac AUSTIN

Rio CARDINES

Goals

Chima EZE

Chris FRANCIS

Matteo DASHI

Sean GREHAN

Jesse DERRY

Danny IMRAY

Billy EASTWOOD (GK)

Jackson IZQUIERDO (GK)

Leon ELLIOTT

Caleb KPORHA

Joe GIBBARD

Zach MARSH

Jake GRANTE

Roshaun MATHURIN

Zack HENRY

Hindolo MUSTAPHA

Marcus HILL (GK)

Felicity GIBBONS

Shauna GUYATT

Shanade HOPCROFT

Elise HUGHES

Annabel JOHNSON

Frances KITCHING (GK)

Demi LAMBOURNE (GK) Natalia NEGRI (GK)

Freddie COWIN

Adler NASCIMENTO

Ademola OLA-ADEBOMI

David OZOH

George KING

Jesurun RAK-SAKYI

Caleb KPORHA

Jadan RAYMOND

Enrique LAMEIRAS

Dylan REID

Finley MARJORAM

Kaden RODNEY

Zach MARSH

Joe SHERIDAN

Hindolo MUSTAPHA

Franco UMEH

David OBOU

Noah WATSON

Olaoluwa OMOBOLAJI

Jack WELLS-MORRISON

Caleb REDHEAD

Joe WHITWORTH (GK)

Charlie WALKER-SMITH

Tyler WHYTE

Sebastian WILLIAMS

Ellie NOBLE Hayley NOLAN

Name

u18s

Alexia POTTER

Kirsten REILLY

Molly-Mae SHARPE

Isabella SIBLEY

Tyler WHYTE

Lucy WATSON

Vonnte WILLIAMS

Mofe JEMIDE

Joseph KHOSHABA 3

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Thursday, 7 December – see full tables at cpfc.co.uk. th

pos CLUB P W D

15 8 +7 22

2 17 15 +2 14

13 6 +7 22

10 nor

3 18 15 +3 13

ful

4 17 16 +1 13

avl

cha

A GD Pts

sun

A GD Pts

pos CLUB P W D

2 25 10 +15 19

whu

A GD Pts

3 28 20 +8 18

3 31 22 +9 16

sun

sou

4 21 14 +7 21

cry

10 6

2 34 14 +20 20

12 cry

5 25 21 +4 12

cry

2 25 17 +8 15

bir

3 20 10 +10 20

13 mun

3 29 19 +10 11

che

2 22 14 +8 15

bla

10 5

8 13 -5 15

14 che

3 20 15 +5 11

ars

2 22 17 +5 15

dur

11 20 -9 14

15 nfo

2 14 14 0 10

lei

10 3

4 20 25 -5 12

wol

women/u21S/u18S

palace Career Appearances

349

palace Career goals

AUGust september october nov december january february march april may ALL-TIME

attendance/ KICK-OFF

Date

Opposition

Sat 12

Sheffield United

31,194

1-0

5th

Mon 21

Arsenal

24,189

0-1

11th

Sat 26

Brentford

16,997

1-1

11th

Tue 29

Plymouth Argyle

15,826

4-2

Second round

Sun 3

Wolverhampton Wanderers

24,741

3-2

7th

Sat 16

Aston Villa

40,809

1-3

9th

Sat 23

Fulham

25,072

0-0

10th

Tue 26

Manchester United

72,842

0-3

Third round

Sat 30

Manchester United

73,428

1-0

9th

Sat 7

Nottingham Forest

25,125

0-0

9th

Sat 21

Newcastle United

52,189

0-4

11th

Fri 27

Tottenham Hotspur

25,074

1-2

13th

Sat 4

Burnley

21,578

2-0

11th

Sat 11

Everton

25,103

2-3

13th

Sat 25

Luton Town

11,029

1-2

13th

Sun 3

West Ham United

62,459

1-1

12th

Wed 6

Bournemouth

24,104

0-2

14th

Sat 9

Liverpool