Crystal Palace v Arsenal 2022/23 matchday programme by Crystal Palace F.C.

Crystal Palace √ arsenal friday, august 05 2022 | 20:00

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palace √ arsenal fri 5 aug | 20:00

08 captain 10 chairman 34 pub talk 42 Palace women 44 rob quinn 46 over the road 49 south of the river 54 ABCD epl 56 2012/13 revisited 58 from the archive 68 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 U23 Development Mark Bright Commercial Director Barry Webber General Counsel David Nichol Director of Operations Sharon Lacey Head of Ticketing Paul McGowan Head of Retail Laura Holland Chief Marketing and Communications Officer James Woodroof Head of Safeguarding Cassi Wright Head Groundsman Bruce Elliott Editor Ben Mountain Design Billy Cooke, Luke Thomas, Stu Ellmer Contributors Will Robinson, Ian King, Ben Bailey Smith, Toby Jagmohan, Rob Quinn, Annabel Johnson Photography Neil Everitt, Sebastian Frej, Pinnacle Photo Agency, Getty, @blaowphotography Printer Bishops Printers

contents

I think we’ve got a great mix, and we showed that last year in the style and the way we played. There were lessons learnt from last season, but we need to kick on

palace √ arsenal fri 5 aug | 20:00

Club remembers Karen Green on her birthday Everyone at Crystal Palace Football Club was saddened to learn that Karen Green, a longstanding volunteer for end of life charity Marie Curie, passed away this summer. Today, as Palace open the 22/23 Premier League season, would have been Karen’s birthday, and we know she would have watched keenly from the stands to celebrate. Karen worked closely with the club for almost 20 years and supporters will have seen

her impact throughout, both on matchdays dedicated to Marie Curie and in fundraising activities across the club. Karen was also on the board of the Disabled Supporters Association and was a keen Crystal Palace fan. She worked tirelessly in both her roles with

Marie Curie and the DSA, and was a well-known and popular figure to staff and players across the club. It was with great sadness that we learned of Karen’s passing, and our thoughts are with the many people she was close with, especially today.

Fan update

On this day: August 5th

Supporters are reminded to keep off the Selhurst Park pitch at all times. Perpetrators will be reported to the police.

Palace signed Gary Cahill on August 5th, 2019. The hugely experienced England international had won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League and Europa League and played 47 times in club colours under former Three Lions manager Roy Hodgson.

What’s inside Find out… what Joel Ward would name his pet lion (Page 23), why our new columnist has pants on his mind (Page 40) and what put an elephant, tank and UFO on the Selhurst pitch (Page 64). briefing

manager

Welcome back to Selhurst Park to everyone supporting us tonight, and welcome also to Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal directors, staff, players and visiting fans.

hope you each had an excellent summer and are as pleased as I am to be back at Selhurst after so many weeks away – it will be good to see you all again. The squad had a good preseason because having those two groups allowed the players to play more games, but on the other side tactically we still have a lot to catch-up on. The match against Montpellier was important for me to see what needed focus for the start of the season. Going into a new campaign we have the same aim in every area of the football club: to raise demands. How as a club can we demand more of ourselves and do better than last year? All individually will have to do more than last year. Of course last season was a positive one, but it’s important for every single one of us to understand this campaign will be harder than that. Myself as a manager, and my coaching staff, will be more demanding on the players – we want to raise the demand in

every session and every game to challenge ourselves. With that in mind I am pleased with the signings we made in pre-season. We identified

Going into a new campaign we have the same aim in every area of the football club: to raise demand. How as a club can we demand more of ourselves and do better than last year?

what we need and the qualities we want, and the players we brought in will bring more competition to the team, which will raise the quality of the squad. manager

The window is still open, and we are looking forward to keep trying to improve. Other players I was able to meet in pre-season came from our Academy. I was pleased with the young players who competed with the first-team in summer, especially those who came on tour, because they understand what this football club is about. We had tough games against Manchester United, Liverpool and Leeds United, but I was impressed with the character, fight and hard work they showed. Of course, it’s still important for them to keep working and improving to become a Premier League player. Another positive was the behaviour of our senior players who played the role of being positive examples to the young prospects, making them understand what this football club is about. Tonight we open the Premier League and our 2022/23 season. As ever, your support and passion will be crucial for us home and away. Thank you for your support

captain

Welcome back to Selhurst Park for tonight’s game where we will open the Premier League season against Arsenal. I hope you all had a very enjoyable summer.

re-season was a bit different this year but it was a new experience that we’ve taken a lot of positives from. The manager now has almost 20 players who are feeling very fit and those players had 90 minutes in their legs even before the final pre-season fixture. On tour we didn’t train as much but the matches were very intense, whereas in England training was a bit more but the games didn’t have the same intensity, so there was a mix of both which helps to drive our fitness. The most important thing in any pre-season is having that fitness preparation, because when you have that you can add the quality and tactics and everything you need on top. Looking back at 2021/22 we definitely made progress. The most difficult thing in football is when you set standards you need to sustain or improve upon to have even higher standards. Everyone was happy when we finished the season: happy with the football we played, the position we

finished, and the players we had. So we have to sustain this and be very consistent. I believe people in general and Crystal Palace fans want to see improvement from their team and club, so this season will be very challenging for us.

We need your support, know we’re going to get it, and are fit to fight for you and this club throughout 2022/23

This league is the most difficult to play in, but it’ll be an interesting campaign because many teams have improved their squads like we have. Every year in this division the teams improve, so captain

if you stand still they will become better than you. That means year after year we have to improve, adapt, and be better than those around us. It is on that note I should commend the club for starting its 10th consecutive campaign in the Premier League. That’s so important to us. I’ve been here for almost six years and am very proud to be a part of Crystal Palace throughout this time in the Premier League. All of us made this club a stable top-flight one, which should be the base we try to improve from. Finally, I want to let Palace fans know we are waiting for you tonight. We are going to open the Premier League season at Selhurst Park, which is unbelievable for this club – and for the Premier League. Everything is in place: we face a top team in a London derby, and we just need to go out and perform. We need your support, know we’re going to get it, and are fit to fight for you and this club throughout 2022/23. Make some noise!

chairman

Welcome back to each and every Crystal Palace supporter for this exciting match that kicks off the 2022/23 season – and marks our 10th consecutive campaign in the top-flight. Welcome too to the directors, staff, players and supporters of Arsenal.

hope you had an enjoyable off-season, and managed to take in some great pre-season games both at home and in Singapore and Australia. The tour was a great success: to play top opposition in three incredible stadiums in front of 150,000 fans really was a brilliant experience, especially for the young players on the trip who not only performed admirably throughout but got to spend some time in three great cities where we were made to feel extremely welcome. Our thanks go to the people of Singapore, Melbourne and Perth. Thanks especially to those supporters who travelled and welcome to the thousands of new supporters we met along the way. The only casualty of pre-season was Jack, so I wish him a speedy recovery. It was also a great opportunity for me to get to know some of the younger players a little better. My special thanks go to all the players for attending a fantastic birthday dinner for me and especially to David Ozoh and Ademola OlaAdebomi who made a gracious,

touching and eloquent speech on behalf of everyone. Staying on the subject of younger players, a new fly on the wall series filmed in south London and the club’s new facility called Football Dreams: The Academy will air on Channel 4 from August 11th. We allowed a crew to follow several players and coaches over the last

I very much hope to witness a packed house all season to get behind Patrick’s team year; I think you’ll find it both a great watch and a fascinating insight into what it takes to succeed in an elite academy, as well as all the huge benefits and life lessons for each boy we have in our care. I’m so proud of all those who contributed. While the series naturally focuses dramatically on the retain/release process, you will see first-hand the caring, committed and passionate chairman

staff, the role of parents and of course the first-class facilities. Turning to the first-team I would like to warmly welcome the new players joining us this season: Chris, Sam, Malcolm and Cheick. I’m sure you’ll all make them feel at home, and get right behind them from their very first competitive appearance in red and blue. Elsewhere, I’m sure you all enjoyed the Lionesses’ incredible Euros win. I’d urge everyone to come and support our women’s team this season; we have invested significantly in the squad and infrastructure as the team bid to get promoted to the Women’s Super League. Finally, a huge thank you to everyone here tonight who has either bought a Season Ticket or a Membership – we have seen record demand, so I very much hope to witness a packed house all season to get behind Patrick’s team. With the world watching, I urge you to make as much noise as possible and help the team get that all important first result. Up the Palace

As Crystal Palace enter their 10th consecutive Premier League season, there is only one player able to reflect on every campaign. Here, Joel Ward tells Will Robinson how the journey has been, what he did in pre-season, and why he has his eye on the ski slopes.

It’s been a journey; It’s been a rollercoaster, but there are so many great and fond memories main interview

t’s pre-season media day, and Joel Ward is complaining. He’s been photographed in three different kits for several rights holders, provided greenscreen celebrations and walkout poses, and now we ask him for an interview in the programme. A player of his experience knows that’s no short task. Sorry, Joel. But that’s not why he’s complaining – in fact, he’s more than happy to stop for a chat. Instead it’s because he’s spotted our list of subjects, and it’s hardly concise. His face adopts a look of faux-outrage and he can’t help but blurt out: “How long is that list of questions?!” This is, however, a problem of his own making, because Ward has provided Palace fans with no shortage of memories. As the club enters a record 10th consecutive season in the top-flight we point out that he is the only man to be ever-present for the ride. It’s a fact that stops him in his tracks, and after a period of reflection it draws the hint of a smile. “It’s crazy to think that,” he says, with the look of a man turning the past decade over in his head. “It’s been a journey; it’s been a rollercoaster, but there are so many great and fond memories over the period of time here. I think I’ll probably dwell on that a little bit more in years to come.” As metaphors for a club’s growth go, among the best is a comparison of this summer’s mammoth pre-season tour of Singapore and Australia with

Ward’s first Palace trip. After signing from Portsmouth, the 2012 summer of training was a soggy affair. “My first pre-season at Palace was somewhere down in Exeter,” he remembers. “I think a Formula One driver [Nigel Mansell] owned the hotel. We got down there and it was crazy rain. It was waterlogged. We ended up coming back and just training at the Training Ground because the weather was so bad.”

My first pre-season at Palace was somewhere down in Exeter. I think a Formula One driver [Nigel Mansell] owned the hotel. We got down there and it was crazy rain. It was waterlogged. We ended up coming back and just training at the Training Ground because the weather was so bad It wasn’t long before Ward returned to Devon, making his Palace debut away at Exeter City, coincidentally, in the League Cup first round. The attendance that night was just 3,365. Ten years later, Ward started for Palace against Manchester United at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with more than 75,000 people watching in person. “It’s what dreams are made of, right?” he says. “I don’t think anyone thought we were going to go on and do what we have done. Especially in that year [2012/13]. Maybe there was a joel ward

plan to do so, but to achieve it in the time we achieved it was something pretty special. “Then to remain in the Premier League for that amount of time is something the club has never done as well, so it’s been recordbreaking in many different ways.” As a young player coming through the ranks at Portsmouth, Ward witnessed a club’s rapid rise in stature first-hand. “I was lucky enough to see them from a very young age be promoted, be in the Premier League and win the FA Cup, so that was pretty incredible,” he recalls. “Then going into European nights and having AC Milan [at Fratton Park].” Pompey held the seven-time European Champions to a 2-2 draw on the south coast – no mean feat considering the calibre of players. Filippo Inzaghi scored the equaliser for Carlo Ancelotti’s side in added time, but Ronaldinho, Kaka, Andriy Shevchenko, Clarence Seedorf and Gennaro Gattuso all featured; Andrea Pirlo was an unused substitute. The glory days at Portsmouth came and went, but Ward is determined that at Palace the club keeps striving to move forwards. When the Eagles were promoted, the challenge was to stay up at all costs. Soon they became known for their resilience, and Selhurst Park for its atmosphere – the fans made sure Palace were a difficult team to beat. After a prolonged stay however, and particularly since the arrival of a new brand of football

under Patrick Vieira, Palace present themselves as a new beast: not just capable of beating anyone but determined to do so; not just content with outfighting an opponent, but wanting to outplay them as well. “I certainly think there has been that transition,” Ward agrees. “If you get caught standing still for too long you’re in danger, so to continue to evolve, move and adapt is vitally important in the Premier League. You’ve got to move with it.

I certainly think there has been that transition. If you get caught standing still for too long you’re in danger, so to continue to evolve, move and adapt is vitally important in the Premier League

“I think we’ve got a great mix, and we showed that last year in the style and the way we played. There were lessons learnt from last season, but we need to kick on and strive to raise the bar.” Doing that is not as simple as saying so. You need inner strength to follow through on the message, something Ward believes is inherent in any player making a long career in the professional game. “There are always going to be moments and stages through life where you have got to dig deep and see what you are made of,” he explains. joel ward

There are always going to be moments and stages through life where you have got to dig deep and see what you are made of main interview

It’s been exciting to see that journey, the trajectory of the club and the way that fanbase is reached. It’s awesome main interview

“There are going to be times when your back is against the ropes, and I think it is in those times where you come out swinging or you shy away from it. You certainly have to be able to adapt and to take yourself through the things that the average person might not experience.” It’s been a journey for both Palace and Ward on and off the pitch, and as someone who prefers a remote Norwegian fjord to a flashy Dubai hotel, pre-season tour offers a chance to see the world.

There are going to be times when your back is against the ropes, and I think it is in those times where you come out swinging or you shy away from it

It’s tricky to balance training and playing with sightseeing, and worldwide fame – though an incredible demonstration of the Premier League’s power – doesn’t help: in Singapore and Australia the squad were deluged with requests for signatures and selfies the minute they stepped outside. “Every trip is different, and I think as time goes on the stature of the club has grown,” Ward says. “It’s been exciting to see that journey, the trajectory of the club and the way that fanbase is reached. It’s awesome. joel ward

You’ve got to make the most it and do a little bit of adventure, and I’m not one for saying no main interview

“You don’t get a huge amount of time to go and explore. I’m someone that doesn’t necessarily want to be cooped up in a hotel room, so as much as I can I will try to get out and see things, or find a nice coffee shop or something like that. “I try to make the most of the downtime we do get after training to go and see things. I caught up with some old friends that came down [in Australia], so it was nice to see them. Obviously I hadn’t seen André Moritz for a long time so it was great to see him [in Singapore], and to congratulate him on getting married and that next chapter of his life. “You’ve got to make the most it and do a little bit of adventure, and I’m not one for saying no. You’ve got to push boundaries.” After 10 years touring with Palace, Ward has fond memories from so many places – from waterlogged Exeter to heading down under. “In Hong Kong I remember going onto the backstreets and meeting a friend of mine who had just started a little restaurant,” he says. “It was good food. It was called Three Blind Mice because they were three international boys playing rugby, and they were kind of blind to it all. “In Cincinnati we popped along to the baseball, which was quite nice managing to do that one evening. I wouldn’t say I’m clued up on baseball but I’m always keen to go and experience something different.

“South Africa was a good trip – I enjoyed that. I would have liked to have seen more.” So when Ward finishes playing – not for a good while yet, mind – where is first on the list to explore? “There is always America. There is endless amounts to see. I enjoyed Vancouver when we were there, that was an incredible city. I would like to do more of Australia, but that may be in later years when the kids are older.”

There is always America. There is endless amounts to see. I enjoyed Vancouver when we were there, that was an incredible city. I would like to do more of Australia, but that may be in later years when the kids are older

There is one potential trip above them all, however – and once again, Ward doesn’t want to do things by halves. “Skiing will be one of the first I do in years to come. Snowboarding is harder to pick up but easier to get good at, whereas skiing is easier to pick up and harder to get good at, and I like the challenge. “There’s a little rivalry there, isn’t there? It’s like surfing and bodyboarding. I’m a surfer – I can ride a wave.” For a man entering his 10th top-flight year at the same club, that seems like an apt metaphor to end on joel ward

the follow -up

Joel Ward has done it all at Palace. Here, he takes on five of 60 randomly selected questions, and reveals a unique plan for owning a pet lion – a remarkably specific one.

#58: If you could have one animal as a pet, what would it be? A lion. I do think they are pretty special. I would call it Alfonso – but shorten it to Big Al.

#50: What is the best piece of advice you ever received? To live with no regrets.

#4: Which team did you support as a child? I always followed Portsmouth because I was there as a schoolboy and we used to go to games. There were a whole host of players that it was pretty great to see – someone who always took me under his wing was Linvoy Primus. Second to that I would say I kept a distant eye on Man United because my old man was United at the time. We were pretty fortunate to see the Class of ’92 come through and to see them take the club into a new direction. But there is no one I’m diehard towards. For me it was just about watching the games, seeing the sporting moments and enjoying the greats

#19: Favourite tennis player? Roger Federer. It’s just his elegance and the class in the way that he plays. Having said that, it is a tossup between him and Rafael Nadal.

#48: What is one habit you picked up from your parents? Prayer. the follow-up

Worth a try? Probably. Discover the refreshing, crisp and perfectly balanced taste of Carlsberg Danish Pilsner.

Brewed in the UK, the Danish way. Enjoy responsibly.

Did you know? Arsenal are the only London club with an Underground station named after them, a status secured when manager Herbert Chapman lobbied to have Gillespie Road renamed in 1932. As every south Londoner knows, Palace have little chance of joining them soon.

Arsenal

opposition

Arsenal Having looked dangerous at times in 2021/22, Arsenal seem to have reignited their spark over pre-season, winning against the likes of Chelsea and Sevilla.

match preview -

Last season

Pre-season may only provide a dim indicator for the months ahead, but for Arsenal fans the signs are bright regardless. The Gunners have strengthened their squad with Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fábio Vieira among others, and will be looking to claim the fourth place that narrowly evaded them last season. Arsenal seemed set for a Champions League return as the campaign drew to a close but late defeats against Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United opened the door for Spurs to push ahead of them. They will be focused on avenging that in 22/23, making them a testing opponent to open the league against. A 6-0 rout last time out only furthers that.

Home

third

recent matches Opposition

Position

5th

Points

Top scorer

away

score

h/a

position

6-0

4-0

tour

1-3

tour

2-0

tour

5-3

tour

Gabriel Jesus

Bukayo Saka (11)

Most assists

Alexandre Lacazette (7)

Most passes

Gabriel (2,038)

opposition

Sharp signing

The recent signing from Manchester City struck seven times in pre-season, giving an early indication that Arsenal’s summer business has been shrewd.

recent meetings

Boot in both camps

Jerome Thomas

fixture

Monday, April 4th 2022 Selhurst Park, London

Monday, October 18th 2021 Emirates Stadium, London

Wednesday, May 19th 2021 Selhurst Park, London

Thursday, January 14th 2021 Emirates Stadium, London

Saturday, January 11th 2020 Selhurst Park, London

Thomas began his career in north London, representing Arsenal three times in the League Cup as he graduated from their youth system. He went on to play for clubs like Charlton Athletic and West Bromwich Albion, and joined Palace in 2013.

last time out

6-0 Saturday, July 30th 2022 emirates stadium, London

starting xi 32 Ramsdale gk 6

Gabriel

Saliba

White

35 6 34

35 Zinchenko 34 xhaka 5

Partey

Saka

Ødegaard

Martinelli

Jesus

11 8

5 4 7

subs 2 13 14 15 16 17 19

H. Bellerín R. Rúnarsson E. Nketiah A. Maitland-Niles R. Holding C. Soares N. Pépé

22 23 24 25 27 30

P. Marí A. Sambi Lokonga R. Nelson M. Elneny Marquinhos M. Turner

opposition

03 06 Kieran Tierney

Gabriel

POS DEFENDER

NAT SCOTLAND

NAT BRAZIL

16 Aaron Ramsdale

Rob Holding

Cédric Soares

POS GOALKEEPER

POS DEFENDER

NAT ENGLAND

NAT PORTUGAL

366 saves

22 clean sheets

Height

1.88m

Joined

August 20th, 2021

Debut

August 25th, 2021 v West Bromwich Albion

Ramsdale joined Arsenal last season and swiftly made himself the Gunners’ first choice, playing 37 games. He earned his first England call-up in November 2021 and has gone on to earn three caps overall, all of which came after moving to north London. opposition

player profile

109 apps

Age

career history:

Sheffield United, AFC Bournemouth, Chesterfield, AFC Wimbledon and Arsenal

Takehiro Tomiyasu

Pablo Marí

POS DEFENDER

NAT JAPAN

NAT SPAIN

07 08 Bukayo Saka

Martin Ødegaard

Benjamin White

POS MIDFIELDER

POS DEFENDER

NAT ENGLAND

NAT NORWAY

NAT ENGLAND

player profile

POS MIDFIELDER

Age

Height

1.82m

Joined

July 30th, 2021

Debut

August 13th, 2021 v Brentford

career history:

Brighton & Hove Albion, Newport County, Peterborough United and Leeds United

clean sheets

68 apps

53% Tackle success

White made his name with Brighton having signed there as a teenager and broke through with the Seagulls in 2016/17. After three successful loans to progressively higher tiers, he returned to Brighton to play 36 times in their 20/21 Premier League season. opposition

Emile Smith Rowe

Fábio Vieira

POS MIDFIELDER

NAT ENGLAND

NAT PORTUGAL

23 25 Albert Sambi Lokonga

Mohamed Elneny

Oleksandr Zinchenko

POS MIDFIELDER

NAT BELGIUM

NAT EGYPT

NAT UKRAINE

player profile

POS MIDFIELDER

Age

Height

1.75m

Joined

July 22nd, 2022

Debut

career history:

Ufa, Manchester City and PSV

62 wins

76 apps

7 assists

Zinchenko joined Arsenal from City this summer. The versatile Ukranian can play leftback, left-wing-back, left-wing or attacking midfield and was a relied-upon squad player under Pep Guardiola, with whom he won four Premier League titles in five seasons.

opposition

34 Granit Xhaka

11 Gabriel Martinelli

POS MIDFIELDER

POS FORWARD

NAT SWITZERLAND

NAT BRAZIL

14 Gabriel Jesus

Eddie Nketiah

Nicolas Pépé

POS FORWARD

NAT BRAZIL

NAT ENGLAND

NAT IVORY COAST

29 Assists

58 goals

Height

1.75m

Joined

Debut

15th September, 2020 v Burton Albion

Jesus made a remarkable start to his life with Arsenal, bagging seven goals in preseason after joining from Man City. The Brazil international brings proven Premier League pedigree as he fills the No.9 role left by Alexandre Lacazette’s transfer to Lyon.

opposition

player profile

159 apps

Age

career history:

Palmeiras and Manchester City

stat pack Crystal Palace have lost just one of their last eight Premier League meetings with Arsenal (W2 D5). The Eagles are looking to win consecutive league games against the Gunners for the first time in their history.

67 01

This is the third consecutive season Arsenal are starting their Premier League campaign with a London derby.

04 60

456

Passes per match

481

412

shots

589

possession %

goals conceded

clean sheets

Marc Guéhi

Benjamin White

Passes per match

65 57 opposition

Work's over, kick-off is ticking closer and you're first to the pub. Before long hazy memories and almost-accurate stats will be filling the air. Brush-up for your Arsenal pre-match below.

Didn’t they once… Help Palace turn professional. And, no, you haven’t picked up the Villa programme early. When ‘north London is red’ Arsenal were a south London club, the Crystal Palace Company coveted the crowds gathering in Woolwich. As an amateur club in the 19th century, Palace struggled to draw numbers large enough to drive meaningful revenue from football at the Crystal Palace. However Arsenal, a professional side, were playing in front of thousands. As historian Peter Manning puts it: “Rumours of Crystal Palace turning into a professional club appeared in the press in late 1904.

Gabriel Jesus may have scored seven in pre-season, but Stephen Dobbie scored four in a single half in July 2014

“The Crystal Palace Company remained fully behind the project as they cast envious eyes over then-south London rivals, Woolwich Arsenal, the only Football League club south of Birmingham to average crowds of 25,000. The company hoped professional football would bring these sort of numbers to Sydenham.” Sure enough Palace did eventually turn professional in 1905 and Arsenal upped sticks to Highbury in 1913, leaving the path clear for Croydon to host south London’s largest club.

Didn’t he once… Play for Palace. Iconic Arsenal man George Graham, considered one of the Gunners’ most successful managers, joined the south Londoners in 1976. He played 51 times and scored four goals while coming to the end of his playing career. As such, Graham began coaching under Terry Venables, who he later followed to Queens Park Rangers. His path to managing Arsenal, who he represented pub talk

a whopping 30% of palace players who played over summer had a name beginning with J. You won’t find facts like that elsewhere 308 times, was short: after Palace he coached at QPR and managed Millwall for four years. Following Don Howe’s departure, Arsenal then reportedly approached Venables for the vacant role, and then Alex Ferguson. Both didn’t accept, and Graham successfully interviewed in May 1986. He left in 1995 with two league titles, two League Cups, an FA Cup and the European Cup Winners’ Cup behind him. Gunners can thank El Tel.

Pub talk tidbit: Gabriel Jesus may have scored seven in pre-season, but Stephen Dobbie scored four in a single half in July 2014; one shy of his entire competitive haul in club colours. It’s all relative until the league begins.

What’s the deal with…

I was there for... Palace’s first away win over Arsenal in 24 years. The south Londoners won at Highbury for the first time since 1970 when they beat the Gunners 2-1 in 1994. The win came thanks to John Salako’s first-half brace, which Ian Wright could only bag a consolation against. It was Palace’s first win of the 94/95 season and the first of five in a seven-game run. Two cup semi-finals and a fourth-frombottom finish later, however, and the Eagles would find themselves relegated on 45 points. The Salako-inspired ‘94 win proved to be a rare positive result in north London. Only in recent seasons have Palace started to see more success: going unbeaten in their last four visits to N7, and bagging two wins and five draws from their last eight overall against the Gunners.

Signing Manchester City players. Arsenal scooped signatures from City’s Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko over summer. The pair played a combined 69 games for City last season but both moved to north London to join ex-Citizens assistant coach Mikel Arteta for this campaign. Other players to have represented both clubs include ex-Eagle Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Touré and a certain Patrick Vieira. More importantly, Jesus is now the third ‘Gabriel’ in the Gunners’ squad, meaning 8.3% of their 25man group has the name. Palace’s equivalent, if you’re asking, is the letter ‘J’: there are nine first-team players whose first name starts with it, and eight Academy lads from pre-season. That means a whopping 30% of those who played over summer had a name beginning with J. You won’t find facts like that elsewhere. The challenge, now, is to name them all. Jheez-us.

fans have to contend with another Europa League campaign. This season, with strong additions in the transfer market and Arteta’s style starting to shine through in 21/22, many are tipping Arsenal for a return to the top four for the first time since 15/16. Should they manage it, the post-Arsène Wenger cobwebs will surely, finally, be shaken off

Aren’t they… Hoping for a top-four finish. Arsenal looked destined to return to the Champions League this season, sitting in fourth as late as May 12th in 21/22. But Arteta’s men fell away at the final hurdles, losing to Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United before hammering Everton 5-1 on the final day. The result proved immaterial when Spurs had a similarly strong win over Norwich City, however, and Gunners pub talk

Pre-match pint Recommended pre-match today is Koop Island, a tropical pale ale available in the Holmesdale's Tap Room. At 4%, Koop Island is a generously hopped and dry hopped session pale, bursting with notes of passionfruit and pineapple. Best enjoyed in the Selhurst sun.

30 YEARS OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Crystal Palace 3-3 Blackburn Rovers – August 15th, 1992 Palace drew with Blackburn Rovers on the opening day of the inaugural Premier League season, 1992/93. Alan Shearer’s Rovers debut makes that game stand out for the neutral, but for Palace Mark Bright’s farewell will be clearer in the memory.

30 years of the Premier League

38 94 94 23

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doc brown "Dancing like a lemon to the Stone Roses." Meet new columnist, Ben Bailey Smith

40-41

annabel johnson Annabel Johnson previews a pivotal season

42-43

rob quinn Rob Quinn introduces a new group of players

44-45

david omilabu 46-47

David Omilabu: how a hat-trick secured his return

viewpoint

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.

THE AMAZING NEW NORMAL Life. It’s frighteningly easy to take it for granted isn’t it? A cold drink on a hot day. A hug from your kids. A fresh pair of pants. Once it happens every day, it doesn’t seem so special. (I should stress the pants thing has always been every day for me, but each to their own.) How quickly things begin to seem nothing more than routine. Sold out crowds in Singapore – sure. A mass of adoring red and blue in Australia – standard. Three striking new kits – why not? A new Doucouré – Cheick. Kick-off the league with a massive London derby – shrug. In fact, when the greatest player in club history pinged an absolute worldie into the top corner at Loftus Road a couple of weeks back, he did it with the everyday, easy breeziness of a postman delivering a letter. Which was fitting because Wilf put that ball on a postage stamp. And it made me think: ‘Wow, this is just what we do now.’ Crystal Palace are a rapidly growing force, a Premier League

staple. That’s not a boast, not an excitable exaggeration, it’s simply stone-cold fact. It’s not even the new normal anymore – it’s just normal. My children can’t remember wet windy nights at Stoke; pretty much all they know is that Palace sweep aside Manchester United on sunny Sundays like a huge, nonchalant red and blue fly swatter. I don’t know about you, but to me? Normal has never felt so unbelievably amazing. At 8pm on a Friday night in August, a decade of Premier League football begins at Selhurst Ben Bailey Smith

when the greatest player in club history pinged an absolute worldie into the top corner at Loftus Road a couple of weeks back, he did it with the everyday, easy breeziness of a postman delivering a letter Park. Go back and read that again: a decade. Or as I like to call it: 10 years of success. Now let me take you back to the 90s. I had the little dreadlocks, the long-sleeved t-shirts with hoods for some reason, Nikes so cheap

Those stripes quickly became symbolic for me: red for anger, blue for sadness. Still we stood, still we sang, still we hoped... One day

I had to write ‘AIR’ on the heel to make them passable. Dancing around like a lemon to the Stone Roses and A Tribe Called Quest – hopefully in fresh pants, but I don’t remember. I do remember I was hiding something, and not just the world map of spots under my fringe. I was an undercover Eagle in Arsenal-obsessed north London, desperately keeping my affiliation under wraps. Then, almost overnight, something changed. As the sun rose on the 94/95 Premier League season I thought: ‘No more. We’re here with the big dogs now. Be loud, be proud, be Palace.’ The opening strains of I’m Coming Out by Diana Ross swirled through my brain. This felt right. This would make my lifelong Eagle-fan father proud. “Of course it does,” he smiled. “Now steel yourself for a lifetime of pain.” And so it went. Those stripes quickly became symbolic for me: red for anger, blue for sadness. Still we stood, still we sang, still we hoped... One day. One day we’ll create our own talismen, game-changers bred and built in south London. One day we’ll go up and stay up; we’ll rub shoulders with the elite. One day, relegation will be a thing of the past. One day we’ll have a budding women’s team, a multi-million-pound Academy, a charitable foundation… One day we’ll find a leader, perhaps an Invincible Premier League- and World Cup-winner, to guide us to the promised land. One day. Ben Bailey Smith

And inexplicably, mindblowingly, today is that day. Today is a gift – that’s why they call it the present. Today, I’m five episodes in to an upcoming, riveting documentary series for Channel 4, following the hopes and dreams of south London boys aged seven and up, all sharing the same hope: that today might be their day, solidifying a place at Crystal Palace Football Club. To be

I was hiding something, and not just the world map of spots under my fringe. I was an undercover Eagle in Arsenalobsessed north London, desperately keeping my affiliation under wraps

specific, I’m in the editing suite, narrating the thing, watching our future unfold in real time. Today? I’ve seen tomorrow. The stripes are still symbolic: red for the heart, blue for the sky – our new limit. We’re making history here, guys, and only the foolhardy take history for granted. Breathe it in, savour it. Today is our day

cpfc women Crystal Palace Women broke club records in 2021/22, and are looking to do the same this season. In each edition, we hear directly from one of the squad, with Annabel Johnson starting us off for 22/23.

Annabel Johnson Age

Joined

Summer 2019

Position

Defender

21/22 apps

21/22 goals

Career highlights

Johnson represented Team GB as captain at the 2017 World University Games in Taipei.

Take note of

The club captain, Johnson leads from the back, guiding the team on and off the field from her position in the heart of defence.

Annabel Johnson

We felt we were big overachievers last season. For context, most teams in our league are professional, while we had to work in the day and train in the evening. Regardless, we finished joint-third – fourth on goal difference – which was a truly outstanding achievement. This season is about pushing on. Every year I’ve been here we’ve strived to improve our position from the season before, and there aren’t many places above us now. We’re going for the league title. We feel confident in our ability to challenge, not least because the league is a bit of an unknown entity this year and there’s no clear winner in the pack. Last season Liverpool ran away with it, and before them the likes of Leicester City, Manchester United and Aston Villa have dominated. The league’s a lot more level because we don’t have that in 2022/23, which makes it more exciting for teams like us. Of course, to gain the few points needed to push even higher up and secure another record-breaking finish will take a lot of work. But our mentality was our strength last season and we’re striving to carry that into the new campaign. Every player’s

mindset was second to none in 21/22 and I’m not sure how they worked so hard with so few complaints. Sustaining that with a host of new signings is the challenge facing us. The girls that have joined, however, have come in with open minds and tried to embrace our approach. They’ve settled really well and I’ve been pleasantly surprised because I thought that would be a real challenge. Our recruitment focused on getting the right people with the right attitudes, and that’s showing through now.

This season is about pushing on. Every year I’ve been here we’ve strived to improve our position the Women’s Euros were phenomenal for the country and for women’s football as a whole. The team went to BOXPARK to watch the semi-final together and it was a big talking point among us

With a new leadership group of players and staff we’re working together to build our collective mentality, so I’m excited to see new players in club colours when they’re fully thriving within our environment. Away from Palace, the Women’s Euros were phenomenal for the country and for women’s football as a whole. The team went to BOXPARK to watch the semi-final together and it was a big talking point among us. As Championship players we all recognise how significant the tournament is to the game as a whole, and we wanted to support it even more so because of its impact on the sport. All the girls know the value of that tournament Annabel Johnson

to gain the few points needed to push even higher up and secure another recordbreaking finish will take a lot of work. But our mentality was our strength last season

rob quinn

academy rob quinn: under-18s head coach We had a positive season last year. One of the biggest plus points was getting a full debut for Tayo Adaramola from the Under-18s group, but we also had a lot of good team performances throughout the season.

e had chances to win the league last season and we all would have liked to have won trophies, but ultimately it’s about developing the individuals as well as the team. We had a good break over summer, but now we can’t wait to get back and work with a new group. Getting 13 scholars in is a good challenge, and it’s our job to get them to mix and gel together as quickly as possible. We have to get to know the boys as fast as we can. It’s the first time they’ve come into a full-time football environment and, as we always say, from day one, our job is to try and teach them how to become professionals. There's a big emphasis on promoting good habits with them, along with the staff being role models and teachers to promote good behaviours. A big focus of mine is to teach the lads to be good people. We’re quite strong about treating everyone with respect – no one is better than anyone else, we all work for the club and I’m a big believer in the idea that you should treat people the way you

want to be treated. At Crystal Palace our young players learn how to be an excellent teammate.

A big focus of mine is to teach the lads to be good people. We’re quite strong about treating everyone with respect – no one is better than anyone else, we all work for the club

It’s a really exciting time: we’re now in week four of pre-season. You start to see the tiredness in the first-year scholars, because they’re training harder, longer and full-time for the first point in their careers. It’s about us and them building good Rob Quinn

relationships, and them working with the second-year scholars. We have been lucky to have the first-team training here on-site at the Academy, it’s been priceless for the players and staff. The informal conversations with the first-team staff have been good for us, and it’s good for the boys to see the professional players up close and personal to understand how they behave. They’re normal people, and we’ve encouraged our players to interact with them as much as possible. We tell them: ‘Go and say “hello,” be polite, and interact as much as you can. You have to make the most of the conversations you have here.’ The boys have had unbelievable opportunities this summer. It’s really pleasing to see scholars like Kaden Rodney, David Ozoh, Jadan Raymond, Victor Akinwale and Ademola OlaAdebomi on tour with the first-team and playing in front of crowds of 80,000. Those experiences teach them what it means to be a professional. It’s been priceless for all the boys and it’s brilliant for us staff; it brings a huge smile to our faces

over the road david omilabu

Age

Joined

Under-8s

Position

Forward

21/22 apps

21/22 goals

Highlights so far

Scoring the winning penalty in the 2020/21 Premier League 2 Division 2 play-off final.

Take note of

Omilabu is a pacy, left-footed, versatile forward capable of playing anywhere across the frontline. His clinical finishing saw him score 21 goals for the Under-18s in 2020/21

over the road

“It was a relief,” David Omilabu says of his his first Palace contract at Under-8s level. “It was the first step on my long journey of becoming a professional footballer.”It’s easy to forget that careers are indeed ‘long journeys’ for even teenage footballers: Omilabu has been on it for 11 years already. The path to becoming a professional footballer is a long and often confusing one, and this 19-year-old forward is no stranger to the ups and downs that come with it. After being scouted as a centre-forward for Junior Reds in Bexleyheath, a young Omilabu was determined to make the position his own at Palace – but it wasn’t always plane sailing. “I started playing as a striker, but then at Under-12s I went to leftback for a year. That was different, but because I was energetic and wanted to play football, I didn’t really care – I was still scoring from left-back anyway!” He may have been scoring, but changing position at a younger age was fraught regardless, and saw Omilabu move clubs, albeit temporarily, as he was released from Crystal Palace at Under-12s.

‘Domilabu’ makes goalscoring look easy; worryingly easy William Rose Performance Coach

He explains with a grin: “I went on trial at Fulham, played against Palace, scored a hat-trick, and then came back to Palace the next week!” After returning from the briefest of stints, the forward rose through the ranks in south London by netting goal after goal under youth coaches Rob Quinn, Paddy McCarthy and Darren Powell. “I had Rob Quinn for every age group before Under-18s and I’ve had Paddy at Under-18s and now Under21s. They know what they’re doing because they’ve been through it all. “Especially with Paddy, when I had him as a coach he had only retired a couple of years ago. So he knows, in modern times, what it takes to get to the top.” Rather fittingly, Omilabu scored the decisive penalty which saw Palace Under-21s head to the top: Premier League 2 Division 1, the highest level of English youth football. “Stepping up for the penalty, I wasn’t scared at all. I knew I was going to score! When it went in it was just the best feeling ever. We ran towards the Under-18s and all celebrated together. “Scoring that penalty in the playoff final and scoring in the semi-final were big highlights for me. It was actually crazy [playing in front of fans again], they made a chant for me and it just gave me goosebumps.” Omilabu’s step up to the Under21s came shortly after signing his first professional deal at the club, 10 years after his first one, in March 2021. “Signing my first professional contract didn’t sink in until I got home,” the forward explains.

over the road

Scoring in the play-off final and scoring in the semi-final were big highlights for me. It was actually crazy they made a chant for me and it just gave me goosebumps What can be seen as the end goal for many striving to become professional is just the beginning, as Omilabu goes on to add: “Everything I’ve been working for, I’ve finally got it – but this is just the start. I need to push on and get more contracts. “Last season was a bit of a low, with injuries and getting used to the demands of the PL2 Division 1, but now I would like to show what I’m about.”

APSLEY

Keeping you posted on all things south London. Overleaf, journalist ‘Neef’ Ekpoudom explains how this half of the city thrives at football – and why that’s at risk.

david bowie Music icon David Bowie was born on Stansfield Road in Brixton, just behind the Brixton Academy and a short walk from Nathaniel Clyne’s birthplace. Bowie moved to Bromley as a child and today has an eye-catching mural in his honour near Brixton tube station.

Crystal Palace Park, Thicket Road, London SE19 2GA Friday, August 5th – Sunday, August 7th Playing at the Crystal Palace Bowl, Bombay Bicycle Club and Richard Ashcroft will this weekend perform in the same setting Bob Marley, Pink Floyd and Eric Clapton did decades ago.

SOUTH OF THE RIVER

n summer 2019 the GMB Union reported that 710 council football pitches closed between 2010-2019, almost 10% of the country’s then-total. Fifty-four of those closures came in London, and Aniefiok ‘Neef’ Ekpoudom is worried. “It’s definitely a risk and it’s definitely a worry,” Neef tells Crystal Palace shortly after publishing a well-received essay titled ‘How south London became a talent factory for Black British footballers’. The piece was described as “A brilliant read, beautifully written,” by Palace Chairman Steve Parish. Neef is a culture journalist born in Lewisham and raised in Bromley. He “looks at unexplored pockets of Britain,” profiling various figures and documenting different parts of the country’s cultural landscape. His roster of recent interviewees is striking – not least for its anchoring in south London: actor John Boyega (born in Camberwell), and rappers Krept and Konan (raised in Croydon), Giggs (Peckham), and Dave (born in Brixton, raised in Streatham) included. While music provides the main focus to his work, Neef also has a deep-rooted passion for football, having played for Hillyfielders F.C. in Lewisham as a child and spent time at Selhurst Park as a school student. In his essay and this interview he champions south London as a hotbed of talent, but makes clear the risks facing the next generation: “Arsène Wenger said this maybe 10 years ago: he worries about the

production of footballers in Britain because kids don’t have spaces to play on the streets anymore. The environments that made a [Wilfried] Zaha or made a Wayne Rooney in Liverpool, or wherever, are just not happening as much anymore. “As London starts to change and gentrification is a big thing in a lot of these areas, I see and hear stories of places people used to play are now privately owned and you need to pay £5 each time. “For a 14-year-old with six weeks’ summer holiday in which you want to play football every day, having £5 to do that adds up and is expensive. That is a worry. “I do worry that opportunity isn’t necessarily there. It’s not necessarily going to be there for the generations coming and growing up in London. I’ve seen it a lot with places like Elephant SOUTH OF THE RIVER

People at the top level are failing to see the value of these spaces to kids and how they enrich someone’s life… what football does for a young life and Castle, you see how much it’s changed over the past 15, 20 years. “With a lot of these private investors and communities being torn down you lose community – and a lot of footballers are a product directly of their community.” Neef’s concern is merited. He knows better than most how rich south London’s footballing output is and what it means for those players who don’t quite make it. He recalls hearing names like John Bostock and Sean Scannell “buzzing around school” as they tore their way to professional football at an early age. He also recognises the significance of

figures like Ian Wright and David Rocastle being raised near his area. But why does our half of the capital have such a historic footballing lineage? That’s the question Neef’s trying to answer. He talks with enthusiasm and speed about the topic, leaping between points and linking them back together without pausing for breath. The main factors he combines are migration and environment. “This golden generation we see now, [Jadon] Sancho, [Ademola] Lookman, Reiss Nelson, Callum Hudson-Odoi, all of these players that came out of south [London], it wasn’t a coincidence. “There is that thing of immigrant mentality, it’s definitely a thing. If your parents are immigrants, seeing people whose parents are immigrants, you see how hard they’ve worked to uproot their lives and move to a new country and then start over and build again to try and give their children something. That mentality of hard work really filters down to the kids. “A mass of Africans moved into Lewisham, Bromley, Catford, Crystal Palace, Croydon, in the 80s and

90s… One thing I find interesting about migration is what you bring with you: you look at a Zaha… he might bring the west African flare he has but [it’s] really embedded with almost the foundations football is built on in Britain. “He’s very tenacious, doesn’t take anything from anyone. You see that in certain players from south-east London who really represent that and you can see it in how they play.” Neef uses the example of admiring both Jay-Jay Okocha and Tony Adams while growing up, and now seeing players like Zaha who combine both the technical skill and physical grit of those players. He draws on another reason south London leads the way in British footballing ability: space. Palace in particular benefit from that – or more accurately, from not having much – in their touchline players: full-backs and wingers. Think of Palace’s greatest graduates – Kenny Sansom, Vince Hilaire, John Salako, Wayne Routledge, Victor Moses, Scannell, Nathaniel Clyne, Zaha, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Tyrick Mitchell

to name a handful – and Neef’s point becomes all the more clear. “It’s almost the perfect British footballers that it feels the region produces: it’s that mix of technically very, very gifted, balanced out with physically very gifted too and also balanced out with a really strong mentality, which I think comes from the south London element. “Full-backs and wingers, where you’re operating in tight spaces, the technique has to be of a really high level, but it’s also balanced with physicality and a lot of the players you see have a really strong mentality. “I don’t think that’s by accident, I think it’s a consequence of all those cultures living inside somebody, and it comes out in football.” But space is getting tighter – almost too tight. Even for touchline players. As pitches continue to shut and the nature of south London changes, Neef remains worried. “You speak to most footballers that emerged from the region, and most of it is they were playing in parks or cages and places that were free to have a kickabout for hours on end. “People at the top level are failing to see the value of these spaces to kids and how they enrich someone’s life… what football does for a young life.” Neef’s essay was extracted for the Guardian from the book A New Formation: How Black Footballers Shaped the Modern Game, edited by Calum Jacobs and published by Merky books.

Neef’s Hillyfielders at Under-8s.

SOUTH OF THE RIVER

THROUGH THE LENS

JESURUN RAK-SAKYI v MANCHESTER UNITED

through the lens

The Premier League celebrates its 30th anniversary this season, with Palace there at the start in 1992/93 and still there today – with a few detours along the way. Here, we break down the club’s Premier League spells, letter by letter.

AUGUST, AWAY DAYS AND ARSENAL

here’s something special about August and football, isn’t there? Every fan can relate to the iconic line from Fever Pitch, when Colin Firth’s character is asked by his girlfriend what happens when the season ends. “Nothing,” he says. “It’s boring. We just sit in the pub until the fixture list comes out.” It’s a lot of time in the local, but the fixtures do arrive, and with them comes the excitement of football returning. All the way back in June, Palace were paired with Arsenal for the opening day, and fans began to make plans, eagerly anticipating the first game of the season. When August does finally arrive, there are few better times in football. The vibrant green of the pitch on that first trip back to Selhurst, unblemished by the season about to begin. It’s sunny – sometimes – and we all hope for the biannual trip to Fulham, with the

possibilities ahead unaffected by form and results. The familiar sights and smells that have characterised our matchday routines for as long as we can remember. Seeing those same faces year after year, and having the same conversations about the campaign ahead. Palace will hope this particular opening day can echo the fixture

abcd epl

against Arsenal last season, when a storming 3-0 victory contributed to a remarkable end to the season for Patrick Vieira’s side, and meant home clean sheets against the Gunners, Manchester City and Manchester United. But there are also some August memories which Palace fans will hold dear.

The setting is Stamford Bridge, 2015. José Mourinho’s Chelsea are formidable at home – indeed, in his 99 previous home games as Blues manager, the Portuguese had seen his side lose only once. His 100th game was set for more of the same. But arriving in south-west London were Crystal Palace, clad in white and buoyed by a positive start to the campaign. A win would take them second – admittedly after only four games, but second nonetheless. Win they did. Chelsea dominated the ball in the first-half but were unable to find a way through and after a positive start to the secondhalf, the Eagles struck. Bakary Sako broke the deadlock, and Joel Ward instantly cancelled out Radamel Falcao’s equaliser by scoring a late winner.

Bedlam ensued in the away end, and rightly so. Palace had become just the second team to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge under ‘the Special One’. Some start. In 2019 the August high returned, as Palace ventured to Old Trafford, a ground they had yet to win at in the Premier League era. Their last away victory over Manchester United came in 1989. Despite taking the lead through Jordan Ayew in the first-half, it looked as if Palace’s wait would go on when Daniel James scored an equaliser in the final minute of normal time. The Eagles weren’t cowed, however, and up raced Patrick van Aanholt from left-back to score the winner deep into the 93rdminute. In the sun on an August afternoon, it must have been some journey back to south London.

emmanuel adebayor There is only one player in Premier League history to feature for this trio of London clubs: Arsenal, Tottenham and Crystal Palace. Emmanuel Adebayor’s career did not step there, however, with Monaco, Manchester City and most notably Real Madrid also on a glittering resume. His time in south London may not have been at the peak of his powers, featuring for just six months before moving back to Europe, but with 85 caps for Togo, including at the 2010 World Cup, he remains one of Palace’s most established internationals. He still stands as the country’s all-time top goalscorer with 32 goals – 31 more than he bagged in south London.

abcd epl

AWAY DAYS Palace have registered some memorable victories on the road, but their favourite away ground may be one you didn’t expect. Palace have flourished on Merseyside, scoring 17 times and winning 14 points at Goodison Park. Their most wins away from home come at Leicester, split between Filbert Street and the King Power. But north London has proved a welcome setting lately, too. Vieira’s side were just moments away from recording a famous victory away at Arsenal last winter, when Christian Benteke and Odsonne Edouard turned the game on its head in the secondhalf, only for Alexandre Lacazette to scramble home an equaliser. Can they go one better this time around?

ian king

Having been on the brink of collapse in 2010, Crystal Palace earned promotion back to the Premier League 10 years ago this season. Here, Club Historian Ian King tells the story of a dramatic campaign – with a little help from the stars of When Eagles Dare.

ith Dougie Freedman completing his first full campaign as manager, Crystal Palace ended the 2011/12 Championship season in 17th, which, although they were a long way clear of the relegation places, felt like a disappointment. The campaign ended in underwhelming fashion with just two points from the final seven games earned by 18

debutants, nine of whom had been on loan. But having been so close to collapse just two years before, Palace fans and players could accept survival was the goal, and that a rebuild was urgently needed. Just how swiftly it would happen was yet to be clear. It was already known Nathaniel Clyne would leave, so the club moved fast to replace him with Joel Ward at the end of May, signing the right-back for £400,000 from Portsmouth and beating off interest from clubs including Leeds United. Fans hoped that one of the loanees, Aleksandar Tunchev, would be persuaded to join from Leicester; they would later be disappointed. Behind the scenes first-team coach and former player Tony Popovic returned to Australia as manager of West Sydney, and Curtis Fleming moved up from

being a Development coach. In the summer of the London Olympics and the European Championships, the club also applied for Category One Academy status – a feat not achieved until 2020. There were other departures beyond Clyne, as Sean Scannell signed for Huddersfield Town in a £900,000 deal and then, a little surprisingly, Darren Ambrose moved to Birmingham City, leaving fans with the memory of his goal at Old Trafford in the quarter-final of the League Cup. At the beginning of July defender Aaron Martin arrived on a season-long loan from Southampton as part of the £2 million Clyne deal, and forward Aaron Wilbraham came on a free transfer from Norwich City. A planned training camp in Exeter was abandoned after a day due to torrential rain which

May 28th

july 7th

joel ward signs from portsmouth

Aaron Wilbraham signs from norwich

2012/13

rendered the pitches unplayable and the proposed fixture at Exeter City was cancelled and replaced with a visit to Lewes. With no new signings on the horizon and the squad looking somewhat threadbare a number of players received trials in pre-season friendlies. These started with a 5-1 victory at the Dripping Pan over Lewes and was followed up eight days later in Hampshire when Palace defeated Aldershot 2-0, before a 1-2 defeat at Welling United emphasised the squad’s lack of depth. These three games featured the likes of goalkeeper Péter Kurucz (West Ham), Jose Baxter (Everton), Jamie Proctor (Preston), and Tomás Díaz, Ugo Ukay and Tiago Rosa. A 1-0 success at Swindon came on August 8th – the same day Peter Ramage (one of the previous season’s loan players) signed on a free transfer from Queens Park Rangers – but a further defeat (0-2) came three days later at Premier League new boys Reading. Wilbraham, Zaha and Jermaine Easter were the only forwards to find the net in those games and there was an air of concern among Palace supporters for the coming campaign. With a disappointing spell behind them Palace’s season began three days later

player in focus

kagisho dikgacoi

BORN: November 24th, 1984 – Brandfort, South Africa APPEARANCES: 114 GOALS: 8 ‘KG’ came to England to join Fulham in August 2009, but when Mark Hughes became manager he fell out of favour and joined Palace on loan in February 2011. Signing permanently that summer for £600,000 he then became a virtual ever-present in the 2012/13 campaign alongside midfield partner Mile Jedinak. After a season in the topflight, Dikgacoi moved on to Cardiff City in summer 2014 and two years later returned to South Africa.

If memory serves me right we were odds-on to go down before a ball had even been kicked. Peter Ramage

august 8th

august 11th

Peter Ramage signs from qpr

Pre-season ends with a 2-0 loss to Reading

2012/13

from the

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, we republish a letter from then-Premier League Chief Executive Rick Parry introducing the new competition on its inaugural day.

August 15th, 1992

cURTAIN UP ON THE FA PREMIER LEAGUE…INTO THE 21ST CENTURY! D Day August 15, 1992… the birthdate of the FA Premier League… the dawn of a new era in English football. That’s our sincere hope. Our goals are simple: they are excellence and quality onfield and off, the pursuit of skills and a spread of eventful and inventive football across the grass swards of the country. Not just in the FA Premier League but in pyramid effect throughout the Football League and beyond to the basic roots of the game. Our BskyB/BBC TV contract has provided us with a television partnership deal which will ensure an overall democratic coverage of matches for the fan at the fireside. We do aim to give you, the fans, entertainment that is simply the best. But it will take time – we’re aware of that – and patience. In this era of cheques and balances, our clubs are continually under financial pressure – conforming to stadia requirements From the Archive

of the Taylor Report, competing with the terms of continental clubs [sic] bids for their best players, making every effort to improve ground and stadia facilities for supporters. “And following the end of season 1994/95 when the number of clubs in the Premier League will be trimmed to twenty, the effects of the new League should be evident.” I’d like to repeat what I said at the end of last season, namely: We are looking for top quality in facilities and top quality game on the pitch. It is crazy to suggest that major changes will take place within the first few weeks. It will be three or four years before we feel the full benefits. Our aim is to take football into the next century. We want to ensure that all our clubs are able to compete at the highest level in Europe: we want a structure that will ensure more equality regarding income sharing and voting power… this will be a league of equality.

by the 22 club chairmen operating on a one club, one vote basis. The Premier League sees great benefits in having a full integration with the FA which is something The Football League has never enjoyed. We see real advantages in having a streamlined management

what is the premier league? -

framework which will enable decisions to be taken quickly. It will be far more responsive than perhaps football has traditionally been. It’s just much better suited to the 20th Century – and, more significantly, the 21st Century. The Premier League will be working in partnership with the FA, but will be answerable to them as the ultimate governing body. On a day-to-day basis, the Premier League is left alone to operate autonomously. The FA will be involved in major policy decisions and in assisting with the administration of the league.

The Premier League is not a breakaway ‘Super League’: the fundamental idea is to retain links with the Football League through promotion and relegation. But the clubs in what was the First Division agreed that the voting structure and management structure of The Football League held the clubs back at the highest level. The Premier League was established as a separate company and the major decisions are taken

The Premier League is not a breakaway ‘Super League’: the fundamental idea is to retain links with the Football League through promotion and relegation

From the Archive

television coverage Television coverage this season will be the most comprehensive ever: and, if we’ve got our projections right, the most entertaining and educational. Our partnership deal with BskyB and BBC aims to be the most enterprising attempt to combine television’s three great strengths: • to be informative – dissemination of information, with news, previews, club and player profiles; • its educational function at all levels with coaching films, tactical programmes; • match coverage, including every goal scored in the Premier League in full scope. All of these factors will be featured on your screens: on BBC/ TV with the return of the Saturday lunch-time show ‘Football Focus’ and the Saturday evening old favourite, a revamped ‘Match of the Day’; and on BskyB with live match coverage, more extensive than ever before, on Sundays and Mondays, encompassing every club in the Premier League; with programming 7 days a week appealing to all ages and tastes. Look for ‘Netbusters’ for the young with goals and music: The Fooballers Football Show – the cult show which tackles current issues in depth; and The Boot Room, a tactical show; plus a new-to-TV phone-in for fans following the live matches. Rick Parry, FA Premier League

palace for life

MARATHON MARCH 2022: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW Palace for Life’s annual fundraising and social event, the Marathon March, returns on Saturday, September 24th 2022. Find out how to get involved below.

What is the Marathon March? Now in its sixth year, the Marathon March is an annual fundraising event run by Palace for Life Foundation. It’s a 26.2-mile walk across south London to raise money for young people in our local community. It’s not a competitive event, it’s a social one. Participants get the opportunity to walk a marathon at their own pace, talk Palace, meet new friends and cross the line together – all while raising money for Palace for Life.

When is the Marathon March? This year’s Marathon March is taking place on the earlier date of Saturday, September 24th 2022. The march will begin at 8:30am. What’s the route? The march will once again start and finish at Selhurst Park but has a brand-new route throughout. Walkers will pass through the likes of BOXPARK Croydon, Merton Abbey Mills, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (Wimbledon), and Wandsworth and Streatham Common,

before finishing with a lap of the pitch followed by a party at the stadium, starting from 17:00. Who can take part? The Marathon March is open to anybody and everybody. All that we ask is that you pay a registration fee of £25 (£20 for a half route, £10 for under-18s) and commit to raising a minimum of £300 each in sponsorship. How can I prepare? It’s important to get some miles in before the big day to ensure you’re ready. This can be

palace for life

done in a variety of ways, including heading out on walks or changing your commute to walk to work. Palace fan, personal trainer, and previous Marathon Marcher, Beulah Pickles, has also put together a comprehensive training programme for us to share with participants. Can I fundraise as a family or group? Absolutely! We encourage fundraisers to join together and raise money as a group. If you wish to fundraise as a family or group, please email our fundraising team at fundraising@palaceforlife.org. What’s in it for me? You’ll get the chance to complete a personal challenge, talk Palace, make new friends, meet Palace legends and raise money for Palace for Life. You’ll also receive a Marathon March t-shirt and finishers’ medal. You will receive dedicated fundraising and training support throughout the build-up. Upon signing up, you’ll be given a link to set up your online fundraising page and a fundraising guide to help you personalise and optimise it. In addition we will provide you with promotional graphics for your social media pages, and be on hand to offer one-toone fundraising assistance.

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

visit palaceforlife.org or scan below

How do I sign up? You can sign up for this year’s Marathon March at palaceforlife.org

palace for life

#1 FAN

EDNA

“Edna Rollinson has been a Palace fan all her life. She’s not sure what her first match was, however she has memories of attending away games at Colchester and Coventry with her father, and has been a regular at home and away matches and a Season Ticket holder for over 35 years. She has watched and supported our club through thick and thin and like many of the other faithful, always has words of advice and encouragement to offer the management and playing staff.

The list is not exhaustive and if they pull on the famous Red ‘n’ Blue and give it their all for the club, they’ll make the list.

She doesn’t have one favourite player but if asked she’ll mention the likes of Johnny Byrne, John Jackson, Wright and Bright and from our current squad Joel Ward.

To me she epitomises what this club’s supporters are all about: unwavering passion, unfaltering loyalty and devotion to CPFC.”

- Ewen McNab

$CPFC Fan Token Holder

$CPFC Fan Tokens are a form of cryptoasset (also referred to as cryptocurrency). To acquire Fan Tokens, you must download the Socios.com app, purchase the cryptocurrency, Chiliz ($CHZ.), and exchange this for $CPFC Fan Tokens. Please note that (a) the value of cryptoassets is variable and can go down as well as up; (b) cryptoassets are unregulated in the UK; and (c) Capital Gains Tax (CGT) may be payable on any profits made on the sale of cryptoassets. You should carefully consider buying or selling cryptoassets as it entails risks and could result in a complete loss of funds. Fan Tokens are not suitable for children. For full terms and more information about $CPFC Fan Tokens visit bit.ly/Socios-CPFC

In each edition we look at various topics from over the years at Crystal Palace. This week, we start with the Weird and Wonderful of Selhurst Park, and try to explain the elephant in the room.

ON ROTATION

selhurst goes inter galactic Perhaps the most unique item to be housed in SE25 arrived on April 1st, 1989. In one of the grandest and most memorable April Fools’ pranks, Virgin founder Richard Branson caught the nation’s attention by flying a supposed UFO over London. A south Londoner himself, Branson used Selhurst Park’s pitch to launch his ‘Virgin Galactic Airways’ balloon into the atmosphere, and only a select few inside the club knew the full story. “What would you do if you had an idea to make people smile, and April 1st was coming up fast on the calendar?” Branson wrote

in a post on Virgin’s website a few years ago. “My answer to this question was simple: let’s build a UFO and launch it over London.” Branson’s practical joke caught the country by surprise, and the prank was kept quiet even from Palace employees. So when staff arrived at Selhurst for work, none were prepared to see the balloon readying for flight on the pitch. “By the time we’d reached the motorway it was beginning to get light,” Branson continues. “We could see every single vehicle grinding to a halt and hundreds of people looking up at the UFO flying over them. “It was great fun watching their reactions. What we didn’t know was three police forces had

ON ROTATION

been mobilised, the army had been alerted and radio and TV stations had all gone on the air about a UFO flying low over London! “The police surrounded us and then sent one lone policeman with his truncheon across the field to greet the alien. The UFO’s door opened very slowly, with plenty of dry ice billowing from it. ET (ok, somebody in an ET costume!) walked down the platform towards the policeman. He quickly spun around and sprinted off back where he had come from!” Branson sponsored the Palace kit the same season, and the Eagles took the Fly Virgin tagline all the way to the FA Cup final in 1990. It wasn’t quite outer space, but for Palace, it was still quite a high.

elephant in the room Admittedly this wasn’t for a Palace match, but still: an elephant. On a football pitch. There’s been the odd donkey over the years, and a fox and a dog, but this animal – quite literally – stands above the rest. Animal rights aside, Wimbledon Chairman Sam Hammam supposedly thought this was a good idea before a game with Nottingham Forest in 1995, when the then-occupants ended their campaign in celebratory style. The elephant, with staff from Mary Chipperfield’s Circus, was paraded around the pitch, fed by fans and photographed with Hammam. As the Forest and Dons players prepared to line-up, however, staff couldn’t shift the animal from the pitch, prompting referee Steve Lodge to give it a yellow card. When the elephant eventually left, the Crazy Gang were able to close-out their campaign with a 2-2 draw. Forgotten this one? The elephant won’t have.

Tanked up Palace hosted Manchester United at the end of the 1970/71 season, and before the game four tanks paraded the pitch, firing blanks in the process. “How’s this for firepower?” quipped Brian Moore on The Big Match that night. ‘Firepower’ would prove to be an apt pun, with the clash ending 3-5 in United’s favour.

ON ROTATION

The tank was there to drive army recruits, with the Territorial Army based in Mitcham and encouraging fans to join through the matchday programme. This in-your-face approach was relatively widespread, with soldiers often marching or firing rifles and sub-machine guns as part of the events. Supporters at Selhurst didn’t seem swayed, however, with most covering their ears as the tanks rolled past alarmingly fast

from the

Taking your comments from the terraces into the programme. This week, we welcome today’s mascots, take a highlight from Palace Twitter, and as ever print your messages. Palace legend and now 102-year-old fan Nan Pam celebrated her birthday recently, donning the 21/22 home kit she helped to launch: @Pablovandali 29th July 2022

BRODIE PICKETT

oakley coleman

AGE:

SCORE PREDICTION:

2-0

george cobb AGE:

SCORE PREDICTION:

2-0

rory murphy

SCORE PREDICTION:

2-1

AGE:

SCORE PREDICTION:

2-1

Email us on programme@cpfc.co.uk with a message of no more than 200 words with a (printable) opinion or story. Want to feature as a mascot? Email liam.connery@cpfc.co.uk.

from the terraces

“Here we go” 102… #NanPam has signed up for another year as #CPFC ‘s & maybe even now #football‘s #EPL oldest active Fan! 102 years old today. Absolute legend. & She’s genuinely so excited for our 22/23 season!

Steve from Bromley, a lifelong fan and long time season ticket holder who recently turned 70 but unfortunately couldn’t celebrate due to ill health. Get well soon, your friends Keith and Dawn.

Welcome back to the home of football, Jonathan Rodgers. Not a typo in sight. The Beak St Boys.

Peter Osborn – A lifelong Palace fan of 95 years who peacefully passed away in June 2022. The best dad and grandad we could ever have wished for – underlined nothing more by the fact he taught us to love and antagonise over Palace! COYP.

Very best wishes to Arthur Clark, who turned 101 on the 30th of May, and still follows the team keenly on TV. With love from Les & Carole.

RIP Roy Mayne – 19/05/46 27/04/22. An amazing husband, father, grandfather, friend and passionate Palace fan. We will love and miss you more than words can ever say. Forever in our hearts. Congratulations Steve! 60 years a fan, been great to share some of those with you! Lots of love Jane.

David Crowdle passed on the 4th of July of cancer, 1 week away from his 40th. His family and friends in Peterborough did this lovely tribute to him and the club.

Vale David Wheeler. Croydon-born, he took future wife Joan to Selhurst Park for their first date in 1957 before following her to Australia. Mad fan until the very end. (1935-2022).

from the terraces

Email programme@cpfc.co.uk with a message of 30 words or fewer and an image to feature on our messageboard.

That’s almost it for the first 22/23 matchday programme. Catch-up on what you might have missed, pit your wits against Brighty and prep for the next away trip below.

did you spot?

quote of the week “It’s almost the perfect British footballers that [south London] produces: it’s that mix of technically very, very gifted, balanced out with physically very gifted too and also balanced out with a really strong mentality, which I think comes from south London.” The elephant on Page 65. Find out whyEkpoudom this one paraded around ‘Neef’ Selhurst Park in the 1990s.

The elephant on Page 65. Find out why this one paraded around Selhurst Park in the 1990s.

Zeki Fryers made 14 appearances for Palace between 2014-17. After leaving Welling United he now plies his trade with Macclesfield in the Northern Premier League Division One West.

round-up

next up: liverpool Palace are on the road to Anfield after today’s clash. Travel: Trains run from London Euston to Liverpool Lime St in two or twoand-a-half hours. From there, supporters can take a taxi, a bus from nearby Queen Square bus station, or a train to Sandhills or Kirkdale. Pre-match: There are plenty of pubs for away fans near Anfield, with The Arkles being the best known. Fans looking for a more unique pre-match spot are best off in Liverpool city centre, where the grandiose Philharmonic Dining Rooms, Liverpool’s oldest pub The Grapes, The Baltic Fleet and its traditional scouse, and John Lennon’s favourite haunt Ye Cracke provide plenty of choice.

BEAT BRIGHTY In each edition, club icon Mark Bright calls it how he sees it and predicts scores 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

0-3 1-2 2-1 2-0 total Manage to Beat Brighty? Keep track of your total score above!

round-up

Best memory: Christian Benteke and Mamadou Sakho celebrating as Palace trumped the Reds 2-1 on home turf.

team stats: women / U21s / U18s Molly-Mae Sharpe Sharpe ended the season as top scorer, netting seven from 24 and finishing in the league’s top 10.

Victor Akinwale Akinwale hit a remarkable 27 goals from 29, with Ademola OlaAdebomi striking 19.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi With 18 goals Rak-Sakyi finished as the league’s joint-top scorer.

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

AUGUST Sun 21

London City Lionesses

Sun 28

Coventry United

SEPTEMBER Sun 11

Birmingham City

Sun 18

Southampton

Sun 25

Blackburn Rovers

OCTOBER Sun 16

Sunderland

Sun 23

Bristol City

Sun 30

Durham

NOVEMBER Sun 6

Sheffield United

Sun 20

Charlton Athletic

DECEMBER Sun 4

Lewes

JANUARY Sun 15

London City Lionesses

Sun 22

Coventry United

FEBRUARY Sun 5

Southampton

Sun 12

Durham

MARCH Sun 5

Bristol City

Sun 12

Sheffield United

Sun 26

Blackburn Rovers

APRIL Sun 2

Sunderland

Sun 16

Birmingham City

Sun 23

Lewes

Sun 30

Charlton Athletic

AUGUST Mon 8 Brighton & Hove Albion Fri 12 Manchester United Fri 19 Fulham Fri 26 Wolves Tue 30 Swindon Town SEPTEMBER Fri 2 Tottenham Hotpsur Sat 10 Blackburn Rovers Fri 16 Chelsea OCTOBER Sat 1 West Ham United Tue 4 Bristol Rovers Sun 9 Everton Sat 15 Liverpool Tue 18 Plymouth Argyle Sat 22 Manchester City Mon 31 Arsenal NOVEMBER Fri 4 Leicester City JANUARY Mon 9 Brighton & Hove Albion Mon 16 Fulham Sun 22 Liverpool Mon 30 Manchester City FEBRUARY Mon 13 Leicester City Mon 20 Manchester United Mon 27 Tottenham Hotspur MARCH Fri 3 Everton Fri 17 Arsenal APRIL Mon 3 Chelsea Mon 17 West Ham United Mon 24 Wolves MAY Mon 13 Blackburn Rovers

women/u23s/u18s

AUGUST Tue 6 Hertha Berlin SEPTEMBER Wed 28 PSG DECEMBER Wed 14 Dinamo Zagreb FEBRUARY Wed 8 SC Braga

AUGUST Sat 13 West Ham United Sat 20 Aston Villa Sat 27 West Bromwich Albion SEPTEMBER Sat 17 Southampton OCTOBER Sat 1 Chelsea Sat 22 Leicester City Sat 29 Fulham NOVEMBER Sat 19 Norwich City Sat 26 Tottenham Hotpsur DECEMBER Sat 3 Brighton & Hove Albion Sat 17 Arsenal JANUARY Sat 7 West Ham United Sat 14 Fulham Sat 28 Aston Villa FEBRUARY Sat 11 Tottenham Hotspur Sat 18 Brighton & Hove Albion Sat 25 Arsenal MARCH Sat 18 Leicester City APRIL Sat 1 Southampton Sat 15 Norwich City Sat 22 Chelsea Sat 29 West Bromwich Albion

21/22 statistics Name

21/22 statistics

Apps

Skye Bacon

Goals

Name

21/22 statistics

Apps

Goals

Tayo Adaramola

Bianca Baptiste

Kirsty Barton

Hannah Churchill

Name

Apps

Joshua Addae

Goals

Victor Akinwale

Asher Agbinone

Jay-Rich Baghuelou

Tayo Adaramola

Scott Banks

Victor Akinwale

David Boateng

Ryan Bartley

Malachi Boateng

Kalani Barton

Charley Clifford

Luke Dreher

Freddie Bell

Grace Coombs

Harry Freedman

Maliq Cadogan

Leanne Cowan

Owen Goodman (GK)

John-Kymani Gordon

Junior Dixon

Reece Hannam

Owen Goodman (GK)

Danny Imray

Aimee Everett

Millie Farrow

Coral-Jade Haines

Alex Hennessy

Annabel Johnson

Sophie McLean

Chloe Morgan (GK)

Leigh Nicol

Emily Orman (GK)

Gracie Pearse

Molly-Mae Sharpe

Isabella Sibley

Nya Kirby

Jake O'Brien

Ademola Ola-Adebomi

David Omilabu

David Ozoh

Killian Phillips

Dan Quick

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Sean Robertson

Jackson Izquierdo (GK)

Kanye Jobson

James Leonard

Cameron Lewis-Brown

Joe Ling

Adler Nascimento

Zach Marsh Fionn Mooney

David Obou

Ademola Ola-Adebomi

19 2

Kaden Rodney

David Ozoh

Cardo Siddik

Jadan Raymond

Aidan Steele

Kaden Rodney

Rob Street

Laurence Shala

James Taylor

Joe Sheridan

Dylan Thiselton

Basilio Socoliche

Noah Watson

Matthew Vigor

Jack Wells-Morrison

Joe Whitworth (GK)

Vonnte Williams

Hope Smith Lizzie Waldie

Siobhan Wilson

pos CLUB P W D

A GD Pts

bir

ars

bla

bri

cha

cry

cov

eve

cry

ful

pos CLUB P W D

bha

che

pos CLUB

P W D

A GD Pts

ars

avl

bha

che

dur

lei

lew

liv

nor

lon

sou

10 she

10 tot

10 mci

mun

12 tot

sou

13 whu

wba

12 sun

14 wol

12 whu

women/u23s/u18s

Jack Butland

Joel Ward

Tyrick Mitchell

Luka Milivojevic

22/23 FIXTURES & RESULTS 01

Career Appearances

305

177

Career goals

ALL-TIME

MAY

APRIL

March

FEBRUARY

JANUARY

DEC

NOV

OCTOBER

SEP

AUGUST

Home fixture Away fixture Cup fixture (Crystal Palace score shown first) Started Used sub Unused sub Goal(s) Yellow card Red card attendance/ KICK-OFF

Date

Opposition

Fri 5

Arsenal