Crystal Palace v Bournemouth matchday programme 2223

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

Editor Will Robinson

Design Billy Cooke, Stu Ellmer, Lucas Gough

Contributors Ian King, Robin Johnson, Ben Bailey Smith, Toby Jagmohan, Tommy Macarthur, Joe Antonelli

Photography Neil Everitt,

Printer Bishops Printers

The midfield is a bit like the heart of the system. If it doesn’t work then the team doesn’t work. It is up to me now to keep working and giving the maximum from myself

Sebastian Frej, Pinnacle Photo Agency, Getty, Toby Jagmohan

PALACE FOR ALL -

Today’s matchday celebrates Palace for All – a club-wide sentiment that proudly states that we are an inclusive and diverse club, and that everyone is welcome here at Crystal Palace F.C.

Today will see 40 new fans from a range of backgrounds welcomed to Selhurst Park – many for the first time. Our guests come from LGBTQ+ youth charity Metro based in south London, as well as local religious institutions including churches, mosques and temples. As part of this outreach, we are also welcoming people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and those living with accessibility issues.

“We are committed to encouraging inclusion, diversity and equality across our Club not only throughout our supporter base but also with our workforce, partner and worldwide community,”

On this day: may 13th

‘Zaha…OH YES!’ Is there a more iconic piece of Palace commentary? The Eagles travelled to the Amex as underdogs 10 years ago, but Ian Holloway’s side produced a vintage display, with then 21-year-old Wilfried Zaha writing his name into club folklore as his virtuoso brace took Palace to Wembley, and one step closer to the Premier League.

explains Head of HR Bry Harding. “We aim to reflect our home, south London, but also the communities that are proud to support us around the world as we strive to be a progressive Club that advocates for the positive benefits diversity brings to us, on and off the pitch.

Palace For All stands for the promotion of inclusivity, diversity and equality across our Club and we’re proud to welcome new fans to Selhurst Park today.“

Head down to the Fanzone before today’s match to hear from some of our invited fans and to celebrate the diversity that makes the club so special.

Fan update

The club’s End of Season Awards evening will take place at Clapham Grand on Wednesday, 24th May – head to cpfc.co.uk for more information and ticket details.

What’s inside

Find out… how Palace keep an eye on the psychological side of the game (page 50) and lift the lid on one of the club’s greatest mysteries (page 64).

Firstly, I would like to welcome Gary O’Neill, the Bournemouth coaching staff, directors, players and fans to the game here at Selhurst Park today. Gary has guided Bournemouth superbly since taking over and I want to congratulate him on doing so well and leading his team to Premier League safety.

Despite the result at Tottenham, I thought the players acquitted themselves well and demonstrated their quality on and off the ball. It is never an easy place to go and Spurs have a squad filled with talented players, but we held our own and were only beaten by a moment of immense quality from Harry Kane. There are plenty of positives from our performance and we will focus on taking them into today’s game.

As of this weekend, we are mathematically safe and have secured our Premier League status for another year. Next season will be the club’s 11 th consecutive campaign in the top-flight, which is an enormous achievement in such a competitive division, so congratulations to Steve Parish and his fellow board members for overseeing the club during this time.

I’m pleased and proud to have secured safety, but for the players and staff the focus is now to finish the season as strongly as possible

regardless of what is happening around us; we need to go out and aim for as many points as possible from these final three games.

Last weekend’s fixtures demonstrated once again just how competitive the Premier League is this season, with every team capable of beating each other. It’s a reminder of just how important it is to perform every week, and today will be no exception. Bournemouth have put together a fantastic run of form at just the right time, and have deservedly risen further up the table. We will have to be at our best today if we are to get a good result from the game.

Ahead of our penultimate home game of the season, I want to reiterate how important your support has been in helping us achieve our Premier League status and I hope you can keep pushing us on until the final moments of the campaign. I look forward to seeing you all today, and I hope we can produce a performance that will make you proud .

I want to reiterate how important your support has been in helping us achieve our Premier League status and I hope you can keep pushing us on

manager

Heading to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is always a difficult task, but we were disappointed to come away with nothing after a positive performance both on and off the ball.

We demonstrated that we could compete and had long spells in possession putting Spurs under pressure, but we were unable to find that crucial goal. It shows how far this side has come over recent years that we felt aggrieved not to have earned a point – it is a measure of progress that we feel we have the quality to challenge any side in the league.

The Premier League this season has been a rollercoaster, and every weekend there are more examples of how teams at the bottom can beat those much higher up the table. When we last played Bournemouth on New Year’s Eve they were tipped by many to be in danger, but they have shown in the last couple of months a huge amount of fight to secure safety, and they will be a tough challenge today.

We know we will have to be at our best to get all three points, and that is exactly what we want to do. That means not just putting in a good performance, but being clinical

in front of goal by finishing our chances, and tight at the back to try to keep a clean sheet. It is so important every week in the Premier League to fight for your teammates, win your individual battles and leave everything out on the pitch – if you don’t, the quality of the opposition will always punish you.

We were delighted to have achieved our Premier League position for next season, and for me personally to have secured safety for a seventh year running. But we cannot switch off now – there are three games remaining this season and we want to win each and every one of them. It would not be fair to you as fans, to the coaching staff or to ourselves if we settled on 40 points, and so we will go out there and fight to finish the campaign in a positive way and climb as high up the table as possible.

It’s hard to believe that there are just two more home games this season. Your support has been incredible and I can look back fondly on some of the amazing atmospheres we have played in since August –thank you for your incredible support. I hope you can keep that noise for these final couple of games at Selhurst Park. I know we will fight for you until the very last minute, and I can’t wait to see you all today.

Make some noise! .

Your support has been incredible and I can look back fondly on some of the amazing atmospheres we have played in since August –thank you for your incredible support

Welcome to the directors, staff, players and supporters of Bournemouth to Selhurst Park for today’s encounter, and to each and every Palace supporter here to get behind the players. Today we are spreading the message of ‘Palace for All’ – our club-wide sentiment that proudly states that we are an inclusive and diverse club, and that everyone is welcome here at Crystal Palace F.C.

What a pleasure it is to be writing these notes with our Premier League status secured for another year. Next season will mark our recordextending 11 th straight top-flight campaign, and it is a credit to the players, staff and supporters that we have been able to thrive in such a competitive environment for so long. I want to place on record my thanks to Roy for his work in achieving safety as well as the fantastic work by Ray and Paddy. I know that all of their focus will be firmly on these final three games and finishing the season as strongly as possible.

Our victory over West Ham was another positive and memorable afternoon at Selhurst Park, but I would like to apologise for the inconvenience many fans suffered in trying to enter the stadium. In the hour before kick-off, we encountered a unique set of circumstances which led to complications between our database and entry

I want to place on record my thanks to Roy for his work in achieving safety, but I know that his focus will be firmly on these final three games and finishing the season as strongly as possible

system. We have successfully resolved the issue and my colleagues have run several tests since, and we are confident that the specific issue we faced should not happen again.

I know that many of you have had a difficult time reaching Selhurst this afternoon due to train strikes, and I want to thank you again for going to such lengths to support the team home and away – I know how much Roy and the players appreciate it.

Congratulations to the Under15s on winning the Southern Floodlight Cup with an emphatic 5-0 away win at Arsenal. By the time you read this, they will have played the national final against Stoke City – let’s hope they can go one better than last year and pick up another trophy.

The Under-21s have also reached the final of the Premier League International Cup against PSV Eindhoven, beating European heavyweights like Paris Saint-Germain and Valencia on the way. The final is at Selhurst Park on Tuesday, 23rd May, and I hope to see as many of you as possible supporting the boys on what is certain to be a special night in their careers. I remember what an incredible atmosphere you created when we earned promotion to the top division at Under-21s level, and it would be amazing to see an even bigger crowd getting behind the team at Selhurst.

We have many of our returning loanees who may make

an appearance on the night, and I want to take the opportunity to congratulate them on really successful spells. Jes Rak-Sakyi won Charlton’s Player of the Year, Killian Phillips matched that at Shrewsbury while Rob Street, Scott Banks, Luke Plange, Malcolm Ebiowei and JohnKymani Gordon also had very positive experiences. Malachi Boateng is still involved in the play-offs in Scotland with Queen’s Park, having been an ever-present in their starting XI, and Jake O’Brien has impressed in Belgium. I would also thank Charlton, Bradford, Shrewsbury, Carlisle, Lincoln, Molenbeek, Hull and Queen’s Park who have looked after the boys brilliantly.

The club’s End of Season Awards are taking place at a new venue this year: the iconic Clapham Grand. Ten awards will be presented to recognise the contribution of the first-team, academy and women’s sides to another successful season, and I very much hope you can join us on the night – or if not, watch the highlights on Palace TV in the days that follow.

In this, our penultimate home game, let me thank you once again for your support throughout the campaign. We have such a strong record at home in recent weeks, and I know we can continue that today with the atmosphere you will generate – throw everything behind Roy and the players.

Up the Palace .

let me thank you once again for your support throughout the campaign. We have such a strong record at home in recent weeks, and I know we can continue that today with the atmosphere you will generate

chairman

this is what helps me be a good player today

The 1978 World Cup was shrouded in controversy, but on the pitch the action was as nail-biting and dramatic as ever. As Italy kicked off against France at Estadio José María Minella in Mar del Plata near Buenos Aires, all eyes were on a diminutive 23-year-old midfielder lining up for Les Bleus: Michel Platini was about to blossom into the world’s greatest player. He would run the midfield for years with unfathomable elegance and exquisite skill, winning three Ballon d’Or awards; his role as a UEFA administrator would see him shape the game for decades more. But alongside him that night was a man far less desiring of the limelight, but with an extraordinary legacy of his own.

For as Platini stole the show, Jean-Marc Guillou held the fort in midfield. The World Cup opener was to be the last of his 19 caps for France, but his career at the top of the game had made him think deeply about the future. If playing alongside Platini taught him anything, it was how to spot talent – real talent.

As a manager at Cannes, he appointed a little-known coach to become his assistant manager. The intellectually engaged young man certainly spoke a good game, but his playing career had been unimpressive and there were doubts over his suitability for the position. Guillou was certain however, and duly named the 34-year-old Arsène Wenger as his right-hand man.

In the 1990s, a new challenge presented itself: how could he nurture the extraordinary amount of untapped talent coming out of Africa, and give youngsters with such huge potential a chance of making it to the top level. The Académie MimoSifcom was the result, formed by Guillou at ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan.

He began scouting missions to sift through the thousands of hopefuls and find the very best young players from across the Ivory Coast. It was a roaring success. The honour roll is lengthy, and includes internationals and Premier League winners like Kolo Touré, Yaya Touré, Emmanuel Eboué, Didier Zokora and Solomon Kalou.

So, how does all of this relate to Crystal Palace? Good question. Allow Cheick Doucouré to answer. “I spent the first half of my childhood in Abidjan,” he says. “When I was 11 we used to play in our district, and someone would bring us together to play little tournaments. It is that person who created a bond with the Jean-Marc Guillou academy.

I spent the first half of my childhood in Abidjan, When I was 11 we used to play in our district, and someone would bring us together to play little tournaments. It is that person who create a bond with the Jean-Marc Guillou academy

“He is the one who took us there to play some tournaments. This is how Jean-Marc Guillou used to do it in Cote d’Ivoire: he structured something which created only good players, such as Hamari Traoré and [Yves] Bissouma from the Premier League also. It has been a very good education. I took a lot of pleasure there and this is what helps me be a good player today.”

It seems like fate, then, that Doucouré should fulfil his fantasy of moving to Europe by earning a transfer to a French side – Lens, to be specific. He was following Guillou’s footsteps: a midfielder in Ligue 1. He was just 18-yearsold. “Honestly I was happy to join Europe because it was my dream,” he says. “I wouldn’t say it was complicated because it was my ambition from the beginning to be playing at European clubs.

“Maybe only the cold used to get me tired, in the north of France! But I met great guys and a very welcoming city, and that is what helped me to flourish.” It wasn’t an easy adjustment. Initially training with the reserves, he struggled to adapt to the pace of the division, and his body was letting him down.

“It wasn’t so easy at the beginning because I started with the second-team,” Doucouré remembers. “I picked up some injuries that kept me tired –physically and mentally – especially due to the cold and the change of weather, but I just kept working.

“Then Eric Roy [former French midfielder and then-Sporting

Director of RC Lens] – who I salute by the way – helped me a lot with my life at the training ground. He advised me on what to eat, what not to eat. It all helped me, as well as so many other lads in the team. They helped me to lose myself and play week in, week out.

“I think this is what helped me flourish on the pitch and express myself with my teammates and with the coach. [Improvement] was in the continuity, really. It was lots and lots of work, a lot of listening to the players who had experience of playing in Ligue 1 already, and to some players who arrived such as Seko Fofana, who helped me a lot maintaining my place in the team and winning games.

“That helped us achieve two great seasons.” His two great seasons earned him a call-up to the national side and a move to the Premier League – a move to Crystal Palace. It was another step up, but this time he was more mentally prepared for the challenge. “I know I am a good player, so I try not to think too much on the pitch,” he explains.

It was lots and lots of work, a lot of listening to the players who had experience of playing in Ligue 1 already, and to some players who arrived such as Seko Fofana, who helped me a lot maintaining my place in the team and winning games

I know I am a good player, so I try not to think too much on the pitch

I think I still have big room for improvement

“I always listen, work and I think I owe my season down to this. As a first stage I would say my season is a positive, but I think I can still do a lot better: to get better statistics, score more goals, give more assists. I think I still have big room for improvement. I can keep learning, keep working and it will follow.”

Doucouré’s idol is a Premier League legend whose journey he can relate to; a man who became one of the finest midfielders the country has ever seen. “Yaya Touré played at the same academy as I did when I was younger, and when I was there I always admired him,” he says. “I thought our games were quite similar, so he was someone I really idolised and based my game on.

“When he was playing for Barcelona, I used to watch his matches because I supported Barcelona back then. Then when he moved to Manchester City I used to watch him and he scored so many great goals, so he’s just a really big player – an important player in Africa. He won the Best African Footballer many, many times, so

Yaya Touré played at the same academy as I did when I was younger, and when I was there I always admired him. I thought our games were quite similar, so he was someone I really idolised and based my game on

I’m just having a lot of fun playing in the Premier League

that inspired me then and it still does to this day.

“I have never met him but I would like to meet him one day just to learn from him in person.” While Touré was often deployed as a rampaging No. 8, however, Doucouré has begun to settle into a No. 6 role at Palace. “I used to play like that at Lens, as a sole No. 6,” he explains. “I can also play with two No. 6s in the midfield. I don’t mind, it is what the manager expects from us so I just try to give the team as much as I can. It works well at the moment.”

Nonetheless, he tries to model his game on the very best midfielders of differing varieties. Does he look towards disrupters like N’Golo Kanté, metronomes like Luka Modric or controllers like Sergio Busquets? “I play in the Premier League, so every week I am meeting great midfielders,” he points out. “I try to look and learn from them.

“I know I am not at their level, and there is still a lot of work to do for this. But I know I am someone who is quite calm and who tries to always be well positioned. That is very important for my position and I think it is what helps me to intercept a lot of balls.

“I always try to be available when we have the ball, because the midfield is a bit like the heart of the system. If it doesn’t work then the team doesn’t work. I try to keep myself available for the team, which is going quite well at the moment. It is up to me now to keep working and giving the maximum from myself.”

Doucouré has come a long way from his footballing beginnings in Guillou’s academy, and now the Premier League is becoming his latest conquest. Behind all the adaptation and integration, all the miles run and patterns of play analysed, is a young man having fun at the very top of his game.

“I spoke with the players I know from the Mali national team: Yves Bissouma, Moussa Djenepo, Abdoulaye Doucouré. They gave me lots of advice, and told me it is a great league and I should really jump at the opportunity. They said the Premier League has so much passion. In the games there is nonstop running and high intensity.

“Having seen me play in training, they thought I had the game for this league. They said: ‘Change nothing. Just come here and you will enjoy it loads’, and that is what is happening. I’m just having a lot of fun playing in the Premier League.” They say time flies – and can anyone remember Palace’s midfield without the virtually ever-present Cheick Doucouré? Long may the good times continue

I spoke with the players I know from the Mali national team. They gave me lots of advice, and told me it is a great league and I should really jump at the opportunity. They said the Premier League has so much passion. In the games there is non-stop running and high intensity

Cheick Doucouré’s journey to the Premier League was an eventful one – but how have his experiences around the world prepared him to answer some of our toughest and least important questions?

the follow the follow -up -up

#16 Who was the last artist/band you saw live?

I don’t really go to concerts, but I have been listening to a lot to Fally Ipupa lately. He is an African artist.

Which

sport,

other than football, do you watch the most and why?

I don’t watch too many sports other than football, but if I had to pick one it would be basketball. My favourite team to watch right now is LA Lakers with LeBron James as they are currently playing in the Western Conference semi-finals against the Golden State Warriors.

#24 What is your favourite stadium to play in (other than Selhurst Park) and why?

My other favourite stadium is Stade Bollaert-Delelis, it was my home ground from when I used to play at RC Lens. The atmosphere is great there and the fans are always very loud.

#27 Which football legend would you most liked to have played with and why?

Zinedine Zidane. His qualities as a player speak for themselves – no explanation needed!

#43 Spicy food, yes or no?

Definitely yes. My favourite food is Jollof Rice. There are many different variations depending on the country, but I like it especially how they make it in Senegal

Worth a try? Probably.

Did you know?

Bournemouth were formed in 1899 as Boscombe, switching to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in 1923 and only adopting their current name ‘AFC Bournemouth’ in 1971, along with a new badge and a kit based on that of AC Milan.

Cherries cherries

Bournemouth’s turnaround under Gary O’Neill has been nothing short of extraordinary, and they find themselves clear of the relegation zone with games to spare.

match preview -

After taking over from Scott Parker in August in the wake of the 9-0 defeat at Anfield, the Cherries initial upturn in form looked to be temporary – a run of nine defeats in 11 games either side of the World Cup plunged them into trouble.

However, having been written off by many pundits as relegation certainties, a run of six wins in nine has lifted them away from the ferocious battle below and all-but secured their status as a Premier League side for next season.

Defeat against Chelsea last time out has done nothing to dampen spirits on the south coast, and now Bournemouth will be looking to finish the season on a high before planning for the beginning of a new Premier League campaign.

adam smith

Approaching the end of his 10th year at Bournemouth, Smith continues to be a vital part of the club’s success and has made the joint-most appearances this season.

last five √ palace

september

Boot in both camps

gary cahill

Cahill left south London after two years of valuable service in 2021, heading to the south coast to join Bournemouth for a final season before retirement. The legendary centre-back hung up his boots having earned 61 England caps, made almost 400 Premier

Recent clash

24 apps

91 saves

clean sheets

Age 33

Height 1.90m

Joined August 7th, 2022

Debut August 23rd, 2022 v Norwich City

Neto’s career has taken in some of the biggest clubs and grandest stages in world football, winning several major trophies along the way – including two Serie A titles, two Coppa Italias and two Copa del Rey victories. He finished runner-up in the 2016/17 Champions League with Juventus, and made his only appearance for Brazil in 2018.

player profile

career history:

Athletico Paranaense, Fiorentina, Juventus, Valencia, Barcelona

LLOYD KELLY

ADAM SMITH

NETO

POS GOALKEEPER NAT BRAZIL

CHRIS MEPHAM

POS DEFENDER NAT ENGLAND

POS DEFENDER NAT ENGLAND

POS DEFENDER NAT WALES

POS DEFENDER NAT ENGLAND

JACK STEPHENS

MATÍAS VIÑA

POS DEFENDER NAT ZIMBABWE 04

08

jefferson lerma

lewis cook MARCOS SENSI

POS MIDFIELDER NAT ENGLAND

POS MIDFIELDER NAT COLOMBIA

Age 26

Height 1.85m Joined August 8th, 2022

Debut August 13th, 2022 v Manchester City

career history:

San Lorenzo, Feyenoord

29 opposition

04

POS DEFENDER NAT ARGENTINA player profile

CLEAN SHEETS

28 apps

2 goals

After making his debut for his boyhood club, iconic Argentinian side San Lorenzo, Senesi moved to Europe to join Feyenoord where finished runner-up in the 2021/22 Europa Conference League. Of both Italian and Argentinian descent, he was called up to both squads last season but elected to play for the world champions.

26 Height 1.93m Joined July 29th, 2019

Debut August 10th, 2019 v Sheffield United goals

career history:

110 apps

230 tackles

Billing scored the second-fastest goal in Premier League history this season, opening the scoring at the Emirates Stadium after just 9.11 seconds. With seven goals already this season he could reach double figures for a second consecutive campaign – and the first in the top-flight, as he aims to add to his five caps at international level.

POS FORWARD

kieffer moore

POS FORWARD NAT WALES

dominic solanke

POS FORWARD

NAT ENGLAND

92 apps

10 assists

antione semenyo

POS FORWARD NAT GHANA

Age 24

Height 1.86m

Joined January 4th, 2019

goals

jaidon anthony

POS FORWARD NAT ENGLAND

Debut February 2nd, 2019 v Cardiff City

After turbulent spells at Chelsea and Liverpool, Solanke has found a club to help him reach his considerable potential and his 29 goals in the Championship last season were a reminder of why he was so sought-after as a teenager. Capped for England in 2017, he has continued to impress in the Premier League and scored three times in April.

player profile

career history:

Chelsea, Vitesse (loan), Liverpool

stat pack stat pack

Having won just one of their first seven Premier League meetings with Bournemouth (D4 L2), Crystal Palace have now won each of their last four against them.

After keeping a clean sheet in their first Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace (0-0 in December 2015), Bournemouth have conceded in each of their last 10 against the Eagles.

29 Jeff Schlupp

billing

88 46 34

won

It’s Saturday afternoon, kick-off is ticking closer and you're first to the pub. Before long, hazy memories and almost-accurate stats will fill the air. Brush-up for your Bournemouth pre-match below.

Weren't they...

Harry Redknapp’s first club as manager. After coming through the ranks at West Ham United, going on to play 175 games for the first-team, Redknapp joined Bournemouth and spent four years on the south coast. A spell in America with Seattle Sounders followed as he wound down his playing career, but management beckoned – as did an old friend.

Redknapp signed as manager of Bournemouth in 1983, managing nearly 500 games over a nine-year period before returning to West Ham in 1994. His finest hour came in the FA Cup in 1984, causing one of the most famous shocks in

they defeated holders Manchester United in the third round.

Feelings towards Redknapp are likely to be mixed on the south coast after he went on to manage rivals Southampton and Portsmouth in later seasons – winning an FA Cup with the latter – but it’s safe to say ‘Arry gave plenty to the club both on the pitch and off it.

didn't he...

Score nine in one game. Erling Haaland, eat your heart out – Ted MacDougall is the man to beat. Born in Inverness and coming through as an apprentice at Liverpool, MacDougall signed for Bournemouth in 1969 and would go on to score 42 league goals in his second season, helping Bournemouth to promotion. He is most remembered for his exploits in the cup, however, scoring nine of Bournemouth’s 11 goals in an 11-0 win against Margate in November, 1971. It is no surprise he would go on to earn the nickname ‘SuperMac’.

league games his form began to earn plaudits, and it wasn’t long before he had earned a move to Manchester United. His career at Old Trafford was less successful, staying for just one

season and starting in the famous five-goal defeat at Selhurst Park in December, 1972.

pub talk tibdit

There is some dispute over how Bournemouth came by their ‘Cherries’ nickname. Two explanations have gained traction, the first emanating – obviously –from the cherry red colour of their home strip, before the introduction of black stripes in the 1970s.

The second, less standard but simultaneously less plausible explanation, is an idea that original stadium Dean Court was build next door to the Cooper-Dean estate. The estate supposedly contained row after row of cherry trees. Thus: the Cherries. Voila.

aren't they…

Called something different. This one is confusing. Despite the club operating under the name AFC Bournemouth, they are still registered as Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Football Club – the club’s official name since 1923 when they changed from Boscombe FC.

So why AFC Bournemouth?

Adopted by the club in 1971, the idea was to appear first in any list of clubs in alphabetical order – and to be fair, it has worked. Arsenal and Aston Villa in the Premier League, Accrington Stanley in League One, Aldershot Town and Altrincham in the National League. Even newly formed AFC Wimbledon couldn’t overtake in 2002.

don't they…

Have a few surprising celebrity fans. Move over Wrexham, Bournemouth were the original choice of the A-Listers – although not always for sporting reasons. Some time ago on Soccer AM, actor Seth Rogan made the mistake of revealing that he did not have a British football team to follow. Names were placed in a hat and he picked one at random, and instantly became the club’s most recognisable supporter.

Since then, Hollywood has moved much closer to home. This season, Creed star Michael B. Jordan completed his takeover of the club, alongside businessman Bill Foley – the pair were presented to the crowd on New Year’s Eve, just before Palace emerged victorious at the Vitality.

Give me Bill Nighy any day

Pre-match pint

Cronx Lemon Saison

A Belgian Saison-style ale brewed with lemons, coriander seeds and a black peppercorns. Zingy citrus notes, brought together alongside a crisp and clean finish for a complex yet refreshing beer. Available in the Lower Holmesdale’s Tap Room.

30 YEARS OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester City 0-2 Crystal Palace – October 30th, 2021 Palace rocked the Etihad for the second time in two years with Wilfried Zaha and Conor Gallagher scoring at opposite ends of the game.

doc brown women's REVIEW DANNY IMRAY

doc brown doc brown

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

ENOUGH ALREADY

The following is an emergency alert. I know it’s not 3pm and your phone’s not eliciting a strange beep but this is still an urgent distress call. A warning to all Eagles. We’re in a paradox. Remember a few weeks back when we were the butt of every single footballing conversation in the country? Hadn’t scored for years, in freefall, young manager out, old manager in, going down, yada yada yada… Suddenly every news outlet you can find is packed with talk of our miracle worker in chief, amazing home atmosphere and incredible talent on the pitch. The positivity and excitement around us from the outside looking in is palpable.

And I say: ENOUGH.

I can’t handle all this unbridled affection. You know why? It scares me. It puts a spotlight on the incredible job everyone at Selhurst Park is doing from Steve Parish all the way down to the caterers, box office staff and even esteemed matchday programme columnists. But if it’s all going so well, I hear you ask, what on earth am I scared of? In a word:

poachers. There’s a pattern here. When smaller, imaginative clubs do things well, I’ve noticed that bigger, unimaginative clubs just buyout all the good stuff, pick the bones until there’s nothing left.

It's already happening. Olise, Zaha, Anderson, Guéhi – the gossipmongers are twitching and the vultures are circling. He’s not just too good for you, THEY’RE just too good for you. Who wouldn’t want to bundle Eze into the back of a transit van and spirit him away, up the M1 to a Northern powerhouse? Even in losing to Spurs, Michael’s first touch shone like a beacon, as did the endless work ethic of Marc and Joachim.

But it’s not just the players. We bring back a great British behemoth of football in Roy and whaddayaknow? Big Sam reappears

Everything we do well now is at risk of being carbon-copied at best and at worst – actually taken from us

Ben Bailey Smith

like a terrifying sequel in a horror film franchise. Everything we do well now is at risk of being carbon-copied at best and at worst – actually taken from us. Like, doesn’t it bug you when you hear City fans singing “We’ve got (clap clap) Guardiola”? Haven’t they got enough over there? The greatest striker in history, an amazing stadium, a bucketful of trophies… they gotta steal a vibe too? Outrageous.

Petty perhaps, but it also makes my teeth grind when I hear the WE LOVE YOU chant deployed around the country willy-nilly, like after winning a corner or something. NO. I had an argument with a rival fan about the history of that chant the other day. Not saying we invented it, but on my computer, I still have footage I FILMED ON MY MOTOROLA FLIP PHONE of my now 18-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER singing that to me AS A TODDLER in her bedroom WEARING HUGGIES PULLUPS. So there’s that.

In this joyous, late season period of success, we need to be careful. Who knows what could be snaffled away from us? I close my eyes and can’t keep from catastrophising. Horrendous visions project onto my eyelids: Chelsea building a west London Holmesdale brick-for-brick and creating the Bluesdale Fanatics. Ten Hag and Klopp forcing their assistant coaches into wearing shorts. Away kits around the country suddenly turning red and blue. Brighton picking one special seagull, calling it Ayla or something and flying it

over the pitch at kick off. I think I just did a little sick in my mouth.

So what the heck do we do? Here’s my suggestion. Now that we are mathematically safe – soon to be joined by Bournemouth (Gary O’Neill also needs to watch his step by the way – he’s definitely been dangerously successful) – let’s start doing everything HORRIBLY. Right from kick-off: BE QUIET! BE SHAMEFUL! BE PALACE! Just for the last couple of weeks. Leave a real sour taste in the Premier League’s mouths. Have Olise banging in own goals for fun. Guéhi conceding a penalty a game. Get Wilf on I’m A Celebrity so everyone thinks he’s retired. Let’s make Selhurst Park whatever the opposite of a cauldron is – a plastic lunchbox? Stick Roy and Ray in matching silver shellsuits. Spread rumours that Michael Olise has a £280 million pound get-out clause. Give all the stadium pies a curried egg and sauerkraut filling.

And for Pete’s sake sack me. Because I’m like everything else at Crystal Palace Football Club right now. Just too damn good

Leave a real sour taste in the Premier League’s mouths. Have Olise banging in own goals for fun. Guéhi

conceding a penalty a game.

Get Wilf on I’m

A Celebrity so everyone thinks he’s retired. Let’s make Selhurst Park whatever the opposite of a cauldron is

Ben Bailey Smith

cpfc women cpfc women

A second consecutive top-five finish in the Women’s Championship was secured by Palace Women on the final day of the season, following a final-day 1-1 draw at Charlton Athletic – here’s how they achieved it.

August

The 2022/23 season got off to a brilliant start for Palace, as they took to the road to face London City Lionesses at Princes Park Stadium. No fewer than eight players made their Palace debuts as Issy Sibley’s second-half strike sealed all three points.

A week later, and that would soon become two from two, Palace moving to the top of the table with an outstanding 3-0 triumph over Coventry United at Hayes Lane ahead of the first international break.

September -

Where better to welcome the league leaders than Selhurst Park? Crystal Palace Women attracted a thenrecord attendance of 1,876 to SE25 on a landmark occasion.

Sadly, things did not go their way on the pitch, as Palace suffered a first defeat of the season against Southampton.

To their credit, Palace reacted well to the disappointment, Elise Hughes hitting a hat-trick to secure an eye-catching 3-1 win away at Blackburn Rovers the following week.

October

Either side of a 4-0 defeat in the WSL Cup at eventual Women’s Championship winners Bristol City, and a 3-0 loss on the same ground in the league three weeks later, came the frustration of a 2-0 loss at home to Sunderland Women, in which the Eagles arguably deserved more.

But October would end on a high with a resilient display – and a spectacular match-winning goal – at Durham, Anna Filbey’s longrange effort and Fran Kitching’s penalty save playing their parts in a hard-fought, but important, 1-0 victory.

November & December

A late start to the month following the international break saw Palace Women return to Selhurst Park for a south London derby against Charlton Athletic. For the second time this season, the Eagles attracted a record attendance to SE25, this time of 1,969 supporters. The atmosphere created did not disappoint, and aided the team’s fight against a strong

Charlton side, but the Addicks surged into a strong lead inside the first-half and Palace, despite their best efforts, eventually fell 2-1.

The Eagles’ WSL Cup hopes looked all but dashed the following week following a bruising 4-1 loss to Lewes Women at Hayes Lane – but they would attain revenge a week later in the league.

Heading to The Dripping Pan for their final match of 2023, a scruffy goal from Kirsty Barton just before half-time ensured the Eagles entered the new year in the top half of the Championship table.

January

The Eagles started 2023 with arguably their finest display of the season: a 5-1 thumping of Watford in the Vitality Women’s FA Cup third round, sealing their progression for the third time in the last four seasons.

Sadly, however, that did not translate into other competitions, as a loss away to Charlton concluded an unsuccessful WSL Cup campaign, and defeats followed against London City Lionesses, Coventry and – in the FA Cup fourth-round – Durham.

February

Palace’s struggle for consistency continued in early February with a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium, the fine margins again not falling in their favour.

While promotion now seemed unlikely, a high-placing finish was still well within Palace’s grasp – and their fightback to attain one truly began on Sunday, 12th February when Annabel Blanchard’s second-half header secured a first win of the calendar year.

Hosting Sheffield United at Hayes Lane in their next game, Coral Haines' 80 th-minute finish added to another Hollie Olding wonder goal to defeat the Blades and secure a second win in as many games.

March

Starting March with a home defeat to eventual winners Bristol City, who just proved too strong on the afternoon, Palace – subsequently sixth – remained undeterred as they looked to push up the table.

Soon after, Haines was to prove Sheffield United’s nemesis once more, scoring a well-taken breakaway goal to secure Palace another victory over the Yorkshirebased side at Bramall Lane.

A disappointing midweek defeat to Birmingham City at St Andrew’s followed, but the Eagles made sure to end the month on

a high with a Women’s Football Weekend to celebrate.

A bumper crowd of over 1,700 supporters were in attendance at Hayes Lane as Palace defeated Blackburn Rovers Ladies 1-0, thanks to more Sharpe shooting from Molly.

Palace Women’s third-highest attendance in history, and highestever at Hayes Lane, witnessed an entertaining, end-to-end fixture, with special guests, free match programmes and posters, and a real family-friendly feel in Bromley.

April -

Entering the month amidst a cluster of sides vying for fourth place, Palace made it five wins from their previous seven games with another impressive away display, winning out 2-1 at Sunderland Women thanks to Lizzie Waldie’s late effort.

Sadly, however, their return to Hayes Lane proved more difficult as title contenders Birmingham City won out 4-2 in south London, despite further goals from Haines and Sharpe. The home campaign would end on a high, however, as Palace put on a display full of energy and determination to win 4-1 against Lewes in their final match at Hayes Lane.

Sharpe and Olding – the latter with another screamer – put the Eagles in an unassailable position after just 10 minutes, and further strikes from Haines and Dean saw the Eagles sign off in front of the home support in fine fettle.

And so to the final game of the season, when Hughes' instinctive second-half equaliser at The Valley, combined with Southampton's defeat at home to Sheffield United, saw Palace Women finish fifth in the 22/23 Women's Championship with a 1-1 draw at Charlton.

It seemed remarkable but fitting that, in their 22 nd and final Women’s Championship game of 22/23, the Eagles secured their first draw of the season – but also reflective of a campaign which, as captain Annabel Johnson would surmise: “It’s been a rollercoaster – lots of highs, lots of lows – but the highs definitely outweighed the lows.

“We’ve said it all season: bringing together so many new players is tough, but everyone’s got to know each other, so I can’t thank them enough for all their hard work in doing that.”

academy academy

Joe Antonelli - Under-15s head coach

To be crowned Under-15s Floodlit Cup South Champions sounds unreal. I’m just so pleased for the boys, they’ve put in so much work into the season as a whole – not just in the cup games, but also in the Games Programme matches. It’s great to see them have this success.

After beating Norwich 5-1 in the quarter-final and Aston Villa 5-0 in the semis, we were joking on the way up that we were averaging five goals a game! The boys have been in red-hot form and scoring a lot of goals, and that’s a good thing. I’m really pleased to see us score five away at Arsenal. Four goalscorers is brilliant too – it’s always nice to share the goals.

A win like this is massive but the boys take as much pride in their defending and pressing as they do with their goalscoring, so securing that clean sheet is a well deserved and added bonus on top of a fantastic performance.

Quite a few of the boys have had an experience playing up the age groups, particularly in the last few months. There has been a lot of movement between the age groups and I think that really benefits the boys. They cross into the Under-16s and they get lots of different challenges – obviously mainly physically, but that aids their development and when they come back into the Under-15s

games they are really well prepared for them.

It was also brilliant having Dave Cooper around. He won the regional final last season with what is now the current crop of Under-16s. We also had Mark Timmington with us as well,

We’ve got great staff and good people within the Academy and that’s why we’re producing great players – for me, it’s an enjoyable place to be. I’ve been at Palace for seven seasons over six-and-a-half years. I’ve seen the club grow and go from strength to strength, particularly with the new Academy, pitches and facilities. It has helped us a lot and more importantly it helps develop the players.

who left for a new role with Leyton Orient Under-18s; it was a shame to see him go, and for 18 months he did some great work with the lads. Coops has slipped in and replaced Mark and he’s obviously got a lot of experience from his journey last season which has helped massively.

We’re really excited for the final against Stoke City. I think the National Final is good, because you play someone out of your region. For any team to get to the National Final of this competition is a great achievement. We haven’t got much time to prepare, so we will recover and get ready for that. Fingers crossed the boys would want to put another strong performance in and get another result.

This is a happy time for the group and I hope the lads are enjoying it, because they have put in a lot of work to achieve what they have so far

For any team to get to the National Final of this competition is a great achievement. We haven’t got much time to prepare, so we will recover and get ready for that

over the over theroad road

Getting to know danny imray -

Palace’s campaign at Under-21s level in the Premier League 2 has drawn to a close with the Eagles finishing in fourth place, just narrowly behind Chelsea and Liverpool. Danny Imray reflects on a third successful campaign at Category 1 level for the side.

“The boys got off to a good start at the beginning of the season, but it was a bit tricky at the start for me. I wasn’t really playing much back then, so it was hard to break into the team,” Imray explains.

“My first 90 minutes was in the Papa John’s Trophy against Plymouth Argyle, where we narrowly lost 1-0 in stoppage time. In spite of the result and the fact that I was playing left-back, I felt like I had a really good game and that I was solid. From there I had my opportunity in the squad and I took it.

“The boys have done really well this season and at the minute I feel really good. We’ve finished fourth in the table, we didn’t have an easy run-in and we’ve been

Danny Imray is a determined, pacy full-back who pushes forward whenever possible and looks to create overloads and crossing opportunities on the right hand side.

missing a lot of players, but guys have come in and stepped up when required, which just shows the depth of the squad. We’ve got a big game coming up and hopefully we can end the season on a positive note.”

Indeed, the Eagles do have a chance to finish the season on a high: the Premier League International Cup Final takes place on Tuesday, 23rd May against Jong PSV at Selhurst Park. Imray is looking forward to it.

“The cup run has been excellent,” he says. “Making that final against PSV is great, but it’s going to be a very tough game. We did really well against Paris Saint-Germain to beat them 7-3 and it shows we can compete at

the highest level. Playing down at Dulwich was a learning curve and it will mean the world to us to play in front of a crowd at Selhurst.

“The fans are a big part of the club. It’s such a family oriented club and it’s going to be excellent to hear everyone getting behind us as they did during Premier League 2 Division 2 play-offs a couple seasons ago. I’m really looking forward to playing in front of them and having my friends and family there too who have helped along the entire journey.”

The fans are a big part of the club. It’s such a family oriented club and it’s going to be excellent to hear everyone getting behind us as they did during Premier League 2 Division 2 play-offs a couple seasons ago

Danny’s had an up and down season with a few injury problems that have kept him out, but when he’s come back fit and well, he’s made a good contribution to the team

Darren Powell Under-21s Manager

Keeping you posted on all things south London. Over the page, hear how Palace are ensuring that mental health matters…

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Nominated for an Academy Award for his heart-wrenching performance in 12 Years a Slave, Palace fan Ejiofor was given his breakthrough role at just 19-yearsold by Steven Spielberg. In 2015 he was awarded a CBE for services to the arts, and last year he took part in Palace for Life’s Made in South London campaign.

Greenwich Peninsula

14th May 2023

A modern take on the traditional British summer fete, the Urban Village Fete occupies the park just beside the O2 Arena and celebrates design, art, music and more. Live music and international street food offer the opportunity to explore all that London’s wide range of cultures have to offer, with special guests still to be announced.

This weekend’s round of Premier League matches are dedicated to the Inside Matters mental health campaign, ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week which kicks off on 15th May. For the first time, the division has developed its own central mental health campaign to keep up the conversation on mental health – for players, fans and those in the wider community.

At Crystal Palace, there is always increasing focus on sports psychology – the care for players’ mental welfare embodied by Lead Academy Psychologist Sion Thomas. Working closely with the Medical Department in the Sports Science & Performance Department, he begins his day doing the morning rounds, checking in on the players – significantly, however, often the players will seek him out themselves.

“It tends to be a WhatsApp message, or they know where I am,” he says. “Players will

contact me before a game and say: ‘Are you going to be with us tonight? Can we catch up for 20 minutes before the warm-up?’

takes time to build trust with not just players, but staff. How can I impact on players and how can I not? A good example might be Paddy McCarthy giving a team-talk 10 minutes before kick-off. If I haven’t been able to impact that player before they really switch on, it’s too late and I’ve missed my opportunity.”

Thomas’ role is far more detailed than that of a matchday sounding board, however. Joe Ranson, Head of Medicine at the Academy, will often send players across if his own personal morning conversations raise red flags. “They might say: ‘I’ve not been sleeping great because I’ve been worrying about certain things’,” he explains. “That would make us say: ‘Have you spoken to Sion, because that might help with performance anxiety?’”

“Being present, being visible and being accessible are really important parts of my role. It

Thomas can fall back on a wealth of psychological study of the squad. “With the Under-18s in particular, there are 25 of them this

Being present, being visible and being accessible are really important parts of my role. It takes time to build trust with not just players, but staff

SION THOMAS, Lead Academy Psychologist

year,” he explains, “so I’ve already psychologically profiled them all, and what the profile throws up is their key psychological strengths.

“Sometimes working on emotional control could refer to anger, but often it can be softer negative emotion like anxiety, worry or apprehension. There’s always a fear of letting yourself down, or the team, or letting a wider peripheral group like parents and friends down.

“If there are triggers within a game: ‘I get fouled’ or ‘I score a great goal and the linesman flags me offside’, very often you get to that acute level of negative emotion – everything else packs its bags and jumps out of the window. I’ve never met an athlete in 20-years who is able to focus on their task if they’re experiencing the proverbial red mist.

“Prevention is better than cure, so let’s develop strategies to recognise different triggers before it happens.” It is a strategy that has borne fruit with the players. Tayo Adaramola, who made his Palace first-team debut in 2022 at Selhurst Park, has used sports psychology to enhance his game.

“Sometimes I wear a band – that’s something I do from psych work,” he told the Official Palace Podcast last year. “If I make a mistake, I flick the band and the mistake goes away. If I do something good, I flick the band and I’m back to zero as well. It helps my thought process. I’ve done it for like six months,

and it just keeps me on a level page when I’m playing so I don’t get too confident or down.”

While it may once have been seen as a weakness, sports psychology is now a widely accepted part of the game – in no small part down to the work Thomas and others have been doing. “Like in any environment, there are players who are very keen to meet up very regularly, and then you have other players who are reluctant to engage,” he explains.

“From my perspective as part of their own background and upbringing, there may still be that perception of: ‘What are you doing working with a sports psychologist? What is wrong with you? Why can’t you fix your own issues?’ Sport psychology 20 years ago was like that: the perception was that it was weakness if you’re seen to be working with a sports psychologist.

“Fortunately, the landscape has changed dramatically over the last 15 years. Sports psychology has become a critical part of a person’s development. I’m really comfortable acknowledging the small cog I am within the bigger system but also appreciate if I can get my cog to work effectively it can have a real positive impact on other elements of the system.

“I get real personal satisfaction through watching and seeing other people develop, whether that be on the pitch or in the classroom. That’s really important to me.” .

Sometimes I wear a band –that’s something I do from psych work, If I make a mistake, I flick the band and the mistake goes away. If I do something good, I flick the band and I’m back to zero as well. It helps my thought process

TAYO ADARAMOLA

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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.

As the

in the Premier

draws to a close, whatever happened to that first XI?

sun 18 aug 2013 | selhurst park 0-1

His

10th consecutive season

League

Won a record fourth Player of the Year award before retiring – after 405 games – in 2019.

Julian Speroni

Five more years with Palace – scoring in the ‘Crystanbul’ comeback – before returning home with Cork City.

Damien Delaney

Returned to Golden Arrows for a short spell before retirement. Now owns a sporting apparel business.

Kagisho Dikgacoi

Hung up his boots in 2020 after almost 700 appearances in the Football League.

Aaron Wilbraham

only Premier League appearance for Palace. Took interim charge of Blackpool after Mick McCarthy left in April.

Stephen Dobbie

Made 20 appearances in his sole Premier League season before joining Bolton. Currently at Torquay.

Dean Moxey

Signed as player/coach for Cardiff City. A regular on BBC Radio Wales and Sky Sports since retirement.

Danny Gabbidon

Led his country at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Now Loan Development coach at Aston Villa.

Mile Jedinak

Retired in 2018. His father and grandfather were both professionals – the latter an Irish international.

Owen Garvan

Now ninth in the list of all-time appearance makers and one of the club’s greatest servants.

joel ward

50’ Soldado (p)

Scored iconic Premier League goals against Aston Villa and Liverpool. Currently at Stoke City.

Dwight Gayle

y y

Where would Palace be without its Academy products? From Wilfried Zaha to Aaron WanBissaka, the Eagles have produced some key first-team performers over the last ten years. Tyrick Mitchell is just the latest, having reached 100

first-team appearances against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

“I don’t want to tell myself I’m a Premier League player,” he explained last season. “I don’t want to do that to myself yet, until I’ve played half of the games that these guys in the changing room have played.

“I don’t really want to see myself like that. Literally, you could play 50 games and then never play in the Premier League

yohan cabaye

A French international. A glorious midfielder. A Football Manager obsessive. Is there anything about Yohan Cabaye that is not to like?

Signing for Palace in 2015, he played 109 times and scored 10 goals – normally of the highest quality – helping the club reach the FA Cup final in 2016. He earned 48 caps at international level, featuring heavily at the 2014 World Cup.

“I want to do courses, like coaching licenses,” he said, in an exclusive interview with the Palace matchday programme after announcing his retirement. “There’s a school in France on how to be a sporting director that I’m interested in.

“I’m excited to learn about how to develop a football club’s philosophy from the Academy to the youth teams up to the senior players. It’s something I want to learn and I’m really excited about.

“I spoke with a couple of teammates [who have retired] because I like to know about all their experiences. The good advice for me was just: ‘OK, it’s your decision. Don’t go far away from football. Try to stay inside, try to be involved as you can because when you move away from football for a certain amount of time, it’s hard to get back in there.’”

again, so I want to feel like I’m always working for the next 50, and then the next 50, and then the next 50. I don’t want to ever say: ‘You know what, I’ve actually done it now.’

“I feel like that’s a mindset of relaxing, in my eyes anyway.” It’s some attitude –and one that’s bearing fruit.

Congratulations on 100 games, Tyrick, and here’s to many more to come .

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

April 30th: Millwall

0-0 Palace -

A point each in this south London derby meant both clubs, for differing reasons, would need victories in their final fixture to ensure their respective aims – a play-off place for Palace and survival in the Championship for Millwall. Thus it became a pulsating affair for the tension and commitment rather than the quality on display.

Julian Speroni watched an effort over the crossbar while a Wilfried Zaha shot hit Glenn Murray and trickled wide of a post. The second-half continued in similar vein with Yannick Bolasie producing the only noteworthy effort, a howitzer of a shot that the Millwall goalkeeper just managed to tip over the bar.

The Lions had two headed half-chances and towards full-time Damien Delaney sliced wide to rather sum up Palace’s night. Palace move onto 69 points, remaining in fifth but still requiring a victory to ensure participation in the play-offs. Bolton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest are their main rivals.

May 4th: Palace 3-2 Peterborough

The largest attendance of the season so far – just over 22,000 – came to see if Palace could remain in the play-offs or the Posh could avoid relegation. By now, the Eagles knew that their play-off opponents would be Brighton & Hove Albion. The Eagles had certainly been out of sorts over the last few weeks and it showed as

Peterborough took a first-half lead, but right on half-time Danny Gabbidon was fouled in the penalty area and Murray converted the spot-kick for his 30th league goal of the season.

Midway through the secondhalf Peterborough were ahead again, so Ian Holloway reacted with a double substitution, sending on Jonny Williams and Kevin Phillips. Despite the nerves, the scores elsewhere were still in Palace’s favour – but this was rendered meaningless with seven minutes left on the clock, as Phillips brought Palace were level. With the clock ticking down, captain fantastic Mile Jedinak headed home to leave Peterborough’s players and staff holding their heads in their hands. Leicester City gatecrash into sixth place with a last-gasp winner at Forest as Bolton can only draw.

APRIL 28TH may 7th

Wilfried Zaha is named PFA Championship Player of the Year

A new club badge is launched at the club’s awards night

julian player in May 10th: Palace 0-0 Brighton -

With so much at stake for two rival factions, this looked likely to have been a game decided by one piece of individual skill or a stroke of luck – but neither occurred.

With Selhurst Park transformed into a cauldron of noise that roared with every contested tackle or headed duel, the visitors gained the early ascendancy; Andrea Orlandi nodded wide from six yards and Speroni brilliantly parried Dean Hammond’s header. The Eagles were glad to get to the break on level terms.

Holloway responded by switching Zaha from the right to the left-hand side and the chances soon came, the best a Gabbidon header cleared off the line. Disaster struck as Murray turned in the penalty area only to crumple to the ground in agony, his season surely over. Aaron Wilbraham replaced him but the injury to the former Brighton striker seemed to affect the players and it would be all to play for at the Amex three days later.

After Murray’s injury, many felt that it was now advantage Brighton, who had completed the season as the more in-form team .

would be three years until was able to claim the green jersey permanently in 2007.

league and play-off games, announcing his departure that summer. In October 2022 he joined the club’s Academy

may 10th

If you can keep doing what you need to keep doing and still believe in yourselves, you’ll get stronger and stronger – and god help anyone else we’re meeting Ian Holloway

On loan Stephen Dobbie is deemed ineligible to play against his parent club

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 an abridged final programme interview from a bona fide legend…

julián Speroni sits in a grey, empty and sporadically heated room. He talks about breakfast, his children and mate, an Argentinian tea he drinks every morning. He even explains where to buy it. He talks with ready conviviality, propped up on a plastic office chair before heading out for a morning of training – aged 39 – with a Premier League football club.

The setting is not befitting of a man with his stature looking back at nearly 15 years spent weaving some of the most iconic threads in the tapestry of Crystal Palace’s history.

“I never planned to be here that long,” he admitted. “Normally players tend to be with a club for three or four years and then they move on.

“I was always happy here and my family was happy here. Some things for me don’t have a price. I never saw a big enough reason to go and my relationship with the

fans, with the people in the club, it was brilliant and I didn’t want to change all of that. I didn’t see a reason to change all of that.

“Year after year after year, I kept renewing my contract and then I find myself 15 years later, I’m still here and still enjoying playing football. As I said before, some things don’t have a price.”

But Speroni’s career with Palace certainly hasn’t been one without its challenges and the now-39-year-old has experienced relegation, administration, near-

collapse and the stewardship of 12 permanent managers in the course of his spell. Looking back on perhaps the toughest point in Palace’s recent history, Speroni recalled how avoiding relegation in 2010 felt for a man right at the heart of the action

“It was tough,” he recalled. “Those games are not the ones you enjoy coming into. Our careers are on the line as well. If you go down a division, everything goes down and your pedigree goes down as well. But also for the people at the

Crystal Palace v Bournemouth –May 12th, 2019

club, they depended on us to get a result there because they didn’t know if they’d have a job later.”

Thankfully, however, jobs were saved along with the club as Speroni and his team secured the survival of Crystal Palace by holding Sheffield Wednesday to a 2-2 draw, Alan Lee and Darren Ambrose the goalscorers with the Eagles’ No. 1 characteristically doing his bit to guard the Crystal Palace goal.

A save against Luke Varney - described as “excellent” by the BBC and, naturally, “not spectacular” by the man himself – kept the Eagles in the game at 1-1. Ultimately, it seemed to epitomise what the shot-stopper means to his south London club: vital, modest and working entirely for those around him.

“I had to make it because if you end up 2-1 down, everything changes. People ask me, ‘what’s the best save you ever made?’ It’s hard to pick one save but I always remember the important saves in important moments where by making that save you’re helping the team to achieve something important.”

For Palace fans, then, the bank of Speroni’s best saves is close to overflowing, and while the shot-stopper will forever be known for selflessly shunning the spotlight, two moments from 2013 stand out as truly remarkable, even in his book.

“The one against Brighton is just a reaction. One-on-one, I made myself big and then that

ball was going over my shoulder. I just threw my hand at it and luckily it was quick enough to just touch it onto the crossbar.

“Obviously in the play-off final, I had to make an important save there as well. That didn’t look spectacular but believe me, that was a tough save to make because I was going completely the other way and I had to come back to my left.”

“Time has gone so quickly,” he said. “2004 and 15 years later, it just went in the blink of an eye. I went through everything really, it was a rollercoaster of ups and downs but I enjoyed every minute. There were tough times of course, but that’s part of the game and that makes you develop. It makes you a better player, a better person - hopefully - and it’s a journey that I guess footballers have to go through.

“There’s nothing I can say really more than thank you for everything. We’ve been through so much: faces have changed, players have changed and owners have changed, but the important thing is what we’ve done together for the football club, that’s the main thing. We all disappear, we all go, but the club will stay here for many, many, many years so hopefully we built some good memories together.

Winning that particular match meant that Palace had hauled themselves from the brink of relegation and financial catastrophe to Premier League football in just three seasons: a fifth of Speroni’s time with the club. And throughout that era, the shotstopper has been ever-present. Looking back over his career, Speroni was only ever going to focus on one thing as he rounded the time off: Crystal Palace’s fans.

“One day when I won’t be here anymore, hopefully the fans – if they think of me, if they remember me – they will think: ‘Okay, this guy performed at this club for service. He gave everything he could.’ A big thank you to everyone for all these years.”

That doesn’t read right. It seems strange that at the end of a decade and a half serving this club in 405 appearances and keeping 112 clean sheets in the process, Speroni feels that it is his duty to say thank you. Far from it. For being south London’s No. 1 through everything, thank you, Julián .

time has gone so quickly, 2004 and 15 years later, it just went in the blink of an eye. I went through everything really, it was a rollercoaster of ups and downs but I enjoyed every minute

palace for life

CHRISTIAN’S STORY

christian is a Year 7 student at his school in south London and has been participating in our Team Mates programme, led by our School Intervention Officer Ross, for the last few weeks.

Team Mates is a programme delivered in schools, aimed at young people who are at risk of developing poor mental health in their adolescent years, with a particular focus on helping with the often-daunting transition from primary to secondary school.

In the sessions, students take part in games to develop their social skills as an effective tool to build up their protective barrier against poor mental health. Worksheets, studentled discussions and group activities further allow them to reflect on their own experiences and create positive coping strategies – all in a safe and comfortable environment.

When Christian began the programme, he was very energetic and full of confidence. However, his confidence was sometimes misdirected, which often led to him getting into trouble at school. He sometimes struggled to listen throughout a session

and would get distracted, and at times would distract others.

As the weeks progressed, so did Christian’s behaviour and engagement. He is now one of the first to contribute answers in class and is often the first to give his check-in score or tell us about his weekend. He also began to understand how to respect those around him, including his teachers and peers, and now knows when the best time to share is.

“Christian came into the workshop with a lot of energy which was good but at times was misdirected, which led him to get distracted,” remembers coach Ross.

“Christian is now one of the first ones now to put his hand up and tell the class how his week has been.

“Where before he would not share and let his peers answer instead, he has become a leader in this group and encourages his classmates to share their answers. This new positive attitude and willingness to help others has helped to create a more supportive environment for not only him, but everyone in the programme.”

Christian has also recognised the impact the sessions have had on him. “School before was challenging and tough,” he says.

“Secondary is a big step up from

primary but having Ross is really good as I have someone to talk to and get stuff out of my mind.

“What I gained from Team Mates is that I’ve gained more confidence and remember that not everything will be the best at times but you can get through it.”

Mr Clark, Christian’s learning mentor, has known Christian since he was in Year 6. “When he transitioned from Year 6 into Year 7, he was very boisterous and energetic, and always wanted

someone to talk to,” he says. “Having Ross come in you can see the changes he’s made.

“He has calmed down a bit, he’s learnt how to problem solve well, he’s starting to think first before he acts and has become a character that has developed into a leader. Not just myself, but lots of teachers have seen the shift in Christian’s attitude in recent weeks.”

To help more people like Christian, head to palaceforlife.org .

Support Palace for Life in our mission to raise £1 million to help us transform thousands of more young south Londoners’ lives. donate a pint from your pre-match routine below

What I gained from teammates is that I’ve gained more confidence and remember that not everything will be the best at times but you can get through it

From audacious signings to headline-grabbing ownership bids, Palace have built a collection of tall tales over time. Here, we pick apart the most outlandish rumours from club history, with today’s focus on a bizarre incident at the Amex…

“As I’m coming out of the tunnel, I’ve seen Ollie [Ian Holloway] steaming out of the changing room. What’s the matter with him now? That wasn’t an unusual occurrence! I thought: ‘It’s none of my business.’

“I remember walking in and there was a stench in the changing room. It stank. I remember a couple of the lads laughing. I took my headphones out… I put my washbag down. Someone has destroyed the toilet –Ollie thinks it’s [Brighton]. I still don’t even know what happened – there are still different stories…”

Damien Delaney

“I like to be first off bus, so am walking down the tunnel and it is quite a bit of a walk up the corridor to get in the dressing room. I swear to God, I don’t think I’ll ever forget the memory of walking in and it just hitting you. It was like a bomb had exploded.

“Was it a bit of a derailing tactic? The truth I don’t think will ever come out.”

“I needed a number two and obviously I couldn’t! It was horrendous – absolutely dreadful. It could be anyone – no one is going to admit it. It wasn’t me. I was nervous, but not that nervous…!”

Jonny Williams

“I remember Ollie was fuming, but he channelled it in the right way. Ollie came into his own. He used an analogy of 10 against one: 10 Brighton fans to one of ours. ‘That’s what you’re up against, so what are you going to do about it?’”

Mile Jedinak

“Whoever did that did us a big favour really. I said: ‘The only way we can prove we’re better than them – because we know we are – is to go and win. So let’s go and win.’”

Ian Holloway

“For some reason that is still not clear to me, someone during the day had access to the away dressing room and done [sic] something terrible, trying to upset everyone related to Palace. To say it in clear English, someone had a ‘poo’ all outside the toilets, over and around the toilets…

Peter Ramage

“What the hell? It was just bizarre, man. The gaffer was going crazy. Some of the words he came out with I had never even heard before!”

Wilfried Zaha

“I am angry that someone within this club could endanger our good reputation and stoop so low. Did they imagine that this would affect the Crystal Palace players? Well, possibly it did. It may just have fired them up more.

“Well, someone made a very bad decision…”

Brighton manager Gus Poyet in an all-staff email to Brighton employees

from the

The page for Palace 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 Damon and Tash on the birth of their little girl and the newest Palace fan to the family. Lots of love, Papa Tony, Nanna Sue, Aunty Steph and Aunty Jaz xx

Happy 6th Birthday to Jack Dudley – the Julian Speroni of the Palace Team in 2037! Lots of love from Daddy, Mummy and Lily.

Happy 10th Birthday Logan lots of love from Mummy, Loulabelle, Nan & Grandad xx

To Clive, Happy 70th Birthday, hope you had a good day, lots of love from the Cowleys.

from the terraces

Happy 90th Birthday to Grace Spiers. A loyal fan to the club who held a Crystal Palace season ticket until the age of 85yrs!

To a Loved Mother, Wife & Loyal Crystal Palace Fan. May Karen Stoutt rest in peace.

Happy 72nd birthday Kevin!

Happy 70th Birthday to Vince Keaney for 15th May. Husband, Father, Grandfather & friend. From Fran, Neal, Matthew, all the family & his friends at CPFC. He has been a fan & season ticket holder for a considerable number of years.

A very Happy ’Special BIG’ Birthday to Barbara, from all your CPFC friends.

Happy 16th Birthday Noah, have a great day. Love Nan & Grandad

Happy 49th Birthday Dad. Looking forward to watching the game with you on your Birthday. Love Jess xx

lots of love Will & James

Happy 65th Birthday mum! Enjoy your first Palace game! Lots of love Michael, Ola & Cece xx

HAPPY 60th PAPA WINN love you lots from Larissa and Samuel xxxxx

40 year old vintage. Just as Bright as ever, and more than a bit of all Wright with us. Love you loads Dan / Dad. Sally, Harry and Lissie x

Happy Birthday to Daphne Rumble, devoted Palace season ticket holder in block L (Holmesdale Upper). Up the Eagles! Love from everyone x

Happy 50th Birthday Mum,

Meet today’s mascots, prepare for a trip to a historic old ground, look back a Schlupp-Zaha double and pit your wits against Brighty below.

Dexter Knight 3-0

AGE: 10 SCORE PREDICTION:

Luka Rendall 2-0

AGE: 13 SCORE PREDICTION:

Finnley O’Sullivan 2-0

AGE: 11 SCORE PREDICTION:

Maisie-Grace Burrell 2-1

AGE: 12 SCORE PREDICTION:

Matilda-Grace Burrell 3-0

AGE: 5 SCORE PREDICTION:

Callum Lake 3-1

AGE: 12 SCORE PREDICTION:

George Kenny 2-1

AGE: 8 SCORE PREDICTION:

archie kenny Thomas Aston 3-2 1-2

AGE: 9

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

next up: fulham

It’s a trip to Craven Cottage as Palace travel to west London to face Fulham on Saturday, 20th May (15:00 BST).

Travel:

The nearest underground station is Putney Bridge on the District Line, with Craven Cottage a 15 minute walk down a picturesque stretch of the Thames. Fans can also get the train from Clapham Junction to Putney Station, which is a 20 minute walk from the ground.

Pre-match:

The Eight Bells is popular with away fans, while The Temperance has also welcomed travelling supporters in the past.

Best memory:

Jeff Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha were the scorers as Roy Hodgson’s Palace made a winning start to the 2018/19 Premier League season. New signings Vicente Guaita and Cheikhou Kouyaté had to make to do with a place on the bench.

BEAT BRIGHTY 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.

Manage to Beat Brighty? Keep track of your total score above!

team stats: women / U21s / U18s

Fran Kitching Kitching won a fourth Player of the Month Award for her performances across April.

Jack WellsMorrison Wells-Morrison was nominated for PL2 Player of the Month, scoring three times in April.

Zach Marsh Marsh finished the season as the joint Under-18s top scorer, with 12 goals across all competitions.

SEPTEMBER

Tue 6 Hertha Berlin W 1-0

Wed 28 Paris Saint-Germain W 7-3

FEBRUARY

Sat 4 Dinamo ZagrebL 1-2

Wed 8 SC Braga W 2-1

MArch

Fri 31 Liverpool W 1-0

MAY

Wed 3 Valencia W 1-1 (5-4)

Tue 23 PSV Eindhoven

Home fixture

Away fixture Cup fixture (Crystal Palace score shown first)

u18s u21s women

posCLUB PWDLFA GDPts

1 bri2215 34 3912+2748

2 bir2215 25 3922+1747

3 lon2214 35 4920+2945

4 cha2211 56 3427+738

5 cry2211 1 102834-634

6 sou22 967 2215+7 3

7 dur22 84 103029+128

8 she22 83 113225+727

9 lew22 75 102029-926

10 bla22 589 2029-923

11 sun22 53 142638-1218

12 cov22 21 191675-59 7

3

posCLUB PWDLFA GDPts

1 whu2219 03 7532+4357

2 ful2212 46 7039+3140

3 cry2211 65 6041+1939

4 che2211 47 5442+1237

5 tot2211 38 5145+636

6 bha22 859 3248-1629

7 wba22 66 103242-1024

8 sou22 73 124558-1324

9 lei22 73 123450-1624

10 avl22 73 124363-2024

11 ars22 65 114351-823

12 nor22 44 143260-2816

22/23 FIXTURES & RESULTS

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

PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE 22/23