Crystal Palace v Hartlepool United programme by Crystal Palace F.C.

CRYSTAL PALACE

palace √ hartlepool sat 05 feb | 15:00

03 cover story 10 captain 12 chairman 25 opposition preview 39 moment in time 41 rudi hedman 48 quiz & games 52 stats & results 54 FA CUP

Directors Chairman Steve Parish, David Blitzer, Joshua Harris, John Textor Chief Executive Phil Alexander 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, Peter Manning, Tash Stephens Photography Neil Everitt, Seb Frej, Dan Weir (PPA), Getty Printer Bishops Printers

contents

You certainly go into it thinking: ‘Right, we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do here. We’ve got to earn the right, get the game done, win the game, at least don’t lose and get away’

CRYSTAL PALACE

Today’s programme cover features an eye-catching design recognisable to only a certain cohort of supporters. Find out why we’ve nodded back to 1958 – and 1861 – below.

The cover: Palace √ Hartlepool, 1958 Crystal Palace first hosted Hartlepool United – then Hartlepools United – on October 1st, 1958. The two teams competed at Victoria Park just over a week before as the Monkey Hangers handed Palace a 4-1 defeat. The south Londoners fared marginally better in the home clash, but still fell to a 2-1 loss. The cover that day was used throughout 1958/59, showing the main entrance to Selhurst Park on a cherry red background (see opposite), changed from the same style in yellow in 1957/58.

CRYSTALL PALACE

That was the first of just four trips to Selhurst Park for Hartlepool, making today’s fifth a rare and unique occasion. It is just the 12th competitive meeting in history between these sides. Palace fared better in 1958/59 than their Hartlepool results suggest, eventually finishing the season in seventh, six points off the four promotion spots. They would have just two more seasons in the fourth-tier, gaining promotion to the Third Division in 1960/61 and eventually joining the top-flight in 1969/70, the end of a transformative decade for the club.

2022 colours: Crystal Palace in 1861 This edition’s colours veer from cherry red or yellow in favour of the blue and white thought to be worn by Crystal Palace in the 1860s, when the club was founded as an amateur side. Palace then went on to help cement the rules of ‘modern’ football, found the Football cover story

Association and establish the FA Cup, reaching the competition’s semi-final in its first year, 1871/72. The FA Cup celebrates its 150th anniversary this season with Palace the only founding club to still compete. This was marked by wearing the blue and white kit against Millwall in the third round. You can find out more about Crystal Palace’s 19th century origins on Page 45.

briefing palace √ hartlepool sat 05 feb | 15:00

Palace send six Under-23S on loan Six Palace Under-23s began halfseason loans in January as they seek to continue furthering their development. The moves are: Luke Dreher (Bromley), Danny Imray (Chelmsford City), Jake O’Brien (Swindon Town), Rob Street (Newport County), James Taylor (Tonbridge Angels) and Dylan Thiselton (Farnborough). Writing in the programme last month, Mark Bright, Director of Under-23 Development, said: “When you play men’s football it accelerates your development

february

When you play men’s football it accelerates your development by teaching you to cope with pressure

Conor Gallagher born, 2000

Johnny Byrne earns first England cap, 1961

Dean Gordon (1973), Andrew Johnson (1981) and Remi Matthews (1994) born

John Salako born, 1969

Phil Barber signs, 1984

by teaching you to cope with pressure, but it also furthers the development of players who remain with us: we don’t want to hold back anyone in our Academy who’s ready to take the next step, and loans have an effect on that.” The six January loans will take the lads to the end of 2021/22, and give them the chance to play at levels between the Southern Premier League South and League Two.

Fan update Return to Selhurst Park this season with Memberships from as little as £10, giving you the best ticket access for all of our remaining games! Search: CPFC Memberships.

What’s inside Find out… the story of 1992/93, from those who were there (Page 15), Jeff Stelling’s view on Palace and Hartlepool’s seasons so far (Page 34) and how Palace’s origins lie in the 1860s (Page 45). briefing

manager

Welcome to Selhurst Park to Graeme Lee, the Hartlepool directors, staff and players, and to everyone here supporting us.

s a manager you always try to use the windows to add more quality to the squad and this is what we tried to do in January, knowing as well that the January transfer window is a difficult period to sign players who can have an impact on the squad. But I believe we have the squad and the players to challenge ourselves and to be even better in the second part of the league season. As a club we know it’s difficult to find a striker with JP’s potential. He’s displayed character and personality to show this. He started playing games and is finding his form, belief and confidence. He will be really important for us in the second half of the season, and I’m delighted he’s signed a contract with this football club. I also look forward to welcoming Luke Plange. We had a short break between the last fixture and now, and this gave us more time to analyse what we’ve been doing so far. The players were able to recharge their batteries after a lot of games in a short period. Macca

and Tonks are back in training, and Jordan and Wilf have returned to the club. We are still without Cheikhou, of course, who has competed well at the Africa Cup of Nations with

We had a short break between the last fixture and now, and this gave us more time to analyse what we’ve been doing so far. The players were able to recharge their batteries after a lot of games

Senegal. I spoke to him and the others while they were away, and Cheikhou was confident about this tournament because Senegal have manager

a really strong team. I write these notes before his semi-final against Burkina Faso, but hope today he still has the opportunity to bring the trophy home. Our last game was against Liverpool, and there is still frustration about the penalty decision which took away our hope of at least fighting for a point. In the second-half we created clear chances, put them under pressure and played well. It’s this second-half we need to keep in mind for the rest of the season. It said a lot about our performance that we played Liverpool and their goalkeeper was Man of the Match, this shows how well we played. Our target now is to maintain that secondhalf performance game after game to ensure that we will have a good second part of the season. We want to go through to the next round of this competition and we have to perform at our best to win the game. We want to go as far as we can, and know the FA Cup is important for the club and fans. Thank you for your support

captain

Good afternoon and welcome to every Palace supporter here at Selhurst today – and also welcome to the Hartlepool fans who have made the journey. I hear there are a lot of you with us!

e get back into FA Cup action after a short break which has helped us prepare for a busy period of three games in one week. Our last cup game against Millwall was a good performance in the second-half especially, when Michael and JP did well to score. We needed to start this game better though so that the win was secured earlier in the game. This is a lesson we can take into all matches, including today’s. But we are not naïve about the challenge of this afternoon. Hartlepool might be lower down than we are, but in English football, which is so competitive, the teams are at very high standards throughout our leagues. Plus, this is a huge opportunity for both teams, playing in front of a full Selhurst and with a chance to progress in one of the greatest cup competitions. This is a chance we must fight for and take, but we know that Hartlepool will be fighting just as hard. We have to be prepared for a battle as soon

as this game kicks off, and play with professional attitudes and commitment to ensure we get the win you deserve.

We have to be prepared for a battle as soon as this game kicks off, and play with professional attitudes and commitment to ensure we get the win you deserve

Our last game at Selhurst was a very frustrating one. I don’t want to dwell on it as we all know how unfortunate this score felt, but we can use moments like this to motivate us in other matches. It is also captain

another example of football being impossible to predict, or for every moment in a whole season to feel fair. The club recently agreed a new deal with JP and brought in Luke Plange from Derby. I’d like to say congratulations to both. JP is a determined player who has become really important in our squad; he shows this with some big goals and a lot of work off the ball. Luke I need to meet, but I know he is a talented footballer and I look forward to welcoming him to this club properly. I was impressed to know we have a full crowd today for what is still an early round in the cup. The boys and I always enjoy the build-up to these games and today’s feels maybe even a bit more special; we are at home, welcoming a side we have not played often and with an opportunity to earn something special in front of you all. To those of you here every week, and those of you maybe making your first trip to the stadium... Make some noise!

chairman

Welcome to the supporters, players, staff and directors of Hartlepool United to Selhurst Park, and of course, to each and every Crystal Palace supporter here this afternoon to get behind Patrick’s team.

oday’s game is a classic FA Cup clash – one that has captured the imagination of both sets of supporters, given today’s match is a sell-out and includes a huge travelling contingent who will be hoping I’m sure for a ‘cup upset’! They will no doubt make a lot of noise to get behind their team, which, combined with the typical Selhurst home support, should make for a cracking atmosphere. Palace are the only remaining club in the competition who also featured in the first edition of the FA Cup in 1871/72. I firmly believe this makes the prospect of a memorable cup run even more exciting for us. After an extremely busy and positive summer transfer window, it was pleasing to head into this winter window with relatively little firstteam business to finalise. However there were close to 20 deals completed, with many Academy players either leaving us on loan or as transfers. We wish each and every one of them the best at their new clubs. We were delighted to turn Jean-Philippe’s loan into a permanent

switch after he worked tirelessly to get his opportunity and impressed everyone, particularly in recent weeks. Also, a huge welcome to Luke Plange. Luke will spend the rest of the campaign with Derby County, which was important for all parties,

create that magnificent Selhurst Park atmosphere on what promises to be a memorable day for everyone here

and we wish them both well for the remainder of the Championship season and moreover with the club’s challenges off the field. Elsewhere in the club, we confirmed some Academy news which I’m hopeful will have a huge impact on the players affected. We chairman

are going to provide an extended period of after-care for players leaving the club aged 18-23. This is a crucial moment in those young peoples’ lives, and we are committed to help do whatever we can to soften the blow in helping them find another opportunity – typically in the form of a new club, a return to education or a work placement. We take our duty of care to these departing players extremely seriously, and have hired a member of staff specifically to focus on this hugely important group of players. Finally, I’d like to congratulate Cheikhou Kouyaté on his crucial goal for Senegal in the AFCON quarterfinals, and at the time of writing, I am wishing him well for the semis and hopefully beyond. As always, I urge you to get behind Patrick’s team as loudly as you can to create that magnificent Selhurst Park atmosphere on what promises to be a memorable day for everyone here. I have no doubt it will be absolutely bouncing today, and hopefully it helps drive Patrick’s team over the line into the next round. Up the Palace

Crystal Palace competed at the top of English football in the early 1990s, reaching the FA Cup final, sitting third in the league and claiming their first major trophy. By 1993, however, they were relegated with a record-breaking points total. Here, John Humphrey and Simon Osborn recall one of the most pivotal seasons in the club’s history – with a certain FA Cup tie at the heart of it. Words: Ben Mountain

main interview

rystal Palace managed an unconventional giant killing in the early 1990s. It went beyond one afternoon, or one round of one cup. Instead, Steve Coppell’s team steadily and staggeringly rose from second-tier relegation scrappers to stand above the giants of English football. The story is well known south of the Thames: aged 28 Coppell took charge of a cash-strapped club, built a team of largely non-league players and transformed Crystal Palace from a struggling Second Division team to FA Cup finalists who sat third in the top-flight. In doing so he blocked Liverpool from Wembley, defeated Everton in the Full Members’ Cup final, and trumped Manchester United, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest in the table. But for a twist in fate, Palace’s success could have earned them a place in Europe, retained the services of stars like Ian Wright, and, luck permitting, sparked their era as an established Premier League team 20 years earlier. But in 1992/93 the story unravelled: from fairy tale to pathos via a giant killing. “We weren’t a fashionable team,” says Simon Osborn, an Academy graduate who played 72 Palace games. “But we always upset the odds and were established in the old First Division. [The target] was just to continue doing what we’d been doing. “When you’ve done so well the expectation is you can carry on doing that,” agrees John Humphrey, who played in defence from 1990-95.

“This is the 64,000-dollar question: how can some teams have such a great season and then with the same squad fall away?” Palace’s campaign began with a setback: forward Mark Bright belatedly followed Wright in leaving the club. The pair scored 232 Palace goals between them, and left the side lacking its spearhead. Coppell had previously described “a strike partnership of Wright and Bright and people loading the bullets like [Eddie] McGoldrick and [John] Salako.” The bullets were loaded, but no one could fire the gun.

Coppell had previously described “a strike partnership of Wright and Bright and people loading the bullets like [Eddie] M©Goldrick and [John] Salako.” The bullets were loaded, but no one could fire the gun

So Palace reached December 1992 with just one league win under their belt. This stumbling start saw them sit second from bottom after 21 games, but a remarkable turn of form meant five wins from five moved Palace to 15th and put six points between them and the bottom three. By the time they travelled to Hartlepool to start their FA Cup campaign Palace had allayed most fears of relegation and were even approaching a victorious League Cup quarter-final a few days later. 1992/93

They started 1993 in a strong position: relatively safe, relatively assured and, thanks to a slow start, thoroughly grounded. “I don’t think we went into the season overconfident because of the seasons before or feared anything like relegation,” says Osborn. “I think the cups always were [a target]. In a one-off game, as we’d shown in previous years, we were a match for anyone on our day. We were a physical side that would get about people. We had players with a bit of magic.” Hartlepool, then, were the first obstacle on what many thought could be a long road back to Wembley. Humphrey remembers: “We got Hartlepool away and, on paper, you think: ‘Okay, all right. We are away but it’s a game we should win.’ Then came January. “It was cold. The pitch was one of those where one end was rock solid and the other had thawed from where the sun had got it. “It became a leveller. When footballing sides play the lower leagues on a not particularly good pitch it can level it all out.” Osborn affirms his former teammate’s memories: “There’s always been an upset, always somebody that’s going to be the giant killer and always someone who’s killed. We went to Hartlepool, a difficult ground, with a pitch that was a bit ropey to say the least. “You certainly go into it thinking: ‘Right, we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do here. We’ve got to earn the right, get the game done, win the game, at least don’t lose and get away.’

“I know we didn’t play particularly well. We weren’t awful but we didn’t play particularly well. We had too many players, probably myself included, who were playing fives and sixes as opposed to our normal sevens, eights and nines [out of 10].” Palace’s below-par performance and a determined Hartlepool effort meant the game was level after 82 minutes, when forward Nicky Southall was adjudged to have been fouled in the box by Richard Shaw. Understandable protests subsided and Andy Saville converted from the spot to grab his fifth FA Cup goal that season.

We weren’t awful but we didn’t play particularly well. We had too many players, probably myself included, who were playing fives and sixes as opposed to our normal sevens, eights and nines

“Stevie wasn’t happy at all,” says Humphrey. “With the goal coming so late it gives you very little time to do anything about it. I think we’d all been in the game long enough to know there are banana skins in every round; there’s always a cup upset. And we just happened to be it that year. We were disappointed because we thought we’d get them back to Selhurst and be fine, so to concede so late on – the journey back wasn’t good. 1992/93

main interview

“It’s the little, tiny bit of luck you need sometimes to get a result,” says Osborn. “If we’d have got that down the other end and won 1-0 nobody would be talking about Hartlepool 1993 anymore.” Palace went on to lose their next four league games and eventually both legs of the League Cup semifinal. They would win just six times from the next 23 games. “You’re looking to get to that [safety] mark as quickly as you possibly can,” Osborn says. “When that doesn’t happen and you hit a

you start looking at it, going: ‘Well, actually, we’re getting dragged into this.’ Or: ‘We need a couple of wins, and that win hasn’t come. We need a win this weekend, it hasn’t come’ bad run of form, do doubts creep in? Yeah, I’m pretty certain they do if I’m honest. From what I can remember of the period you start looking at it, going: ‘Well, actually, we’re getting dragged into this.’ Or: ‘We need a couple of wins, and that win hasn’t come. We need a win this weekend, it hasn’t come.’ Subconsciously, as much as you try to put it to one side, it’s in your brain.” With three matches remaining Palace had a five-point lead on Oldham Athletic, who sat third from bottom. The south Londoners beat Ipswich Town at home to make that eight points, and Oldham faced Aston Villa and Liverpool next; two of the top five. 1992/93

main interview

“We celebrated when we beat Ipswich and were eight points clear of Oldham,” remembers Humphrey. “Forty-nine points in the Premier League now would leave you mid table, so we thought winning at home, our last home game of the season, was enough.” Sadly, however, it wasn’t, and as Oldham picked up nine of their remaining points Palace were relegated with a record total, two seasons after finishing third. “It was numbing,” says Osborn. “We lost to Arsenal 3-0 on the last day of the season and I was on the bench. You’re sitting there and there are radios at that time, so you’re getting a nudge from someone to say Oldham are winning. “You’re hearing that and some of the Palace fans [hear it] and that kills the vibe. It’s a really, really strange feeling. You’re sitting there on the bench when the final whistle goes, waiting, and then you’ve been relegated. It’s the most numbing, strange feeling ever... It happens and you’re like: ‘Jesus, we are going down.’ “After the game was almost a deathly silence... my underlying memory is no one could say anything. It was silence.” Neither Humphrey nor Osborn remember Coppell’s words at the end of the game, but he resigned the next day, ending one of the greatest eras in Crystal Palace history. “It was a real strange one,” recalls Osborn. “I’d grown up with Steve and signed as an apprentice from local football... He did my first professional contract, helped me no

end, put me in the team, gave me my debut. I was a bit shocked and stunned that he’d gone. “But looking back on it I think he was tired. I think that season had been a real drain on him. It was probably the first real time he hadn’t had success. I still speak to him now and still call him ‘gaffer’. He was a young man who came into the job at a very early age and I think from what he did in his playing career, with England and everything else, that was the first real, major

looking back on it I think he was tired. I think that season had been a real drain on him. It was probably the first real time he hadn’t had success. I still speak to him now and still call him ‘gaffer’

disappointment in his football career apart from his injury. It was a really difficult pill for him to swallow.” Sure enough, Palace would return to the Premier League under Coppell’s assistant Alan Smith the following season, and bounce between the first and second tier both with and without Coppell in charge. Those years, of non-league signings battling at the top of English football, remain the club’s most successful. It didn’t last long, but for a few memorable seasons, Palace were up with the giants 1992/93

Rebrewed from head to hop. Carlsberg Danish Pilsner. NEW Brew NEW Glass NEW Fount Still iconically Danish.

Proud to support

Crystal Palace Football Club

hartlepool F.C. est. 1908

Inside Home or away, cup or league: Hartlepool’s strengths and weaknesses Who to watch Jeff Stelling predicts the afternoon

opposition

the pool hartlepool

Hartlepool have defeated Blackpool, Lincoln City and Wycombe Wanderers to reach Selhurst Park – three clubs higher in the Football League than them.

match preview Graeme Lee’s Monkey Hangers bring the confidence and know-how to cause a cup upset and have shown their suitability for knockout tournaments by reaching the FA Trophy semi-finals. Pool fell out of the Football League in 2016/17, and spent four seasons in the National League. A play-off final win saw them return to League Two, where this season they are fighting to consolidate their place. Their home form is significantly better than their away, sitting sixth in a homegames-only table and bottom for away. Palace defeated Millwall 2-1 in the FA Cup third round after conceding first. Before the Lions clash, manager Patrick Vieira said: “I spoke to [the players] about this competition, and how well we want to do as a football club. We want to be ambitious.”

Story so far

Position Points Top scorer Most assists Most average passes

Home

away

iconic

Last five Seasons Season

Position

Points

Top Scorer

20/21

4th (National)

Oates (18)

19/20

12th (National)

Touré (13)

18/19

16th (National)

Noble (13)

17/18

15th (National)

Woods (11)

16/17

23rd (League Two)

Amond (14)

16th 31 Nicky Featherstone (4) Will Goodwin (2) Nicky Featherstone (49.6)

opposition

cup threat: Joe Grey

Joe Grey, just 18-years-old, has scored in Hartlepool’s last two cup games: once against Charlton Athletic and once against Blackpool.

Boot in both camps

Remember when? Palace and Hartlepool drew 1-1 at Victoria Park in the 1991/92 League Cup, setting up a replay at Selhurst. Facing a cup upset, Steve Coppell’s Eagles won 6-1 to put any fears firmly behind them.

recent form

Recent clash Exeter City o Hartlepool 0 Sat 29 Jan / St James Park

Starting xi

subs

B. Killip

M. Cullen

D. Ferguson

J. Grey

T. Odusina

P. Boyes

G. Liddle

G. Holohan

N. Byrne

J. Hull

J. Sterry

R. Ogle

T. Crawford

I. Fletcher

N. Featherstone

M. Shelton

O. Bogle

L. Molyneux

First sub

Second sub Third sub Yellow card Red card Goal Own goal

opposition

Andy Linighan Linighan began his career with Hartlepool, where he was born, alongside his brother David. The defender played 131 games for them before joining Leeds United, and later Arsenal and Palace.

LONDONER

95 apps 34 clean sheets

02 03 Jamie Sterry

David Ferguson

POS: DEFENDER

NAT: ENGLAND

04 05 Ben Killip

Gary Liddle

Timi Odusina

POS: DEFENDER

NAT: ENGLAND

Killip was raised in south-west London and developed in the Chelsea Academy before joining Norwich City in 2013. He competed with sides in the lower leagues before cementing his place at Hartlepool and sustaining it with the club now in League Two.

player profile

POS: GOALKEEPER

Age

Height

1.88m

Joined

28th May, 2019

Debut

3rd August, 2019 v Sutton United

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Norwich City, Grimsby Town & Braintree Town. opposition

Jake Hull

Reagan Ogle

POS: DEFENDER

NAT: ENGLAND

NAT: AUSTRALIA

STALWART

35 apps 13 clean sheets

23 08 Zaine Francis-Angol

Nicky Featherstone

Neill Byrne

POS: MIDFIELDER

POS: DEFENDER

NAT: ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

NAT: ENGLAND

NAT: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

player profile

POS: DEFENDER

Age

Height

1.9m

Joined

16th July, 2021

Debut

7th August, 2021 v Crawley

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Nottingham Forest, Rochdale, AFC Telford United, Macclesfield Town, Gateshead, AFC Fylde & F.C. Halifax Town.

opposition

Byrne joined Hartlepool with a range of experience behind him to help consolidate their place back in League Two. He is a Republic of Ireland Under-19 and won the FA Trophy with AFC Fylde in 2018/19.

14 Gavan Holohan

Martin Smith

POS: MIDFIELDER

NAT: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

NAT: ENGLAND

LEAGUE CHAMPION

81 apps 8 goals

22 07 Tom Crawford

Omar Bogle

Mark Shelton

POS: FORWARD

POS: MIDFIELDER

NAT: ENGLAND

player profile

POS: MIDFIELDER

Age

Height

1.78m

Joined

11th December, 2019

Debut

21st Dec, 2019 v Dagenham and Redbridge

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Burton Albion, Ilkeston, Alfreton Town & Salford City. opposition

Shelton won the National League North with Salford City in 2017/18, scoring their Goal of the Season in the process. He then helped Salford win the National League play-offs to reach League Two, before repeating the achievement with Hartlepool in 2021 – scoring in the penalty shootout.

09 10

Dangerman

25 apps 06 goals

Mark Cullen

Luke Molyneux

Marcus Carver

POS: FORWARD

NAT: ENGLAND

Olufela Joe GreyOlomola

Olufela Olomola

POS: FORWARD

NAT: ENGLAND

Another well-travelled member of Hartlepool’s squad, Cullen brought goals with him when signing for the Monkey Hangers in summer 2021. He hasn’t quite fulfilled their need on his own yet this season, but has experience in the Championship and League One – and even three Premier League games with Hull – behind him.

player profile

POS: FORWARD

Age

Height

1.76m

Joined

August 1st, 2021

Debut

7th August, 2021 v Crawley Town

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Hull City, Luton Town, Blackpool & Port Vale. opposition

NATURAL CAFFEINE ZERO SUGAR HYDRATION ENERGY now available countrywide

for SPORT

There are 71 places between these sides in the pyramid, with the record between them reading five Palace wins, four losses and two draws.

Palace and Hartlepool haven’t faced competitively since 2004: a 2-1 Palace win in the League Cup at Selhurst.

02 00

00 03

corners per match 4

4 average possession %

45 shots per match

7 shooting accuracy %

55 goals conceded

jack butland

ben killip

career clean sheets

career appearances

280

143

opposition

stelling from the studio

This week, we hear from the club's guest and Hartlepool fan Jeff Stelling, who took a break from his duties with Sky to talk all things TV, the Pool and Palace.

Had West Hartlepool Grammar’s headmaster succeeded in the late 1960s, Jeff Stelling may never have become the face and voice of Saturday football. Almost 28 years of ebullient coverage, edge-ofthe-seat plate-spinning and, yes, unbelievable, Jeff, would have been sacrificed in the name of reputation. “I was 13 at school and the headmaster called me in one day and said: ‘Stelling, I understand you want to be a journalist.’ I said: ‘Yes, absolutely right.’ He said: ‘I don’t want any boy from my school taking up such a disreputable profession. Do you really want to snoop on people’s private lives?’” Thankfully the teenage Jeff Stelling had a different outlook. “He made it sound quite appealing,” he laughs today. The now-veteran presenter had one other directive relating to his career: to never become a steelworker, as his father was. “It was a pretty hard lifestyle,” Stelling recalls of his dad. “I used to go and meet him some days when he was coming home from work – he’d be on his bike covered in all sorts of, you know, what’s the polite phrase for crap? One

of the things he’d always say to me was: ‘I don’t care what you end up doing, son. But never, ever do this.’”

‘I don’t want any boy from my school taking up such a disreputable profession. Do you really want to snoop on people’s private lives?’

Stelling says his father would “work, sleep, eat; work, sleep, eat,” and rarely had the time or energy for football. So Stelling Jr was left to discover the sport himself, heading to Victoria Park – “There were a lot of illustrious clubs to pick from, but when I was a kid there was no jeff stelling

way of getting a seat” – to rush into the ground when the gates opened 10 minutes before full-time. Those snatches of football, the final throes of Division Four battles, were enough to enrapture Stelling, who eventually attended full matches with his sister, then on his own, and became club president in 2015.

Today he is by far Hartlepool’s most prominent fan, donning his jersey on Soccer Saturday and becoming synonymous with the northeast outfit. “I can’t remember when it dawned on me that I was going to be supporting a struggling club,” he says, “or indeed when it dawned on me that you only have one club. This was mine, it’s my birthplace and the club I started to watch. It’s just always been a passion since then and I’ve never been tempted anywhere else.” This sentiment will resonate with Palace fans. The struggles of fourth-tier football may be a distant memory for a small cohort of a certain age, but south Londoners certainly don’t turn to their local top-flight side in search of guaranteed silverware. “We all remember our glory days because they’re so limited,” Stelling summarises. “We remember getting promoted to League One. We

remember the play-off final to get to the Championship in 2004/05, which we lost in extra time. We remember beating the occasional big side; Stoke City was the last really big club we beat when they were a top-flight side in the FA Cup. And, dare I say, we remember 1993 when we beat Palace [1-0 in the FA Cup]. So the glory days are much more memorable when you’re with a smaller club.” The Monkey Hangers’ recent years have been a story of struggle. They dropped out of the Football League in 2016/17 - prompting Stelling to call for manager Dave Jones’ departure live on air, a moment he says he regrets today - and last season earned promotion back to League Two through the play-offs. It was back to the professional level Hartlepool had spent 96 unbroken years in, and a step forward for a historic club looking upwards once more. But, as with so much, the jeff stelling

This was mine, it’s my birthplace and the club I started to watch. It’s just always been a passion since then and I’ve never been tempted anywhere else

pandemic stymied their preparation for a landmark campaign. “We were promoted last season on June 20th when we won the play-off final. June 20th – less than two months before the start of the season. Up till that time we couldn’t recruit players, we couldn’t re-sign players because we didn’t know what level we’d be playing at or what we could afford, so that in itself made life extremely difficult. “The late start made things extremely difficult in terms of

recruitment and we lost four or five players who’d taken us up last season; they were offered deals elsewhere and because at the time we weren’t in a position to offer them anything they went. So we started from a ridiculous position. The bookmakers had us clear favourites to be relegated and most Hartlepool fans would have said: ‘Finish thirdbottom and that’ll be okay.’” As it stands, the Pool are sitting a little way from the relegation spots, not quite far enough to feel safe, but enough to be satisfied with their efforts so far. It’s in the cups, however, where their triumphs lie. They’ve beaten Sheffield Wednesday, Bolton Wanderers, Everton Under-21s and Charlton Athletic to reach the Football League Trophy semi-final, and Wycombe

We were promoted last season on June 20th when we won the play-off final. June 20th – less than two months before the start of the season

Wanderers, Lincoln City and Blackpool in the FA Cup. Their trip to Selhurst, then, brings the prospect of further glory after an already impressive run. Stelling relishes the opportunity the fixture provides, but makes clear the challenge Hartlepool face. “Let’s be clear on the size of the task: a Premier League side jeff stelling

having a good season… The main thing is to go – it sounds cliché – to give a good account of ourselves and then you never know. I look back at days doing Soccer Saturday and I remember being on air when Bradford City went to Chelsea and won 4-2, which was just impossible. “It will be a fantastic atmosphere, because you know how vociferous Palace fans are… Our travelling fans I guarantee will sing, whatever the score, from minute one to minute 90. And it will be a hell of an atmosphere – there are 4,700 [Hartlepool fans] going and we could have sold a lot more. The atmosphere, whatever the game’s like, within the ground will be absolutely fantastic – and I’ll be there, thankfully!” Stelling may be a Hartlepool man through and through, but his Palace

knowledge is detailed. Then again, as he illustrates, he is surrounded by the club at work: “It seems to be that certain clubs have particularly good representation on Soccer Saturday and always have. Palace is one. “I don’t know Darren [Ambrose, who has started covering matches for Sky] to be absolutely honest but I’ve heard him on talkSPORT and the likes, and Dickie [Davis, Sky reporter] is a south London boy and a fantastic reporter… Iain Dowie had his runins at Palace in the end but what a great boy he is. I loved working with him, he’s a great character. “I should also mention another Palace legend: Mark Bright. He has always, always supported my Prostate Cancer walks. Whenever he can turn up on them he’s there… And what Clinton [Morrison] has got is unquenchable enthusiasm, great passion, fantastic energy and that’s what he gives… He’s just – as I’d guess he had been at every club he played for – a fun character to be around. I’m sure like everybody else he must go through tough times but if he does he never shows it; never, ever shows it. “Looking back before that John Salako was on the show for many years, both in and out of the studio. John delivered one of the best ever lines I can remember on a report when he said: ‘They’ve conceded in the 37th-minute, the worst possible time.’ I remember thinking: ‘Why is the 37th-minute worse than the 36th, 38th or 39th?’ Normally at the stroke of half-time or 90th-minute you can say it’s the worst possible time, but why the 37th-minute?!”

Seeking to prevent a cup upset - with goals in the 37th-minute or otherwise - will be a Palace side new to most non-supporters. Patrick Vieira’s time in charge has seen a shift in playing style, refreshed squad and renewed élan. That change hasn’t gone unnoticed for the face and voice of Saturday football: “Patrick’s got them playing in the style he wants really quickly and I think that’s a fantastic achievement. Obviously

The foundations are being laid for the future. You might not have got any more points this season than last season, for example, but the foundations are there

he’s got some exciting players – [Michael] Olise, [Eberechi] Eze and [Conor] Gallagher – and they lend themselves to that side of football. “The foundations are being laid for the future. You might not have got any more points this season than last season, for example, but the foundations are there for everyone to see for what could be a really exciting future.” jeff stelling

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Marco Gabbiadini goes close in the League Cup second round replay at Selhurst in 1991 after a 1-1 draw at Hartlepool. Gabbiadini went on to score his first goal for the club in an eventual 6-1 win.

League Cup Second Round 08/10/1991

Crystal Palace v Hartlepool

MOMENT IN TIME

rudi hedman From its founding to the current day, Crystal Palace’s history is rich in stories and characters. In this edition, former defender Rudi Hedman recalls swapping southern England for the bright lights, new world and unique cuisine of Hong King.

udi Hedman’s career reads like that of many top-level professionals’: brought through at Colchester United, playing successfully in the Football League and then coaching with his first side. But it’s his time abroad that makes him unique. After a period with Dulwich Hamlet and Stevenage Borough, Hedman sought his next big step – but the opportunity may have been bigger than he anticipated. A new world of football, recreation and cuisine awaited. “I just wanted a change for the family, that was all,” says Hedman, remarkably blasé about the decision to uproot and move nearly 6,000 miles away to join Sing Tao in Hong Kong. He explains the undoubted benefits of his time abroad: “[Former Palace goalkeeper] Perry Suckling was out there as well, and he’s the one who gave me the phone call. Glyn Hodges came out as well.” Despite having a few familiar faces around, initially Hedman struggled to get to grips with the dramatic culture change.

“For the first few months when I was out there with the food, I lived off pasta and pot noodles! It was really nice Chinese food, but obviously I was a bit naïve. Some of the restaurants didn’t have pictures, so I would just point and hope. “Pak choi we knew, some of the dim sum dishes because it was in front of you. But then it was cow tongues and chicken feet…” But before he knew it, Hedman was firmly ensconced in the culture - firmly, and a bit uncomfortably. His next meal is not for the faint-hearted. You’ve been warned. “I became far more adventurous,” he admits. “Some of the things I tried I have no idea [what they were]. I remember being in a restaurant after the first time we beat one of the big teams out there. “The owner treated us to a four-course meal, and I think it was pigs’ testicles. I didn’t know what I was eating. I was told afterwards and wasn’t happy!” From the Archive

Taking to the hustle and bustle of life in Hong Kong wasn’t easy, even for someone brought up in London. But what becomes instantly clear talking to Hedman is his willingness to throw himself into new cultures and experiences. “The actual island near Happy Valley where all the matches were is mayhem,” he says. “Too busy. You think London is bad? It’s quite a few times worse than that.” In some ways, it was when the league finished that the most fascinating part of Hedman’s season began. “We would play friendlies against other sides in China, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan,” he says. Of all his destinations, one stands out above the rest: “I’d have to say Malaysia. We were just outside Kuala Lumpur. That’s where we’d go for pre-season. “There’s fantastic food, the people, the language. In terms of the travelling and the camaraderie, it was just like any team: you get a bunch of guys together and you’re going to be having all the banter around.”

palace for life How Palace coaches are role models to communities Palace for Life Foundation work to support children across south London from a variety of communities, including providing opportunities to ethnically diverse children who could have barriers to sport or education.

e spoke to coaches and local role models Arnaud Zadi and Raya Ahmed, who work on our Premier League Kicks programme with Levelling the Playing Field, on why their roles with young people are so important: “I offer the kids my own experiences,” says Arnaud. “I grew up near here [south London] on a council estate and we didn’t have any of these opportunities, so it’s nice that I’m now part of giving them something.

“I can offer them a sense of relatability. They can see me in themselves. That makes it a lot easier when delivering sessions to connect with them and understand what they want. “When I was young, organisations would try to engage with us, but here we’re not seen as ‘authority figures’ like they were. I try to dial it back a little bit and say: ‘I’m not here to tell you what you can and can’t do. I’m here to help you have fun and keep you on the right track.’ There

palace for life

are certain rules, but essentially they’re here to enjoy themselves, stay out of trouble and enjoy an opportunity they didn’t have before. “I came from an unfortunate position where I was surrounded by a lot of things that no kid should be around. I’m now in a position where I can direct and guide young people on to a better path.” Like Arnaud, Raya feels that her local knowledge, ethnicity and own journey have been key to engaging female participants. “There are a lot of barriers I’ve had to break through,” she says. “Being a female, from an ethnic minority background, my religion and what I wear all allows girls in my sessions to realise that they can get involved in football no matter what you look like. You’re not going to get judged. That’s why role models are 100% essential.” These connections are crucial to our work in having an impact on young people. Over time, playing football and lending them a supportive ear builds confidence and self-esteem.

It keeps participants off the streets, but it also exposes them to new peer groups, improves social skills and opens up new opportunities such as volunteering and coaching courses. “It’s important to have these sessions for so many reasons,” says Raya. “There are barriers, but [we show them that] you can be that leader and take that next step into coaching or join a grassroots football club. “It’s not only the growth aspect, it’s also the social aspect which I think is really important.” Arnaud is also keen to emphasise the much-needed positive effects the Foundation’s Levelling the Playing Field sessions have on young people. “I believe it has such a big impact. They really latch on to the things we do with them. Young people need it. So many of them are almost crying out for a bit of attention and could easily end up down the wrong path. “I want to be a part of changing things for young people and how they are perceived.” To find out more about our work, visit palaceforlife.org

FANCY A CHALLENGE THIS YEAR? Join over 30 Palace fans on the Bike to Southampton to raise money for young south Londoners and watch Palace from the away end at St Mary’s. Visit palaceforlife.org and search:

‘Bike to Southampton’ for more details.

palace for life

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It’s a bold statement, but Crystal Palace Football Club has a legitimate claim to being the oldest league side in existence still playing professional football. Throughout the club’s 160th anniversary season, author and supporter Peter Manning explains the fascinating tale of Palace’s history from 1861 to 1915, a history acknowledged in their 1906 handbook, laying out in each edition why the club’s heritage stretches further back than ever thought.

cpfc 1861

o far this season we’ve looked at celebrity Victorians, Handsome v Ugly matches, and everything in-between as I try to explain Crystal Palace’s origins. Today, as we host an FA Cup tie during the tournament’s 150th anniversary, I will recount some of the key aspects of our history, how Crystal Palace are considered among the FA Cup founders and why today’s programme is light blue. These will help to explain why Crystal Palace can be considered the oldest league club still playing professional football.

THE OLDEST PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE CLUB IN EXISTENCE Crystal Palace’s story begins with the founding of the Crystal Palace Company, set up in 1852 to manage the giant cast-iron and glass structure which was moved from Hyde Park to south London after the Great Exhibition. As part of its business plan the company laid a cricket pitch in June 1857 and the Crystal Palace Club was formed. In Victorian England serious cricketers played football in winter to keep fit and the Crystal Palace cricketers set up their own football team in 1861. Playing in blue and white, their first reported match was against Forest F.C. on March 15th, 1862. In 1863, when the Football Association was founded, Crystal

Palace cricketer Frank Day attended its inaugural meeting. Crystal Palace were one of the core clubs that pushed through the association football rules against stiff opposition from the rugby clubs, sending more delegates to the six inaugural meetings than any other club. Ironically, having been footballing pioneers, Crystal Palace stopped playing organised matches in 1875 for almost two decades. An analysis of their fixtures suggests this was because they were damaging the cricket ground; a plausible explanation because the FA Cup was eventually banned from Surrey’s cricket ground for the same reason. The Crystal Palace Club did not close as the footballers continued playing cricket in summer and the club existed until 1900, when it merged with W.G. Grace’s new London County cpfc 1861

Cricket Club. Football returned to the Palace when Henry Gillman, an enterprising entertainments manager, persuaded his board to fill in two of their great fountains in 1894 and build a new football stadium to host the FA Cup final, previously played at the Oval. Twenty very successful FA Cup finals were staged at the Palace between 1895 and 1914. The amateur Crystal Palace Football Club now had its own football pitch and started playing friendlies against the leading clubs of the day, starting with cup holders Aston Villa in November 1895. But amateur games did not bring in large crowds and it became clear that the company needed to set up a professional team. A new limited company was set up and the professional

club came into being in 1905. The Crystal Palace Company bought 1,700 shares, giving it a controlling interest, which meant the business owned the now-professional football club it first established in 1861. When the professional club published its first handbook in 1906, it listed some of the internationals who had previously represented it, including Alex Morten in 1873 and Arthur Savage and Charles Eastlake Smith in 1876, showing that they recognised themselves as a continuation of the original amateur team.

FA CUP FOUNDERS When Crystal Palace played their first reported match against Forest in March 1862, Forest had two brothers in their team, John and Charles Alcock. John was the older of the two and was one of the original Founding Fathers who helped establish the FA, but retired in 1866. He was replaced on the committee by his younger brother Charles, who was to become one of football’s great drivers of the modern game. Two of Charles’ early innovations were the establishment of the world’s oldest international, England v Scotland in 1870, and a new Challenge Cup in 1871. It must be remembered that at this time football was an entirely amateur game - there were no leagues, and teams just played friendlies against other local sides. Alcock wanted to

widen the interest of the game and came up with the idea of a national Challenge Cup where any member of the FA could play the others in a knock-out competition. The team which eventually won could consider themselves the best team in England that year. The FA Committee, on which Crystal Palace had a seat, approved the idea in July 1871 and at a meeting in October the thenCrystal Palace captain, Douglas Allport, proposed setting up a sub-committee ‘to frame a code of rules’ for the new Association Challenge Cup. In February 1872 a separate sub-committee of three, Charles Alcock, Douglas

Crystal Palace were one of the core clubs that pushed through the association football rules Allport and Alfred Stair of Upton Park, were appointed ‘to select and purchase the new Challenge Cup’, and the FA Cup was born.

CLUB COLOURS Club colours were detailed in Charles Alcock’s Football Annual and Palace’s were given as “blue cpfc 1861

and white jerseys, blue serge knickerbockers and stockings.” What we don’t know, however, is exactly which shade of blue this was and how the shirts were designed, because to date no photograph of our early Victorian team is known to exist. That said, by deduction, we can make a pretty good guess. What we do know is the external ironwork of the Crystal Palace itself was painted blue to give the impression that the entire building was made of glass, and surviving colour prints of the time suggest the blue was a light shade. So, it seems likely that the football team chose the same shade of blue and white, which visitors to the Palace would have been familiar with, for their own club colours. We can again look to the Football Annual for the possible shirt design. Alcock is silent on the design of the Crystal Palace shirts, but that is helpful. Where clubs’ shirt colours were made up of hoops, stripes or bars Alcock invariably said so. But for Palace he said nothing. That leads us to conclude that the shirt was a simple bicolour, with one half white and the other half blue - a common design in Victorian football and similar to Blackburn Rovers’ traditional kit today. It’s reasonable to rely on Alcock’s information because he actually played for Palace and was therefore familiar with our colours and shirts

quiz, games, brighty & more!

Put your Palace, opposition and FA Cup knowledge to the test in our various challenges below. The perfect way to pass time pre-match - let us know how you fare via social media!

Guess who

Spot the image

Can you guess the ex-Eagle above just from their picture?

The above cut-out is taken from an image in this programme. Can you find what page it’s on?

matchday quiz 1

Hartlepool residents are thought to have earned their nickname after hanging a monkey because they thought it was a...? A. Darlington supporter B. French spy C. Spanish assassin

Which Sheffield Wednesday striker broke Andy Linighan’s nose in an FA Cup final v Arsenal?

Future Hartlepool manager Craig Harrison was loaned to Palace from which club in 2000?

Scott Flinders made 276 appearances for Hartlepool, and 13 for Palace. Which position did he play?

While on Soccer Saturday, Chris Kamara popularised the term ‘WHAT, Jeff?’ A. Remarkable B. Noteworthy C. Unbelievable

GAmes

FAMOUS FAN

guess the ground

Can you work out which Football League club’s stadium this is?

This Hartlepool-born guitarist joined Iron Maiden and has remained with the band ever since. He watched the Pools from the Mill House Terrace and continues to follow them today. Do you recognise this famous Hartlepool supporter?

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

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

ANSWERS Guess who: Steve Kabba Spot the image: Page 35 Quiz: 1) B. French spy 2) Mark Bright 3) Middlesbrough 4) Goalkeeper 5) C. Unbelievable Famous Fan: Janick Gers Guess the Ground: The New Lawn - Forest Green

games

team stats: women / U23S / U18S Coral Haines Haines scored the third in Palace’s 3-1 win over Lewes to confirm victory, putting them third.

Dylan Thiselton Thiselton secured his first loan move in January, joining Farnborough until the end of the season.

David Ozoh Ozoh netted his first goal of the season in a 4-0 win over Birmingham.

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

AUGUST Sun 29 Bristol City SEPTEMBER Sun 5 London City Lionesses Sun 12 Sunderland Sun 26 Liverpool OCTOBER Sun 3 Sheffield United Sun 10 Coventry United Wed 13 Lewes Sun 31 Watford NOVEMBER Sun 7 Durham Sun 14 Charlton Athletic Wed 17 Reading Sun 21 Blackburn Rovers DECEMBER Sun 12 Bridgwater United Wed 15 Bristol City JANUARY Sun 16 Durham Sun 23 Liverpool Sun 30 Lewes FEBRUARY Sun 6 Bristol City Sun 13 London City Lionesses Sun 27 Sunderland MARCH Sun 6 Coventry United Sun 13 Lewes Sun 27 Charlton Athletic APRIL Sun 3 Blackburn Rovers Sun 24 Watford MAY Sun 1 Sheffield United

W 4-3 L 1-2 D 1-1 L 1-2

AUGUST Mon 16 Leeds United

L 1-3

Fri 20

Arsenal

L 2-4

Fri 27

Everton

W 3-1

SEPTEMBER Mon 13 Leicester City

W 6-1

Sat 18

Manchester City

L 2-4

D 0-0 W 3-2 W 1-1 (4-3)

Fri 24

West Ham United

L 0-1

D 2-2

Sat 16

Brighton & Hove Albion

L 1-2

Fri 22

Derby County

W 3-2

OCTOBER Fri 1 Tottenham Hotpsur

W 4-3

NOVEMBER Mon 1 Blackburn Rovers

L 1-2

Sat 6

Chelsea

W 2-1

Sat 20

Liverpool

W 3-0

Sat 27

Manchester United

W 2-1

L 0-1 L 0-0 (4-5)

DECEMBER Mon 6 West Ham United

L 2-4

W 3-2 L 0-4 W 3-1

JANUARY Mon 10 Everton

D 2-2

Mon 17 Chelsea

W 3-2

Mon 24 Liverpool

L 0-2

W W L W

3-1 3-2 1-3 2-1

FEBRUARY Mon 7 Tottenham Hotspur Sun 20

Manchester United

Mon 28 Brighton & Hove Albion MARCH Mon 14 Manchester City Fri 18

Arsenal

APRIL Mon 4

Leeds United

Mon 18 Derby County Mon 25 Blackburn Rovers MAY Mon 2

Leicester City

women/u23S/u18S

AUGUST Sat 14 Leicester City Sat 21 West Ham United Sat 28 West Bromwich Albion SEPTEMBER Sat 11 Aston Villa Sat 18 Liverpool Sat 25 Southampton OCTOBER Sat 2 Reading Sat 16 Manchester City Sat 23 Birmingham City Sat 30 Arsenal NOVEMBER Sat 6 Chelsea Sat 20 Fulham Sat 27 Aston Villa DECEMBER Sat 4 Tottenham Hotpsur Wed 8 Barnsley JANUARY Sat 8 Norwich City Sat 15 Wolves Sat 22 Birmingham City FEBRUARY Sat 5 Tottenham Hotspur Sat 19 Arsenal Sat 26 Norwich City MARCH Sat 5 Leicester City Sat 12 West Ham United Sat 19 West Bromwich Albion Thu 24 Fulham APRIL Sat 2 Aston Villa Sat 9 Southampton Tue 12 Brighton & Hove Albion Sat 23 Reading Sat 30 Chelsea MAY Sat 7 Brighton & Hove Albion

W 3-1 W 2-1 W 3-2 D 2-2 L 2-3 W 1-0 D D L W

3-3 2-2 1-2 3-2

L 3-4 D 1-1 W 3-1 W 3-0 W 2-1 D 0-0 L 1-1 (5-6) W 4-0

Name

Apps

Skye Bacon

Goals

Kirsty Barton

Hannah Churchill

Charley Clifford

Grace Coombs

Apps

Goals

Joshua Addae

Tayo Adaramola

Scott Banks

Victor Akinwale

David Boateng

Tayo Adaramola

Bianca Baptiste

Name

3 4

Victor Akinwale

Malachi Boateng

Harry Freedman

Owen Goodman (GK)

1 14

Leanne Cowan

John-Kymani Gordon

Aimee Everett

Reece Hannam

Millie Farrow

Danny Imray

Coral-Jade Haines

Nya Kirby

Jake O'Brien

David Omilabu

Alex Hennessey

Annabel Johnson

Sophie McLean

Chloe Morgan (GK)

Junior Dixon

Owen Goodman (GK)

Jackson Izquierdo (GK)

Kanye Jobson

James Leonard

Cameron Lewis-Brown

Joe Ling

Adler Nascimento

Ademola Ola-Adebomi

David Ozoh

Jadan Raymond

Kaden Rodney

Joe Sheridan

Gracie Pearse

Aidan Steele

Rob Street

James Taylor

Dylan Thiselton

Matthew Vigor

Noah Watson

Jack Wells-Morrison

Joe Whitworth (GK)

Siobhan Wilson

Joe Whitworth (GK)

Vonnte Williams

A GD Pts

liv

13 10 2

1 27 5 22 32

lon

12 8

3 16 10 6 25

cry

13 7

3 26 23 3 24

cha

13 7

4 18 10 8 23

pos CLUB P W D 1

mci

18 11

Basilio Socoliche

Lizzie Waldie

pos CLUB P W D

Maliq Cadogan

Cardo Siddik

Freddie Bell

David Obou

Sean Robertson

Isabella Sibley

Fionn Mooney

Hope Smith (GK)

Kalani Barton

Ryan Bartley

Emily Orman (GK)

Dan Quick

Leigh Nicol

Molly-Mae Sharpe

Name

Killian Phillips

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Goals

A GD Pts

4 43 27 16 36

pos CLUB P W D 1

che

14 9

A GD Pts

3 45 23 22 29

whu

17 11

4 42 22 20 35

whu

14 9

3 33 17 16 29

tot

17 8

4 39 25 14 29

sou

13 9

3 39 21 18 28

ars

17 8

4 41 33 8 29

lei

12 9

2 27 12 15 28

cry

17 8

8 37 35 2 25

cry

13 7

2 29 18 11 25

dur

13 7

5 19 15 4 22

mun

6 28 28 0 25

ars

15 7

4 32 26 6 25

bri

12 6

4 21 14 7 20

bha

18 6

6 28 25 3 24

ful

13 5

4 23 17 6 19

lew

13 6

6 17 15 2 19

eve

18 6

7 23 32 -9 23

tot

13 5

8 24 35 -11 15

she

13 4

5 15 16 -1 16

liv

17 6

7 23 28 -5 22

bha

12 4

6 29 29 0 14

10 lei

16 6

6 23 37 -14 22

10 rdg

12 4

7 22 23 -1 13

che

17 4

8 27 32 -5 17

12 3

7 30 38 -8 11 7 20 36 -16 11

sun

12 3

6 10 17 -7 12

10 BLA

14 3

11 25 -14 11

12 lee

18 4

4 10 31 42 -11 16

12 wba

12 3

11 26 -15 7

13 bla

17 3

8 28 44 -16 15

13 bir

14 2

2 10 15 37 -22 8

12 cov* 13

9 12 27 -15 -4

14 der

16 4

2 10 25 28 -3 14

14 nor

wat

* 10 point deduction

women/u23S/u18S

avl

6 42 -36 4

MAY

APRIL

March

FEBRUARY

JANUARY

DECEMBER

NOVEMBER

OCTOBER

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST

Chelsea

KICK-OFF 15:00

0-3

Sat 21

Brentford