Crystal Palace v Southampton matchday programme 2425 by Crystal Palace F.C.

cover story

cover story#10 Welcome back to Selhurst Park – and welcome back to the matchday programme, where we are celebrating 100 years of football at this very stadium, from 1924 to the present day. Every edition of the programme this season will feature a special handillustrated cover, marking one of the many landmark dates that has made this such a unique place over the last century.

his week, we look back to 1969, as Palace secured promotion to the top-flight for the very first time. For much of their existence, Palace traditionally competed outside of the elite bracket of the game – but that all changed when the charismatic Bertram ‘Bert’ Head was appointed manager in 1966. See if you can spot Bert behind Will Hughes! In the penultimate match of the 1968/69 season, an expectant Selhurst Park, packed with 36,126 supporters, witnessed a stunning Palace comeback from two goals down to seal their place in the

promised land for the very first time. Such was the jubilation around SE25 that, the following day, The Sunday Mirror declared the Palace supporters the “Crowd of the Season” at the publication’s “Crowd Awards.” You can see our cover star this week, Will Hughes, celebrating in the stands with the legendary John Jackson and others, watched on by Bert Head and Chairman Arthur Wait – the stand constructed in his name would go up over that summer. Ten years prior, Palace had been a fourthdivision club. Now, under Head, they had reached the pinnacle.

Dave Flanagan @daveflanagan

@daveflanagan77

Remember, you can keep collecting each original illustration throughout the campaign as we journey through our timeline from 1924 to the current day – make sure you get the matchday programme each week.

contents

Crystal Palace √ southampton sun 29 dec 2024 | 3:00pm k.o. Directors Chairman Steve Parish, David Blitzer, Joshua Harris, John Textor Chief Financial Officer Sean O’Loughlin Sporting Director Dougie Freedman Club Secretary Christine Dowdeswell Head of Sports Medicine Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad Academy Director Gary Issott Director of U21 Development Mark Bright Chief Operating Officer Sharon Lacey Chief Commercial Officer Barry Webber Chief Marketing Officer Aaron Duckmanton General Counsel David Nichol Head of Ticketing Paul McGowan Head of Retail Foz Bowers Head of Marketing Matt Franks Head of Safeguarding Laura Baptiste Head Groundsman Bruce Elliott

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

06 08 12

25 10 CHAIRMAN 36 HALL OF FAME 38 EAGLE EYE

41 STATS 44 DOC BROWN 46 MACCA 50 ACADEMY

Contributors Robin Johnson, Toby Jagmohan, Ed Dowling,

56 PALACE FOR LIFE

Doc Brown, James McArthur, Ian King, Tommy Macarthur Photography Neil Everitt, Peter Hurn, Sebastian Frej, Pinnacle Photo Agency, Kontent Haus, Toby Jagmohan, Getty Printer Bishops Printers

60 100 years of selhurst park

64 selhurst stories 70 eagle arcade 72 WHAT’S ON?

Manager

oliver glasner Welcome back to Selhurst Park, and welcome to Ivan Jurić and his Southampton players and staff for this afternoon’s game.

ur last result at Bournemouth was exactly the kind of game we expected: very intense with many duels, and Bournemouth playing very direct, having lots of pace in behind, and always applying pressure. It was pleasing to see us defend really well, move the ball quickly and create several promising moments, so for us, it was a very good away point against a very strong side, who had a lot of confidence after their recent results. The good thing about a clean sheet is that it always means we will gain at least one point. We also know, however, what we can do better. When we won the ball, we sometimes lost it too easily, after the first or second pass. The team are working so hard and investing so much, but we just want to have more momentum on the pitch, and a little bit more calmness. This is what we are working on at the moment, and I expect this will be important against Southampton. This is the final set of notes I will write in 2024, which offers a chance for reflection – but also an opportunity to look forwards. This year has been about always

It was pleasing to see us defend really well, move the ball quickly and create several promising moments, so for us, it was a very good away point against a very strong side

Manager

The club has been great since we arrived: there is a great togetherness in the club, a great togetherness with our fans. This is what we want to keep, because it is always the foundation for success. That is my wish for 2025, that we can keep this within the club with our fans alongside us

learning, trying to improve things, and creating a spirit to play as a team. We are always trying to improve. There is a great quote from Kobe Bryant: ‘Try to be better today than you were yesterday, and better tomorrow than you were today’. This won’t stop in 2025.

We are always trying to improve. There is a great quote from Kobe Bryant: ‘Try to be better today than you were yesterday, and better tomorrow than you were today’. This won’t stop in 2025 Now, we want to have a good end to the season. Since we arrived 10 months ago, we have seen a development within the team. We saw big changes in the summer in the dressing room as many players left and many came in, but it’s a great group of players. The club has been great since we arrived: there is a great togetherness in the club, a great togetherness with our fans. This is what we want to keep, because it is always the foundation for success. That is my wish for 2025, that we can keep this within the club with our fans alongside us. Then we will try to get better and better, and keep getting results.

Today we face Southampton and I hope we can produce a performance which will see us end the year on a high. Thank you for your continued support up and down the country – it really does mean so much to the players and all of the staff, and we couldn’t do it without you. I look forward to stepping out at Selhurst Park for the final time this year. Have a wonderful New Year’s celebrations, and see you all in 2025!

Captain

marc Guéhi Welcome back to Selhurst Park for our last home game of 2024. I hope we can close out the year with a win in front of you all today.

’d like to start these notes by wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year too. As Premier League footballers, we recognise that this will always be one of the busiest times of the year for us in terms of fixtures – but we also know it is an important time to celebrate friendship, celebrate family, and celebrate all that we love in life. I hope each and every one of you have had, or will have in the coming days, the opportunity to do so. Last time we were here against Arsenal, we weren’t happy with the result – but in the Premier League, you always have an opportunity to improve and go again. That is exactly what we did against Bournemouth – although I must admit I didn’t think, coming off the pitch, that it was a great game for the neutral! But every point in the Premier League is valuable, and we were pleased that we defended well on the south coast and secured a draw against a strong Bournemouth side who have been in very good form recently. Having said that, we know that we can always improve, and that must always be our goal. Every game in the Premier League is different

it is an important time to celebrate friendship, celebrate family, and celebrate all that we love in life. I hope each and every one of you have had, or will have in the coming days, the opportunity to do so

Captain

I won’t be on the field of play today, but I’ll be with you in the stands cheering the lads on – so for the final time at Selhurst Park this year, I hope we can produce a performance you are proud of, so that we can head into 2025 on a high

and every opponent poses different tests. Every team in this league is tough to play against, so we will need to be at the top of our game if we want to get a good result against Southampton this afternoon.

We are playing good football, but we are approaching the halfway point of the season and our target, going into the New Year, must be to win more football matches than we have since the start of the season

Our form has improved in recent weeks, but we understand that – at the end of the day – we are judged on winning football matches, and that is the most important thing. We are playing good football, but we are approaching the halfway point of the season and our target, going into the New Year, must be to win more football matches than we have since the start of the season. We’re fortunate enough to get plenty of chances in this league to work hard in training, learn, improve, and put right anything we need to work on from the last game. We have

to show that mindset every single matchday. The most important thing is to win, and hopefully that can start – with the fantastic atmosphere you are capable of generating at Selhurst Park – against Southampton this afternoon. I won’t be on the field of play today, but I’ll be with you in the stands cheering the lads on – so for the final time at Selhurst Park this year, I hope we can produce a performance you are proud of, so that we can head into 2025 on a high

chairman

steve parish Welcome to the supporters, players, staff and directors of Southampton to Selhurst Park for today’s match, and welcome as always to each and every Crystal Palace supporter here to get behind Oliver’s team for our final match of the year.

t was important that we bounced back from defeat to Arsenal with a positive display against an in-form Bournemouth side at the Vitality Stadium. Your support – travelling down to the south coast in large numbers on Boxing Day – was once again a credit to the club, helping Oliver and his players to extend our unbeaten run away from home to five league matches, as well as keep a 150th clean sheet in the Premier League era. As always, there is much to reflect upon as we head into our final fixture of the calendar year. We have had some fantastic highlights, and I’m sure memories of the way we finished last season, including those incredible wins over Liverpool at Anfield and Manchester United at Selhurst Park, are still fresh in all our minds. Along the way, we recorded our joint-highest Premier League points tally (49) and most goals scored in a Premier League season (57). While everyone recognises that this season has not started in quite the same vein, the signs have been there in recent weeks that the team are beginning to rediscover the same intensity in their performances which

While everyone recognises that this season has not started in quite the same vein, the signs have been there in recent weeks that the team are beginning to rediscover the same intensity in their performances

Chairman

typified that run, and at the time of writing we are just eight points off the top half of the table with all to play for heading into 2025. We, of course, have had a wonderful year in terms of our international players. Palace provided more England players – Adam, Dean, Ebere and Marc – to Gareth Southgate’s European Championship finalists than any other Premier League club. Jefferson and Daniel were both part of the Colombia squad which reached Copa América final; Jean-Philippe scored five goals for France en route to becoming the first-ever player to win an Olympic medal whilst playing for Palace; and Chris and Matt helped the United States to win a third straight Nations League title. Our Women’s team have enjoyed an outstanding 2024. Memories abide of us winning our first-ever Championship title in front of a club-record crowd at

Selhurst Park. With that came promotion to the Women’s Super League, where we have competed well in a difficult competition throughout the first half of the season. Great credit must go to Grace, Laura and all of their staff and players, but they would be the first to say that they are still growing as a team every day – so I would urge you to get down to Sutton whenever you can in the New Year to lend them your support and become a part of something special. Our Academy has continued to excel this year, culminating in us lifting the Premier League International Cup at Selhurst Park back in May – only the second English club to win the trophy in its seven-season history. Asher, Justin and Caleb have all made senior debuts for the club this season, building on our rich history of promoting young talent, and we have a number of promising players out excelling out on loan in the English Football League, and beyond. Elsewhere, Palace for Life Foundation’s vital work has continued to improve the lives and prospects of thousands of young South Londoners – they remain the source of so much pride to us all. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank every Crystal Palace supporter for your unwavering loyalty and dedication this year, as well as to all of my colleagues at the club for their hard work in helping us to improve every day. A very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year to you all. As always, I urge you to throw everything you have behind Oliver’s team. Up the Palace

I would like to take this opportunity to thank every Crystal Palace supporter for your unwavering loyalty and dedication this year, as well as to all of my colleagues at the club for their hard work in helping us to improve every day. A very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year to you all

After clocking up his 100th Crystal Palace appearance in our recent win over Brighton & Hove Albion, Will Hughes sits down with Robin Johnson to look back over some of his favourite memories with the club – and forward to the challenges that lie ahead... 13

Will hughes

t’s an unavoidable truth, when you work in football in whatever capacity, that this time of year sees your working world – contrary to that of the friends, families and industries around you – start to speed up, rather than slow down. Enjoy the festivities in whichever way you wish, it can sometimes feel inevitable in the industry that this part of winter becomes something of a blur of previews, tables and statistics – a bombardment of football. Programme print deadlines are earlier to accommodate for the winter break, of course, so it is just a day after Crystal Palace’s resounding 3-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion that we get the chance to sit down with Will Hughes. A week prior, in his 99th game for the Eagles, Hughes had recorded two assists in a 2-2 draw with Manchester City, winning plenty of plaudits for his dominant display against the likes of İlkay Gündoğan and Kevin de Bruyne. It figures, then, that with Hughes’ milestone match arriving amidst arguably one of his best runs of form at Palace, ‘100 club appearances’ is the statistic we – media team hat firmly on – have at the forefront of our minds at the start of our conversation. The obvious place to start: was Hughes himself aware? “Nope!” he laughs. “One of my mates texted me afterwards saying he didn’t realise it was 100 appearances… I was like: ‘Neither did I’! But it’s nice for me – a nice stat. Hopefully I’ve many more to come.” A glimpse into the measure of the man. It’s not false modesty – Hughes simply prefers to talk about the good of

In certain spells, whenever you’re going through a bad patch as a team, it can feel like it’s going on forever! And likewise, when you’re playing well and winning, like the end of last season, the time just flew by. I’ve really enjoyed it. Everything about this club suits me

the team rather than his own individual achievements. It’s those same humble but hard-working qualities which have endeared him so much to the Palace faithful. Regardless, we persist in our line of questioning. “On the whole, I’d say my time here’s gone quickly,” he looks back on his three-and-a-half seasons with the club. “Obviously there can be elements of both. In certain spells, whenever you’re going through a bad patch as a team, it can feel like it’s going on forever! “And likewise, when you’re playing well and winning, like the end of last season, the time just flew by. I’ve really enjoyed it. Everything about this club suits me.” That ‘Huuughes’ noise – which nowadays accompanies his every touch of the ball – included? “Yeah, I enjoy that – it’s something different!”

Will hughes

One of my mates texted me afterwards saying he didn’t realise it was 100 appearances… I was like, ‘neither did I’! But it’s nice for me – a nice stat. Hopefully I’ve many more to come

Will hughes

There aren’t many stadiums like Selhurst now left in the Premier League, which is sad because it creates such a unique atmosphere to play in. I remember playing away at Palace before I came in here. It was always somewhere you dreaded coming as a player

Will hughes he laughs again. “I’ve not had that anywhere else in my career so far – so I take it as a compliment.” A very South London compliment it is – and one increasingly heard, given Hughes’ consistency and influence of late at the heart of Palace’s engine room. We put it to him that the words ‘cult hero’ have been thrown around in recent media headlines. “Hmm… I wouldn’t go that far!” comes the measured, but lightly mocking, reply. It seems as good an opportunity as any to discuss his favourite Palace matches of the 100 so far. His answer will be popular: “I’d probably say yesterday at Brighton! Since I’d been here, we hadn’t beaten them. They’re a good team, so going there and winning comfortably was a nice feeling. “Then, [Manchester] United at home last season” – a 4-0 win, on a spectacular night back in May – “was really enjoyable. The fans were up for it. Under the lights, we were playing with confidence, playing such good football. “To beat United 4-0 doesn’t happen every day, so that has to be up there…” How did a pair of assists against the reigning Premier League champions stack up? “We didn’t win, so it doesn’t count.” Once again: focused on the collective, not the individual. That reference to the win over United is not the first time Hughes’ admiration for the Selhurst Park support has come to the fore, the midfielder previously describing the club – in a rare foray onto social media – as ‘proper’. Three-and-a-half years into his time at the club, with plenty of new faces in the dressing room, new management and new aspirations, would he still describe Palace that

The new lads coming in will know what kind of club this is beforehand. Whoever that may be, whether it’s someone already playing in the Premier League coming to us, or someone from abroad, people watch the Premier League week in, week out, so they’ll understand what Palace is about

way? “Definitely – I just think there’s a uniqueness to it. “The new lads coming in will know what kind of club this is beforehand. Whoever that may be, whether it’s someone already playing in the Premier League coming to us, or someone from abroad, people watch the Premier League week in, week out, so they’ll understand what Palace is about. They won’t need telling too much. “There aren’t many stadiums like Selhurst left in the Premier League, which is sad because it creates such a unique atmosphere to play in. I remember playing away at Palace before I came here. It was always somewhere you dreaded coming as a player, trying to get a result, but at the same time, it was nice to play there because of the atmosphere. That’s what football is about. “Thankfully, we’ve maintained that atmosphere at Palace, and it definitely helps us.”

Will hughes It is an atmosphere which goes hand-in-hand with the style of football Hughes and Palace have been playing of late. Ahead of a recent pre-match press conference, Oliver Glasner took a moment to show the assembled journalists the quantity of each team’s high-intensity sprints in recent match-weeks. Palace, roared on by the Selhurst faithful, often sat top of the tree. “I think the performances over the last few weeks have generally been a big improvement on where we were at the start of the season, and maybe results weren’t really reflecting how we were playing either,” Hughes reasons. “You can’t always relate how much you run to winning games, but it certainly does help when you can outrun the opposition with the intensity that we play at. That’s what we were missing at the start of the season. “Why that was, we don’t really know, but I think that’s been spoken about and obviously changed over the last few weeks, and you can see the benefits from it with the results and performances. I think that’s one of our big advantages as a team, as a squad. “It’s just been driven into us as a team. It comes from within. It should be a given that you know you’re an intense team, and you run that much. When all 10 outfield players are doing that, it gives you a good base to go and get good results and performances, and that’s what you’ve seen over the last few weeks. “When you’ve got that base of running hard, running with intensity, winning your duels, that does give you a base to win games. Then, along with that, is the quality we have here.

It’s just been driven into us as a team. It comes from within. It should be a given that you know you’re an intense team, and you run that much. When all 10 outfield players are doing that, it gives you a good base to go and get good results and performances, and that’s what you’ve seen over the last few weeks

“In the last few weeks, we’ve played a lot of top teams in the division and come away with quite a few points, so we know that we just have to be consistent with it, and we’ll start climbing the table.” As Palace approach the halfway point of the season against Southampton this afternoon, that must surely be the target: to maximise points returns from the busy festive fixture schedule currently underway. With a Palace match on average every four days between the last weekend of November and the first match round of January, Hughes and his fellow midfielders have had plenty of ground to cover. “It’s a really strong part of our squad, the midfield, especially for two positions,” he notes. “I think you have to learn to adapt to your partner to a point, but not too much.

Will hughes

I think the performances over the last few weeks have generally been a big improvement on where we were at the start of the season, and maybe results weren’t really reflecting how we were playing either

Will hughes

Every game we’ve got the potential of winning, but every game is difficult in its own way. People might expect us to win certain games, but the Premier League is not that easy, as we all know. Sometimes these kinds of games can be harder

Will hughes

“You’ve still got to play your own game and bring the benefits, the skills you have as a player – but we all complement each other so well. I think the gaffer will have a big headache when we are all fit. “We’ve five or six players who can start with each other and we all bring something different, so I think that’s a positive thing: healthy competition.” After coming up against numerous sides in contention for European places in recent weeks, and Southampton starting the day at the opposite end of the table, it could be tempting to consider Palace favourites for today’s match. But Hughes warns: “I don’t think that really matters, to be honest. I don’t personally see it that way.

“Every game we’ve got the potential of winning, but every game is difficult in its own way. People might expect us to win certain games, but the Premier League is not that easy, as we all know. Sometimes these kinds of games can be harder. “As with every year and every season, it’s topsy-turvy in this league. You’re going to have good moments, bad moments, good spells and bad spells, so it’s just important that you don’t get too down or too high, and vice versa. “As we speak, Southampton have had a change of manager, so they’ll probably have a new style of playing. It’ll be tricky, like they all are in the Premier League, so we’ll have to be ready.” You can be sure Hughes will be. Despite the demands of training, player

appearances, programme interviews and – far more importantly – matchdays, he is a man very rarely unprepared. Our conversation comes full circle, then, as we ask whether he expects to have any time this month to enjoy Christmas with his young family. “It’ll be a struggle! “Footballers’ Christmas periods are obviously very busy, but that’s just part of being a footballer. We have to deal with it the best we can. That’s why we’ve got such a good squad here, and why we can rotate. “But off the field, I’ll be trying to be good, not eating too much… I’ll have to save that until retirement!” All we want for Christmas is another 100 Palace appearances first, please, Will – but we’ll wish you a Merry one in the meantime

captain

SHARE GOOD TIMES WITH

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

And finally...

and finally...

with will hughes

Will Hughes picks out the three midfielders he has most enjoyed either watching – or coming up against...

Andres Iniesta I used to love watching Iniesta play – he always made the right decisions.

Kevin de Bruyne I had to put a current one in there. De Bruyne just has absolutely everything: physicality, vision… he’s just two or three steps ahead of everyone. And then on top of that, the technical ability he has… he’s not nice to play against!

Steven Gerrard Gerrard was my number one player growing up. He had it all. He loved scoring as much as he loved tackling, which has gone of the game a little now unfortunately. His demeanour, his persona, the way he carried himself… he was the best.

FOR THE CLUB captain

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The World’s Game

manchester city

southampton

southampton f.c.

The saints 1885

christmas chaos -

this Season

Southampton’s return to the Premier League has been anything but plain sailing, and they spent Christmas Day at the foot of the table in real danger of being cut adrift in the relegation zone. Having beaten Leeds United in the play-off final last season, they have since won just a single league game and picked up just six points.

Position

20th

Points

Top Scorer Cameron Archer

Most Assists Adam Lallana

home

a new era -

third

away

Defeat after defeat made it a matter of time before Russell Martin was dismissed, and interim manager Simon Rusk picked up a valuable point away at Craven Cottage against Fulham last weekend – and now the era begins. Croatian manager Ivan Juric has taken charge, most recently boss of Roma in Serie A before departing in November. He has a huge job on his hands, but feels as though he can turn things around. “I’m very optimistic because I saw a team that can do better,” he said after his appointment was announced. “It’s important to immediately be connected with the fans. I want an aggressive team and I think that fans of Southampton will like that.”

southampton

head2head head

1-0 √ aston villa Villa Park

√ tottenham St Mary's Stadium

1-2 √ liverpool St Mary's Stadium

0-0 √ Fulham Craven Cottage

0-1 √ west ham

lastfive

0-5

southampton

draw

palace

2-2

15th December 2021 Selhurst Park

1-2

30th April 2022 St Mary's Stadium

1-0

29th October 2022 Selhurst Park

1-2

7th January 2023 Selhurst Park

0-2

15th April 2023 St Mary's Stadium

St Mary's Stadium

0-1

“I knew before that I arrived here it would be very difficult but watching these two games, I think we have to be positive and think positive.” Ivan Juric

southampton √ west ham Thursday 26th December / St Mary's Stadium

Substitutes

P. Onuachu

A. Armstrong

A. McCarthy

R. Manning

M. Fernandes

J. Aribo

A. Lallana

J. Bree

C. Archer

K. Sulemana

R. Fraser

T. Dibling

goal cards

L. Ugochukwu

F. Downes

K. Walker-Peters

16 Y. Sugawara

N. Wood

J. Bednarek

T. Harwood-Bellis

30 A. Ramsdale

subs

southampton

key players Southampton are battling for survival after reaching the Premier League via the play-offs last season, but who could be crucial in their push to move away from the relegation zone? Here, we check out four of the Saints’ most important assets…

safe hands -

gk aaron

ramsdale age

Height

6’3

joined

from

2024

Ramsdale became Arsenal’s most expensive goalkeeper when they shelled out almost £30 million to prize him away from Sheffield United in 2021, and quickly set about earning his place as the Gunners’ undisputed No. 1, as they were transformed from Europa League contenders into bona fide title challengers. His run in the side was brought to an abrupt end by the arrival of David Raya, however, and after a season watching largely from the sidelines, he moved to Southampton, where he would be No. 1 once again. It’s been a thankless task in a side shipping goals week after week, but his form could be crucial in keeping them up. Ramsdale has long been around the England set-up, but sits behind Jordan Pickford in the pecking order. He has five caps to his name, and was part of the squad which finished runners-up in the European Championships in 2020 and 2024.

def taylor

harwood-bellis age

Height

6’2

joined

from

2023

Harwood-Bellis is the latest in a line of successful purchases for Southampton from Manchester City, after other talented youngsters like Romeo Lavia made the move from the North West to the south coast and made their name with the club. Having joined on an initial loan last season, he helped the Saints to promotion and moved permanently this summer, where his form has won him plaudits despite Southampton’s defensive woes. A winner of the Under-21s European Championship with England, he earned his first senior Three Lions call-up under interim manager Lee Carsley in November, and scored on his debut against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley. As the Thomas Tuchel era begins, he will hope that a long England career follows.

southampton

HOME AGAIN Lallana is back where it all began, rejoining Southampton after a stellar career for both club and country. He broke through at St Mary’s in 2006, featuring for the club in their remarkable rise from League One to the Premier League in just two seasons and quickly starring in the top-flight, earning a nomination for the PFA Players' player of the Year award and a place in the PFA Team of the Year in 2013/14. That kind of form for the Saints earned Lallana a move to Liverpool, where he flourished under Brendan Rodgers and then Jürgen Klopp, winning the Premier League and the Champions League before departing for Brighton & Hove Albion in 2020. After four seasons with the Seagulls, he returned home to Southampton this summer, where he has since made 12 appearances including six starts - in all competitions. Lallana’s first England call-up came in 2013, and he won 34 caps over five years, winning England Player of the Year in 2016 and featuring at the World Cup and the European Championships.

mid adam

lallana age

10 Height

5’8

joined

from

2024

A talented Aston Villa prospect, Archer’s career began in earnest in 2019 when he made his senior debut as a 17-year-old, before heading out on loan and enjoying huge success with Middlesbrough in 2023, scoring 11 goals in 20 league games under manager Michael Carrick. He was snapped up by Sheffield United for the 2023/24

fwd cameron

archer age

19 Height

6’4

joined

from

2024

campaign for a substantial fee, but lasted just one season as the Blades were relegated back to the Championship, with Archer scoring just four times. With bidders circling, Aston Villa activated their buy-back clause, before selling him to Southampton in August. He has five goals for the club this season, including two in the Premier League.

southampton

gk alex

m©carthy age

joined

35 2016

1 from

def kyle

Walker-Peters age

joined

27 2020

from

def Taylor

Harwood-Bellis age

joined

22 2023

from

gk aaron

ramsdale age

joined

26 2024

def ryan

manning age

joined

28 2023

from

3 from

def ronnie

edwards age

joined

21 2024 30

from

gk Gavin

Bazunu age

joined

22 2022

def jack

stephens age

from

academy

def

james

bree age

joined

27 2023

from

southampton

def Yukinari

Sugawara age

joined

24 2024

mid flynn

downes age

joined

25 2024

from

4 from

mid adam

lallana age

joined

36 2024

from

def charlie

taylory age

joined

31 2024

mid joe

aribo age

from

joined

28 2022

from

mid Mateus

fernandes age

joined

20 2024 31

from

def Jan

Bednarek age

joined

28 2017

from

mid will

smallbone age

from

academy

mid

Lesley

Ugochukwu age

joined

20 2024

from

southampton

fwd adam

fwd

from

age

armstrong age

joined

27 2021

fwd cameron

archer age

joined

23 2024

fwd samuel

from

amo-ameyaw age

from

academy

ross

stewart joined

28 2023

fwd maxwel

fwd

from

age

cornet age

joined

28 2024

fwd paul

from

Onuachu age

joined

30 2023 32

from

ben

brereton diaz joined

25 2024

fwd ryan

from

fraser age

joined

30 2024

fwd tyler

from

dibling age

from

academy

southampton

squaddepth st Cameron ARCHER Ben BRERETON DIAZ Adam ARMSTRONG Ross STEWART

lw Maxwel CORNET Ryan FRASER Kamaldeen SULEMANA

rw Tyler DIBLING Samuel AMO-AMEYAW

am Adam LALLANA

cm Joe ARIBO Mateus FERNANDES Will SMALLBONE

Dm lb

Lesley UGOCHUKWU Flynn DOWNES

Ryan MANNING Charlie TAYLOR Juan LARIOS

Kyle WALKER-PETERS James BREE Yukinari SUGAWARA

Jack STEPHENS Jan BEDNAREK Nathan WOOD

Taylor HARWOOD-BELLIS Armel BELLA-KOTCHAP Ronnie EDWARDS GK Aaron RAMSDALE Gavin BAZUNU Alex McCARTHY

Loaned In

Academy Graduate

New Signing

southampton

through time 1885 Southampton were founded at St Mary’s Church in 1885, and quickly became one of the region’s most successful sides, winning three consecutive Southern League titles between 1897-99 and reaching the FA Cup final in 1900, losing to Bury. They reached the final again in 1902, earning them international recognition: in 1909 a representative from Athletic Bilbao purchased 50 Southampton shirts and shared them between the club and affiliated Atletico Madrid, and the colours of two of Spain’s largest clubs were born.

1940 After the First World War, Southampton enjoyed some modest success, reaching the Second Division and the semi-finals of the FA Cup on two occasions. During the Second World War, however, a bomb landed on the pitch at The Dell leaving an enormous crater, and forcing the Saints into a groundshare with rivals Portsmouth.

1885

Founded as St Mary’s

1897

Rebranded as Southampton

1899

Three straight Southern League titles

1900

FA Cup runners-up

1902

FA Cup runners-up

1920

Join the Football League

1940

Temporary move to Fratton Park

1966

Promotion to top-flight

1972

UEFA Cup campaign

1976

FA Cup winners

1992

Founder members of Premier League

2003

FA Cup runners-up

2005

Relegated to Championship

2012

Promoted to Premier League

2017

League Cup runners-up

2023

Relegated to Championship

2024

Play-off winners

1966 Under manager Ted Bates, Southampton earned promotion to the First Division for the first time, with legendary forward Martin Chivers starring. They would reach the UEFA Cup five years later, crashing out to the side they inspired: Athletic Bilbao.

southampton

1976 Southampton lifted the FA Cup, beating Manchester United in the final in one of the cup’s greatest upsets – and having beaten Third Division Crystal Palace in the semi-final.

dreamfive GK Peter Shilton Shilton spent five years at Southampton as part of a legendary career that saw him play more than 1,000 league games, and earn 125 caps for his country. He was twice the club’s Player of the Season in 1985 and 1986.

cb Jose Fonte Not many defenders win a major international tournament while featuring for Southampton in the Premier League – particularly having been made to wait until the age of 31 for their first international cap. Former Palace man Fonte made 288 appearances for the club, and became a European champion when starting the final against France in Paris.

cm Matt Le Tissier Nicknamed ‘Le God’, Le Tissier was the first midfielder to score 100 Premier League goals and finished with a tally of 209 for Southampton in 540 appearances, with enough spectacular strikes to fill a lengthy highlight reel.

st Terry Paine No player made more appearances in a Southampton shirt than Paine, who turned out 816 times for the club, scoring 187 goals. He won the Third Division with the Saints, which was surely the biggest trophy in his career – oh, other than the World Cup, which he won with England in 1966.

st Mick Channon 2014 -

Southampton’s record scorer with 227 goals to his name, Channon was part of the 1976 FA Cup winning side and played 46 times for England, scoring 21 goals. He knew how to find the back of the net.

After making a name for bringing through young prospects in the 2000s, like Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott, Southampton were back in the Premier League and flying under Mauricio Pochettino. They would go on to feature names like Virgil Van Dijk, Sadio Mane, Luke Shaw, and Palace’s own Nathaniel Clyne.

southampton

kitstory

celebrity saints

best

worst

Home: 2002/03

Home: 2013/14

Think James Beattie smashing home 24 Premier League goals as Southampton beat champions Arsenal en route to finishing eighth.

Yes, they finished eighth under Mauricio Pochettino, but abandoning the stripes was a crime in this bland edition.

best

craig david

worst

Over the Christmas schedule, the singer has seen Southampton on a Thursday and Friday and Saturday, and now he can't chill on Sunday.

rishi sunak Even Southampton’s struggles this season may seem like a respite for the former Prime Minister after last summer’s exit poll.

chris packham away: 1975/76

away: 1995/96

Yellow and blue to emulate the great Brazil sides of the era, and it worked as the Saints lifted the FA Cup at Wembley.

A difficult season at The Dell, made even worse by their colours on the road: an eyesore which was hastily forgotten – until now.

The animal enthusiast has done plenty to introduce children to the wonders of the animal kingdom, but it’s the Eagles who are hoping to school him this afternoon.

southampton

greatestgames 2-1 HISTORY MAKERS Geoff Thomas was at the double in March 1991 as Palace beat Alan Shearer and co. at Selhurst Park, as the Eagles motored towards their highest ever league finish. The starting XI reads like a who’s who of Palace history: Ian Wright, Mark Bright, John Salako, Nigel Martyn, Alan Pardew and more. It meant the Eagles bounced back from consecutive defeats to Coventry City and eventual champions Arsenal, finishing the season in third.

2-3 CUP CHAOS Four goals inside 12 crazy FA Cup minutes – it’s what the world’s oldest cup competition is all about. The Eagles headed to St Mary’s for the third round tie in January 2015. After just 11 minutes, Marouane Chamakh had cancelled out Graziano Pelle’s opener, before a Scott Dann own goal and a Yaya Sanogo strike made it 2-2 with just 21 minutes on the clock. Marouane Chamakh scored the fifth and final goal of the game just before half-time to send Palace into the fourth round.

1-2 WILF WINNER Palace trailed for a huge period of a tense match in April 2022, after Oriel Romeu had put the home side ahead just nine minutes in. Ebere Eze equalised on the hour mark, and both sides searched for a winner, but it took something remarkable to make the difference. In the second minute of added time, Wilfried Zaha turned away from his marker and drilled home from 25 yards out, sending the away end into delirium and the three points back to South London.

southampton

eagle eye

@FootballMartin_

Martin Sanders founded @FootballMartin_ - YouTube, TikTok, X and Instagram channels dedicated to Southampton FC – in January 2023, and has since appeared on BBC Radio and Sky Sports News. Here, he gives us his views on the Saints… What did you make of Ivan Juric’s first match in charge on Thursday? That was the best first-half I’ve seen from Southampton all season, and I’ve only missed two games. For the first time in a while, we looked like a proper Premier League side. We played on the front foot,

For the first time in a while, we looked like a proper Premier League side. We played on the front foot, moved the ball forward quickly, and showed real intent moved the ball forward quickly, and showed real intent. What stood out most was how exciting it felt. I was on the edge of my seat, something I haven’t experienced all season. It was a glimpse of what this team can do when they play with energy and purpose.

Juric’s teams are well known for their relentless intensity; his teams are aggressive, destructive, and fiercely competitive

southampton

What can supporters expect from their new manager? Juric’s teams are well known for their relentless intensity; his teams are aggressive, destructive, and fiercely competitive. His philosophy prioritises off-the-ball movement over maintaining possession, emphasising quick defensive transitions and high energy play. Is there a belief in the fanbase Southampton can still stay up this season? On my channel it’s something we have been discussing a lot, and the general feeling is that survival this season seems out of reach. While mathematically possible, no team has ever escaped from the position we are in. A lack of goals has been our biggest issue all season. Since Danny Ings left in 2021, we’ve struggled to find a striker capable in the Premier League. For me it’s clear the damage is already done, and turning things around now feels like a near-impossible task. Who is Southampton’s most important player, and whose contribution flies under the radar? Jan Bednarek. He’s been consistently solid and has thrived since taking on the captain’s armband in recent weeks. Bednarek is a leader and someone who knows Southampton inside out. While there’s no doubt Tyler Dibling has been the standout player and is getting the attention he deserves, Bednarek has quietly gone under the radar. For me, he’s been a key figure, providing stability and

leadership in challenging times. If anyone deserves more credit, it’s definitely Janny B. Give us a name for the future to keep an eye on… Shea Charles, who joined us last summer from Manchester City, is currently out on loan and excelling at Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship. He has all the qualities needed to become a

top-class midfielder and is showing that. I’m a huge fan of his. Another exciting prospect is homegrown talent Sam Ameyaw. He’s been on the brink of breaking into the first-team for some time now. With exceptional pace and impressive control on the ball, he’s a player with great potential. Both Charles and Ameyaw are definitely names to watch for the future, as they could play big roles next season for Saints.

west ham united

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southampton

HEAD TO HEAD

jean-philippe

mateta age

position

27 fwd

nat

adam

Goals

Penalties won

Penalties scored

armstrong age

position

27 fwd

nat

Apps

111

Clean sheets

Apps

Goals

Yellow cards

Goals

Assists

Shots

148

Shots

102

Shots on target

Hit woodwork

Big chances created

Red cards

straight wins for Palace against Southampton in the Premier League, one fewer than in the previous 25 meetings.

261

Premier League minutes since Southampton last scored against Palace. The Eagles went on to win 2-1 at St Mary's in that April 2022 contest.

points so far this season for Southampton, the joint-third lowest total in Premier League history after 18 matches.

Delivered by:

west ham united

doc brown & james m©arthur

doc brown

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

WHAT’S THE STORY TWENTY-TWENTY FOURy Pretty sure I did a yearly roundup this time last year, but hey - it’s nearly New Year’s Eve, and I’m so full of meat, dough and pastry I figured why peel myself off the sofa and pace the office thinking of new angles? If Wallace & Gromit can bring back Feathers McGraw, I can bring back an annual review. Also, when you clock that the entire year was kind of bookmarked by letting in 5 goals against Arsenal and yet really hasn’t been a bad year you just think “well, that’s so Palace it’d be rude not to run with it.” So here we go…

january Cold? YES. Dark? YES. Do Palace look at all like scoring a goal at some point to bring a little light to proceedings? NO. A 0-0 draw followed by a 1-0 loss in the FA Cup double-header with fellow thrill-merchants Everton puts paid to any famous cup run we may have been fantasising about. Three days later, I bizarrely think it’s a good

idea to go the Emirates to see a team who pretty much historically hand us our backsides on a leftover turkey platter. And so it proves. Things seem to be getting darker. Thank the football Gods then, for Sheffield United, who – despite a pretty shocking run of their own - have the audacity to attempt to take on Eze and Olise in open battle. Our first win of the calendar year arrives at the end of Jan like a Christmas gift caught up in returned-to-sorting-office hell. Phew.

february To kick the month off, just when you thought we’d hit a nadir in North London, a trip to the South Coast provides us with the worst moment of the season for me. You know what? Let’s not even talk about it here, I’ll come back to it when we reach December. It was time for a change and word on the street was that a progressive thinking, Europa Leaguewinning don was heading our way from Frankfurt – whoa, ok! Chelsea and Everton provide little respite, but a combo of new manager bounce and ol’ Burnley getting on the phone to the Blades to ask how one

a combo of new manager bounce and ol’ Burnley getting on the phone to the Blades to ask how one might go about gifting fellow strugglers points did the trick. Red card and no goals for them, three for us. Bye-bye February, hello Mr Oliver Glasner!

doc brown

might go about gifting fellow strugglers points did the trick. Red card and no goals for them, three for us. Bye-bye February, hello Mr Oliver Glasner!

march Spring has certainly not sprung – losing to Spurs feels dark and cold - but having the OG feels fresh and positive and a couple of draws, plus a random friendly win against European hipster favourite Bodø/Glimt has us looking forward, with the clocks going the same way.

april A turgid 1-0 loss to Bournemouth slaps the daffodils out of our hands and the Easter eggs out of our mouths, but something weird always seems to happen against Man City, right? Yup, we go ahead early… and lose. But I have that odd feeling there’s some fight in these Eagles, that Oli has ideas - real ideas. I swear someone’s gonna get beat soon. And whaddaya know? In the next game we shock the league with a 1-0 win at Anfield. Quintessential Palace. AND SO IT BEGINS. Although looking back it feels like some kind of fever dream or part of one of those alternative timelines created in Back to the Future Part 2, Crystal Palace suddenly become THE BEST TEAM IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE. I know. It sounds insane, but I was there. You were there. It happened. West Ham - BAM, Newcastle - SMACK, Fulham – POW (1-1 but hey)… Hold on, I’m not done! Let me continue in:

may -

october -

Man Utd – WALLOP, Wolves – BOSH, Villa – CHAMPIONS LEAGUE? You’re having a laugh. We score 23 goals in our last eight games and end the season with one of the most coveted squads in the division, plus talk of a European push next term? What is this witchcraft? My summer break is filled with trepidation. Guéhi, Andersen, Eze, Mateta, Olise – everyone’s after them, we’ll get picked apart! You all know how that story ended, and yet as we regrouped for a new push in a post-Michael era, a lot of confidence remained. We look good in pre-season, why not be confident? I feel confident!

Palace Fan Rule Number Three: Keep the faith.

november It’s fine: drawing is the new winning. And hey, there’s always the League Cup!

december -

august Palace Fan Rule Number One: Never feel confident.

september Palace Fan Rule Number Two: Never feel confident.

There isn’t always the League Cup. But who cares because - Amex. Christmas comes early on Sunday 15th! It finally feels like our season is kicking on. And I’m genuinely not saying this just because I’m hopped up on sherry and sweet, sweet mincemeat, but letting in another five goals to the same team at the other end of the year has not dampened my spirit for 2025. There’s more to come from us, I’m certain of it, and for better or worse, just like you, I’m all in for another 365 days in the famous Red and Blue. HAPPY NEW YEAR and UTP!

James M©arthur

james m©arthur Palace legend James McArthur made 253 appearances for the club, playing over 19,000 minutes in all competitions across nine years. Below, he gives his thoughts on today’s opponents, Southampton; his old teammate Will Hughes; and what Christmas means to him now…

All change in Southampton I’m writing this column before Palace’s league matches against Arsenal and Bournemouth – so Southampton’s new managerial appointment isn’t yet official. That change of manager could make it harder for Palace. When you change manager, normally there is a bit of a bounce, but the players were used to playing a certain style of football, so if you go in and change that style of football, you can then take away from the team what they are good at. It depends on how the new manager tries to adapt the way they play. I don't know what it is about the bounce that you get with a new manager. I've obviously been there a number of times throughout my career, and it's not that you don't try for the old manager, but it's more that you get a new start. If you're not playing, you’ve now got a new chance to prove you’re a good player. The players who were doing well already will be thinking: ‘I’m starting again, and I need to step up even more.’ It would obviously be

so good in football if you just had that mindset all the time, but for some reason, that’s not the case – maybe sometimes you get complacent about your place, or you hit a bad run of personal form. I expect a tough game, because I never expect an easy game in the Premier League. Southampton will come out fighting for their lives. But at the same time, I expect a Crystal Palace team who have a lot of momentum to go and win the game.

Southampton will come out fighting for their lives Having said that, there’ve been a few times this year I’ve said that – and if you’re not on it, if you’re not taking your chances and you’re not clinical, you don’t win games in the Premier League. That’s where the lads need to be at. They need to keep up that momentum. They need to keep being clinical. They need to keep defending well. If they do all of that, I really believe that it can be a simpler game rather than a hard-fought one.

I expect a tough game, because I never expect an easy game in the Premier League. Southampton will come out fighting for their lives. But at the same time, I expect a Crystal Palace team who have a lot of momentum to go and win the game

James M©arthur

Halfway through At the halfway mark of the season, I think the new boys who have come in have done really, really well, but I don't think there's been one standout player for Palace. The lads are playing as a team now. At the start of the season, with injuries, with new boys coming in, with JP away for internationals and coming back – he's starting to find his feet again – I just think that the lads are starting to really understand each other.

At the halfway mark of the season, I think the new boys who have come in have done really, really well There have been a lot of good performances throughout the season, throughout each game, but I don't look and go: ‘oh wow, he's been amazing', or 'he's done this, he's done this.’ Palace are better as a team than as individuals, if that makes sense, which I think is a better situation. For a number of years we had Wilf, and we’d go: ‘Wilf's been brilliant, he's done this for us, he's done that.’ But I think currently, you could take any player out of that team and replace them with someone else playing well, and the team wouldn’t get weaker, which is a great thing to have.

Hughesy hits a hundred When I was at Palace, Will Hughes brought so much energy and laughter. Even more importantly, now, he's stepping up to become a very big character in driving the team. It’s so important that you do have characters who keep everyone upbeat. It's a dying breed, to be honest, where people want not to mess about, but just enjoy playing their football. Not taking away his competitive side and will to win, sometimes you need to be going into training every day and have those characters who want to make it a place of happiness. When you see Will and you come in and he's messing about, you just want to laugh straight away, and that is so important for the group.

he's stepping up to become a very big character in driving the team. It’s so important that you do have characters who keep everyone upbeat. It's a dying breed, to be honest, where people want not to mess about, but just enjoy playing their football say Cheikhou Kouyaté was the same – you go in and see him, and you can’t help but smile. When you go onto that pitch, it's serious and you want to win. But when you're off the field, it's not all so serious that you're getting caught up in the stress and the pressure.

Christmas with the M©Arthurs -

When you're winning and everyone's upbeat, you leave and you're smiling anyway. But when you're losing, having someone with whom it's not all doom and gloom, and he can lift you back up, is important. I’d probably

Nowadays for me, Christmas means a lot of food, a lot of wine, and a lot of beer! I’ll be watching the football and enjoying the festive time with my family, rather than thinking about games, worrying about injuries or having to always think: ‘I need to recover, I need to recover, I need to recover’! It's nice to just sit down and actually enjoy the festive period, watching the lads try to get results – so here’s hoping it’s a very Merry Christmas for all Palace fans, and a Happy New Year too

captain

CHOOSE YOUR

WIIINGS RED BULL GIVES YOU WIIINGS.

INSIDE PALACE

inside palace

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

FACT FILE

past childhood idol? Lionel Messi. In my opinion he’s the greatest footballer of all time.

present strongest attribute? I would say winning the ball back and starting attacks.

i model my game on... Quite a few players – N’Golo Kanté, Roméo Lavia, Jude Bellingham. I try to take aspects from a lot of different midfielders.

Career highlight? Signing my scholarship – that was the first step into professional football and from there I’ve just kept pushing on.

favourite palace player? Ebere Eze.

favourite tv show? Fresh Prince of Bel Air, there’s nothing quite like it.

first team? Crystal Palace! I joined at Under-6s from pre-Academy.

first match you’ve been to?

kai-reece adams-collman age

nationality

18 position

midfielder

It was at Selhurst – Palace were playing Hull and we walked along the pitch.

future in five years time... I want to be playing week in week out in the first-team hopefully.

champions league or world cup? World Cup.

first team?

i want to improve...

I think it was a yellow Arsenal away kit, maybe around 2015.

My play in the final third – getting goals, assists, that sort of thing.

First boots?

manager or pundit?

Nike Mercurials, the luminous bright yellow ones with a pink tick.

Probably a manager. I get to be in charge and make the decisions!

inside palace

fixtures&results

pos Club

GD Pts

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

mci

24 27

ful

bha

23 23

liv

new

mun

u21s

u18s AUGUST

AUGUST Tue 20

Stevenage

0-1

Sat 17

Tottenham Hotspur

Fri 23

Blackburn Rovers

7-2

Sat 24

Southampton

1-1

Wed 28 Birmingham City Sat 31

3-0

Fri 30

Leeds United

SEPTEMBER Tue 17

Real Sociedad

2-2

Fri 20

Reading

1-1

Tue 24

Gillingham

3-1

Mon 30 Nottingham Forest

2-1

OCTOBER Sat 5

Brighton & Hove Albion

0-10

Fri 18

Sporting CP

1-2

Fri 25

Southampton

2-0

NOVEMBER

Reading

4-6

1-1

3-0

SEPTEMBER Sat 14

Norwich City

4-2

Sat 21

Fulham

0-6

Sat 28

Aston Villa

1-3

OCTOBER Sat 5

Liverpool

2-5

Sat 26

Leicester City

1-1

NOVEMBER Sat 2

Arsenal

1-1

Sat 9

West Bromwich Albion

2-2

Fri 1

Tottenham Hotspur

5-1

Sat 23

Arsenal

2-0

Tue 5

Peterborough United

1-4

Sat 30

Brighton & Hove Albion W

2-0

Fri 29

Newcastle United

0-1

DECEMBER

december Tue 10

RSC Anderlecht

Mon 16 Liverpool JANUARY Mon 6

Fulham

Fri 10

Leicester City

Fri 17

RB Leipzig

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

Fri 6

Manchester City

0-1

Chelsea

4-2

3-1

Tue 17

3-3

JANUARY Sat 11

West Ham United

Sat 25

Tottenham Hotspur

che

sun

ars

nfo

cry

whu

eve

-1

lei

wol

sou

-6

rea

-3

lee

-3

nor

-6

wba

-10

tot

-10

mid

-12

der

-13

bla

-11

avl

-15

sto

8 -22

FEBRUARY Sat 1

Southampton

Sat 8

Reading

pos Club

Sat 15

Norwich City

avl

sou

20 18

Sat 22

Aston Villa

MARCH Sat 1

Fulham

Sat 8

West Ham United

Sat 15

Chelsea

APRIL

GD Pts

tot

ful

bha

whu

che

-1

cry

-3

ars

-2

10 10

Mon 3

Arsenal

Sat 12

Leicester City

Sun 16

Manchester City

Thu 17

Arsenal

nor

-4

Sat 26

West Bromwich Albion

lei

-5

rea

-12

wba

-10

APRIL Fri 4

West Ham United

Mon 14 Chelsea

MAY Sat 3

Brighton & Hove Albion

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Friday, 27th December.

inside palace

palace academy The young Crystal Palace sides have achieved plenty of success in 2024, so let’s take a look back at some of the key figures behind the next generation on Copers Cope Road…

3 Three players have achieved the ultimate prize this season: making their debuts for the first-team under Oliver Glasner. Asher Agbinone was the first, with the 19-year-old coming on as a substitute against Nottingham Forest, completing a long journey through the ranks after joining the club at the age of nine. “Training up has been excellent,” he told Palace TV after his bow. “It’s everything I would want. Getting challenged against some of the best players in the world, it’s tough every day, and that’s what I like to do.” Justin Devenny soon discovered that feeling, starting against Fulham in November and featuring in every

Premier League game since, making a real impact by scoring his first goal at Villa Park last month. He was rewarded with an international debut for Northern Ireland. He put it best: “It’s what you dream of.” On the same afternoon, Caleb Kporha took to the field to earn his first competitive appearance for the

everybody who gets minutes has our full trust. We are really convinced that they can help the team we need oliver glasner

club, before being handed a start at Arsenal in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals. Kporha arrived at the club at Under-16s level and has impressed for the Under-21s after recovering from an injury that kept him out for much of last season. “I want them to be themselves,” Glasner said of his Academy prospects. “I want them to show why

they are in our Academy and why they are training with the first team. They have talent, they have qualities, and they are great guys. I want them to take risks in the game. I want them to show how good they can be. I want them not to be worried about making mistakes. This is what they really do well in the training sessions. Everybody who will play, everybody who gets minutes has our full trust. We are really convinced that they can help the team we need.”

198 The Under-18s and the Under-21s racked up an astonishing 198 goals over the calendar year, with entertainment guaranteed over plenty of live broadcasts on Palace TV+. Zach Marsh notched 24 goals in 19 games for the Under-18s last season, while Ademola Ola-Adebomi was on fire before his loan move in the secondhalf of the campaign. This season, Jesse Derry can’t stop scoring, having notched 12 in 12 for the Under-18s, while new signing Jemiah Umolu has 13 goals in 15 games for Darren Powell’s Under-21s.

inside palace

u21s Name

12 No fewer than 12 Crystal Palace Academy players have headed out on loan, making their mark up and down the country – and even abroad. In the Championship, David Ozoh was an instant hit at Derby County, scoring his first goal against Bristol City, while Jes Rak-Sakyi has been finding the back of the net regularly for promotion-hunting Sheffield United; Malcolm Ebiowei has been with Oxford United since August. At Exeter City, Joe Whitworth has made his name as one of League One’s finest young goalkeepers, while Owen Goodman is doing the same in League Two at AFC Wimbledon. Danny Imray is impressing at Bromley as they navigate their first ever season in the Football League, while Tayo Adaramola is at Stockport County in the third tier. Elsewhere, Jack WellsMorrison and Roshaun Mathurin are playing in the National League with Wealdstone and Hartlepool respectively. Killian Phillips is a regular starter for St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership, and Luke Plange is abroad in Finland with HJK Helsinki, with Ademola Ola-Adebomi in Belgium with SK Beveren

u18s Name

apps goals

Asher AGBINONE

apps goals 7

Kai-Reece ADAMS-COLLMAN

Victor AKINWALE

Dean BENAMAR

Cormac AUSTIN

Benji CASEY

Luke BROWNE

Freddie COWIN

Rio CARDINES

Euan DANAHER

Jesse DERRY

Matteo DASHI

Justin DEVENNY

Jesse DERRY

Billy EASTWOOD (GK)

0 Joel DRAKES-THOMAS

Chima EZE

Craig FARQUHAR

Billy EASTWOOD (GK)

Chris FRANCIS

Jacob FASIDA

Joe GIBBARD

Zack HENRY

Jake GRANTE

Marcus HILL (GK)

Sean GREHAN

Mofe JEMIDE

Jackson IZQUIERDO (GK)

Jasper JUDD

Mofe JEMIDE

Joe KHOSHABA (GK)

Caleb KPORHA

George KING

Finley MARJORAM

Enrique LAMEIRAS

Zach MARSH

Jack MASON (GK)

Roshaun MATHURIN

David MONTJEN

Louie MOULDEN (GK)

Joshua MUWANA

Hindolo MUSTAPHA

David OBOU

Adler NASCIMENTO

Stuart ODURO

David OBOU

0 Chuks OKOLI

Jadan RAYMOND

Dylan REID

Jerome OSEI

Kaden RODNEY

Caleb REDHEAD

Joe SHERIDAN

Sean SOMADE

Franco UMEH

Charlie WALKER-SMITH

Jemiah UMOLU

Harry WHITWORTH (GK)

Jack WELLS-MORRISON

Tyler WHYTE

Seb WILLIAMS

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Friday, 27 December. th

inside palace

palace women From finishing top of the Championship to tackling the Women’s Super League for the very first time, 2024 has been a year for Crystal Palace Women to remember…

january

march

Starting 2024 two points off the top of the Championship, but with a game in hand, the New Year promised much for the South London side. It began with Palace celebrating an exhilarating 3-1 victory over Blackburn in the FA Cup fourth round, marking the first time in their professional era they secured back-toback wins in the competition. However, they faced setbacks, with defeat to Charlton leaving them fifth in the Championship table by the end of the month.

March began with Palace winning their first-ever Championship match at Selhurst Park thanks to a late goal from Molly Sharpe against Sheffield United. Though the Blades then avenged that loss with a scrappy win at Bramall Lane, Palace responded emphatically with a 3-0 triumph over Watford at Selhurst Park, in front of a then-record crowd of 5,566 fans, before a dominant 5-1 victory over Durham on Easter Sunday.

february One of the standout results of their campaign, Palace evidenced their title aspirations with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium. The FA Cup fifth-round saw Palace take on reigning WSL champions Chelsea at Kingsmeadow. A spirited performance kept the match tight, but a stunning backheel goal from Mayra Ramirez in the 81st minute ended the Eagles’ cup journey. Despite the result, the day belonged to Palace, with a huge crowd of away fans celebrating the outing.

april Heading into April, Palace knew maximum points from their remaining three games would secure the title and promotion. It was the penultimate game, away to Lewes, which all but sealed the title, with Shanade Hopcroft scoring a spectacular 30-yard volley in a 2-0 win. Following Charlton’s 1-0 victory over Sunderland, Palace needed only a point in their final game to clinch the title, and on 28th April, in front of another record crowd of 6,796 at Selhurst Park, Palace secured promotion to the WSL with a 0-0 draw against Sunderland, lifting the Championship trophy.

summer Palace prepared for their inaugural WSL season with a first-ever preseason trip abroad, taking on the NAWSL’s Utah Royals in Salt Lake City, while making 14 new signings.

september Competing in the top-flight for the very first time, Palace made their longawaited Women’s Super League debut on 22nd September, battling well but falling to defeat against Spurs. The Eagles’ first WSL home game came against reigning champions Chelsea under the Selhurst Park lights, shown live on Sky Sports and drawing over 5,000 fans to SE25.

october The start of October saw Palace earn their first-ever WSL win – and score their first top-flight goals – as Annabel Blanchard’s brace secured a 2-0 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. A narrow home defeat to Brighton was followed by a hard-

inside palace

fought 1-1 draw away to Liverpool, with Katie Stengel scoring the opener against her former club.

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

november Despite another battling performance, November opened with defeat to Manchester City at Selhurst Park, but the Eagles did secure an important point at home to Everton thanks to IndiahPaige Riley’s first Palace goal, which came inside the opening minute in Sutton. There was to be late heartbreak at Villa Park, but Palace finished the month strongly, defeating South London rivals Charlton 2-0 in the League Cup group stages.

december Despite Palace scoring twice in the opening 11 minutes, the Eagles slipped to a loss against West Ham United, before bowing out of the League Cup at Tottenham. Kaminski’s side would, however, end a memorable year on a high, as a club-record crowd for the VBS Community Stadium – with over 1,750 tickets sold – got behind the side in an eventual narrow defeat to Manchester United. As Kaminski herself said at full-time: “I’ve never seen this team defend or play like that against a world-class side. Some teams have been here for 10 years, and we’ve been here for 10 games. “We’re narrowing the gap every week, and if we keep playing with this grit and resilience, the points will come.”

playerstats Name

apps goals

Chloe ARTHUR

Brooke ASPIN

Sun 22

Tottenham Hotspur

0-4

Izzy ATKINSON

Fri 27

Chelsea

0-7

Annabel BLANCHARD

My CATO

Aimee EVERETT

Jorja FOX

Mille GEJL

Fliss GIBBONS

Josie GREEN

Shanade HOPCROFT

Elise HUGHES

october Wed 2

Aston Villa

0-2

Sun 6

Leicester City

2-0

Sun 13

Brighton & Hove Albion

0-1

Sun 20

Liverpool

1-1

november Sun 3

Manchester City

0-3

Sun 10

Everton

1-1

Abbie LARKIN

Sun 17

Aston Villa

2-3

Milla-Maj MAJASAARI (GK)

Sun 24

Charlton Athletic

2-0

Hayley NOLAN

december

Lexi POTTER

Sun 8

Poppy PRITCHARD

Indiah-Paige RILEY

Molly-Mae SHARPE

Katie STENGEL

Katrine VEJE

Ashleigh WEERDEN

Lily WOODHAM

Annis-Clara WRIGHT (GK)

Shae YAÑEZ (GK)

West Ham United

2-5

Wed 11 Tottenham Hotspur

0-2

Sun 15

0-1

Manchester United

january Sun 12

Sheffield United

Sun 19

Arsenal

Sun 26

Tottenham Hotspur

february Sun 2

Brighton & Hove Albion

Sun 16

Manchester United

march

GD Pts

Sun 2

Liverpool

pos Club 1

che

25 28

Sun 16

Aston Villa

mci

ars

mun

bha

tot

-8

Sat 22

Everton

Sun 30

Arsenal

april Sun 20

Chelsea

avl

-6

Sun 27

West Ham United

liv

-8

eve

-10

whu

-7

may Sun 4

Leicester City

lei

-10

Sun 11

Manchester City

cry

-18

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Friday, 27th December.

inside palace

palace for life

donate to palace for life below

Palace stars Marc Guéhi and Ebere Eze surprised unsuspecting players from our Down’s Syndrome football team at the club’s Christmas retail shoot in November...

routine day at the Crystal Palace Academy turned into a Christmas cracker for our Down’s Syndrome football team, the DS Eagles, when Guéhi and Eze made unexpected appearances at the club’s Christmas retail shoot. Hugh, Louis, James, Thomas, and Ruari thought they were simply there to model some of the latest Crystal Palace gear for the cameras. Little did they know, Palace captain Marc Guéhi was behind the curtain, waiting for the perfect moment to jump out and give them a festive surprise. Not to be outdone, the DS Eagles decided to turn the tables on

Palace star Ebere Eze, next. When he arrived on set, it was the team’s turn to return the favour! It’s moments like these that remind us why we do what we do. Over the past year, we’ve supported more than 730 participants through our Disability Sport initiatives, which include sessions for Down’s Syndrome, powerchair football, vision impairment, and mental health. Our SEND programme is now active in 12 schools, and our Powerchair team’s determination saw them win two key matches to avoid relegation in their debut season

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Support our A South London Christmas appeal and help us bring even more opportunities to young South Londoners living with disabilities.

100 years of selhurst park

100 YEARS OF Selhurst Park

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

summer of ‘69 In mid-September 1968, the first signs of construction appeared along the Park Road terrace. Palace were lying fourth in Division Two, long before the play-off system came into being, with only two promotion places available in the top-flight. Hopes of promotion were fading, as they had the season before.

large cranes were at work and the erection of a metal framework was taking place, all while fans were still gathered underneath on the terracing

By the end of the year, large cranes were at work and the erection of a metal framework was taking place, all while fans were still gathered underneath on the terracing. The Glaziers stepped up on the pitch, too, going on a 16 game unbeaten run to gain promotion to the top-flight for the first time. That summer, Selhurst Park resembled a large building site,

100 years of selhurst park

with more than just the new stand underway: a new spacious Supporters’ Club building was coming along nicely. The knowledge that the first top-flight fixture was against Manchester United concentrated the minds of those involved in the construction, and, as the opening day drew near, the club called for volunteers to assist in making the area safe for fans. I was one of the fans to answer the call, and was duly met by a dusty looking Arthur Wait, Club Chairman, on my first

morning, with everyone pitching in to help clearance work as supporters started to arrive outside. The stand was not totally finished when the game began, but that November it was officially opened by Sir Alf Ramsey, when the Arthur Rowe testimonial game took place. It became known as the New (Arthur Wait) Stand, but Wait’s name was dropped in 1973 only to rightfully return in 1981

100 years of selhurst park

ian king’s Selhurst Squad

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

fter Palace’s relegation to the Second Division, manager Malcolm Allison shelled out £100,000 to bring in a 20-year-old winger from Southend United in October 1973: Peter Taylor. Taylor wore the No. 11 but was usually found on the right-hand side marauding down the wing to deliver a rasping shot on goal or an inviting delivery into the box. Despite further relegation, Taylor was named Player of the Year in his first season, and his career began to blossom in SE25. He was soon attracting international attention, becoming one of the few footballers to be capped by England while playing in the third tier, following in the footsteps of Johnny Byrne years before him. He scored in his first two games for the Three Lions.

peter

Taylor position

nationality

His finest season came in 1975/76, as the club made the FA Cup semi-finals through Taylor’s inspiration. His ability from deadball situations and pace in attack led to victories over Leeds United and Chelsea, having already scored against Millwall and Scarborough in earlier rounds, before Palace were beaten by Southampton in the last four.

That summer, Allison resigned and Terry Venables took over, with Taylor leaving shortly after for Tottenham Hotspur having scored 39 goals in 142 games for the club. He was given a rapturous reception on his return to Selhurst Park as Southend manager in 1993, before going on to take charge of England for one game as an interim, handing David Beckham the armband for the first time. He returned to the club as manager in 2006, and implemented attacking football and a desire to bring through younger players, but departed after 14 months. His displays on the pitch in the Third Division earn him a place in this squad.

100 years of selhurst park

honourable

selhurst

ALBERT HARRY

JOHN GK JACKSON

1964-1973

nigel gk martyn

1989-1996

Mentions Harry was spotted playing for Kingstonian, and the diminutive midfielder signed for Palace in 1921. He spent 13 years in South London, primarily operating as an outsideright, where his speed and ball control were utilised to great effect. For fourand-a-half seasons, he played in the same team as Peter Simpson. Harry racked up 440 appearances, placing him fourth in the club’s all-time list, and scored 55 goals.

Squad

MARK LAZARUS After selling Alan Stephenson for a substantial fee, Bert Head made his first big investment in the form of Lazarus (above), an ebullient rightwinger from Queens Park Rangers. The experienced player was the kind you needed when the going got tough, and became an integral part of the 1968/69 promotion-winning team. He had scant regard for his opposing left-back, often leaving them on the ground in his wake, and scored 11 important goals as the club reached the First Division for the first time.

DAVID HOPKIN

RONNIE ALLEN Former England international Allen (above) was brought to Selhurst Park by manager Arthur Rowe in the summer of 1961, and added experience to the newly-promoted club. With his sophisticated play and silky skills, he struck up an immediate rapport with Johnny Byrne, and helped the club to promotion. He scored a Division Two hat-trick against Charlton, before departing to become a coach.

In the summer of 1995, a flame-haired player arrived from Chelsea. Hopkin soon endeared himself to Palace fans with his performances, scoring important league goals and upping his game when it mattered most, silencing the crowd at Molineux in the play-off semi-final and unleashing a ripping effort into the top corner to win promotion to the top-flight at Wembley – ‘Hopkin, looking to curl one!’ Next ISSUE Ian King continues to look at midfielders for his ultimate Selhurst 100 squad…

Paul HINSHELWOOD 1973-1983

joel ward

2012-

kenny lb sansom

1975-1980

lb richard shaw

1987-1995

CB MEL BLYTH

1968–1974 1977-1978

cb jim cannon

1973-1988

cb eric young

1990-1995

rm peter taylor

1973-1976

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

100 years of selhurst park

stories of Selhurst Park

Selhurst Park isn’t just a Premier League football ground, but the heart of a vibrant and diverse community, whose stories stretch back a century. Here, we look at how Crystal Palace’s stars have made their mark in South London off the pitch this festive season, shining a spotlight on a range of fantastic causes…

Croydon University Hospital A group of Palace stars helped spread the festive cheer at Croydon’s largest hospital, with representatives from across the men’s, women’s and Academy teams surprising young patients with a star-studded visit ahead of the Christmas period. Stars helping spread that good feeling included Men’s players Justin Devenny, Will Hughes and Joel Ward; Women’s defenders Aimee Everett and Hayley Nolan; and Academy starlets Luke Brown, Craig Farquhar and Seàn Grehan.

The group gave out gifts, posed for pictures, signed autographs, met plenty of the hospital’s young patients, and helped spread the Christmas spirit. “We could see it puts a smile on their face for a few minutes, and it makes a world of difference to them,” Hughes explained. “As players we are very lucky to be in the situation we are in, so it’s about putting a smile on the children’s faces, especially at Christmas time.” To find out more about Croydon Health Services, visit croydonhealthservices.nhs.uk

Lambeth South & Croydon Foodbank Palace’s links to the Norwood & Brixton Foodbank – this year renamed Lambeth South & Croydon Foodbank, in recognition of the community its incredible work supports year-round – continued this year as players from the Men’s, Women’s and Academy sides gave up an afternoon to donate goods, and help pack and sort items. Last year, Palace supporters came together to support local families in the community in greater numbers than ever before, donating over 120 kilograms of food to the Foodbank through Palace for Life Foundation’s Christmas Appeal. That food was delivered to families in Norwood and Lambeth to help South London families struggling to meet the rising living costs of recent times, including hot water bottles, blankets and non-perishable goods. Palace stars have once again been heavily involved in supporting the Foodbank this year, with Tyrick Mitchell and Maxence Lacroix; Molly Sharpe, Ashleigh Weerden and MillaMaj Majasaari; and Finley Marjoram, Franco Umeh and Adler Nascimento all spending an afternoon helping out.

100 years of selhurst park

Elizabeth Maytom, Project Manager, explained: “We’re delivering across Lambeth and Croydon, supporting those in our community who are in crisis, who haven’t got any food or the money to buy food, and we’re helping them through difficult times. “We’ve worked with Palace over a number of years. It just gives us the awareness of players and supporters, and their support has been fantastic, really helpful and beneficial to us.” Sharpe, now in her fourth season in South London, explained: “We’ve been here helping build boxes and packing food for the Foodbank, and sorting out food for people we’re going to give it to over Christmas. “South London is my home now. I came and helped at this Foodbank last year, so I already know everyone, and it’s really nice to come back and see how much of an impact we made then, and are continuing to make this year.” “Today we are here helping at the foodbank – well, I think T tried to help!” Lacroix laughed. “I feel really good, really happy. South London is like a family with all the fans, the players, everyone – we are together.” Items in demand for donations this year include food such as chocolate bars, sweets, biscuits, tinned goods and cartons; and nonfood items like soap, handwash, toilet rolls, hot water bottles, blankets, and warm socks and gloves. Supporters looking to help the Foodbank can do so by visiting lambethsouthcroydon. foodbank.org.uk to find out how to donate or volunteer.

Crystal Palace Supporters’ Children’s Charity Taking place at Selhurst Park, the Crystal Palace Supporters’ Children’s Charity hosted their annual Christmas party, with plenty of stars in attendance. As well as Santa Claus – of course – and legendary actor and Palace supporter Bill Nighy, children in attendance were able to meet Justin Devenny, Cheick Doucouré, Laura Kaminski, Jefferson Lerma, Paddy McCarthy, Ismaïla Sarr and Lily Woodham.

There are a lot of families who have concerns which would worry a great deal of people, and this is just a big day out for them. It’s lovely for everyone bill nighy The night marked a touching reminder of the extraordinary work done by the volunteers and community around the club – including the remarkable Carol Newbery, who was working the event for an incredible 50th year. “It’s great for the players to come to this,” Newbery said. “It gives them a lovely opportunity to meet the kids, and the kids have a great time as well!

“For our family, it’s been a really big thing. My sister completed 50 years last year, and our children are part of this too. At the end of the day, the kids who come just have the best time. It’s just fun.” Nighy smiled: “I love being here – I come most years. I think it’s an exemplary enterprise. Everybody has a great time. “There are a lot of families who have concerns which would worry a great deal of people, and this is just a big day out for them. It’s lovely for everyone. It makes me feel part of something and it makes me feel great – it’s one of the best bits of Christmas.” Woodham explained: “It’s amazing. Days like today just give everyone a proper boost, just being there for people and having a good time. It’s nice to see smiles on everyone’s faces. Palace is a one-club kind of place, and it feels like that for sure.” Devenny added: “They show us support all year round, so it’s good to see everyone enjoying themselves having a good time.” Crystal Palace Supporters Children’s Charity, which is run on an entirely voluntary basis, relies heavily on the generosity of many wonderful Palace supporters. If you are able to make either a monthly or one-off donation, please visit cpscc.org.uk to find out more

Got a Selhurst story to tell? Let us know by emailing selhurst100@cpfc.co.uk!

100 years of selhurst park

from the Archive

The last time Palace welcomed Southampton to Selhurst Park in the Premier League, the 2022 World Cup was about to get underway. Now, with Thomas Tuchel starting as Gareth Southgate’s successor in just a few days’ time, we look back to Palace’s own role in the fabled story of 1966…

veryone knows Pickles the dog, but not many know his 1966 heroics came in Palace territory: barely a mile from Selhurst Park on Beulah Hill. About halfway up the road running through Upper Norwood is an anonymous bit of shrubbery at the side of an anonymous bit of pavement. Those walking past it would never know they’re at the heart of one of football’s best-known stories. Pickles, a Border Collie-cross, achieved lifetime fame on a walk with his owner David Corbett in March 1966, three months before England were due to host the World Cup finals.

This story winds on a bit, so we’ll start at the beginning. In 1960 England bid successfully for the World Cup for the first, and currently only, time. In January 1966 the Jules Rimet trophy, awarded to the World Cup winner until Brazil became indefinite owners in 1970, came to English shores to be held by the Football Association. It was mostly kept securely in their Lancaster Gate headquarters, but on occasion was displayed publicly for promotional events. In March the trophy was moved to Westminster Central Hall to sit as pride of place in the Stampex stamp exhibition. A natural home. The decision clearly made the FA nervous, and the trophy was insured for 10 times its real value while placed under 24-hour security. Four guards surrounded the display cabinet during the day and two at night, but on Sunday, March 20th, the hall was opened for a public Methodist service, and the guards were not instructed to directly watch the trophy. They went for a morning coffee, and that’s when disaster struck. At 12:10 guards noticed the trophy was

missing, with the cabinet prised open and England’s upcoming World Cup in peril. The story gets deeper. Two witnesses reported a man loitering by the gents toilets but gave different descriptions and soon theories started to flood Scotland Yard from windup merchants and conspiracy theorists. A woman from Chile knew the culprit, as did a man from Germany. Alternatively, it was hidden on the Northern line somewhere. The day after the theft, Joe Mears, Chelsea and FA Chairman, received an anonymous phone call telling him to expect a parcel the next day. When the parcel arrived Mears found the trophy’s lining inside and a ransom note demanding £15,000 in £1 and £5 notes. If the FA were willing to cooperate, they were instructed to place a coded personal ad in the Evening News and to avoid police or press involvement.

100 years of selhurst park

“To me it is only so much scrap gold,” the note said. “If I don’t hear from you by Thursday or Friday at the latest I assume its [sic] one for the POT.” Soon Mears received another phone call, this time from a man calling himself Jackson. The ransom should be paid in £5 and £10 notes instead, Jackson said. So Mears contacted the Flying Squad, who by this point had taken charge of the investigation, and placed an ad in the Evening News. The police bundled together a suitcase of fake cash and waited at Mears’ home for the next call. Mears, however, was suffering from angina brought on by stress; three months later it would cause a fatal heart attack. So in his absence the case’s lead investigator DI Buggy posed as Mears’ assistant, and persuaded Jackson to swap the trophy for the ransom at the gate to Battersea Park. Jackson stepped into Buggy’s car and agreed to lead him to the trophy, but en route noticed Flying Squad vans following the pair. He grew nervous, eventually fled from the car and, after a chase, was arrested by Buggy. Jackson’s real name was Edward Betchley, a petty thief. He had been convicted in 1954 for receiving tins of corned beef, and insisted he was just a middleman paid £500 to collect the ransom money. A man he knew only as ‘The Pole’ was the real culprit, he had claimed. The trophy was still missing and Scotland Yard had failed to capitalise on their only lead. So where does a dog, and Beulah Hill in Upper

Norwood, come into this? Through pure happenstance. On March 27th, a week after the theft, Thames lighterman David Corbett left his flat to make a phone call from the booth across the road. Still in his slippers, Corbett took his four-year-old dog Pickles with him. Pickles became fixated with a package underneath a nearby car. Corbett initially feared it was an IRA bomb, so hesitated to pick it up, but upon removing the paper wrapping saw “the words: Germany, Uruguay, Brazil.” Corbett rushed inside to tell his wife and immediately went to Gypsy Hill police station – slippers still on. Accusations immediately fell his way however, and the South Londoner was questioned until 2:30am the next morning. Eventually Corbett was released, rewarded handsomely, and began life temporarily in the limelight – alongside Pickles, who featured in the film The Spy with the Cold Nose. He

also received a silver medal from the National Canine Defence League (now Dogs Trust), begging the question: what must a dog do to win gold? Corbett was invited to England’s victory party and used his reward money to buy a home in Lingfield, Surrey, but for Pickles the story has a sad end. The dog was being walked by Corbett’s six-year-old son, and broke free while chasing a cat. Corbett searched for over an hour, and eventually found Pickles hanged by his own lead having got caught on a tree. Today a blue plaque marks the spot where Pickles made footballing folklore in the heart of South London. And as for The Pole, or whoever really stole the trophy, no one else was arrested. Why did they leave the Jules Rimet on Beulah Hill? Could they have been local? Who knows, they may even be inside Selhurst today. Mind your pockets, Palace fans…

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Search Football Foundation to find out more

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eagle arcade

11 letters BUTTERFIELD 10 letters SHIPPERLEY

Another matchday is upon us at Selhurst Park, so it’s time to get your heads in the game – can you tackle all our tough teasers below?

wordfit Can you fit the 12 names who have represented both Southampton and Crystal Palace?

f u l l e r

8 letters PHILLIPS, PUNCHEON 6 letters FULLER, MILLER, POWELL 5 letters FONTE, CLYNE, DOWIE 4 letters hALL, JOHN

career ladder Guess the ex-Palace player based on their former clubs!

SPOT THE BALL Prove that you are eagle-eyed – which ball is the real one?

round-up

quiz-talpalace 1

What is Southampton’s nickname?

What is the name of Southampton’s stadium?

today’s mascots callum Hendren prediction: age: 12

3 4

3-1

Who did Southampton beat in the play-off final last season?

Elijah gilbert

Who is Southampton’s new manager?

prediction:

Which former England international is Southampton’s youngest-ever player?

What is Southampton’s record Premier League defeat?

age: 11

2-0

freddie Betchley prediction:

To which two sides did they lose by such a huge scoreline?

Who are Southampton’s biggest rivals?

Which former Palace manager also managed Southampton?

Which two Spanish clubs decided their colours by using Southampton shirts?

age: 9

3-1

charlie back prediction: age: 7

4-0

denny back prediction: age: 5

otis richards prediction:

Quiz: 1) The Saints 2) St Mary’s Stadium 3) Leeds United 4) Ivan Juric 5) Theo Walcott (16 years and 143 days old) 6) 9-0 7) Leicester (2019) and Manchester United (2021) 8) Portsmouth 9) Alan Pardew 10) Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao Spot the Ball: B Career Ladder: Nathaniel Clyne

age: 10

2-0

1-2

round-up

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

palace √ southampton

palace √ chelsea

palace √ stockport

sun 29 dec | 15:00

sat 04 jan | 15:00

sun 12 jan | 15:00

premier league

emirates fa cup

LIVE audio commentary

leicester √ palace

west ham √ palace

palace √ brentford

wed 15 jan | 19:30

sat 18 jan | 15:00

sun 26 jan | 14:00

premier league

LIVE audio commentary

To follow Palace’s Premier League clashes, the hunt for Academy silverware and our first season in the Women’s Super League, subscribe to Palace TV+ by scanning here:

round-up

Mark Bright scores his first Palace hat-trick against Walsall.

Attilio Lombardo turns 59.

wednesday, 01 january

02 january, 1989

06 january

January transfer window opens.

Palace’s run to the FA Cup semi-finals begins against Scarborough.

Remembering Terry Venables, who would have been 82.

wednesday, 01 january

03 january, 1976

06 january

Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Palace beat Portsmouth in the FA Cup third round.

Cheick Doucouré turns 25.

monday, 27 january

06 january, 1990

08 january

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from the terraces The page for supporters: taking your comments from the terraces into the programme. Want to get in touch? Use the details below.

A belated Happy 21st Birthday to member Owen Hardwick, joining us with his family for this afternoon’s game. What better way to celebrate than cheering on the Eagles together.

A special day for all of the Green family and friends, creating lasting life memories. Keep fighting Katie/ Mum! x Come on you Palace.

Happy 60th birthday Dad. We hope you enjoy your day at Selhurst! James, Zander and Ed

Happy 60th Birthday John! Supporter since 1972 and two time Palace Marathon Marcher. Up the Palace! Love Ed, Alex and Ella

Happy 14th Birthday Finley Poulton lots of love Dad, Mum, Jake, Oscar and Thea xxx

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Welcome Molly Toomey and Chris Roberts on their first visit to Selhurst Park along with their South London family

Happy 4th Birthday to Luca, hopefully a Palace win today, all our love Mummy, Daddy, Aliza, Uncle Alex, Nanny and Grandad x

Nichola Potter’s many friends among Palace fans will be sad to learn of her passing, aged 57, on 11 December. Nicky had been a season ticket holder at Selhurst for many years, and until recent health problems prevented her, regularly travelled to away games all over the country. She experienced the highs and the lows of being a Palace fan, and was present at the most tense moments - the play-off finals, the final day matches away at Stockport in 2001 and Sheffield Wednesday in 2010: her support was unwavering. RIP.

Happy 11th Birthday Courtney, lots of love always from Mummy, Cruz, Nanny & Grandad. Xx

In loving memory of Albert Lemmer 82, a lifelong Palace fan who sadly died in November, forever in our hearts. Much love from his family xx

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

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24/25 fixtures & results

ALL-TIME

may

april

mar

february

january

december

november

october

september

august

Home fixture Away fixture Cup fixture (Crystal Palace score shown first) Started Used sub Unused sub Goal(s) Yellow card Red card Date

Opposition

attendance/KICK-OFF

Sun 18

Brentford

16,988

1-2

Sat 24

West Ham United

25,099

0-2

17th

Tue 27

Norwich City

12,503

4-0

Second round

Sun 1

Chelsea

39,298

1-1

16th

Sat 14

Leicester City

25,124

2-2

16th

Tue 17

Queens Park Rangers

13,945

2-1

Third round

Sat 21

Manchester United

25,172

0-0

16th

Sat 28

Everton

38,954

1-2

18th

Sat 5

Liverpool

25,185

0-1

18th

Mon 21

Nottingham Forest

29,443

0-1

18th

Sun 27

Tottenham Hotspur

25,108

1-0

17th

Wed 30

Aston Villa

N/A

2-1

Fourth round

Sat 2

Wolverhampton Wanderers

29,505

2-2

17th

Sat 9

Fulham

25,142

0-2

18th

Sat 23

Aston Villa

42,175

2-2

19th

Sat 30

Newcastle United

25,101

1-1

17th

Tue 3

Ipswich Town

29,533

1-0

17th

Sat 7

Manchester City

25,142

2-2

16th

Sun 15

Brighton & Hove Albion

30,893

3-1

15th

Wed 18

Arsenal

N/A

2-3

Quarter-final

Sat 21

Arsenal

25,167

1-5

16th

Thu 26

Bournemouth

11,129

0-0

16th

Sun 29

Southampton