Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur matchday programme by Crystal Palace F.C.

Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur Saturday 11th September 2021 // 12:30pm

palace √ spurs sat 11 sep | 12:30

08 captain 10 chairman 34 darren ambrose 40 over the road 47 voices of south london 51 non-league neighbours 61 cpfc 1861 64 palace women 66 from the terraces 70 stats & results

Directors Chairman Steve Parish, David Blitzer, Joshua Harris, John Textor Chief Executive Phil Alexander Chief Financial Officer Sean O’Loughlin Sporting Director Dougie Freedman Club Secretary Christine Dowdeswell Head of Sport Science, Strength & Conditioning Scott Guyett Head of Sports Medicine Dr. Zaf Iqbal Academy Director Gary Issott Director of U23 Development Mark Bright Head Groundsman Bruce Elliott Commercial Director Barry Webber Operations Director Sharon Lacey Head of Ticketing Dan Clarke Head of Legal David Nichol Chief Marketing and Communications Officer James Woodroof Head of Safeguarding Cassi Wright Editor Ben Mountain Design Billy Cooke, Luke Thomas, Stu Ellmer Contributors Will Robinson, Ian King, Peter Manning, Darren Ambrose, Tash Stephens, Ed Reynolds, Neil Bennett Photography Neil Everitt, Seb Frej, Reuters, Dan Weir (PPA), E.Eriksson Printer Bishops Printers

contents

He’s got the experience. It’s nice for me, not just as a midfield player but for everybody in the team to have such a manager with quality and experience

briefing palace √ spurs sat 11 sep | 12:30

Eagles make big impact on international duty There was no let-up during the break for Palace’s internationals, with several players representing their countries at senior and youth level in September. Marc Guéhi has described his appointment as England Under21s captain as a ‘proud moment’, after his leadership qualities were recognised by new manager Lee Carsley. “It’s a privilege to be captain,” he said. “It is a proud moment for me and my family.” Guéhi led the Young Lions to a two-goal victory over Kosovo

september

on Tuesday, accompanied by club teammate Conor Gallagher who started in midfield – both played the full 90 minutes. Also featuring for England was Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who followed up a first senior Palace appearance against Chelsea with a debut at national level. The winger’s first call-up for the Under-20s was a successful one, making a goalscoring cameo in a thumping victory over Romania. At senior level, Joachim Andersen was heavily involved as Denmark enjoyed a superb international break, winning all three games without conceding. For Belgium, Christian Benteke

Dougie Freedman signs, 1995

featured in a seven-goal thriller against Estonia. At youth level, Jake O’Brien played his first games for the Republic of Ireland Under-21s, keeping a clean sheet in a victory over Bosnia, while Jack WellsMorrison and Jadan Raymond were called up to the England and Wales youth sides respectively.

Fan update Supporters must be prepared to show their COVID status every matchday in line with Premier League guidelines – the easiest way to do so is via the NHS app. Search ‘NHS Covid Pass’ for information.

Aki Riihilahti (1976) and Jaïro Riedewald (1996) born

Crystal Palace becomes professional, 1905

What’s inside -

Richard Shaw (1968), Leon Cort (1979), Jordan Ayew (1991) and Sam Woods (1998) born

Roy Hodgson becomes Palace manager, 2017

Find out… what Jairo Riedewald learnt from facing Lionel Messi (Page 12), when Cristiano Ronaldo chased Darren Ambrose at The Valley (Page 34) and how Paralympian Leo McCrea makes time for Crystal Palace while competing on the world stage (Page 47). briefing

manager

Welcome to Selhurst Park to Nuno Espirito Santo, the Tottenham Directors, staff and players and everyone here supporting us today.

was so pleased with the character and personality that we showed last time out. Going to West Ham United, who are one of the in-form teams in the league, was not easy at all, but twice we came back from behind, and we were unlucky not to get more. What really pleased me was the team spirit and togetherness that we showed, and the quality in the way we played in the secondhalf. I’m really happy with the concentration the players are putting into training every day, and as a manager I couldn’t ask for more. Conor Gallagher’s two goals were well deserved after his efforts in training. He is a player that wants to improve himself, so he’s always open to discussion and his work ethic is brilliant. When you are working hard in the week, you get rewarded by your performance at the weekend – but it’s important to remember that it was the whole team playing well in the second-half that allowed him to score those goals. I’m really glad to welcome Odsonne Edouard and Will Hughes to the squad.

Odsonne is a player who can score goals, which he has shown during his time with Celtic. He can link the game with other players, and the timing of his runs in behind to stretch the opposition are really interesting. I describe him as one of those complete players. Will is a player with good technical ability, extremely keen playing forward and someone who has great passing ability in finding players between the lines. The international break has been good for us, because it has allowed Odsonne and Will, who have both just arrived, to work with us on the training ground. It’s important for them to understand the way we want to play. The Premier League is always challenging, and we know we have another tough test ahead of us – but it is an exciting one. Tottenham will be a different challenge, but these are the kind of games you look forward to: they have always been a good side and have some great individual talent, and we have to be ready to face those challenges. manager

We will be up for it, and what gives us belief is the way that we have been playing. It’s important we keep working the way we have been doing in the last six weeks. I think in so many games we have been unlucky at the end, but if we continue with the same character and personality that we showed against West Ham, we can force luck to come our way. The atmosphere you created against Brentford was fantastic – I couldn’t ask for more of a connection between the players and the fans. We felt that support, and we will need it again today to perform at the level we know we can. There are always difficult moments in every match and the best way to overcome them is with the fans behind you. I’m sure you will be there for us, and it’s our job as a team to give our all. Today I hope to see that team spirit and togetherness once again, and I’m looking forward to hearing the fantastic noise that you will create. Thanks for your support

captain

Welcome back to Selhurst Park for another important game at the start of the Premier League season.

’m glad to be back speaking to you again, and look forward to joining my teammates in giving my all on the pitch. I’m also excited to be playing in front of a full crowd at Selhurst once again. Watching the Brentford game, I saw what an incredible atmosphere you created to support the team. We played well against a Brentford side on a high after their victory over Arsenal, and we were so close to getting that breakthrough, hitting the crossbar in the first-half. The boys deserved more from the game. The fixture list has thrown up some tough battles to start the season, and West Ham was another match where we had to work hard. It was great to see the determined reaction to falling behind twice in the second-half – and fantastic to see Conor Gallagher grab his first goals for the club. Conor is one of a number of new arrivals this summer. We’re happy to be joined by so many exciting young players: Marc

Guéhi and Joachim Andersen have also made a great start to the season, and I can’t wait to see Michael Olise and Odsonne Edouard in red and blue.

We’re all working hard on the training ground to implement the manager’s philosophy, and I know that you will have seen the progress we are continuing to make. It’s important to us that we learn to be confident on the ball We’re all working hard on the training ground to implement the manager’s philosophy, and I know that you will have seen the progress we are continuing captain

to make. It’s important to us that we learn to be confident on the ball, that we have our share of possession and that we create goalscoring chances, and that is something we have been focusing on in training over the international break. I look forward to the challenge of Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon. Like West Ham, Spurs come into the game at the top of the table after an excellent start to the season, and have so many quality players – particularly with Kane and Son in goalscoring form. They are also yet to concede a goal in the Premier League so far, and that is something we are aiming to change. We know that the next few weeks will be tough, with a trip to Anfield and then the visit of Brighton to Selhurst Park, but these are the kind of tests that make the Premier League so special to play in. Everyone in the dressing room is excited to get out there and hear your fantastic support once again, so – as always – make some noise!

chairman

Welcome to the supporters, players, staff and directors of Spurs to Selhurst Park, and of course to each and every one of you here to support the team today.

hat a delight it was to see a full Selhurst Park for our opening home match against Brentford. Patrick said after the game that he really felt as though the crowd were going to push the team over the line with a late goal, such was the noise and encouragement from you all, and he spoke effusively of how brilliant the atmosphere was. I was really pleased with the performance at West Ham where we justifiably secured a point on the road. Huge congratulations to Conor who opened his account with us in such fine style; he is rightly receiving high praise and I’m delighted that he has clearly settled in so well. But it was a terrific team performance, and I am pleased with the volume of chances we are creating and the style of play. On paper, this was always a tough opening set of fixtures and we also knew with so many changes to the squad, as well as Patrick’s arrival, that patience is imperative. But the early signs are really positive, and I am sure you share my excitement for the future.

I’m also delighted we added Odsonne to the squad on deadline day, a player that we’ve followed closely for a number of years. He has a fantastic goalscoring record, and I’m really hopeful that he slots

this was always a tough opening set of fixtures - and we also knew with so many changes to the squad, as well as Patrick’s arrival, that patience is imperative

seamlessly into the squad and hits the ground running. I’d like to thank those behind the scenes who have been integral to this extremely busy and productive transfer window - particularly Dougie, and chairman

Iain Moody, and our recruitment team. We managed to get all the main targets we identified, and it was really beneficial to have Patrick involved so positively in the process. I’m extremely pleased with the direction of travel. You have already seen Marc, Joachim and Conor pull on the shirt, with Michael, Will and Remi eagerly awaiting their first opportunity. I wish them well for when the time comes. After such an entertaining and uplifting Euros for England, it was really heartening to see Marc named as England U21s captain and Jes scoring on his England U20s debut. Whenever a Palace player is called up for international duty at any level for any country, it really is a huge boost to the player and his family of course, but also the coaches and staff here that work day in, day out with them. Congratulations to all of those mentioned, and also to Christian, Joachim, Conor, as well as our Academy players Jake, Jack and Jadan. Enjoy the match, and up the Palace

Jaïro riedewald Now in his fifth Premier League season, Jaïro Riedewald is well adjusted to life in the English top-flight. After learning his trade at Ajax, he tells Will Robinson why Palace’s own exciting youngsters can learn from his European experience.

main interview

hile Ajax will always be the birthplace of Jaïro Riedewald the footballer, the Dutchman’s career has been peculiarly bookended by another side much closer to home: the Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ of 2003/04, first through his connection with Dennis Bergkamp, and now under the tutelage of Patrick Vieira. Riedewald was just sevenyears-old when Arsène Wenger’s side completed their remarkable unbeaten league season, but he still remembers watching them play. “I know him [Vieira] from his football career, so it’s an honour for me to have him as a manager. “He’s got the experience. It’s nice for me, not just as a midfield player but for everybody in the team to have such a manager with quality and experience, especially experience in the Premier League. So I think everybody is just looking forward to learning a lot from him.” But the Palace midfielder sees his footballing foundations at Ajax, another successful Academy product from one of the most prolific production lines in world football. Qualities learned there have stayed with him. “I think that some things you learn when you come from the Ajax Academy: the diversity playing in different positions. It has helped me during my career as well, being able to play in multiple positions. I think that’s just something that you learn at the Ajax Academy. “I’m happy now that midfield is my priority and that’s where I want to go now, but there’s always the option to go further on the pitch.”

According to Riedewald, a football education in the Netherlands is unique: “It is different if you look at the way we’re brought up in Holland,” he points out. “I’ve spoken to a few youngsters about academies in England, in France, in Italy. I think in Holland the way they play is just different. It’s more football on the ground, more boxes in possession. “But I think the physicality in England is just unmatchable. I think you can’t find the physicality and toughness there is in this league.” Success is a combination of both.

I think the physicality in England is just unmatchable. I think you can’t find the physicality and toughness there is in this league

Recent signing Joachim Andersen, who spent four years at F.C. Twente, comes across as Riedewald speaks and reveals how his own time in the Netherlands developed an ability to play out from the back. “In Holland, everything is with the ball,” Andersen says. “All training sessions are with the ball, all running and physical work is with the ball. They really like going into the detail and precision of playing out from the back, midfielders wanting the ball, a lot of possession games. So you really learn to use the ball and you become good with the ball.” Jaïro Riedewald

“Joachim is right,” Riedewald follows up. “If you go to Holland for a few years, you will find different ways of playing football.” The impact is not so far from home; just like the prodigious talents to come out of south London, Riedewald owes much of his early footballing ability to one location in particular. “I grew up in the cage,” he remembers. “A lot of cage football and a lot of futsal: indoor football, three a-side, seven a-side. It’s hard work. Growing up, my friends also played on the streets a lot. Football, football, football, day in, day out: go outside in the morning and come back at six or seven o’clock.” The raw ability that comes from street football was soon combined with a more astute understanding of the game: at Ajax, young players don’t just learn basic skills, they learn to appreciate the game’s tactical side – and not just any tactical system, but a specific and historic philosophy. Total Football. “I went to the Ajax Academy when I was nine, and that’s where Johan Cruyff’s system began to come through, linked with Barcelona’s system of tiki-taka of course.” It was here that Riedewald encountered Vieira’s former teammate. “All the ex-football players are involved in Ajax’s Academy as well,” he explains. “Just to mention one name: Dennis Bergkamp was my coach in the first-team. So there was a lot of influence from ex-pros – I think bringing all of that together with the finance they put into the Academy, you’re going to

improve players’ football.” The former Arsenal striker was an idol to the youngsters. “I think I’m not the only one,” says Riedewald. “Everybody knows about the time when he was playing in the Premier League. To have him as a coach, to see him around day in, day out. Everybody knows: this is Dennis Bergkamp, a hero for a lot of the players. “Going to the Premier League and doing what he did is a dream for everybody.” Bergkamp oozed composure on the field, but his

A lot of cage football and a lot of futsal: indoor football, three a-side, seven a-side. It’s hard work. Growing up, my friends also played on the streets a lot. Football, football, football, day in, day out

teammates have since praised the nasty streak he could display when required. Riedewald disagrees. “He’s a calm person in real life as well. Even as a coach he’s calm, but if he doesn’t like something or he doesn’t like the way we train, he will tell it to you straight away. He’s just a calm person in the way he does meetings, the way he approaches things. He’s a calm person in and out.” Now in his fifth season at Crystal Palace, Riedewald finds himself as one of the more experienced members of a young Jaïro Riedewald

main interview

squad, a quality which could be of use to Patrick Vieira. “We’ve brought a few players in, so it’s good to see some new faces,” he says. “There’s not really an initiation thing! They just come into the group, they get to know each other on and off the pitch. Most of the players coming in already know a few players in the team, so they settle in straight away. We’re a warm club and a good team to settle in to. We’re really together with each other.”

There’s not really an initiation thing! They just come into the group, they get to know each other on and off the pitch. Most of the players coming in already know a few players in the team, so they settle in straight away

It’s not just the new signings Riedewald can help; there are plenty of youngsters training with the firstteam under Vieira. Making that step up is something Palace’s No. 44 did on the biggest of stages. “I came on in some Champions League games when I was 18,” he remembers. “Being 18 and coming on against Barcelona, seeing [Lionel] Messi face to face like that, it’s a big experience. “It’s something you think about before the game. When you’re travelling, you think: ‘Oh, am I really travelling with the first-team now?!’ But as soon as you step on the pitch, it’s just football and Jaïro Riedewald

main interview

I focus on the ball. You want to be the best you can be during the game, and you don’t think about [the occasion] because you want to win the game as well. “But I think after the game, when you text your family and your friends and they say: ‘you just played against Messi!’, that’s when you think about it, and think it’s a big, big night. Not just Messi, but Barcelona in that stadium the Camp Nou. For me as a young player especially, it was great – and with the Ajax-Barcelona connection.” Riedewald played in his fair share of high-profile games before his 21st birthday. After fulfilling teenage dreams in the Champions League, he started the 2017 Europa League final against Manchester United, alongside then-18-year-old Matthijs de Ligt and 20-year-old Davinson Sanchez in a remarkably youthful back line. “It’s always nice to play in different tournaments during the season, and we had a good tournament in the Europa League that season,” Riedewald remembers. “Playing football, keeping the ball on the ground, trying to find the free man. At Ajax it’s more specific. It can be a bit slow sometimes [in the Netherlands], but overall it’s really good.” Those European nights, and the final in particular, stood the Dutchman in good stead for a move to England. “I’m not going to say it made it easier coming into the Premier League, because this is a different league and a hard league as well. I had to adapt when coming in.

“But I think having all those different experiences now – Premier League and also European experience – will help me to compete over the next few years.” It’s an experience he can pass on to the younger players in the first-team squad at Selhurst Park this season. “I’m talking to them, of course,” says Riedewald. “They were young when I was playing in the Europa League and the Champions League. “Sometimes I tell them that I played in the Champions League – I came on, I played against Messi, I

Sometimes I tell them that I played in the Champions League – I came on, I played against Messi, I started in the Europa League final and they’re surprised a bit

started in the Europa League final and they’re surprised a bit. But it means I can tell them about that experience, playing Thursday and Sunday, or Tuesday and Wednesday nights again. Travelling. “Hopefully we can achieve something like that with Crystal Palace.” Lofty aspirations from Palace’s silky midfielder. But then, if anyone can look upwards, it’s the teenage protégé of Dennis Bergkamp, shaped in the mould of Johan Cruyff and now guided by Patrick Vieira Jaïro Riedewald

Now entering his fifth season at Selhurst Park, Jaïro Riedewald knows more than most about the current crop of Eagles. Here, he reveals some dressing room secrets about his fellow teammates.

Teammates Most stylish

Funniest

Wilfried Zaha. I really like his style. He’s got a bit of an American style. I like the way he dresses.

For me, I like Cheikhou Kouyaté. I think he’s the funniest definitely. The way he comes in every morning, he’s just happy. Good energy: positive, laughing. Cheikou is the funniest guy. The way he speaks English, his body language. His comments – the way he comments when someone says something. I don’t think he realises he’s funny, but in my eyes he is funny.

Toughest training opponent When Eberechi Eze is on the ball, especially from the left side or when he is driving at you, you need to be on your toes, because he just goes past you like you’re not there. So that’s why I’m extra motivated when I come up against him. I’m like ‘Nah – this can’t happen today’ - especially if the cameras are there!

Best dancer I’ll give it to Ebs. He’s got some good competition, but he is from Nigeria so I think he’s got something in his locker you know! I think he’s got some secret dance moves – definitely a few secret ones. the follow-up

Most skilful It’s Wilf. The thing is he just does it – when he’s on the pitch, every session and every week he gets four or five nutmegs. I don’t know how but it always works. Ebs is very skilful, but I think he’s more a good dribbler. He doesn’t need to do a stepover because he moves his body, he glides over the pitch. It’s more body feints, he doesn’t do stepovers and flip-flaps. He can do it. But skills? It’s Wilf.

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

Proud to support

Crystal Palace Football Club

Tottenham Hotspur F.C. est. 1882

Inside “Don’t pay attention” to first place Slowing the unstoppable force Why Ronaldo praised Ambrose

opposition

spurs

Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham arrive in SE25 looking to further extend their lead at the top of the table. Under new manager Nuno Espírito Santo, the Lilywhites have adopted a pragmatic style that’s seen them keep three league clean sheets.

match preview Having held on to talisman Harry Kane this summer, Spurs couldn’t have hoped for a stronger start under Nuno. Three 1-0 wins from three league games paint a picture of a side intent on success, with their results against Manchester City – who’ve netted 10 from three games – and newly promoted Watford being the same. But Nuno would be the last man to read much into this start, saying on his current first-place standing: “That doesn’t mean anything at all… I invite everybody, not only the players, but our fans, to not pay attention to that.” That’s easier said than done when hosting the league’s most inform side, but Palace may take comfort in Spurs’ low goalscoring thus far: they are the only side to have not conceded yet but sit joint-14th for goals scored.

Story so far

Position Points

Home

away

‘keeper

Last five Seasons Season

Position

Points

Top Scorer

20/21

7th

Kane (23)

19/20

6th

Kane (18)

18/19

4th

Kane (17)

17/18

3rd

Kane (30)

16/17

2nd

Kane (29)

1st 9

Top scorer

Heung-min Son (2)

Most assists

Steven Bergwijn (1)

Most passes

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (177)

opposition

star man: Nuno

Nuno became the first manager to win his first three league games at the club since Arthur Rowe in 1949.

Remember when?

Boot in both camps

Palace’s FA Cup clashes with Spurs have proved particularly positive, with the south Londoners trumping their north London counterparts in 1924, 1970, 2016 and 2019. That’s four wins from six, with Martin Kelly’s 2016 winner perhaps the best-known goal across them.

recent form

last time out tottenham 1 watford 0 Sun 29 Aug / Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Subs

Starting xi 1

H. Lloris

M. Doherty

S. Reguilón

C. Romero

E. Dier

H. Winks

D. Sánchez

B. Gil

J. Tanganga

G. Lo Celso

D. Alli

R. Sessegnon

O. Skipp

P. Gollini

P.E. Højbjerg

L. Moura

S. Bergwijn

B. Davies

H. Kane

H. Son

First Sub Second Sub Third Sub Yellow Card Red Card Goal Own Goal

opposition

Dean Austin Austin joined Palace from Spurs in 1998 to again work with manager Terry Venables. While in north London, he also worked under former Palace midfielder Gerry Francis, reaching the FA Cup semi-final.

skipper

301 app 107 clean sheet

02 03 Matt Doherty

Sergio Regulión

POS: DEFENDER

NAT: IRELAND

NAT: SPAIN

04 06 Hugo Lloris

Cristian Romero

Davinson Sánchez

POS: DEFENDER

NAT: FRANCE

NAT: ARGENTINA

NAT: COLOMBIA

With over 300 Premier League games under his belt since arriving in 2012, the France goalkeeper has become Spurs’ secondlongest serving player. He has established himself as one of the best shot stoppers and leaders in world football, captaining France to World Cup glory in 2018.

player profile

POS: GOALKEEPER

Age

Height

1.88m

Joined

31st August 2012

Debut

20th September 2012 v Lazio

PREVIOUS CLUB: Nice & Lyon opposition

Emerson Royal

Joe Rodon

POS: DEFENDER

NAT: BRAZIL

NAT: WALES

ENFORCER

205 app 116 clean sheet

25 33 Japhet Tanganga

Ben Davies

Eric Dier

POS: DEFENDER

NAT: ENGLAND

NAT: WALES

NAT: ENGLAND

player profile

POS: DEFENDER

Age

Height

1.88m

Joined

2nd August 2014

Debut

16th August 2014 v West Ham United

PREVIOUS CLUB: Sporting Lisbon opposition

With the majority of his youth development taking place at Sporting Lisbon, Dier has fitted in remarkably well since his move to Spurs in 2014. The defender has been a common feature in the side over the years, racking up over 200 appearances and 65 clean sheets.

05 08 07

DANGERMAN

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

Harry Winks

POS: MIDFIELDER

NAT: DENMARK

NAT: ENGLAND

Giovani Lo Celso

Dele Alli

200 app 72 win

Son Heung-min

POS: MIDFIELDER

NAT: ARGENTINA

NAT: ENGLAND

NAT: SOUTH KOREA

player profile

POS: MIDFIELDER

Age

Height

1.83m

Joined

28th August 2015

Debut

13th September 2015 v Sunderland

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Hamburg & Bayer Leverkusen opposition

Since his arrival at Spurs in 2015, the six-time Asian Footballer of the Year has been a revelation. The pacy winger has demonstrated his ability time and time again in a Spurs shirt, with over 70 Premier League goals to his name in just 200 appearances.

TALISMAN

247 app 166 goals

Harry Kane

23 28 Steven Bergwijn

Tanguy Ndombele

POS: MIDFIELDER

NAT: NETHERLANDS

NAT: FRANCE

Bryan Gil

Lucas Moura

POS: FORWARD

NAT: ENGLAND

NAT: SPAIN

NAT: BRAZIL

Having been at the club since the age of 11, Harry Kane is at the core of Tottenham Hotspur. He finished the 2020/21 campaign with 23 goals to his name and will again be looking to add to his collection of three Premier League Golden Boots.

player profile

POS: FORWARD

Age

Height

1.88m

Joined

Academy – aged 11

Debut

25th August 2011 v Hearts

PREVIOUS CLUBS: NA opposition

NATURAL CAFFEINE ZERO SUGAR HYDRATION ENERGY now available countrywide

for SPORT

Tottenham have only failed to score in one of their 12 Premier League away games against Crystal Palace (W7 D3 L2), doing so in a 3-0 defeat in January 2005.

Crystal Palace are winless in their last 12 Premier League meetings with Spurs (D2 L10) since a 2-1 win in January 2015.

03 00

00 09

Passes per match 438

383 shots

36 Shooting accuracy %

47 goals conceded

0 clean sheets

Tyrick Mitchell Passes

117

Cross accuracy

33%

Sergio Reguilon Passes

cross accuracy

33%

opposition

ambrose from the studio

In each programme, club legend Darren Ambrose provides his unique insight into the opposition – offering analysis and expert opinion as a player-turned pundit.

Meeting an unstoppable force Palace need a first win on the board and Spurs haven’t conceded yet, so I can see this being a very tight game. Who are we looking at? Heung-min Son and Harry Kane, let’s be honest. Son, for me, is edging towards being world class. What he brings to that Spurs team is energy and a sheer love of football. He’s scored 18+ goals in all competitions in the last five seasons, and above 10 in the last five league seasons. We know what he and Kane bring: they broke the record last season for goals combined by assisting one another 14 times. To stop Son and Kane you need the partnership of Joachim Andersen and Marc Guéhi at its very best. Andersen and Guéhi complement each other very well. It could become a very, very important pairing. Son will try but Kane’s not going to run behind, particularly against Guehi, who’s very, very fast. He covers extremely well. I feel Palace could nullify

Tottenham by getting the ball and trying to play out from the back, which supporters may not have been used to until this season. But with Joel Ward and Tyrick Mitchell,

Son, for me, is edging towards being world class. What he brings to that Spurs team is energy and a sheer love of football

the defence is good on the ball. So if we can spread out we can get Son and Kane into uncomfortable positions, using some of their energy on shutting down. Nuno has had an absolute dream start in the league: they’ve won three out of three, all 1-0. And they’ve played the champions, Manchester City, who went on to Darren ambrose

win 5-0 twice in a row. But the international break could help Patrick Vieira more than Nuno; I don’t think Tottenham would have wanted a break. The pause could halt their confidence and will allow Patrick to continue to stamp his mark on the team.

Strengthening our hand I thought it was fantastic when I saw Conor Gallagher sign. I watched him at West Brom and thought he would fit perfectly into Palace’s team. You have Benteke, Mateta, Ayew: great forwards, but they don’t run in behind. When you haven’t got a forward who runs in behind, you need midfielders who will break the line. I used to enjoy doing that a lot and Conor seems to as well. More recently, the signings of Odsonne Edouard and Will Hughes are two more great additions. Edouard scores loads of goals: in the league he got 18 last season, 22 the season before and 15 before that. We talk about forwards having a bit more luck in front of goal, I think this is the guy who’ll get it. Will Hughes is a great signing as well. He’s not going to break the line and score a lot of goals – he hasn’t scored more than three in a season since 2014 and will want to improve that – but he adds bite to midfield and can play either side. He’s a great acquisition for the football club and is experienced, too. When you get to Christmas and the end of the season you really need your squad. If you’ve got two quality players in each position, it massively helps. We’ve seen teams deteriorate with small squads and fall down the league, so if you can get a good squad across the positions it really helps.

I played a one-two with Darren Bent and put the ball into the top corner with my left foot to score Charlton’s Goal of the Season. The guy chasing me back? Cristiano Ronaldo Facing the best The end of the transfer window brought the news that Crystal Palace will face Cristiano Ronaldo this season. That’s a daunting task, but it is magnificent to get a global superstar into the Premier League. When you’re against players like him you up your game; you want to impress them because you just know players like that love good football. He’s the best I’ve ever played against. I remember playing for Charlton at the Valley against Manchester United. I played a one-two with Darren Bent and put the ball into the top corner with my left foot to score Charlton’s Goal of the Season. The guy chasing me back? Cristiano Ronaldo. When my son sees that now he’s buzzing: ‘Wow, there’s Ronaldo… and you out-paced him!’ It’s a bit of a lie - Ronaldo kind of stopped - but I’ll take it. The following year I went to Old Trafford and had an almost identical shot: I had a little dribble, hit it with my left foot, but this time the goalkeeper plucked it out of the top corner. The first player to run to me was Cristiano Ronaldo, and he was shouting: ‘Brilliant, just like the Valley!’ He remembered the year before and, although it was against him, he was delighted to see a good strike. I love to tell that story to my kids

darren ambrose

writers aspiring writers

After widespread job cuts caused by the pandemic, it’s harder than ever for journalists to find work. This page offers three aspiring writers space to display their views and skills. Today, we hear from Ed Reynolds.

Sheffield Wednesday v Crystal Palace in 2010 was a match that drew spectators for many reasons: anxiety and hope on both sides, and anticipation of a fierce clash for those in between. One of those spectators was Sebastian Frej, today a popular club photographer. He saw the game on TV and thus begun his interest in Crystal Palace. From then a combination of elements retained Frej’s interest in Palace. One personal one was his connection with Argentina. This, given Palace’s Argentine goalkeeper, Julián Speroni, made for the perfect match. Additionally, the fans’ passion, and idea of four supporters leading the club together, piqued his interest. Frej bought his first Season Ticket for the season after the 2010 relegation escape, and has returned ever since. Frej made four trips to Argentina in 2011, shortly before Palace secured promotion to the Premier League. The passion and behavior of the Argentine fans inspired him to use the pocket camera he took on his first visit. Trying to better his knowledge and experience, he continued to take a camera each time he went to Argentina. This resulted in Frej

publishing a football picture book in January 2017, which contains over 300 photos that each capture uninhibited emotion. Crystal Palace fanzine group ’Five Year Plan’ reached out to use Frej’s pictures, from which he received positive feedback. This led to the

With fans returning, so does the heart and soul of the stadium. The passion that helped draw Frej to Palace a decade ago has been reignited club contacting Frej to help with the announcement of compatriot Jarosław Jach in January 2018. He was later contacted to photograph training and that’s how it started. Frej’s photography style is distinct. He tries to be as close to the players as possible, and as involved as possible, while also being invisible. aspiring writers

This allows him to capture moments within the squad as if you were part of the team. Frej’s style helps to show the personality of Palace’s players, furthering the relationship between them and the fans. This has been especially important in the last 18-months. His personal favourite is corner kick pictures, which capture the collision between the sky and stadium. He even has a dedicated Instagram page for them. With fans returning, so does the heart and soul of the stadium. The passion that helped draw Frej to Palace a decade ago has been reignited, and the ability to capture such a range of emotion in a single frame is again possible. Like a player, Frej thrives off the atmosphere, channelling it into his work. As us fans make our way back into grounds, we rejoin those like Frej, employed to bring the much-missed 12th man as close as possible

Impressed by what you’ve read, and need work from a media professional? You can discuss work opportunities with Ed and our other aspiring writers by emailing programme@cpfc.co.uk.

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inside the academy copers cope road

Inside Palace’s happiest player Paddy’s new role The Westerham lad who played for England

inside the academy

over the road The Palace Academy has produced players from Steve Kember to Wilfried Zaha, and plenty more in between. Here, we look at some of the talented prospects in the system today.

DAN QUICK age: 18 / position: Centre-back

highlights so far Quick enjoyed a landmark season in 20/21 as he became one of the Under-18s’ most used players. He showed his strength by overcoming injury at the start of the season to then feature consistently throughout the campaign. The centre-back then highlighted his character by scoring an equalising goal against Norwich after being at fault for conceding shortly before.

Take note of One of the biggest lads on the pitch, Quick is a prominent aerial presence. His capabilities in the air are an asset going forward, too, as the teenager bagged four goals from defence in 20/21. With the ball on the ground, Quick reads the game astutely and, as his name suggests, gets about the pitch well. inside the academy

Been at Palace for: Five years -

You know when Dan comes in he’s going to maximise every single day to get better. He’s a wholehearted, fully committed individual and he’s excellent to have around the group Paddy M©Carthy

“It runs through Palace – the chemistry, the want to win, being a team. Everyone’s a team, everyone’s friends, everyone’s mates in the changing room. It helps when you go on the pitch: you’re fighting for your mate, doing a tackle for your friend.” Dan Quick says everything through a broad, consuming smile. From describing his celebration as “just run off screaming and can’t believe I’ve scored” to “the worst feeling during a game,” Quick’s everpresent grin is there. When he talks about signing professional forms with Crystal Palace, it grows even larger. “[It is a] massive achievement. I’m really proud and my family are really proud of me, because obviously their commitment is taking me to training ever since I was a young boy. I’m really happy for me and them. “It’s smiles all round from all of us and it’s just a really good moment to take a step back and look at how far we’ve come.” In 20/21, Quick found himself at the heart of Palace’s title-chasing Under-18s. The imposing centre-back became one of the first names on the teamsheet and enjoyed consistent – if not always lauded – performances. His professional contract in summer 2021 was recognition of that thankless work – the sort of effort noticed most acutely by those who spend every day with the teenage defender. This contentment and focus is highlighted by one particular moment last season, when Quick’s Inside the academy

mental strength was put to the test. “[Norwich] kicked a ball in-behind just after kick-off - just after we’d scored, so I’d switched off. Their ball bounced in, I miscontrolled it and their striker ran through and scored. “From a personal perspective, sitting in the changing room, I was really head down, really disappointed in myself. It was quite hard to come out for the second-half with my head up to try and focus on the game.

We crossed the ball, I jumped up and, believe it or not, closed my eyes and just swung my head at it and smashed it into the back of the net. I just ran off screaming! “Just as we came out for the second-half… we got a corner and all that was in my head was to score a goal. Where I’d conceded, that was the one thing in the back of my head: get it in the back of the net. We crossed the ball, I jumped up and, believe it or not, closed my eyes and just swung my head at it and smashed it into the back of the net. I just ran off screaming!” Quite the retribution for a teenage prospect: Dan Quick’s grin grows wider

inside the academy

Paddy M©Carthy I’ve recently taken on the Head Coach role with the Under-23s after spending pre-season with the first-team. The last few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind, but we’re starting to implement our approach.

n summer, Shaun and I went across the road to support the new manager. We have a good knowledge of the players – particularly the Academy lads – and a good knowledge of the club. We gave the manager all the information we have on which Academy players could play where and who was ready to step up, so he could focus on other things like recruitment, his style of play, ideas, culture and methodology. He was already aware of most - if not all - of the players when he came through the door and was also very aware of the club’s DNA. Then Dougie Freedman spoke with me and Shaun about changing our roles: Shaun stayed up with the first-team, while I moved to the Under-23s. It’s great progression for both of us. Shaun and I have a really strong relationship; we’re in contact every single day and have been since we played together. He’s the link now for both sides of the road and that communication is vital. I didn’t have an opportunity to work with a lot of the lads in preseason this year but I know them

from working together or watching them from up close. We’ve had a good response from the players, who’ve given everything they’ve got on the grass each day.

These guys will hopefully go on to achieve excellent things and hopefully we’ll see a few of them in the first-team in the not-so-distant future

They have their own ambitions individually; some want to go on loan, some are close to the first-team, some have already been on loan and some are happy to stay and fight for a place in the Inside the academy

Under-23s because they’ve recently stepped up. I think they can trust that I’ll do the best I can for them individually, but my expectation is that when we’re together we behave and play as a team and try to do what’s best for everybody. I know a lot of the boys from coaching them as Under18s, particularly the lads who finished runners-up last year. That group had success in national competitions at Under-15 level so is comprised of excellent individuals. I’m pleased I can continue to work with these guys and it gives me an advantage in that they know how I work, know my expectations and they know Darren Powell and Dougie Wright. They know exactly what our expectations are and what we give back to them. I do feel like I’m continuing a process that might have been lost if they progressed to a different coach at Under-23s, so that’s satisfying. These guys will hopefully go on to achieve excellent things and hopefully we’ll see a few of them in the first-team in the not-so-distant future

made in south london After a landmark season Club Historian Ian King looks back at Palace’s Academy history, recalling some of our proudest former graduates from the huge number to have made their name in SE25.

Westerham’s wing wizard -

JOHN saLAKO Born

11th February, 1969

First-team debut

24th January, 1987

Appearances

273

Goals

inside the academy

John Salako was born in Nigeria but moved to Westerham, Kent, and went to school in Sevenoaks. He played junior football with Westerham Reds and Westerham F.C. before coming onto Crystal Palace’s radar. Signing apprentice forms with the Eagles, Salako featured in the junior teams before his first Reserve game which took place in March 1985 just after his 16th birthday. The following season he was a regular for Palace’s second side as a pacy winger, netting some outstanding goals that led to his inclusion in the first team squad for the 1986/87 pre-season friendlies. At the end of October 1986 Salako signed a two-year contract and made his first-team debut coming on as a substitute. That year - and again in 1988 - he was named the club’s Young Player of the Year. After four appearances from the bench Salako made his first start at the beginning

of 1987/88 on the left wing, scoring his first goal the following month. However he lost his place in the starting XI at the turn of the new year. In Palace’s 1988/89 promotion season, Salako found his opportunities more limited. In August 1989, when on the transfer list, he was sent on a two-month loan to Swansea

The following season he was a regular for Palace’s second side as a pacy winger netting some outstanding goals that led to his inclusion in the first team squad for the 1986/87

City, who were managed by Steve Coppell’s former assistant Ian Evans. An injury to Ian Wright in January 1990 gave Salako the opportunity to return to the first-team, in which he featured as a mobile wing-back in the run to the FA Cup Final. In 1990/91 Salako only missed five of the 52 first-team fixtures and his performances were rewarded by his inclusion on Inside the academy

the England tour of Australasia where he gained four caps. He showed his versatility in August 1991 when he took over in goal for the sent-off Nigel Martyn in a 4-3 home victory against tenants Wimbledon. Just a few weeks later Salako suffered a cruciate ligament injury in his left knee, and when he returned for a handful of matches a year later he required further surgery that kept him out for another 12-months. After a substitute appearance Salako returned to the starting XI in a home game against Stoke City in October 1993 where he scored a sensational hat-trick as the club returned to the Premier League. Following relegation in May 1995, Salako transferred to Coventry City

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South London is a unique place to live, work and experience. In each programme, we shed light on a few of the names or events that have shaped and continue to shape our half of the city. In this edition Paralympian Leo McCrea reveals his Palace fandom, a passion for tricky wingers and how competing in elite global sport feels at 17-years-old.

Voices of South London

eo McCrea is 17-years-old and has the biggest weeks of his life coming up when talking to the programme: competing in the Tokyo Paralympics, an event watched by a cumulative audience of over four billion. He’s in Switzerland, training 12 times a week, and preparing to secure a bronze medal in the world’s largest sporting event for disabled people. At his age, most teenagers have more trivial concerns, but McCrea is completely laid back, punctuating his sentences with a laugh and talking football. “It has to be [Wilfried] Zaha,” he says without pausing when asked for his standout player. “He’s the main man at Palace. I remember watching Alan Lee, [Mile] Jedinak was probably one of the outstanding ones. I remember the play-off final, saw him there. “[Yannick] Bolasie, I miss him a lot at Palace and wish he was still there, but you know, that’s how it is. Bolasie and Zaha were some of the craziest players; so good to watch, especially in real life.” McCrea’s Palace fandom began long before he was born in Croydon Hospital, with his father and grandfather both supporting the club. “I don’t know how far back but my grandad supported since young and went to all the games. My dad got introduced

by his dad and I got introduced. My first game was Palace v Yeovil when we had Alan Lee up front [a 1-0 League Cup win, with Lee netting in the 90thminute]. My biggest game when I was younger was the Watford play-off final and since then I’ve been going all the time.” Typically McCrea, who swims for Switzerland, would fly his colours across the globe and take a Palace top in World or European Championship tournaments. But - as well as being hampered by sponsorship commitments - this summer demands the most serious approach. “I always had it as a dream in my head to reach the Paralympics,” McCrea Voices of South London

Bolasie, I miss him a lot at Palace and wish he was still there, but you know, that’s how it is. Bolasie and Zaha were some of the craziest players; so good to watch, especially in real life

says. “It got more serious with the Paralympics two years ago when I started getting nearer the times to qualify for the games. I was in the GB Academy four years ago, so I thought I was going to have a

few years [to wait]. “I didn’t know I was going to make Tokyo because at the GB Academy I had to be top three in the world to be part of the team, no matter if I had the qualifying times or not. That’s why I made the decision to swim for Switzerland. My mum and grandma are from Switzerland and I had the option to take a Swiss passport.” McCrea is now fourth in the world for 100m breaststroke in his classification, SB5. As of May 2021, he is 1.5 seconds off third and six years younger than his bronze medal competitor. It’s a lofty position for someone so young, but McCrea’s entrance into sport was purely coincidental: “I was seven or six... I go to the Dwarf Games every year; it’s disability sport, basically. You do sports there like swimming and football. Swimming was one of the competitions

there and I hadn’t had any experience at all – I was six – and hadn’t swam a lot. “I started to win a few, but

I always had it as a dream in my head to reach the Paralympics, It got more serious with the Paralympics two years ago when I started getting nearer the times to qualify for the games

didn’t expect I was going to. Ellie Simmonds, one of the GB athletes, very well known, her mum was there and basically Voices of South London

told me, my mum and my dad that I should join a club because of how well I was swimming there. “So I joined my sister’s club and went on from there. Started training at that club, competition after competition, getting higher up the ranks. It was pretty crazy. “She [Simmonds] is still one of my idols, but back then I wasn’t into the sport as much because I was swimming for fun. I didn’t know it was going to become this serious!” This summer saw McCrea compete on the world stage, fight for his first Paralympic medal and do both south London and Switzerland proud. He may have just experienced the biggest weeks of his life, but there’s still one eye on Palace: “Of course I’ll be down at Selhurst as much as I can. And away days. I’ll go to a few of them and to games as much as I can.” See you there, Leo

21 years of Together for football Unlocking the power of pitches Transforming lives Strengthening communities Tackling inequalities Improving accessibility Football Foundation The Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation has been investing into communities like yours for the last 21 years. Building football facilities and using the power of pitches to transform lives.

Find out more about the Football Foundation, its impact and the future plans for your local area: footballfoundation.org.uk

non-league neighbours Surrounding south London’s only Premier League club is a range of non-league sides. In each programme, we catch up with four – Beckenham Town, Bromley, Corinthian-Casuals, and Holmesdale F.C. – to cover the people who sustain south London’s rich non-league scene.

Non-League Neighbours

bromley f.c. In this edition, we introduce Bromley F.C, affectionately but erroneously dubbed ‘the worst football team in Britain’. As you’ll see, there’s far more to them than that.

league table

recent results

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very club wants their feats immortalised in literature and in film – although for Bromley, this eventuality perhaps wasn’t exactly as they had imagined it. The Bromley Boys, author Dave Roberts’ humorous retelling of a Bromley-obsessed childhood, was subtitled ‘The True Story of Supporting the Worst Football Team in Britain’. But this is a tale the club holds close to its heart – indeed they advertised for extras to play fans in the film – perhaps because it gets to the nub of what makes non-league football special: that the game at all levels remains about community, rather than success. Indeed, as Roberts writes:

“The only time I felt I truly belonged somewhere was when I was watching Bromley.”

the only time i felt i truly belonged somewhere was when i was watching bromley Roberts’ childhood woes make for good reading, but Bromley’s tag as the ‘Worst Football Team in Britain’ isn’t remotely close to justified. Founded in 1892, the Lilywhites have long been a part of south Non-League Neighbours

2-2 3-0 4-2 London’s footballing culture. They were founder members of the Southern League in 1894 – the league Crystal Palace first joined upon their formation as a professional club in 1905 – before founding the London League and the Spartan League soon after. That early record portrays a club always keen to do things their own way. In 1948 they played host to a Nigerian XI in an occasion that remains their record attendance, as the visitors took to the field bare-feet in a fixture that has gone down in club folklore. In 1949, Bromley forward George Brown set himself the task of achieving a 100-goal season, a feat he achieved in

spectacular style on the final day of the season – not before a crowd of more than 93,000 at Wembley had witnessed victory in the FA Amateur Cup. Journeys to the FA Cup first round proper have followed, but a second round spot remains elusive since Bromley’s last appearance in 1947. Though that doesn’t mean they have stopped dreaming. Since 2015, the club have competed in the National League, just one step away from the Football League. Indeed, after finishing in the play-offs in the 2020/21 they came close to completing their journey to the top tiers of English football, missing out after a 3-2 defeat to eventual winners Hartlepool United. But Bromley’s support remains as faithful as ever, evoking Dave Roberts’ words from years before: “Perhaps the win gave me false expectations… but it was too late. I was hooked.” There are certainly plenty of Palace connections at Hayes Lane, Bromley’s home since their move in 1938. Palace Women play their home Women’s Championship games at the ground less than five miles from Selhurst. The club is often wellstocked with players formerly at Selhurst Park, too: the current No. 10, Billy Bingham, came through the Palace Academy. Most significant is the former Eagle in the dugout, with Andy Woodman leading the side since March 2021. Woodman spent his early footballing

years in SE25, developing as a young goalkeeper in the Palace youth sides and forming a firm friendship with future captain Gareth Southgate in the process. Despite never making a firstteam appearance, Woodman went on to have a successful career at Brentford, Colchester United and Northampton Town among others, and returned to Selhurst Park in the role of goalkeeping coach under Alan Pardew.

His return to south London has been a successful one, winning the National League Manager of the Month award in May and hoping to go one better and clinch promotion this season. Should Bromley achieve their goal, it would be another feather in the cap for south London football, with its representation in the Football League continuing to grow. But in the wider scheme of things, the result is irrelevant for what Bromley represents to the community. The self-titled ‘Worst Football Team in Britain’ is in fact an addiction for its loyal fans, come rain or shine, victory or defeat. Like each club in this non-league series, it is a place for friendship and laughter and familiar routines among familiar faces. The glory of the big time may appeal to some, but for others there is happiness exactly where they are. Indeed, Roberts’ book names a pre-season friendly against West Ham United, then stocked with World Cup winners, as one of the highlights of his childhood. And so Bromley continue to battle for progress and promotion, all the while remaining firmly rooted in south London footballing culture. That is where Roberts, and countless others alongside him, feel they – and their club – truly belong

Non-League Neighbours

Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur Premier League 30/1/1993 Palace’s Chris Coleman celebrates an own goal by Tottenham’s Neil Ruddock .

moment in time

Mikele Leigertwood puts Palace ahead in a 3-0 win at Selhurst in January 2005.

Premier League 22/1/2005

Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur

moment in time

john salako From its founding to the current day, Crystal Palace’s history is rich in stories and characters. Here, we look back at some of the best. Today, John Salako reveals why his England career began with a cynical phone call.

n mid-1991, John Salako was mowing the lawn when he got the call that every Englishman dreams of. “Oh, Graham Taylor’s on the phone,” his wife Susie told her husband, apparently rather nonchalantly. Salako wasn’t convinced. “‘That’s Shawsy,’” he said. “‘That’s Richard Shaw messing around or one of the lads.’ I thought: ‘Ah, they’re just playing a prank.’ So I got there like: [sighing] ‘Yeah, what’s going on? Oh, it’s Graham Taylor - the England manager!’” Taylor called that afternoon to inform Salako that, at 22, he’d been called up to represent England on a tour of Australasia. “Congratulations, you’re in,” Taylor told him. Salako spent the following hour sat still in his armchair, staring into space and thinking: “‘Woah, what just happened?’” Having collected himself enough to realise what had just happened as the news broke on Teletext, From the Archive

the Crystal Palace midfielder returned outside. He promptly finished mowing the lawn as an England international. “It was one of the most surreal moments of my life,” he reflects. “It’s what you dream of. It felt incredible. You have to dare to dream and you work hard. Playing for Palace in the first-team, you want that shirt and to make that debut and you play and things start going well.

It was one of the most surreal moments of my life, It’s what you dream of. It felt incredible

Having helped Palace to reach the 1990 FA Cup final and then finish third in the First Division the following season, Salako’s name began to attract interest from each of the countries competing for his name in their squad.

He recalled: “Nigeria called me up first of all and then Wales wanted to… I had a chat with Steve Coppell and said to him: ‘Look, I’ve obviously had a couple of call ups, I’m not really sure what’s going on or what to do.’ He just asked me: ‘What’s in your heart? What do you want to do?’

You want to play for your club and then once you’re playing for your club, you’d love to play for your country. It’s the pinnacle, the ultimate

“You want to play for your club and then once you’re playing for your club, you’d love to play for your country. It’s the pinnacle, the ultimate. We all sort of sit down and watch England and support them and as a player it’s like: ‘Wow, okay, could that happen?’ I say to youngsters now: ‘Dare to dream’.” But the dream may never have come to fruition for Salako, who, having been born in Ibadan, Nigeria, moved to England as a 10-year-old with his English mother when his father passed away. He was eligible to play not only for the Three Lions, but for the Super Eagles and Wales as well.

“I said I wanted to play for England and he just said to me: ‘I think you’re good enough, so wait for England.’ So in my mind it was clear I was focused on that and then amazingly about four or five months later, I got the call.” Lawn mown, England call-up secured, waiting paid off for John Salako

From the Archive

palace for life eddie izzard JOINS 2021 MARATHON MARCH - from toronto! Eddie Izzard has officially confirmed her involvement in October’s Marathon March, in what will be her hat-trick appearance.

ctor and comedian Eddie Izzard will again be joining Palace fans in the effort to raise money for young south Londoners. Eddie will be taking on the 26.2 mile (42.2km) challenge in Toronto, Canada, and will be running, not walking, her Marathon March this year.

schedule won’t allow her to be at Selhurst Park in October, Eddie is still extremely keen to take part. The lifelong Palace fan said ahead of her third march: “The Palace for Life Marathon March to support the south London community happens every year, but, as I am away this October I have asked if I can

The marathon is a tough but wonderful thing to do, coming together with Crystal Palace fans to support the local community Eddie has been a passionate supporter of Palace for Life Foundation, speaking previously of her pride at becoming a Patron of the Foundation. She has taken part in the past two Marathon March events in person and although her palace for life

do my marathon simultaneously from Toronto in Canada where I am currently working. “The marathon is a tough but wonderful thing to do, coming together with Crystal Palace fans to support the local community, and it is important to me to try and do what I can to help. I would like to

encourage all Palace fans around the world to support Palace for Life, get involved, and walk – or run! – simultaneously with us. Let’s make the Crystal Palace spirit as global as we can.” The marathon-length walk will be running for its fifth year, and we want to make it our biggest and best event yet. Every year the Marathon March brings together Palace fans, legends and supporters, where the primary aim is to raise money for Palace for Life. The four previous years have seen fans raise over £350,000 for the Foundation, directly supporting our work within the local community. This year we have made the event available for overseas Palace fans to take part virtually and show their support for young south Londoners

MARATHON MARCH 2021 5th anniversary

All participants are asked to pay a registration fee of £25 (£20 for a half route, £10 for under-18s) and to commit to raising a minimum of £300 each in sponsorship.

To join Eddie and Palace fans all over the world in taking on the Marathon March, visit palaceforlife. org and search:

marathon march 2021 palace for life

An unmissable line up on BT Sport

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

cpfc 1861

n the last programme we learned that the new Crystal Palace at Sydenham had laid its own cricket pitch in 1857 and set up its own cricket club in 1859, from which emerged the first glimmerings of our football club in 1861. In the first four editions of this programme section, I will detail our 1861 claim by answering several key questions – today looking at the close details of our formative years.

Q: How can we be sure it was 1861? A: During the 1870s one of the many famous players who played for the Crystal Palace football team was Charles Alcock. Alcock was the great driver and innovator of Association Football of his day and was known as ‘the King of Football’. He was Secretary of the FA for 25 years, creator of the FA Cup and came up with the idea of international matches, initially against Scotland.

A journalist by profession, he also edited The Football Annual from 1868 until his death in 1907. In the Football Annual he included a directory of clubs which provided detailed information, including their formation dates. He lists Crystal Palace among those clubs and gives our foundation date as 1861.

Alcock was the great driver and innovator of Association Football of his day and was known as ‘the King of Football’ Football historians rely heavily on Alcock’s Football Annuals for information about the earliest clubs and, given the fact he also played for Crystal Palace, we can rely on Charles Alcock as being a reliable and accurate source for our founding date. cpfc 1861

Q: Do we know what colours the 1861 team played in? A: Yes. Club colours were another piece of information that was provided in the Football Annual and Palace’s were given as “blue and white jerseys, blue serge knickerbockers and stockings.” What we don’t know, however, is exactly which shade of blue this was and how the shirts were designed because to date no photograph of our early Victorian team is known to exist. That said, by deduction, we can make a pretty good guess. What we do know is the external ironwork of the Crystal Palace itself was painted blue and white to give the impression that the entire building was made of glass, and surviving colour prints of the time suggest the blue was a shade of sky blue. So, it seems pretty likely that the football team chose that same shade of blue and white, which visitors to the Palace would have been familiar with, for their own club colours.

the external ironwork of the Crystal Palace itself was painted blue and white to give the impression that the entire building was made of glass, and surviving colour prints of the time suggest the blue was a shade of sky blue

For the possible design of the shirt, we can again look to the Football Annual. Charles Alcock is silent on the design of the Crystal Palace shirts, but that is helpful. Where clubs’ shirt colours were made up of hoops, stripes or bars Alcock invariably said so. But for Palace he said nothing. That leads us to conclude that the shirt was a simple bicolour, with one half white and the other half blue - a common design in Victorian football and very similar to Blackburn Rovers’ traditional kit today. It’s reasonable to rely on Alcock’s information because he actually played for Palace and was therefore familiar with our colours and shirts.

Q: When was Crystal Palace’s first match? A: Crystal Palace’s first reported match was on 15th March, 1862, and is a highly significant one in football history. We played a club called Forest, who played in East London, and it was the first recorded game between two clubs who would go on to found the Football Association. We’ll be covering that match in much more depth in the next programme

NEXT TIME In the next edition, we’ll discover the links between Palace and other historic local clubs as well as why early players would decide who made an ‘Ugly’ team and who played for the ‘Handsome’ one... Peter Manning’s book, Palace at the Palace, is available online through the Club Shop.

cpfc 1861

annabel johnson It was fantastic to start the season with three points against Bristol City and to start playing in front of our fans again. Now, we’re looking forward and working to improve on last season.

t the end of last season, Dean and I discussed how important it was to get every new signing in as early as possible so they could settle. The staff and management here worked hard over summer to ensure that happened and it helped massively, because we spent a lot of time together in pre-season. We’ve still got a lot of learning to do, but I told the new girls how impressed I’ve been with their work rate and we can see every player getting involved.

We’ve still got a lot of learning to do, but I told the new girls how impressed I’ve been with their work rate and we can see every player getting involved

palace women

This season, we’ve upped our training to four times a week and moved to the club’s Academy. The facilities are so much better: we have inside meeting rooms so we can do more analysis, we have a proper gym and have increased our contact hours. It really feels like we’re moving in the right direction.

But because we’re not professional and every player works full-time on top of training and matches, we have to be realistic with our aims. Our first is to improve on last year’s performances, whether that’s by one goal, a couple of goals, or not conceding. It’s about small gains. Then the second aim is to beat last year’s points tally and position in the table: seventh.

The facilities are so much better: we have inside meeting rooms so we can do more analysis, we have a proper gym and have increased our contact hours. It really feels like we’re moving in the right direction Our style is very clear in how we want to play and what our aims are for everyone. We haven’t nailed it yet and that will take a couple of months, but everyone’s moving in the right direction together. I really appreciate the girls’ hard work. Having to work, train and play is tough but they always come with a smile on their face. That’s palace women

what I appreciate the most. I know it’s long hours for everyone but we’re all digging deep and that shows in rewards such as our win against Bristol City. That game saw fans back at Hayes Lane and they came in great numbers, as they did before the pandemic. It’s been absolutely ages since we saw them, and as we walked out we could hear the atmosphere, which was fantastic. All four corners of the ground had people in them, so you could feel the sound from everywhere. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Before the pandemic I always thought the attendance at Palace was great and everyone was so supportive over social media, so I wasn’t surprised at how many turned up. It was fantastic to have you all back

The page for Palace supporters: taking your comments from the terraces into the programme. This week, Des Lindsay wrote to us to welcome his brother – and former Palace player – Mark Lindsay back to Selhurst Park.

mark lindsay The club wishes a warm welcome back to former-player Mark Lindsay this afternoon, who came through the Crystal Palace youth ranks to represent the club in the 1970s. Born in Lambeth in 1955, he played for the youth side in 1972 before being handed his firstteam debut by Malcolm Allison in December 1973, aged just 18, becoming one of the first black players to represent the club. Mark went on to feature in the 1973-74 and 1974-75 season, alongside best friend and Palace legend Paul Hinshelwood, as well as teammates Peter Taylor, Jim Cannon, Don Rogers and many more. Making 36 league and cup appearances, he scored his only goal for the club in a 1-1 draw in the League Cup tie at Watford in August 1974. In 1977 Mark crossed the pond, moving to the United States to join the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He later went on to

Happy 5th birthday Kaia (our own little Hong Kong Eagle)! We can’t wait to get you to SE25! Love from Mummy, Daddy, friends and family!

play for a number of American sides, including Houston Hurricane, California Surf and the San Jose Earthquakes. Today sees Mark celebrate his 45th wedding anniversary at Selhurst Park, and everyone at the club wishes him a fantastic day.

John Simmons, John has been coming to Palace for 76 years this week since Cardiff at home in 1945. He travels from Eastbourne every home game, as keen as ever.

Got something to share? Email us on programme@cpfc.co.uk with a message of no more than 200 words with a (printable) opinion or story. Alternatively, use #CPFC on Twitter and we’ll keep an eye out!

from the terraces

Derek Holmes, a lifelong Palace fan, passed away aged 93 on 5th April, 2020. Derek first attended matches at Selhurst Park when Palace were in Division Three South.

In loving memory of Bob Gibbs. Passionate Palace fan of 70+ years, season ticket holder in the Holmesdale. He is sorely missed by his family and friends. RIP Bob.

Happy 18th birthday Rosie Weight. Football crazy, Palace crazy. Have the best birthday. With love from the whole family.

Remembering avid Spurs fan, Charlie Marriage, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Love from the CPFC family.

A happy birthday to Callum Murray, who is 13 today. A pupil at Raven’s Wood School in Bromley, he’s been a season ticket holder since he was 4. Love from all the family.

Per Christian Berg: 5th July 1979 – 9th July 2021. Norway’s greatest Crystal Palace fan and the most wonderful Husband, Dad, Son, Brother and Friend. Rest in Paradise.

In loving memory of Laurence Willicombe who sadly passed away on 29th July 2021 far too soon. Larger than life, Laurence was a lifelong Palace fan and season ticket holder. Matchdays will never be the same without him. Loved and missed everyday by all your family and friends x

This is Carl wishing Palace season ticket holders Dan Eaton and Katie Russell a great 2021/22 season. Enjoy the game and COYS!

Welcome to the world our newest little Eagle, Aurora, born 7th August. Love Mummy and Daddy x

Congratulations to Hilary and Nigel Duncan who celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary on 4th September. Love & best wishes from Lynn & Trevor and here’s to many more memorable and enjoyable journeys up the A22!

from the terraces

Happy Birthday to Max Leonard, season ticket holder in the Arthur Wait, who will be 11 on 18th September. Lots of love, Mum & Dad xx

Wishing the superstar Andy Holloway a wonderful 71st Birthday! We love you! Love Christine, Lisa, Ian, Steve, Charlotte and all the grandchildren!

Happy 1st Birthday to our gorgeous granddaughter Savannah Heuston. Lots of red and blue love – Grandad Stevo, Nanny Penny, Paul, Sam, Connor xx

Happy 18th Harry Cochrane. Palace’s biggest fan and our own number 1 goalkeeper! Love from Dad, Mum, Charlie and Jack x

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

quiz, games, brighty & more!

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

Guess who

Spot the image

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

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

matchday quiz 1

How old was John Bostock on his Palace debut?

Bostock made Palace history and is remembered to this day despite making how many appearances?

Tenor Wynne Evans sang the players onto the pitch as Palace helped open Spurs’ new stadium. Which company’s TV adverts is Evans best known for?

Which former Palace player did Terry Venables reappoint as England Under-21s manager in 1994?

In which FA Cup final did former Eagle Paul Stewart score in, helping Spurs to win?

GAmes

FAMOUS FAN

guess the ground

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

Alright, Dave. This actor became known across the country for playing Trigger in Only Fools and Horses. Despite being born in Islington, he was a passionate Lilywhites supporter and the Spurs crowd chanted his name after his death in 2014.

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

Brighty

You

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

ANSWERS Guess who: Rudi Hedman Spot the image: Page 26 Quiz: 1) 15 (and 287 days) 2) Five 3) GoCompare 4) Dave Sexton 5) 1991 Famous Fan: Roger Lloyd-Pack Guess the Ground: Boundary Park - Oldham Athletic

games

team stats: women / U23S / U18S Reece Hannam was the Under-23s Player of the Season for 2020/21, and has started the current campaign strongly once again after training with the firstteam for pre-season.

Coral-Jade Haines scored twice in the Women’s opening day victory over Bristol City, continuing her goalscoring form after seven last season.

Victor Akinwale has started the season in irrepressible form, netting five times in the Under-18s’ first three league games.

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

AUGUST Sun 29

Bristol City

W 4-3

SEPTEMBER Sun 5

London City Lionesses

Sun 12

Sunderland

Sun 26

Liverpool

OCTOBER

L 1-2

AUGUST Mon 16 Leeds United

L 1-3

AUGUST Sat 14

Leicester City

W 3-1

Fri 20

Arsenal

L 2-4

Sat 21

West Ham United

W 2-1

Fri 27

Everton

W 3-1

Sat 28

West Bromwich Albion W 3-2

SEPTEMBER Mon 13 Leicester City

SEPTEMBER Sat 11 Aston Villa

Sat 18

Manchester City

Sat 25

Fri 24

West Ham United

OCTOBER Sat 2 Reading

Southampton

Sun 3

Sheffield United

Sun 10

Coventry United

OCTOBER Fri 1 Tottenham Hotpsur

Sat 23

Birmingham City

Sun 31

Watford

Fri 15

Brighton & Hove Albion

Sat 30

Arsenal

Fri 22

Derby County

NOVEMBER Sat 6 Chelsea

NOVEMBER Sun 7

Durham

Sun 14

Charlton Athletic

Sun 21

Blackburn Rovers

NOVEMBER Mon 1 Blackburn Rovers Sun 7

Chelsea

Sat 20

Fulham

Sat 20

Liverpool

DECEMBER Sat 4 Tottenham Hotpsur

DECEMBER

Fri 26

Manchester United

Sat 18

Sun 12

Lewes

DECEMBER Mon 6 West Ham United

JANUARY Sat 8 Norwich City

Sun 9

Sunderland

Mon 20 Derby County

Sat 15

Fulham

Sun 16

Durham

Sat 22

Birmingham City

Sun 23

Liverpool

JANUARY Mon 10 Everton

JANUARY

FEBRUARY Sun 6

Bristol City

Sun 13

London City Lionesses

Brighton & Hove Albion

Mon 17 Chelsea

FEBRUARY Sat 5 Tottenham Hotspur

Mon 24 Liverpool

Sat 19

Arsenal

FEBRUARY Mon 7 Tottenham Hotspur

Sat 26

Norwich City Leicester City

Mon 21 Manchester United

MARCH Sat 5

Sun 6

Coventry United

Mon 28 Brighton & Hove Albion

Sat 12

West Ham United

Sun 13

Lewes

Sat 19

West Bromwich Albion

Sun 27

Charlton Athletic

MARCH Mon 14 Manchester City

APRIL Sat 2

Aston Villa

Sat 9

Southampton

Sat 23

Reading

Mon 25 Blackburn Rovers

Sat 30

Chelsea

MAY Mon 2

MAY Sat 7

Brighton & Hove Albion

MARCH

APRIL Sun 3

Blackburn Rovers

Sun 24

Watford

MAY Sun 1

Sheffield United

Mon 21 Arsenal APRIL Mon 4

Leeds United

Leicester City

women/u23S/u18S

Name

Apps

Bianca Baptiste

Goals

Hannah Churchill

Charley Clifford

Leanne Cowan

Aimee Everett

Millie Farrow

Coral-Jade Haines

Aoife Hurley

Annabel Johnson

Cherelle Khassal

Apps

Goals

David Boateng

Ryan Bartley

Malachi Boateng

Kalani Barton

Maliq Cadogan

Junior Dixon

Owen Goodman

Danny Imray Nya Kirby

Jake O'Brien

David Omilabu

Dan Quick

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Sean Robertson

Leigh Nicol

Gracie Pearse

Molly-Mae Sharpe

Rob Street

James Taylor

Siobhan Wilson

pos CLUB P W D 1

sun

A GD Pts

lon

cha

bri

CRY

Kanye Jobson

James Leonard

Cameron Lewis-Brown 1

Joe Ling

Fionn Mooney

Ademola Ola-Adebomi

David Ozoh

Jadan Raymond

Kaden Rodney

Joe Sheridan

Dylan Thiselton

Basilio Socoliche

Noah Watson

Matthew Vigor

Oliver Webber Lizzie Waldie

Joe Whitworth

Vonnte Williams

pos CLUB P W D mci

Jack Wells-Morrison

Jackson Izquierdo

Aidan Steele

Freddie Bell

Cardo Siddik

Kate Natkiel

Tayo Adaramola

Reece Hannam

Chloe Morgan

Goals

Victor Akinwale

John-Kymani Gordon

Apps

Jake Giddings

Name

Scott Banks

Jay-Rich Baghuelou

Kirsty Barton

Name

A GD Pts

pos CLUB P W D 1

che

A GD Pts

0 15 5 10 9

bha

sou

0 12 3

whu

10 6

ful

lee

CRY

ars

9 -2 6

ars

0 10 6

liv

lei

liv

tot

bha

she

cry

8 -2 3

avl

2 14 9

bla

lei

whu

10 che

5 -1 2

dur

4 -1 3

10 lew

2 -1 0

10 bir

7 12 -5 3

6 -1 3

bla

7 -2 2

rdg

6 -4 0

12 mun

7 -2 2

12 wba

11 -6 0

wat

5 -2 0

13 eve

8 -4 1

13 tot

6 14 -8 0

12 cov

4 -3 0

14 der

5 -3 0

14 nor

women/u23S/u18S

15 -14 0

MAY

APRIL

March

FEBRUARY

JANUARY

DECEMBER

NOVEMBER

OCTOBER

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST

Chelsea

15:00

0-3

18th

Sat 21

Brentford

15:00

D 0-0

13th

Sat 24

Watford

19:45

Sat 28

West Ham United

15:00

D 2-2

Sat 11

Tottenham Hotspur