CPFC v Chelsea programme

Crystal Palace v Chelsea Saturday 10th April 2021 // 5:30pm

Z.D.S. CUP FINAL WEMBLEY 1991

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Directors Steve Parish, Chairman David Blitzer Joshua Harris 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 Medical 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 Consumer Sales Mike Pink Head of Ticketing Dan Clarke Head of Legal David Nichol Chief Marketing and Communications Officer James Woodroof Head of CRM & Campaigns Tom McGuiness

palace √ chelsea 10.04.21

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Editor Ben Mountain Design Billy Cooke, Luke Thomas, Stu Ellmer Contributors Dan Blazer, Will Robinson, Ian King, Daniel Storey, Darren Ambrose, Tash Stephens Photography Neil Everitt, Seb Frej, Reuters, Pinnacle, Rex Features Printer Bishops Printers

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palace for life

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1990/91 season

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shaun derry

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emma gibbon

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fixtures & results

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premier league

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luka milivojevic

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steve parish

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darren ambrose

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junior eagles

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Daniel storey

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asha ramful

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elcome to Thomas Tuchel, his staff and players and good afternoon to each of you reading this.

We greet one of the Premier League’s

most in-form sides to Selhurst Park this afternoon, with Chelsea having become a force to be reckoned with thanks to the start they have made under their new manager. I must extend my congratulations for overseeing such a successful start to life in this country and

We are aware of how challenging our run-in is and how any spell of matches can change one’s fortunes in this league

I wish l him well for the coming months – at least from Sunday onwards!

We welcomed the recent rest

Our victory over West Bromwich Albion was certainly a positive result to

provided by the international break and

take with us into the break and I was more

the rearrangement of our fixture with

than satisfied with the way we got all three

Manchester United. While we may not

points against such a determined opponent.

have required the full three weeks between

The latest result against Everton showed

matches, being able to allow the team some

our passing ability and the talent we have in

time to recuperate before a congested

the team with the ball at our feet and, with a

season starts drawing to a close was

very attack-minded XI to end the match, we

beneficial. I believe that was evident in the

deserved to fight-back and to get the point

determination and confidence we showed

that the performance merited.

against Everton.

I typically try to allow my players to

After today’s match, we will have the chance to reward the squad with

rest for a short while when the opportunity

some extra days off from time to time but

arises and was glad to work more closely

this time with the full roster of players

with those who didn’t compete with their

available. These pauses are important

respective international sides. I get a lot

for a smaller squad to ensure high fitness

of enjoyment from the core components of

levels and to provide enough focus on our

coaching: thoroughly working on patterns of

final run of fixtures.

play through a sustained period rather than just focusing on recovery between fixtures.

Of course, you cannot coach as fully

We are aware of how challenging our run-in is and how any spell of matches can change one’s fortunes in this league,

as might be desired whilst so many players

so the challenge now is to build on our

are competing abroad, but I was glad for

achievements so far, starting today against

the time we had to spend with the group

Chelsea. I have no doubt we are in for a

that remained and with several of our

tough game this afternoon, but have every

Under-23s, who were invited to join us to

faith that we will rise to the occasion.

make sure we had the right numbers for our training sessions.

Enjoy the game.

The manager

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after some performances where we got points by strong defending, this was a game where we earned the result because of attacking

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e are in form against one of

Premier League. Hopefully we will show

the top sides in the league this

that between now and May 23rd.

afternoon – we must make recent

Our draw with Everton was very

results count and get the best out of every

pleasing. I think it was clear that the break

game in a difficult run-in.

benefitted us: our international boys looked

It is amazing that we have just eight

very confident and others looked rested

matches left to play of this season – it is

and up for a big fight. We were 1-0 down for

going by so fast. When I look back at the last

half an hour but had lots of the ball, a lot of

30 games, I can be very happy with some

attacks and deserved our point when Michy

of our performances and to earn 38 points

took his goal well at the end.

is good in a very challenging league. That

I think maybe after some performances

points total with eight matches left means

where we got points by strong defending,

we can look forward rather than behind us

this was a game where we earned the result

more, but we do not have one easy game

because of determined attacking. It is very

coming up.

pleasing to see both parts of our game help

Our final matches are some of the most difficult of every team and it is going

us to collect points throughout the season.

As we get closer to the end of the

to take a lot of hard work to get more

season, we are motivated by the thought

points in these next few weeks. That starts

of being closer to playing in front of

today against one of the hardest of them

our supporters again. Seeing you in the

all: Chelsea. Chelsea have looked very,

stands at our home, Selhurst Park, against

very impressive under their new manager,

Tottenham Hotspur helped us secure a

Thomas Tuchel. But West Brom showed

draw from a tough game. The first match

they are not impossible to beat. Yes, they

you are back in whatever number will be

played against 10 men for much of this

similar – we keep fighting for you while you

match, but they scored five against one of

are not with us, and will be boosted by you

the league’s best defences. I say it often,

again when you are.

every team can win every game in the

In the meantime, make some noise!

The captain

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we are closer points wise to Spurs in the European places than we are to Fulham in the final relegation spot

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hank you for purchasing this matchday

Season Ticket renewals began

programme, wherever you are in the

earlier this week, and I’d like to personally

world today. And welcome to the

thank each and every one of you for your

players, directors and staff of Chelsea to

continued loyalty and support. I can assure

south London.

you that everyone at the club is extremely

After what felt like a long international break, it was brilliant to see the team

appreciative, especially in today’s extremely challenging economic circumstances.

back in action at Goodison Park and put

I was moved by the media team’s

in such a fantastic performance that was

videos of photographer Seb, PC Leon, and

fully deserving of a point. I was delighted

young Ethan and his gran which served as

for Michy to get his chance and take it so

a wonderful reminder about how each of

clinically. Of course he isn’t eligible today,

us has our own special relationship with

but I’m sure he has more of a part to play

the club, and how important it is in all of

this season as he aims to secure his place

our lives. If you haven’t watched them

at the Euros, and help us climb the table too.

make sure you download the Palace app

Your Man of the Match was Vicente, who yet

to do so; they are well worth taking the

again kept us in the game after several good

time. As the country begins to open up this

chances for the hosts. Vicente remains such

week, we are nearing the day for us to be

a consistent performer for us, and I know

reunited at Selhurst Park with loved ones

how popular he is with you all.

and friends.

With just eight games left, we know we

I’ve been spending a lot of time at the

are not yet mathematically safe - but equally,

Academy in recent weeks; there is such a

we are closer points-wise to Spurs in the

buzz about the place with all the staff and

European places than we are to Fulham in

players with a spring in their step. There is

the final relegation spot. For everyone here,

much to do still, but the progress is so exciting

the ambition remains to firstly secure safety

– and the results from our senior teams in

and then collect as many points as possible

particular are extremely positive too.

in order to hopefully improve on our best Premier League return of 10th.

Enjoy the game today, and stay safe.

Up the Palace.

The chairman

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Thirty years on from Crystal Palace’s most successful season to date, 1990/91, manager Steve Coppell reflects with Ben Mountain on the memorable highs that years of hard work produced, and the uncontrollable fall-out that followed.

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hen Steve Coppell entered the Kenilworth Road dugout for Crystal

Palace’s league opener against Luton Town in August, 1990, he had one simple goal: to improve on the season before.

For a man who transformed the club from cash-strapped Division Two survivors to FA Cup finalists, the intention was simple and modest.

Even Coppell regarded the upcoming months conservatively, by his own admission “optimistically looking forward to the new season without having great expectations.” As the Eagles took a single point from Bedfordshire, few could have imagined a significantly improved campaign should Coppell’s prediction prove true.

Nine months later, Crystal Palace had won their first major trophy, finished as England’s thirdhighest club and earned a rightful claim to compete in Europe.

“We had the mentality to a certain extent which was a little bit non-league - something to prove,” Coppell says today. “We all appreciated we weren’t a bad side, which is not a bad starting point.”

That starting point swiftly developed when Palace opened their campaign with a 10-match unbeaten run, moving to the top spots almost instantly and staying there stubbornly. (The club would sit third from December 16th onwards – not dropping or climbing a single place throughout 22 rounds.)

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We had the mentality to a certain extent which was a little bit non-league

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Two defeats in their opening 20 games made Palace one of the league’s most competitive outfits and an 8-0 League Cup victory over Southend United set out their stall: the Eagles were there to fight.

“We were really fit and wanted to play at a tempo not many teams could handle,” Coppell says. “When you’ve got a strike partnership of [Ian] Wright and [Mark] Bright, people loading the bullets like [Eddie] McGoldrick and [John] Salako, when you’ve got a real solid back four of Eric Young, Andy Thorn organising, two really good full-backs and a top, top quality goalkeeper – an awful lot of good things can happen. And they did that year.

The way we played at that time was almost clockwork; we had a style of play which was direct, I’d be the first to say that

“The one thing I remember about that season more than anything was we didn’t make many changes… We had [a squad of] 17, 18 or 19. It wasn’t as if you could make wholesale changes, and the players wanted to play rather than run up and down Farthing Downs [then the club’s rudimentary fitness routine].

“I think it was very much a rolling stone. The way we played at that time was almost clockwork; we had a style of play which was direct, I’d be the first to say that.

“We had a mentality… We trained on Saturday mornings before games. Things like that just don’t happen anymore. We went to a lovely Italian restaurant for the pre-match meal after we trained;

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When you’re winning you enjoy playing and you enjoy winning. You want to keep it going – you don’t want to fall off a cliff in a game which might be perceived as lesser official matchday programme

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we drove from the ground to the restaurant in Thornton Heath and then drove back. It seems like a lifetime ago, but it worked for us. We got into a routine with all these games where we just felt we could beat anybody.”

Coppell calls winning “a lovely habit to have” and explains that his gritty squad, gleaned from the cut turf of lower league football, regarded each and every game as a chance to sustain their momentum. That included the Full Members’ – or Zenith Data Systems – Cup, a tournament devised partially by Chairman Ron Noades for clubs in the top two flights.

Thirty-nine teams took part in 90/91 with a Wembley clash at stake – but the competition’s significance was open to debate then as it is now.

For Coppell, none of that mattered. He had matches to win.

“I wasn’t bothered what competition we played in because we wanted to win the game, whoever we played against, whenever.

“It wasn’t a question of: ‘Let’s target this because it’s a route to Wembley.’ I think everyone was aware that it’s the ZDS, it’s not the FA Cup, but let’s just go in trying to win the games. When you’re winning you enjoy playing and you enjoy winning. You want to keep it going – you don’t want to fall off a cliff in a game which might be perceived as lesser.”

With that mindset the Eagles dispatched Bristol Rovers, Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton and, over two legs, Norwich City. The rolling stone was going to Wembley.

“We knew Everton under Howard Kendall were an entity,” Coppell says of his second final in two years – facing the Toffees on April 7th, 1991.

“They had real good players – a very, very capable team. I would say they would have expected to win.

“Similarly, for us to return to Wembley although it wasn’t obviously the big game - was

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a chance to put things right and it was possibly

Trophy secured, history made, Palace reacted

very close to the team that should have played the

as only Palace could: “After that final,” Coppell

year before, with Bright and Wright up front. He

remembers, “we hadn’t planned a celebration

[Wright] was a cat on a hot tin roof at the best of

or banquet dinner or anything like that. I seem

times, but he felt this was very much his chance

to remember meeting up with quite a few of the

to prove himself to everybody… Going in to it was

players at a bar in Cheam just to have a few beers.

almost redemption.”

And that was somehow typical of the team.

The Wembley turf still vividly bore markings

“It wasn’t: ‘We’ve won a final at Wembley,

from an American football game the night before

we should go to the Royal Garden and have a sit-

and the final itself was a dogged affair, with both

down banquet.’ I think even later that night, after

sides collecting cards and, in Martin Keown’s

a couple of beers with the players in Cheam, we

case, a broken nose. Geoff Thomas put Palace

went back to Ron’s and he was having an open

ahead after 66 physical minutes before Robert

house with players coming in and out. To a certain

Warzycha levelled almost instantly. Mirroring

extent, it was amateur hour after winning a cup

1990, extra time loomed.

final at Wembley!”

Coppell recalls: “If you’d have said to our

On his way up the Wembley steps to lift the

players ‘you’re playing extra time,’ they’d have said:

trophy, Coppell quietly told Noades: ‘This is the first

‘Well, it doesn’t matter. We’re fitter than everyone

of many.’ That night in Cheam, the pair could be

else.’ It was the mentality we had.

forgiven for thinking their relentless work in the late

“[Going into extra time,] I would have said [to the team] the cards are stacked our way. I always felt that season we could score from nothing. Every

‘80s had finally paid off and transformed Palace into one of England’s highest flyers.

After all, with second-placed Liverpool banned

team has a way of scoring – our way of scoring

from European competitions for a third year, the

was to get the ball out wide, get crosses in and

third-placed south Londoners were just weeks

score goals… But also we had that wonderful

away from continental qualification themselves.

addition to the armoury that we could score a goal

Such a feat would likely glue a much-lauded team

from nothing.

together and bring the club the funds required

“I would have hopefully confidently spoken

for sustained top-flight success. The reality was

about our full repertoire of scoring goals and given

far harsher. Liverpool’s ban was lifted early, and

them confidence to maintain the way we played.

Palace were excluded from the UEFA Cup they had

We didn’t really have a Plan B, I’d be the first to

once seemed guaranteed.

admit that. We played our way. We had a Plan A

Coppell’s voice drops to an almost sombre

and our Plan B was to play Plan A better. We didn’t

tone as conversation turns to the decision.

defer to: ‘Well, we’ve tried this way of playing so

Always considered, the former manager starts

now we’ll knock it around and keep possession

picking his words audibly: “Ron was working

forever.’ No. We wanted to score goals.”

hard to get it to break our way, but there was too

Eventually, Saturday morning sessions and

much hurt from what had happened previously.

tackling Farthing Downs guided Palace through a

It was very much whatever we said was going

dominant 30 minutes: Wright bagging either side of

to be insignificant, it was part of a bigger game.

a Salako header.

The fact that little Crystal Palace was a casualty

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If you’d have said to our players ‘you’re playing extra time,’ they’d have said: ‘Well, it doesn’t matter.

We’re fitter than everyone else.’ It was the mentality we had

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You don’t find someone who’s going to get you 20-odd goals a year. You aspire to, you work your socks off, you go up and down those motorways and you try

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in that bigger game was, to the

“All players grew with us and grew together,”

decision makers, insignificant. And I

Coppell says. “Then all of a sudden we were put

understand that. I didn’t like it, but it

in this situation where we had to sign like for like

was very much a huge influence on

replacements… Looking back, we couldn’t predict -

Crystal Palace’s future.

because we’d never been through this before - the way

“We knew Ian Wright was like a ticking timebomb. We knew he would

the future was going to go.”

Palace were eventually relegated in 1992/93 and

be sought after, 100%. I certainly felt

Coppell resigned shortly after. The struggle those

at the end of that season that we’d

seasons posed make the club’s earlier success even

finished third in the league, won a

starker. But they didn’t begin to diminish its impact.

trophy at Wembley, had a great season - he’ll want to stay here and fulfil his ambition with us. I felt that was realistic.

“That summer, after we were denied Europe, people had obviously been speaking to Ian and he made it known to me - very, very genuinely, it wasn’t sneaky – he said: ‘I feel as if I’ve got to go to really achieve my ambitions.’ That was the sad thing, not just for me – for everybody. One man doesn’t make a team, but he made a hell of a difference.

“At the time it was almost as if: ‘Right, if he goes, we’ll get somebody else. We’ll find another one.’ But you don’t find another one. You don’t find someone who’s going to get you

It was his happiest time from a coach’s perspective and, from a manager’s, I must admit it was a lovely warm feeling… We were very conscious of making history for Crystal Palace

20-odd goals a year. You aspire to, you work your socks off, you go up and down those motorways and you try. But the attitude of other players changed because of that.”

Sure enough, the following 16 months saw Palace’s nucleus collapse: first Phil Barber, then

“I remember sitting with [then-first-team coach] Ian Branfoot after games and he’d say: ‘Can you believe this? They can’t handle us. They can’t deal with us.’

“I speak with Ian today and he says to me: ‘That

Wright, Pardew, Jeff Hopkins, Andy

was the best year ever.’ It was his happiest time from a

Gray and Bright. By November, 1995,

coach’s perspective and, from a manager’s, I must admit

just one man - Nigel Martyn - would

it was a lovely warm feeling… We were very conscious

remain from the Full Members’ final.

of making history for Crystal Palace.”

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stepping up

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copers cope

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NATURAL CAFFEINE ZERO SUGAR HYDRATION ENERGY official matchday programme now available countrywide

for SPORT

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Club legend Darren Ambrose has gone from the squad list on the back page to guest columnist. The Eagles icon brings you his opinions, insight and untold stories throughout the 2020/21 season.

darren ambrose

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New manager, still bouncing When Chelsea let Frank Lampard go, I, along

came in and added his calmness, a different voice and that’s all we needed. Thomas Tuchel has come in and given the players the kick up the backside they needed.

with a lot of other people, felt it was probably

But it works both ways. I had Sir Bobby

wrong to get rid of him so early. But Thomas

Robson as manager at Newcastle United and it

Tuchel coming in has perhaps proved it was the

was no secret that he admired me as a football

right decision. Chelsea have crept into fourth

player. I’d had discussions with him in pre-

spot, are the in-form team, are unbeaten under

season and was going to be his wideman along

Tuchel, in an FA Cup semi-final and I can see

with James Milner. We were part of his plan

them getting past Porto and into the Champions

before I got injured and Sir Bobby lost his job.

League semi-finals.

Graeme Souness came in while I was injured

Tuchel seems to have brought a real

and that never helps. I wasn’t his kind of player

enthusiasm. He looks delighted to be there and

and from that moment I thought it wasn’t going

the players seem to be buying in to the freshness

to work. He brought in Lee Bowyer and Nicky

he’s brought. That’s good; you want the best

Butt: real grafters and that wasn’t me – I liked

managers in the Premier League. This is going to

the flair of the game and was never known for

be a very tough game for Palace.

my defensive ability. That changed my course at

It’s a cliché and Chelsea are well beyond the honeymoon period but I personally enjoyed

Newcastle and I joined Charlton within a year.

On the flipside, George Burley’s arrival at

the fresh start when a new manager arrives.

Palace was a key point in convincing me to stay

He’ll have a meeting with everyone who hasn’t

when the club was in turmoil. There were talks

been playing and whatever happened previously

of me joining Queens Park Rangers but George

has nothing to do with the future. If you’re good

brought me through the ranks at Ipswich and

enough and he sees it on the training pitch,

I really respected him. He and the consortium

you’re playing. If I’m one of the outcasts and a

under Steve Parish convinced me to stay.

player in my position knows I’m a decent player, that pushes him on. I’ve been there myself,

Trophy’s a trophy

looking back, seeing a couple of outcasts and

Whether the Zenith Data Systems Cup ranks

thinking: ‘They’re good players – they could take

as one of England’s top honours or not isn’t

my place and I have to up my game.’

for me to decide, but winning a team trophy

Of course, there are also examples where

is the one thing I look back on my career and

it doesn’t change, like Paul Hart in 2010. That’s

wish I’d done. I won a few individual trophies,

not to say Paul Hart didn’t do what he does as a

a few Young Player of the Seasons, Player of

manager, but he’s spoken about this publicly: he

the Seasons and I have Goal of the Seasons

didn’t need to do much. The players took it upon

coming out of my ears, but I didn’t ever win a

themselves and, when we were in the situation

first-team trophy.

we were in 2010, it wouldn’t have mattered if

I went into every cup wanting to win.

there was a manager. We knew what we had

Dougie Freedman knew that when he led us to

to do and knew how we had to do it. Paul Hart

the 2011/12 League Cup semi-final. He would

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say I was desperate to play every game.

I didn’t want to be rested because you have an opportunity to go on and win and I wanted a trophy as much as anything.

Duty calls I used to love going away with England Under-21s. When you return you have that extra bit of confidence: you’ve been away with the national side. You go back and the ones who haven’t gone ask how it was.

But when I became too old for the Under-21s, I had to rival David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes and others for the senior team. It was the England darlings and I didn’t stand a chance. You had to be consistently playing at the top end of the Premier League in those days and I wasn’t. So I was gutted not to be going away on international breaks and being the one asking how it was made me want to be there – I’d had the taste and there was a bit of jealously, to be honest.

In those days, if you weren’t in the Premier League, England wouldn’t come looking. It’s changed since my time but when I was playing, you were in trouble if

I used to love going away with England Under-21s. When you return you have that extra bit of confidence: you’ve been away with the national side

you weren’t in the big six. Even recently, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was the best full-back in the league by a distance at Palace and didn’t have a shout. He went to Manchester United and was picked in the first squad.

Other than that, England has changed drastically since I was playing because there are players from Leeds and Southampton in the squad. One key change is how close the Under-21s are to the firstteam: it’s a natural progression for those who do well in the U21s. In my day, the senior squad still seemed miles away.

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today’s mascots

Luke age: 10

Ruby age: 10

Alexa age: 7

Junior EAgles

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Foundation In Focus Palace for Life Foundation have teamed up with Planet Super League to deliver a

To sign your family up please go to: psl.football.

new Social Action programme with local schools. Pupils will learn all about how to become more sustainable through workshops around food, travel, energy and waste, and will create their own green project at the school.

The programme also encourages families to sign-up to take part in Planet Super League - where they can learn how to be more sustainable as a family at home, and complete challenges to earn points for Crystal Palace, competing against other clubs participating across the county - as well as competing for prizes!

Guess who

Badge jumble

Can you guess the four players from today’s

Can you work out four of Patrick van Aanholt’s

opponents in the below face mash-up?

previous loans from the mixed-up badges?

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31 Check out the answers at the bottom of this page!

wordsearch

spot the difference

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Can you find the five differences in these

words below?

two Palace pictures?

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Tuchel, Blues, Cahill, Moses, Giroud, Michy.

Now make a sentence that includes all of the words you’ve found!

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Leicester City 4 Wigan Athletic Spot The Difference:

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Est.

1905 opposition

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chelsea match preview Since Thomas Tuchel’s south-west London arrival in January, Chelsea have drastically reversed a New Year’s blip that saw their opening surge to third slump towards mid-table.

Until falling to West Bromwich Albion in a shock loss, Tuchel was undefeated as manager in the Blues dugout, collecting 22 points from 10 league games and progressing in both the FA Cup and Champions League.

The manager left Paris SaintGermain and became the first to go unbeaten in his first 13 matches in charge of the club. This commendable start has lifted Chelsea back up to fourth place and returned them to the fight for Champions League football.

The challenge for Palace will be halting the Blues’ recent momentum as the Baggies did last weekend.

The Eagles will have a shot at this if they can replicate their performance in a gripping 3-2 defeat in which Chelsea opened the scoring when Gary Cahill pulled up injured minutes after kicking-off.

There’s not much between Chelsea and the top three. Daniel Storey analyses how they might close the gap on Page 44 and you can test your Blues knowledge on Page 47!

official matchday programme

Thomas Tuchel:

the teams that stand out as successful are those who fight for one another.

Those teams that sacrifice for one another, that push one another recent outings

2-0

w {h) 21.03.21

2-0

w {h) 17.03.21

0-0

d {a) 13.03.21

35

35

The blues premier league wins

all-timers John Terry

311

Frank Lampard

272

Petr Čech

219

Didier Drogba

172

147

Didier Drogba

104

Eden Hazard

85

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

69

premier league goals

Frank Lampard

last time out 16 15 06 28 03 17 05 24 10 22 11

2-5

Mendy Zouma Silva Azpilicueta Alonso Kovacic Jorginho James Pulisic Ziyech Werner

16 28

24

06

05

17

22

opposition

15

03

10 11

opposition

16

player profile

36

Age

29

Height

1.97m

Joined

24th September, 2020

Debut

29th September, 2020 v Tottenham

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Cherbourg, Reims & Rennes

02

Édouard Mendy POSITION: GOALKEEPER NATIONALITY: SENEGAL

04

Influenced by former Blues shot stopper Petr Čech, Mendy arrived at Chelsea last year and became a regular starter almost immediately. After keeping a clean sheet on his league debut against Palace, Mendy showcased the calibre that has

Antonio Rüdiger

Andreas Christensen

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: GERMANY

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: DENMARK

earned him 10 international caps

06

to date. Alongside Cheikhou Kouyaté, he was part of the Senegal squad which finished runners-up in AFCON 2019.

25 apps 14 clean sheets official matchday programme

Thiago Silva

Kurt Zouma

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: BRAZIL

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: FRANCE

15

37

24

Reece James

César Azpilicueta

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: SPAIN

33

37

28

120 apps 32 clean sheets

21 05 Ben Chilwell

Emerson

Jorginho

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: ITALY

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: ITALY

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

player profile

Signed from Leicester City on a five-year contract with over

Age

24

Height

1.78m

to his name aged just 23,

Joined

26th August, 2020

as one of the league’s most

Debut

23rd September, 2020 v Barnsley

130 professional appearances Chilwell was and still is seen competent full-backs. He claimed an assist on his debut in the League Cup before netting and assisting in his first league outing for the Blues.

PREVIOUS CLUB: Leicester City

opposition

opposition

38

10

17

Christian Pulisic

Mateo Kovacic

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: USA

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: CROATIA

189 apps 109 wins

07 20

19

Callum Hudson-Odoi

N'Golo Kanté

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: FRANCE

player profile

Mason Mount

The engine room in Chelsea’s

Age

30

Height

1.68m

Kanté has played 40+ games in

Joined

16th July, 2016

sidelined only by injury in

Debut

15th August, 2016 v West Ham United

midfield since signing in 2016, three of his four Blues seasons, 2019/20. With 36 appearances to his name in 20/21, the Frenchman is well on track to end as one of Chelsea’s most played players again.

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Boulogne, Caen & Leicester City

official matchday programme

39

player profile

11

39

Age

25

Height

1.8m

Joined

1st July, 2020

Debut

14th September, 2020 v Brighton

PREVIOUS CLUBS: VfB Stuttgart & RB Leipzig

22

Timo Werner POSITION: FORWARD NATIONALITY: GERMANY

09

One of several signings in summer 2020, Werner arrived in London with 95 goals from 159 RB Leipzig appearances.

The forward’s time with Chelsea began slower, but Werner has still earned 10 goals and seven assists this season – more than any other Blue.

Hakim Ziyech

Tammy Abraham

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: MOROCCO

POSITION: FORWARD NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

18

If he can replicate his form for Leipzig, Werner would solve several of Chelsea's problems.

29 apps 05 goals

29

Olivier Giroud

Kai Havertz

POSITION: FORWARD NATIONALITY: FRANCE

POSITION: FORWARD NATIONALITY: GERMANY

opposition

opposition

40

#20

#18

benteke

Giroud

player comparison

Age 30

position Forward

nationality bel

Age 34

position Forward

nationality fra

apps

goals

Assists

apps

goals

Assists

21

28

Clearances

Headed goals

Big chances created

Shooting accuracy

Passes per match

Clearances

Headed goals

90

Passes per match

252

Shooting accuracy

77

Big chances created

248

31

39%

24.4

240

29

41

39%

19.5

187

32

official matchday programme

41

41

#17

#21

Clyne

chilwell

player comparison

Age 30

position Defender

nationality eng

Age 24

position Defender

nationality eng

apps

Clean sheets

Tackles

apps

Clean sheets

Tackles

Tackles

Big chances created

cross accuracy

Passes per match

Clearances

61%

Clearances

32

Passes per match

120

cross accuracy

69%

Big chances created

55

Tackles

198

488

15

19%

41.3

429

189

13

18%

47.8

298

opposition

opposition

42

officialLOCK matchday programme

EXPLODE

PLAY

43

Palace have lost their last six Premier League matches against Chelsea, their worst-ever losing run against the Blues in league football

29

Chelsea have won eight of their last 10 away Premier League matches against Crystal Palace (L2), with those eight wins coming under seven different managers

36 2

2

season so far

32

46

GOALS

263 429 SHOTS

25

45

48

30

EXPECTED GOALS

GOALS CONCEDED

40

12

61

AVERAGE POSSESSION %

46

24

EXPECTED GOALS AGAINST

10

5

SHOT CONVERSION RATE %

8

POINTS GAINED AFTER TRAILING

7

15

CLEAN SHEETS

9

10

POINTS DROPPED AFTER LEADING

goal times time

SCORED

CONCEDED

time

SCORED

CONCEDED

0-15

7

9

0-15

3

4

16-30

6

8

16-30

7

5

31-45

5

3

31-45

8

8

46-60

4

10

46-60

7

7

61-75

4

5

61-75

9

3

76-90

6

13

76-90

12

3

opposition

44

what’s the storey @danielstorey85

third. That left the Blues exposed to the counter-attack and often consigned them to entertaining, high-scoring matches, some of which they won and some they lost.

in Tuchel’s first 14 games in charge, Chelsea have kept 12 clean sheets and conceded only twice

Their 3-2 win at Selhurst Park in this fixture last season

Columnist Daniel Storey can be

was the perfect example.

heard on The Totally Football Show

Thomas Tuchel’s first

and conceded only twice

and seen in the Irish Examiner, the

act as Chelsea manager was

(one of those was scored

i paper and many more.

to commend the virtues of

by a Chelsea player). From

control to his squad. Never

a freeform, attacking and

again would Chelsea get

expansive team, Chelsea have

caught with six players high

become a defensive force.

Solving the Lampard problem

up the pitch, even if that

But it’s not just the goals.

Chelsea were not a poor

has occasionally threatened

Since Tuchel’s appointment,

side under Frank Lampard. In

to curb their attacking

Chelsea have faced the

his first season, the former

enthusiasm. Suddenly the

fewest shots and shots

midfielder coped with the

south-west Londoners are

on target in the Premier

effects of a transfer ban

a completely different team

League. They ranked fourth

and the loss of Eden Hazard,

to watch and play against.

and second by the same

easily their best attacking

measures under Lampard this

years. He kept Chelsea in

Defensive masterclasses

the top four, gave some of

Conventional wisdom dictates

his side allowed opponents.

the academy graduates

that new managers appointed

Now you have to be almost

greater responsibility and

mid-season can enjoy a post-

perfect to create multiple

was dismissed from his role

arrival bounce, but that it is

clearcut opportunities

at a time that allowed for his

incredibly difficult to overhaul

against Chelsea.

reputation to stay fairly intact.

a playing style overnight;

player in the preceding five

But Lampard was unable to solve one nagging flaw

Tuchel has upset that theory.

In Lampard’s last 12

season, but the issue was the quality of chances that

Kanté back to his best

and it ultimately defined his

matches in charge, Chelsea

For a while, it felt like N’Golo

tenure. Chelsea struggled to

kept three clean sheets

Kanté had got a little lost

break down opponents that

(West Ham United, Fulham,

somewhere in the Chelsea noise.

preferred to sit deep and their

Morecambe) and conceded

Maurizio Sarri picked him in

only obvious response was

15 goals. In Tuchel’s first 14

an advanced midfield role that

to push more players forward

games in charge, Chelsea

failed to get the best out of his

to try and overload the final

have kept 12 clean sheets

obvious capacity for tackling and

official matchday programme

45

45

intercepting. Lampard played Kanté in his natural role but again never saw his best form.

Between August 2015 and May 2019, kanté featured in 220 matches for club and country at a rate of one every six days

Rotating the forwards The other failure labelled against Lampard this season was his inability to get the club’s new attacking arrivals firing. Hakim Ziyech started well and then

There were two

flattered to deceive, Kai Havertz had no obvious set

explanations for that. Firstly,

position and Timo Werner struggled for goals even

Chelsea’s tendency under

if his link-up play remained largely excellent. With

Lampard to push players

Tammy Abraham, Olivier Giroud, Callum Hudson-Odoi

forward often left Kanté

and Christian Pulisic also pushing for starts, there is

exposed - he is a brilliant

an argument that Lampard had too many options and

midfielder but he is only one

became a little confused.

midfielder. Secondly, Kanté played an awful lot of football and looked jaded. Between August 2015 and May 2019, he featured in 220 matches for club and country at a rate of one every six days.

That is an issue Tuchel is yet to solve. For all the improvements in Chelsea’s defensive output (of course, that improvement has been rapid and significant enough to overshadow any flaws), his team have rarely looked like a fully cohesive attacking unit. That’s partly down to service - playing two pivots in midfield can leave the forwards a little isolated - but also because Werner is

Kanté as a holding midfielder and rested him during his early weeks in charge, he’s picking him as part of a ‘double six’ duo with either Mateo Kovačić or Jorginho. If that extra layer of protection can make Chelsea a little sluggish in transition, it allows those midfielders to pick and choose their battles. Kanté is back to his all-tackling, allintercepting, all-firefighting best.

opposition

still not scoring goals regularly.

Tuchel’s part-solution to this problem has been to constantly rotate his forward line - and their positions during his time in charge. He has set Chelsea up in either a 3-4-2-1 with one central striker or 3-4-1-2 with two. He has played Giroud, Abraham and Werner as the central striker and tried Werner in a deeper role. Hudson-Odoi has played at right wing-back, right-sided forward and in a front two. Ziyech and Havertz have played centrally and wide. The only exception to the flux is Mason Mount, who has always played centrally, either as a lone No.10 or as part of a pair behind a central striker.

daniel storey

Statistics correct as of April 2nd

Tuchel has not just kept

146 LIVE GAMES 46

47

Questions linking Palace and today’s opponents that will test even the biggest Eagles fan. Time to earn your ‘Palace Encyclopaedia’ nickname.

01

06 Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored his first goal for

How many times did former Eagles loanee

Palace in a 2-1 win over who?

Ashely Cole win the FA Cup?

02

07 Gary Cahill made his Palace debut against

Which Serie A and Ligue 1 giants did Ray

which side?

Wilkins play for?

08

03 When Steve Kember was made Palace

During his playing days, did Terry Venables

captain in 1971, he replaced which recently

make more appearances for the Blues or the

sold player?

Eagles?

04 Palace fell to a 3-1 defeat in their first ever

09 True or false: Steve Kember rejoined Palace

Premier League clash against today’s

from Chelsea?

opponents. Which Eagles defender turned through his own net that day?

10 05

Seven Englishmen started the most recent Across Chelsea and Palace, how many

game between Palace and Chelsea.

appearances did Neil Sullivan make?

Can you name them?

answers Mitchell, Andros Townsend, Eberechi Eze 8 The Blues 9 False (Leicester City) 10 Ben Chilwell, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Tammy Abraham, Joel Ward, Tyrick 1 Stoke City 2 Manchester United 3 John Sewell 4 Richard Shaw 5 Nine 6 Seven 7 AC Milan and PSG opposition opposition quiz

48

49

fantasy dinner party

KEVIN HART As a comedian and actor, I just love him. I’ve watched his documentaries and I love that he’s a family man who works hard. He’d just make the table hilarious.

LEBRON JAMES This week, Academy graduate and former Palace midfielder Sean Scannell holds nothing back with a

cannell

heavyweight guestlist.

I think he is one of the greatest athletes to grace this earth and you could learn a lot from him.

Denzel Washington Because I think his work rate, and everything about him to be one of the best actors, is phenomenal. I love him as an actor - I’ve watched all his films.

LIONEL MESSI He’s the greatest footballer to ever grace this earth. He doesn’t even need to speak, I just want to see him there at the table.

BOB MARLEY I love Bob Marley, think he’s a magician and love his music. Everything about him – the way he was chilled and relaxed, I think it’s amazing. I listen to his music all the time, even before games.

fantasy dinner party

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51

Over the road at Copers Cope

reece hannam Copers Cope Road is home to Palace’s firstteam Training Ground and, just a few steps down on the other side of the road, you’ll find the Eagles’ Category 1 Academy complex.

over the road at copers cope

52

F

ootballers are adept at finding the platitudes necessary to ensure the professionalism and

dedication they’ve had to master is clear.

Crystal Palace’s Reece Hannam has all of his peers’ qualities, but manages to convey them with consideration – skirting the vagueness of ‘knucklingdown’ while making his commitment to football abundantly clear.

The 20-year-old’s drive is evident through his past as much as it is his words, however, having started his pre-Academy career aged six, coached himself between clubs during lockdown and earned a contract extension just months into his original deal.

It was this focus that saw Hannam join a Premier League bench on the oneyear anniversary of being released by his club of 11 years, West Ham United. It takes more than platitudes to recover so strongly, after all. “[Being released] was tough,” Hannam says today, having made five senior Palace squads. “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t. When you’re somewhere for so many years, it becomes a home where your family is.

“I came to Palace for two or three days [on trial] and that’s when we all went into lockdown, football got cancelled and it was so uncertain. I didn’t know if I was going to get a contract because clubs were financially affected differently. It was all a bit upside down.

“Crystal Palace completely took me under their wing and treated me like I was one of their own players at that time, which was really helpful.

official matchday programme

as soon as crystal palace did give me a contract for a season, i was so happy someone had belief in me

53

“[But] from March till September I just had to take it upon myself and question how hard I wanted a contract.

I had to look myself in the mirror and put in the work because there was no one in front of me, no coaches in the park with

every minute you’re just preparing, making sure you’re ready to go on the pitch

me to be able to say: ‘Come on, Reece,

it’s for a series of weeks. All the players take you

push yourself.’

under their wing and try to share the knowledge

“At West Ham I’d hardly played

that they’ve had in their successful careers. You

that season [19/20]. I was constantly

just need to listen to them and take on board as

going through little injuries, which was

much as you can.”

frustrating. As soon as Crystal Palace did

That knowledge would soon come into play.

give me a contract for a season, I was so

Pulling up to the training ground car park on

happy someone had belief in me and had

Saturday, 27th February, Hannam got a call from

shown they trusted me. Being completely

Player Liaison Officer, Danny Young. ‘Listen,’ he

honest, as much as I wanted to do it for

was told, ‘we’ve got the pre-match analysis and

myself, I wanted to prove Crystal Palace

I think you’re going to be in the squad tomorrow.’

right for putting their trust in me. I wanted

Sure enough, the next day Hannam would be

to come in and work hard every day. I

sat alongside Scott Dann, Michy Batshuayi and

knew I had a one-year contract and I just

Tyrick Mitchell as the Eagles drew with Fulham at

wanted to extend that further.”

Selhurst Park.

Hannam’s short-term deal gave him

“That game was on the same day I was

one season to prove himself to his newly

released by West Ham last season, which made it

adopted club. Needless to say, it didn’t

even more special,” Hannam says. “Every minute

take long, and the left-back found himself

you’re just preparing, making sure you’re ready

training alongside the first-team early

to go on the pitch. You never know how many

in 2021.

chances you’re going to get: it could just be one

“Everyone knows what football at the top is like,” Hannam says, reflecting on his first trips across Copers Cope

minute at the end of the game and you’ve got to be ready.”

A contract extension followed in the coming

Road. “It’s a ruthless environment and

days and Hannam spent yet more time with the

everyone’s on edge when you go over –

Palace first-team. A senior debut is yet to come,

but when I first went over, everyone was

but if anyone understands the work it will take to

really welcoming… I cherished every

secure one, Hannam does.

moment of it because I knew how tough

“When I did sign the one-year contract, I then

it is up there. You have to fight for your

worked really hard during the season, made sure

place every day.

I was playing at the top of my game and doing

“They’re really welcoming to the

everything possible for the club to potentially give

boys that do cross the road and train

me a new contract. As soon as that came, it was a

there, whether it’s a one-off or whether

day to be proud of.”

over the road at copers cope

55

From the club’s current or past employees to unsung heroes, people looking to make a difference to those who have found fame: south London is a special place to live, work and experience.

This week, operational lead at the Selhurst Park vaccination site, Asha Ramful, offers an insight into life battling COVID-19 at a Premier League stadium.

Voices of south london

56

Asha, describe your role in the vaccination process at Selhurst Park.

I am the operational lead for the Crystal Palace vaccination site. This means I make sure we have the right number of staff, with the right skills, ready to vaccinate local people. I’m also responsible for ordering and managing vaccine

IT’S A PRIVILEGE TO BE PART OF THIS COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO GET THE PANDEMIC UNDER CONTROL

supplies to ensure we have enough stock in the fridge to vaccinate each day.

What has the club done to support you in the process of setting this centre up?

Where do you typically work and what do

CPFC has made a very significant contribution

your days look like currently compared with

to the local vaccination programme and the wider

‘normal’ times?

south-west London vaccination effort.

My day job is as a senior sister in the

We have been welcomed in the Glazier

Orthopaedic Centre at Epsom General

Lounge, which provides a safe and socially

Hospital, where I run the post-surgery unit and

distanced area for my team to function effectively.

specialise in high dependency and intensive

My staff have a dedicated rest area for breaks, as

care following orthopaedic surgery, such as a

well as office space for administration.

total hip or knee replacement.

Coronavirus has changed the way we

The CPFC team has made us very welcome, providing refreshments as well as on-site car

work in the NHS and the orthopaedic centre is

parking. A special thank you must go to all of the

no different. We have adapted how we work,

volunteers and official marshals who have worked

including social distancing at two-metres

tirelessly in all weathers to ensure the smooth

and wearing masks for the duration of our

running of the site.

shifts. All patients must also be tested prior to their surgery to ensure they are COVID-free,

The country and NHS have been commended for

which takes a lot more time to ensure all the

a united national effort, with vaccinations

paperwork is in place.

taking place in stadiums, places of worship, racecourses and other unique locations. How

How many people are being vaccinated per

does it feel to be at the heart of that? And

day at Selhurst? Are you and your colleagues

just how vast has the effort been?

pleased with the current volume?

Since the opening of the site on February

I feel absolutely honoured to be contributing to the national vaccination effort and it’s exciting

1st, 2021, we have been vaccinating between

to be doing this as part of the Selhurst Park

300-400 patients per day. During this time, we

team in such an iconic setting. This is the largest

were also setting up new teams for the site and

vaccination programme in the NHS’s history and

others, providing training and getting to grips

the effort is mammoth to ensure we can continue

with new software. In the coming weeks, as

to vaccinate millions of people as quickly as

supply ramps up, we aim to be vaccinating up

possible. It’s a privilege to be part of this collective

to 1,000 patients per day.

effort to get the pandemic under control.

official matchday programme

57

How does walking in to work at a Premier League stadium feel?

Football is a big part of our family life; my youngest son plays for Banstead Village F.C, so driving him to training and matches used to take up much of the weekend prior to the lockdown.

He is also a big fan and after his own games enjoys watching all the Premier League matches.

Unfortunately, however, he is a Chelsea fan.

Walking into the grounds of a Premier League club in the first week was extremely exciting. I am used to working in a hospital environment, so it has been very different; however I’m now beginning to feel very much at home working at Selhurst Park.

The past year must be one of the most turbulent of your career. The NHS has, of course, been the subject of attention and praise now more than ever. What’s the feeling among you and your colleagues – do you allow yourself to feel proud, or might that come later, when the pandemic becomes a little less relentless?

In the first wave, the severity of the illness, the volume of patients and the workload were relentless. But, despite moments of anxiety and burnout, no one gave up. We all worked to the best of our abilities.

Now I am helping to tackle the virus from a different perspective, as part of the vaccination programme. The workload remains significant but is increasingly satisfying as we work towards returning to some degree of normality.

On reflection, I am very impressed by our team effort and the care we have provided to our patients as well as the support we have given each other. The NHS is a unique organisation with staff that are dedicated and resilient. And I am proud to be part of it.

voices of south london

58

palace for life Thousands of local people in need have continued to receive healthy and nutritious food thanks to the Palace Kitchen project being extended throughout March.

In 2020, Crystal Palace F.C. and Palace for Life Foundation launched Palace Kitchen to

some families are really struggling to feed their children; they have said the meals have been a lifesaver

provide a lifeline to vulnerable

by saying: “We have been feeding up to 94

individuals and families, including

homeless people in a shelter. They are so handy

the homeless, those in emergency

- already made up which saves a lot of time

housing, and the elderly.

without preparing them.

Since then, over 27,000

“We have also been giving these out to

meals have been distributed by

families with children. Some families are really

Palace Kitchen and throughout

struggling to feed their children; they have said

March club chefs continued to

the meals have been a lifesaver as they are

prepare 1,200 meals a week,

having to eat more at home.”

which were delivered across

City Harvest have also distributed

south London by project partner

meals to Caius House Youth Centre, where a

City Harvest.

spokesperson said: “Caius House would like to

Homeless Britain is one

thank Crystal Palace F.C. for the meals that they

of 10 local charities the meals

provided to us. We distributed the meals to the

have been distributed to, feeding

families in the local area and the families that

almost 100 people in one of their

have children attending our nursery.

shelters. Mike from Homeless

“The feedback was very positive. Parents

Britain expressed his gratitude

were grateful to have a meal prepped for them

official matchday programme

59

and their family at a time when they are feeling overwhelmed - it helped take the pressure off them.

Meals were also delivered to young people living independently, which were appreciated. They even realised they like jackfruit!”

The Palace Kitchen was set up with funding from Crystal Palace F.C. and individual shareholders to cover the costs of purchasing fresh ingredients, preparing nutritious meals and safely packing and labelling them ready for collection and distribution.

Since its formation, the Palace Kitchen has supported thousands of families throughout south London during this tough time.

More than £10,000 was raised for the initiative through the generosity of Palace fans, who have donated through a JustGiving page, and funds have also been raised by supporters who have taken part in the Palace for Life Super Draw.

MARATHON MARCH 2021 5th anniversary The Palace for Life Marathon March returns for 2021 with a south London route followed Palace for Life Foundation chief executive Mike Summers said: “We are grateful to the club for the funding, which enabled us to set up the project, and to the continuing generosity of Palace fans, which has allowed us to continue running it. We would also like to thank our partners City Harvest, who pick up the meals each day from Selhurst Park and distribute them to local voluntary

by a Palace party at Selhurst Park. Join the fifth anniversary Marathon March by visiting palaceforlife.org and searching:

marathon march 2021

organisations on the front line.”

palace for life

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GAME CHANGER footballfoundation.org.uk

61

game that changed my career A footballer’s debut is, understandably, usually the game that means the most to them; hard work rewarded and a dream achieved. However, that footballing bow doesn’t necessarily represent the 90 minutes that had the biggest impact on a player’s career.

2-0 Aston Villa v Swansea City 15th September, 2012 Premier League

Throughout this season, we will be talking to past and present Eagles to find out which match has had the biggest bearing on their life.

This week, Christian Benteke looks back to the start of a spell in which he netted an eye-

Enteke

watering 49 goals from 101 games.

I will say my debut for Aston Villa. Playing in the Premier League was a dream. When I got there, I said to myself: ‘You’re there, now it’s time to show people.’ I was living my dream – that was a nice feeling.

Now it’s something, especially after the pandemic, that I will never, ever take for granted. It is a nice memory – it will be different [when fans are back] because we’ve become so used to hard times, but that will be great.

game that changed my career

62 @pnm1979

official matchday programme

63

2014/15 The good, the bad and the ugly: Kit or Miss reviews those desirable gems, those best-forgotten strips and does a bit of market research for those of you looking to snap up some of the Eagles’ iconic shirts.

This week, Patrick van Aanholt models the away kit from 2014/15.

kit or miss

64

2014 t he epitome kit for looking great on

players, painfully honest on the rest

What we like:

of us. At the heart of football’s skin-

The subtle sky blue details along the

tight, puffed-out chest era, this ridiculously

collar and hems pull this kit together

stylish effort is overlooked as one of the

excellently. It has the perfect blend of

club’s greatest yet.

colours, too, with both neatly worked

In their fourth season running with

together on shirt, shorts and socks.

an understated yellow kit – the third of 2013/14 is also cruelly forgotten – this bold reimagining of the early-mid ‘90s style hit

Even better if:

the golden nail on the sky blue head.

Not the kit’s fault, but yellow and sky blue

Arguably up there with the 90s’ Tulip

will always go down as a niche blend for

classics, 2014/15 took a risk with sky blue

Palace – meaning this effort will never

– not a common colour on Palace players

rival the top red and blue designs or

this century – and it absolutely came off.

iconic white sashes.

The fact we can picture Yannick Bolasie’s sensational hat-trick away to Sunderland just by looking at this strip helps its ranking, too.

Wore it best: Jason Puncheon.

Story of the season Having consolidated their Premier League status in 13/14, thoughts turned to just how well Palace could

2015

fare in the top-flight this season – and the Eagles didn’t disappoint.

After a rocky start when Tony Pulis departed shortly before the opening fixture, Palace picked up remarkably under Alan Pardew, who arrived on January 2nd, 2015, and promptly surpassed Dover Athletic 4-0 in the FA Cup two days later.

Under Pardew, Palace collected 31

1-3 LIVERPOOL √ Crystal Palace 16TH MAY, 2015

points from just 18 matches, including victories over Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Liverpool.

This surge in form – negated only by four consecutive defeats near the end of the campaign – carried Palace up to 10th, where there would remain to record the club’s record Premier League finish.

Where are they now?

Neteller’s time on Palace shirts only lasted a season, but the simple, plain sponsor design added something to this kit. The e-money transfer service continues to

The finest hour:

operate globally in their 22nd year.

Closely followed by the aforementioned Black Cats triumph, this Anfield victory will go down

Buyers’ guide:

as one of the club’s finest. Defeating Liverpool

Both this season’s home and away kits

3-1 for the second time this season, Palace

abound online – and won’t cost you a sky

failed to read the script at Steven Gerrard’s

blue embroidered arm and leg, either.

farewell clash.

Between £20 and £30 should do the trick.

kit or miss

65

66

We’ve made the beer better.

Worth a try? Probably.

Carlsberg Danish Pilsner.

Rebrewed for a crisper taste.

67

Club Historian, Ian King, looks back at the 1990/91 campaign that saw a Wembley return and confirmed Palace, for one season at least, as the third-best club in the country.

1990/91 season

68

While Liverpool and Arsenal fought it out for the Division One title the Eagles strengthened their position in third place, held since the end of 1990, and the club and fans believed this could mean European competition in 1991/92. Chairman Ron Noades approached the FA and the Football League to seek clarification that the winners of the League Cup would not claim one of the two places and he was assured this was correct.

However towards the end of March rumours began to circulate that

T

there were sympathetic views for the he Heysel Stadium disaster, an

Merseyside club to be re-admitted early,

hour before the European Cup final

thus dashing Palace’s hopes.

between Liverpool and Juventus was

On Saturday, 23rd March, Palace

due to start on 29th May, 1985, meant English

travelled to Elland Road to face Leeds

clubs were placed under an indefinite ban

United, one of the few clubs who could

from European competitions. (This did not

still challenge the Eagles for third place,

apply to Cardiff City and Swansea City, who

and snatched the lead in the 11th-minute

had an additional route via the Welsh FA

with a breakaway goal. Nigel Martyn

Cup). Following the 1990 World Cup it was

threw the ball to John Salako who made

announced that two English clubs would be

a 60-yard run before crossing from the

re-admitted but Liverpool were to serve an

byline for Ian Wright to head home. Later,

additional three-year ban.

another Palace effort was cleared off the line but six minutes before half-time Gary Speed broke through to equalise.

The teams traded chances in the second-half but a minute from time Wright provided a pin-point cross from which Geoff Thomas’ header was only parried by the Leeds ‘keeper into the path of Salako, who netted the loose ball.

A week later Easter meant two games in three days, first a long journey to struggling Sunderland on the Saturday and then a home game against Manchester City on Monday. Palace took to the air for the trip to the north-

official matchday programme

69

east from London City Airport and, although the

came, however. Coppell conceded afterwards:

flight was smooth, it was a bumpy ride at Roker

“We looked jaded when we had no reason to be.”

Park. Despite bossing the first 20 minutes when

Around this period Gary O’Reilly joined

opportunities were missed, the Black Cats opened

Birmingham City on loan and Rudi Hedman

the scoring six minutes from the break when a

did likewise at Colchester United. It was also

loose ball from Richard Shaw was seized upon for

announced Charlton would be terminating their

Kieron Brady to drive home past Martyn.

tenancy at Selhurst Park.

Early in the second-half a long throw from Andy Gray led to Alan Pardew netting the equalising goal before Mark Bright and Salako

ALAN PARDEW

spurned more chances. Twelve minutes from time the Wearsiders scored a disputed winner when a seemingly offside David Rush headed home to set off strong protests from the Palace players.

Recent Palace signing Paul Bodin was on the bench as an unused substitute.

On April 1st it was Manchester City’s Niall Quinn who made Palace look like fools as he netted a hat-trick, starting with two goals in two minutes around the half-hour mark and a third seven minutes into the second-half. Only then did Palace begin to offer some opposition as Salako collected a loose ball, turned and drove home a rising shot with 25 minutes left. Revival never

Joined from: Yeovil Town - March, 1987 Debut: 11th November, 1987 v Oxford United (A) Final Palace game: 2nd November, 1991 v Liverpool (A) Left for: Charlton Athletic - November, 1991 Palace appearances: 168 Palace goals: 12

1990/91 season

shau

70

official matchday programme

derr

71

Roy’s group are all very respectful players. They’re a great example for our young players to follow

l

ast month, we were approaching

their sleeping patterns and adapt their normal

games with Reading and Sunderland

pre-match routine. We mentioned that and, as

in and around the play-offs and I’ve

much as winning games pleases me anyway,

always said to the players that everybody

it pleased me even more so because we were

benefits it we can achieve as high a place

able to break the away trend.

as possible.

In the Sunderland game, we lacked a bit

I’ve got to credit Connor Wickham for his performances in our recent games, including

of creativity in the final third and we just lost

scoring twice against West Brom. Connor has

our focus for a key part of the game – the

been excellent; he’s been the model pro. He

last five minutes. It was a massive learning

recognises he’s there first and foremost for

curve for us because, as much as we were

his own development in terms of getting as

dominant throughout the game and were

many games as possible but he has always

the best team, that five-minute period was a

arrived with the best attitude. He doesn’t just

harsh lesson. Ultimately, we weren’t ruthless

turn up on a matchday having never met the

with our chances and Sunderland were.

boys before, he comes and does the game

We beat West Brom the next week and took all the frustration from the Sunderland

prep with us so he knows how we work. He’s been an example to the players.

match ready for a different challenge. We met

We’ve seen the influence of senior

at 7:30am at the training ground and made the

players throughout the season. At no point

three-and-a-half-hour trip on the day of the

has anybody turned up and adopted a selfish

game. We’ve collected far fewer points from

attitude: we’ve got some brilliant, brilliant

the matches we’ve travelled to and that was

young men at Crystal Palace. Roy’s group

a real disappointment for us collectively. I

are all very respectful players who have

wanted to break the habit; I wanted to explain

not only done a great job for the football

to the players that if they’re going to play

club at senior level but, whenever they jump

League One or League Two, the likelihood is

into our group, they’re super professionals,

they’re going to travel on the day of the game.

too. They’re a great example for our young

They are going to have to get up early, change

players to follow.

SHAUN DERRY

emm

72

official matchday programme

gibbo

73

We’ve now got speed up front, counter-attack and use our strengths to our advantage

I

moved from Australia to study at London

like many others, I had placements cancelled

Southbank University when I was 18. I was

with no warning. Fortunately I was able to gain

playing for Wales Under-19s and the first-

alternative training in a physio assistant role in

team before then, so had been taking the 24-

a central London A&E. I was able to graduate

hour flight across the world quite a bit. Needless

in July 2020 and successfully obtained a job as

to say, I got my Frequent Flyer miles up!

an outpatient physio, a field that had always

Moving to Elephant and Castle from Brisbane was a contrast. In Brisbane, I lived in

interested me.

I worked in my normal role as a physio

the suburbs and generally avoided going into

for three months before being redeployed

the city centre, then all of a sudden I was in

in December 2020 to an inpatient COVID

the heart of London! Balancing full-time study,

respiratory ward at a time when COVID

football training in the evenings and playing

infection rates began to soar again and the

games at the weekends was a challenge at

hospital wards were struggling with staff

times but at least the balancing act kept me

shortages, particularly among nursing staff.

busy, so I didn’t have much time to miss home.

Instead of physiotherapy, I was working

While studying to become a physio, I played

12-hour shifts to cover whatever was needed

for Arsenal Reserves and Tottenham Hotspur’s

on the ward. Most of the staff had been there

first-team and moved to Palace two years ago.

since the first COVID wave and there was

I had a perception of Palace from my time with

a general feeling of being overworked and

Arsenal and Spurs: they were the rough team

exhausted. The patients were more unwell

who were a pain to play because they got

than usual which increased the pressure on

results. That sometimes came through not-so-

staff - often we had 15-20 patients needing one-

pretty football, but today the team’s changed

to-one support.

a lot and we play very differently. We’ve now

Thankfully now the COVID numbers are more

got speed up front, counter-attack and use our

manageable again and I am back working as a

strengths to our advantage.

physio in my outpatient Musculoskeletal Medicine

I graduated in July 2020 but was delayed

role. Things are looking good at the moment but it

by the COVID pandemic. As London’s COVID

has taken an incredible amount of work to get us

cases increased in early 2020 it was difficult

to this point and we have to all continue to do our

for hospitals to continue training students and,

bit to help keep COVID under control.

emma gibbon

74

First-team sponsors

Roy Hodgson

Joel Ward

2020/21

Patrick van Aanholt

Luka Milivojevic

James Tomkins

UNLOCKING POTENTIAL

PALACE DETECTIVES Proud supporters of CPSCC

01737 225 711 |

Sponsorship Available

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29/12/2017 09:17

Scott Dann

Cheikhou Kouyaté

Jordan Ayew

Andros Townsend

Wilfried Zaha

Mamadou Sakho

Wayne Hennessey

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Jeffrey Schlupp

James McArthur

James McCarthy

Michy Batshuayi

Gary Cahill

Eberechi Eze

Vicente Guaita

Martin Kelly

Nathan Ferguson

Jaïro Riedewald

Sponsorship Available

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Sponsorship Available

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Sponsorship Available Contact liam.connery@cpfc.co.uk to discuss our player sponsorship packages.

official matchday programme

Sep

oct

nov

dec

jan

feb

mar

STATS

2-4 3-1

0-0 0-1 2-2 5-0 0-1 0-1 1-1 0-3

Durham

Leicester City

Sheffield United

Bristol City

Coventry United

London Bees

Liverpool

Lewes

London City Lionesses

Leicester City

Durham

Blackburn Rovers

London Bees

Leicester City

Liverpool

Charlton Athletic

Sheffield United

Sun 11

Sun 18

Sun 1

Thu 5

Sun 8

Thu 19

Sun 6

Sun 13

Sun 10

Thu 14

Sun 17

Sun 7

Sun 14

Sun 28

Sun 7

Thu 25

Sun 4

Lewes

Coventry United

1-4 0-3

Lewes

Wed 7

London Bees

0-2

London Bees

Sun 4

Sun 25

2-3

Blackburn Rovers

Sun 27

Sun 18

1-1

London City Lionesses

Sat 12

0-1

2-0

0-4

6-1

2-1

4-1

2-2

Charlton Athletic

Result

Opposition

Sun 6

may Sun 2

apr

Sep oct nov JAN

dec FEB

1-0 2-1 1-4 6-0

2-5 3-0 2-3 4-0 4-4 1-0 0-2 2-0 1-2 1-2

Burnley Wolverhampton Wanderers Leeds United Reading Sunderland Stoke City Fulham Newcastle United Fulham Norwich City Aston Villa Burnley Wolverhampton Wanderers Leeds United Reading Sunderland West Bromwich Albion Stoke City Newcastle United

Mon 19 Mon 26 Sun 1 Mon 9 Mon 23 Mon 30 Fri 4 Mon 21 Mon 18 Mon 1 Fri 5 Mon 15 Mon 22 Mon 1 Fri 12 Mon 22 Mon 29 Mon 12 Mon 26

Middlesbrough

2-1

1-0

3-4

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

Fri 7

Middlesbrough

0-1

Aston Villa

Fri 2

Mon 3

0-3

Norwich City

Fri 25

3-3

West Bromwich Albion

Mon 21

Result

Opposition

Date Sep oct Nov dec Jan feb MAR APR may

MAR APR may

Date

1-0 2-1 1-5 1-2 2-1 4-1 3-2 2-0 3-5

2-2 2-1 4-0

Norwich City Leicester City Reading West Ham United Aston Villa Tottenham Hotpsur Fleetwood Town Brighton & Hove Albion Fulham Arsenal Fulham Norwich City Leicester City West Bromwich Albion Reading Chelsea Southampton West Ham United

Sat 17 Sat 24 Sat 31 Sat 7 Sat 28 Sat 05 Fri 11 Sat 19 Sat 16 Sat 30 Sat 06 Sat 20 Sat 27 Sat 6 Sat 13 Tue 16 Sat 3 Wed 7

Sat 8

Sat 1

Sat 24

West Bromwich Albion

Brighton & Hove Albion

Tottenham Hotpsur

Aston Villa

1-0

Chelsea

Fri 2

Sat 17

3-2

Arsenal

Sat 26

7-1

1-1

2-1

1-0

2-3

2-1

Southampton

Sat 19

Result

Opposition

Date

75

May

April

March

February

January

December

November

October

September

Date

Opposition

Result

Position

Sat 12

Southampton

1-0

7th

Tue 15

Bournemouth

0-0

Sat 19

Manchester United

3-1

Sat 26

Everton

1-2

6th

Sat 3

Chelsea

0-4

12th

Sun 18

Brighton & Hove Albion

1-1

14th

Sat 24

Fulham

2-1

8th

Fri 30

Wolverhampton Wanderers

0-2

13th

Mon 8

Leeds United

4-1

8th

Mon 23

Burnley

0-1

11th

Fri 27

Newcastle United

0-2

15th

Sun 6

West Bromwich Albion

5-1

11th

Sun 13

Tottenham Hotspur

1-1

11th

Wed 16

West Ham United

1-1

12th

Sat 19

Liverpool

0-7

13th

Sat 26

Aston Villa

0-3

13th

Mon 28

Leicester City

1-1

13th

Sat 2

Sheffield United

2-0

14th

Fri 8

Wolverhampton Wanderers

0-1

R3

Thu 14

Arsenal

0-0

13th

Sun 17

Manchester City

0-4

13th

Tue 26

West Ham United

2-3

13th

Sat 30

Wolverhampton Wanderers

1-0

13th

Tue 2

Newcastle United

2-1

13th

Sat 6

Leeds United

0-2

13th

Sat 13

Burnley

0-3

14th

Mon 22

Brighton & Hove Albion

2-1

13th

Sun 28

Fulham

0-0

13th

Wed 3

Manchester United

0-0

13th

Sun 7

Tottenham Hotspur

1-4

13th

Sat 13

West Bromwich Albion

1-0

12th

Sat 3

Everton

1-1

12th

Sat 10

Chelsea

Sat 17

Southampton

Sat 24

Leicester City

Sat 1

Manchester City

Sat 8

Sheffield United

Tue 11

Aston Villa

Sat 15

Arsenal

Sun 23

Liverpool

official matchday programme

(10-11)

R2 5th

Jordan Ayew

Card Red Card

Cheikhou Kouyaté

Yellow

Scott Dann

Goal(s)

James Tomkins

Unused Sub

Luka Milivojevic

Used Sub

Patrick van Aanholt

Started

Joel Ward

Home Fixture Away Fixture Cup Fixture - Palace score shown first.

Jack Butland

76

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

Andros Townsend Wilfried Zaha Mamadou Sakho Wayne Hennessey Jean-Philippe Mateta Jeffrey Schlupp Nathaniel Clyne James McArthur Stephen Henderson Christian Benteke Connor Wickham James McCarthy Michy Batshuayi Gary Cahill Eberechi Eze Tyrick Mitchell Vicente Guaita Jaroslaw Jach Martin Kelly Sam Woods Nathan Ferguson Nya Kirby Reece Hannam Jaïro Riedewald

77

10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 31 33 34 35 36 37 38 44

Fixtures & results

78

Club

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD Pts

1

Manchester City

31

23

5

3

66

21

45

74

2

Manchester United

30

17

9

4

58

33

25

60

3

Leicester City

30

17

5

8

53

34

19

56

4

West Ham United

30

15

7

8

48

37

11

52

5

chelsea

30

14

9

7

46

30

16

51

6

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

30

14

7

9

51

32

19

49

7

liverpool

30

14

7

9

51

36

15

49

8

EVERTON

29

14

5

10

41

38

3

47

9

Aston villa

29

13

5

11

42

31

11

44

10

ARSENAL

30

12

6

12

40

35

5

42

11

Leeds United

30

13

3

14

47

48

-1

42

12

Crystal Palace

30

10

8

12

32

48

-16 38

13

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

30

9

8

13

30

41

-11

14

Southampton

30

10

6

14

39

53

-14 36

15

Burnley

30

8

9

13

24

40

-16 33

16

Brighton & Hove Albion

30

7

11

12

33

38

-5

17

newcastle united

30

7

8

15

30

50 -20 29

18

Fulham

31

5

11

15

24

41

19

West Bromwich Albion

30

4

9

17

25

59 -34 21

20

Sheffield United

30

4

2

24

17

52 -35 14

Gameweek 31

premier league

-17

35

32

26

All statistics correct as of 4pm Tuesday 6th April

Fulham √ wolves

west ham √ leicester

9th April 20:00

11th April 14:05

man city √ leeds

spurs √ MAN UTD

10th April 12:30

11th April 16:30

liverpool √ aston villa

sheffield utd √ arsenal

10th April 15:00

11th April 19:00

crystal palace √ chelsea

west brom √ southampton

10th April 17:30

12th April 18:00

burnley √ newcastle

brighton √ everton

11th April 12:00

12th April 20:15

Crystal Palace and the rest of the Premier League will not tolerate racism, anywhere, and we are taking action to combat all forms of discrimination.

But we can all do more.

Challenge it, report it, change it, and together we can make a positive impact.

Visit premierleague.com/noroomforracism to find out more. #NoRoomForRacism

Challenge it.

Report it. Change it.

Crystal palace f.c.

(GK) Jack BUTLAND Joel WARD Patrick VAN AANHOLT Luka MILIVOJEVIC James TOMKINS Scott DANN Cheikhou KOUYATÉ Jordan AYEW Andros TOWNSEND Wilfried ZAHA Mamadou SAKHO (GK) Wayne HENNESSEY Jean-Philippe MATETA Jeffrey SCHLUPP Nathaniel CLYNE James MCARTHUR Christian BENTEKE Connor WICKHAM James MCCARTHY Michy BATSHUAYI Gary CAHILL Eberechi EZE Tyrick MITCHELL (GK) Vicente GUAITA Martin KELLY Nathan FERGUSON Jaïro RIEDEWALD

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chelsea f.c.

Match Sponsor

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Kepa ARRIZABALAGA (GK) Antonio RÜDIGER Marcos ALONSO Andreas CHRISTENSEN JORGINHO Thiago SILVA N’Golo KANTÉ Tammy ABRAHAM Christian PULISIC Timo WERNER Willy CABALLERO (GK) Kurt ZOUMA Édouard MENDY (GK) Mateo KOVAČIĆ Olivier GIROUD Mason MOUNT Callum HUDSON-ODOI Ben CHILWELL Hakim ZIYECH Billy GILMOUR Reece JAMES César AZPILICUETA Kai HAVERTZ EMERSON Karlo ZIGER (GK) Faustino ANJORIN Lewis BATE