Crystal Palace v West Ham United matchday programme

Crystal Palace v West Ham United Tuesday 26th January 2021 // 6pm

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Directors Steve Parish, Chairman David Blitzer Joshua Harris Chief Executive Phil Alexander

palace √ West Ham

Chief Financial Officer Sean O’Loughlin Sporting Director

26.01.21

Dougie Freedman Club Secretary Christine Dowdeswell

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Head of Sport Science, Strength & Conditioning

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luka milivojevic

Scott Guyett

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steve parish

Head of Medical Dr. Zaf Iqbal

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darren ambrose

Academy Director

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junior eagles

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Daniel storey

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ollie webber

Gary Issott Director of U23 Development Mark Bright Head Groundsman Bruce Elliott

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Commercial Director Barry Webber Operations Director Sharon Lacey Head of Consumer Sales Mike Pink Head of Ticketing Dan Clarke Head of Legal David Nichol Head of Content & Production

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James Woodroof Head of CRM & Campaigns Tom McGuiness Editor Ben Mountain Design Billy Cooke, Luke Thomas Contributors Dan Blazer, Will Robinson, Ian King, Daniel Storey, Darren Ambrose, Tash Stephens, Samar Ahmad 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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paddy m©carthy

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kirsty barton

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fixtures & results

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premier league

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official matchday programme

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W

elcome to David, his staff and

put you to the sword if you do not perform to your

players and hello to each of you

utmost when they are at their strongest.

reading this.

So far, January has been a busy month

Once again, we managed to restrict their actual goal chances from open play to a

of mixed results for us. We began with a well-

relatively low number thanks to a hard-working

deserved win against Sheffield United thanks

and disciplined defensive performance, but fell

to Jeff’s early goal and Eberechi’s wonderful

foul, in the end, to three outstanding moments of

individual strike. That victory was a pleasing

individual excellence.

start to the year and was a fair and accurate reflection of our performance.

We were then frustrated to lose to

We are boosted today by having had a full recovery period in order to prepare for our match with West Ham. Playing Manchester City

Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup. While

after two days’ rest, and having travelled across

the league is and always will be our priority,

the country to do so, does not enable players to

we understand the joy a successful cup run

compete at an optimum level, so playing at home

can bring to a club and would have liked to

now after an eight-day gap should certainly

progress in this year’s competition. With a squad

benefit the team.

enhanced by greater depth now than at any

This evening, we face a West Ham side

other moment in my time at the club, I thought it

benefitting from positive results and a strong

was the ideal time to give some of those talented

first half to the season. At the time of writing,

squad players a chance to get 90 minutes of elite

they are unbeaten in six games and deserve

football under their belts.

to be where they are in such a tight part of the

It was a close game but it was Wolves who went on to progress in the competition after their narrow victory. Our next fixture in the

table. Congratulations to David Moyes and his staff for doing such a great job.

We are not far behind, however, and

league was against an in-form Arsenal team

demonstrated our own capabilities against West

at the Emirates. To secure a valuable point

Ham in December. If we can replicate or improve

and a clean sheet, whilst looking in contention

on that performance, I have no doubt we can

to win the game for long periods, was a very

reflect on a successful match later tonight.

satisfying achievement.

That performance, coupled with the clean

Finally, I would like to welcome JeanPhilippe Mateta to the club. He suits our playing

sheet against Sheffield United, meant we had

style well, has settled in swiftly and I am greatly

taken four points from three challenging games.

looking forward to working with him. Doug

However the result that sits most recently in

Freedman and his scouting staff have followed

my mind is the one against Manchester City. No

JP for almost two years now, so it is immensely

team can feel any overwhelming shame to lose

satisfying to see him in a Palace shirt at last. I

– even by four goals – to a team of Manchester

am sure our supporters were pleased to see

City’s calibre, especially given the form they are

business such as this completed early in the

currently enjoying. We have proven ourselves on

window, and I hope you will all get behind him to

more than one occasion against them, however

help him settle in quickly.

teams with that strength and ability will always

Enjoy the game.

The manager

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Hopefully we can perform well again this evening, continue to collect points and set ourselves up for a strong run of games in February

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e have had some mixed results

up for the challenge. In December, we could

over the last few weeks, winning

and maybe even should have beaten West

and drawing and also losing two

Ham. Christian was sent off, which I felt was

difficult games.

Mostly, we are pleased to have defeated Sheffield United and then drawing with

an unfair decision, and until then we were the strongest side.

But no two games are the same in this

Arsenal was a very positive result. However,

or any league – we know this. So we will be

we were very frustrated to lose to Wolves in

facing a different challenge and we must be

the FA Cup and the Manchester City game

ready for this. I have hope though that if we

was very disappointing.

can play like we did in December, or even like

We always knew that January was going to

we did against Arsenal or Sheffield United,

be a difficult month for us – starting at the end of

then we can kick-start a really positive run.

a busy Christmas period and including two of the

Hopefully we can perform well again

strongest and most in-form teams in the league.

this evening, continue to collect points and

Facing Wolves is also never easy and

set ourselves up for a strong run of games

West Ham are doing very well this season.

in February. We may be experiencing mixed

But we also know that if we can remain

results, yes, but this is football. All we can look

competitive in the league this month, and

to do is collect points at every opportunity,

collect the necessary points like we have, then

remain competitive and take our chances

February offers us a chance to really push up

when they come.

the table. We have five games that I would not

Finally, James Tomkins will be facing his

call easy, but they are definitely ones we can

former club today, which is always a unique

look to take three points from.

but enjoyable experience. His return to the

It all starts today with our game against

team has been brilliant, and I am very glad to

West Ham. Unlike against Manchester City,

be playing with him again and watching how

we have had the chance to rest properly

in-form he is.

before this match and the squad is feeling

Make some noise!

The captain

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Jean-Philippe has an excellent scoring record from a top league I am sure you are as excited as me to see him in red and blue

W

elcome to the directors and

Park to the NHS to become a COVID-19

players of West Ham United to

vaccination centre. Our stadium is at the

Selhurst Park today. I hope that

heart of our community, and nothing is

you are reading this programme in good

more important than the rapid roll-out of the

health and spirits.

vaccine programme to allow us all to return to

Since my last set of notes, we enjoyed an important win here against Sheffield United, secured an excellent point at Arsenal, but

something approaching normality. We expect this to begin in earnest in February.

I was pleased to see our Under-18s beat

sadly exited the FA Cup at Wolves and were

Fulham to maintain their position at the top

defeated by an excellent Manchester City.

of the division. It really is a joy to witness this

I’m delighted we have been able to

team winning games so well under Paddy’s

be active in the transfer window bringing

guidance, and we must remember this is the

the excellent young striker Jean-Philippe

first time our sides have operated at this elite

Mateta to the club on a loan with an option

Category 1 level. Long may it continue. Our

to purchase. I know you will all welcome him

Under-23s narrowly lost to Fulham meanwhile,

and I hope very soon you will be able to do

but there were plenty of positives to come

that in person at Selhurst Park. Jean-Philippe

from that match – and plenty of learnings for

has an excellent scoring record from a top

the players too.

league I am sure you are as excited as me to see him in red and blue.

At halfway through the season we can’t

At the Academy itself, the transformation of the site is just incredible. You may have seen the indoor dome taking shape, but inside

be too disappointed but we are looking

the buildings, it really has become an elite

forward to a competitive run of games coming

facility. The changing rooms, classrooms,

up, starting with West Ham who are in great

meeting rooms, work and relaxation space

form. These are usually tight encounters and

is something that everyone here is proud of,

I have no doubt this evening’s match will be

none more so than me. The impact it will have

the same.

on current and prospective players, as well as

Elsewhere, hopefully you saw our announcement that we offered Selhurst

our Academy staff, is going to be enormous.

Enjoy the match tonight, and stay safe.

The chairman

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This year, Jack Butland marks his 10th anniversary in professional football. And he’s still just 27. Here, he tells Ben Mountain how handling pressure at an early age shaped him, why Palace was the perfect fit and how life in south London has already reignited his passion for the game.

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J

ack Butland is talking before making his Crystal Palace debut against

Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“I’m absolutely loving the experience and have ambitions to play,” he says, travelling back from a game in the north late one night.

“Vicente [Guaita] is doing great and it’s a good place to be. I’m going to be patient, work hard and hopefully get opportunities to play for this great club.”

Sure enough, that opportunity came in the guise it does for most reserve ‘keepers: the FA Cup. While Palace were knocked-out by a sublime Adama Traoré effort – a shot universally recognised as unstoppable, but that, in Butland’s words, was “disappointing” – the new Palace No.1 made his presence known.

This rang especially true when Traoré collected the ball and beat Patrick van Aanholt on the wing before driving into space on the edge of Palace’s box. Covering his near post, Butland bounced on his toes as one of the league’s most devastating attackers strode towards him.

He looked, however, primed and ready for defending a different angle - a decade’s intuition making its mark.

Traoré curled the ball perfectly onto Leander Dendoncker’s boot about eight yards from goal. The Belgian’s shot was instinctive; so was Butland’s save. It was perhaps this moment more than the sturdy,

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reliable stops preceding it that led Palace fans to praise Butland’s performance and commend their club for a successful summer purchase.

But they’re not the only ones celebrating the transfer’s early signs of promise, with Butland talking glowingly of his start to life with Palace - even excluding that noteworthy debut.

“I’ve absolutely loved it,” he says. “It’s been the challenge I felt I needed. It’s probably surpassed expectations. I was looking forward to getting back to Premier League level and… it’s been a new lease of life: coming in, getting settled and just immediately feeling energised by

It’s been the challenge I felt I needed.

It’s probably surpassed expectations.

I was looking forward to getting back to Premier League level and... it’s been a new lease of life

the whole group.

“I felt I settled in quickly and that helped. I got stuck in, enjoyed it, and feel like I trained extremely well, which always helps to settle in and announce yourself; showing people what you’re about and what you want to bring.”

Butland joined a roster of former teammates when moving to south London and even knew Roy Hodgson after earning his England debut under the manager in 2012. On top of greeting old acquaintances, however, the ‘keeper received a perhaps more niche Palace welcome: “One of the first guys I met coming in to the building who I hadn’t met before was James McArthur.

Everyone at the club knows he is an extremely loud, outgoing person that made it very easy for me to

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come out of my shell with those I didn’t

“We had some incredible talent playing a

know. He was brilliant in that sense.

much higher age group than we were at the time.

“Some players I’ve known for a very long time – Gary [Cahill], Kells

That developed me a lot quicker.

“I was given some incredible opportunities

[Martin Kelly], Wilf [Zaha], Connor

when I was younger, which ultimately I took. I was

Wickham. James Tomkins and I go

entrusted by Stuart Pearce to not only play with the

back as far as the 2012 Olympic team.

U21s at a young age but also the Olympics and then

“With Gary, I felt like we’d always been close throughout the England setup and most recently the

at the European Championships with the senior England team.

“I was always thrown in at the deep end, if

World Cup in Russia. We’re always

you like, when I was younger and I had this way

close and picked up where we left

of enjoying it. I didn’t really feel any pressure;

off. It didn’t really feel like I needed to

I thrived on it and loved the experience. Unlike

reintroduce myself.”

some kids at academies from a very young age,

Many of Butland’s pre-existing

I’d been thrust into it at 15-years-old and that was

connections come from his formative

my first real taste of elite level sport. I just relished

years with England. The shot stopper

all of these opportunities.”

began his international career in 2008,

But where Butland reflects on pressure at a

aged 15 with England Under-16s. The

young age with fondness, he also pays attention to

following year, he won the European

those not receiving the experiences he did – and

Championships against Spain with

discusses current young goalkeepers with an air

England U17s and progressed rapidly

of regret.

through the age groups.

But he wasn’t the only current

Now 27, Butland’s competitive career began aged 16 with Birmingham City’s Reserves before

Eagle to do so. In fact, on October

making his professional debut at 18-years-old with

16th, 2012, Butland lined-up

Cheltenham Town.

alongside both Wickham and Zaha to take on Luka Milivojevic’s Serbia.

After Wickham netted a 90thminute winner, the game became

From there, he collected his first England cap aged 19 and, inversely, his Birmingham debut three days later.

Butland’s life in football has been defined

marred by fighting and racism at

by early starts, but the ‘keeper feels the current

the final whistle. Understandably,

generation of shot stoppers are being denied the

then, Butland remembers the

chances he enjoyed.

evening clearly: “It was a game that was an

“I’ve noticed kids, especially ‘keepers, don’t seem to get opportunities at a young age,” he says.

incredible test of character for all of

“I’ve seen ‘keepers in the U21s nowadays who’ve

us. I remember having a very good

barely played a game of league football. By the time

game, actually, and obviously Connor

I was 21, I’d played close to 75 league games.

scoring the winner. It was a difficult experience, to say the least.

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“I was very fortunate to have that and I don’t think ‘keepers get that any more. It gave me a belief

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and maturity for my age, which has

myself in the group. They helped me and let me do

gone on to help massively.

my thing, giving me confidence. I loved it.

“Young players play in a system

“That was the biggest thing in my career - loan

against each other at their own age

moves at a young age to play league games that

for far too long. The biggest steps I

mattered and where fans pay money and players’

ever took in my career were being

livelihoods are at stake… That loan move was one of

thrown into the deep end, playing

the biggest factors in getting to where I’ve got to.

against men at the age of 18. Only

“I know it sounds like an easy answer but I thrived

at that point can you learn and

on it, really enjoyed the challenge and have always

understand what’s required at elite

wanted more.”

level football. People are reluctant

So, when Butland entered his eighth season

to take young ‘keepers… Those

with Stoke City and his career in Staffordshire began

opportunities are now coming at

to close, the shot stopper was hungry to seek out

20 or 21.

another challenge.

“Sometimes we can be too

For the man whose senior England debut came

cautious and you find that players

aged 19 and for whom professional football began even

aren’t playing games. They’re racking

earlier, there was only one place that provided a fitting

up 50 games at Under-23s but not

test: the Premier League.

playing league football.”

The key for Butland is handling

“My career at Stoke was incredible,” Butland says.

“It gave me so many opportunities… In the last few

pressure and whether or not that’s

years, it’s just been different. As a team, we hadn’t been

doable in a player’s formative

where we wanted - it wasn’t as enjoyable as it perhaps

stages. The shot stopper says he

was before and, on a personal level, I felt like I needed a

derives “great pleasure” from

change to benefit me.

new challenges and pressurised

“I jumped at this chance [moving to Palace]. It

situations, but revealing the strains

came late in the window but for a couple of windows

of professional football on young

had always been there.

shoulders, it’s clear that success requires something special.

Butland recalls his time with

“Hopefully, come the end of this season, we can talk about individual and club success. They’re ambitions of mine: playing for the club and getting back

Cheltenham, where he first tasted

in the England squad. I’m looking forward to seeing

professional football as a teenager:

what this season holds and enjoying the experience

“Luckily it was a great group of

day by day.

players and a great group of lads

“I’ve had setbacks in the past and feel like some

that welcomed me and also gave

people may have not quite ‘given up’ on me, but I

that bit of stick - those guys were at

know being around these ‘keepers, Dean [Kiely] and

that time playing for their careers,

the squad, I’ve rediscovered exactly what I believe I

their mortgages.

can do.”

“They gave me a great opportunity to play and I immersed

If Wolves is anything to go by, we greatly look forward to seeing it again.

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tyrick mitchell

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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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Cup frustrations

You can imagine Graeme Souness’ half-time team-talk while 0-0 away to Yeading – it wasn’t

Losing to Wolves earlier this month will have frustrated the fans, players and management

the greatest.

We eventually won 2-0 to end their

alike. Sitting where we do in the table, it

hopes of a giant killing, but these games are

doesn’t look like we’re in a relegation fight but

big – they make players’ careers. In fact,

it’ll be hard to challenge for European places,

DJ Campbell played for Yeading that day

too. Of course, the league is the be all and end

and it was that match that propelled him to

all and requires your full concentration, but it’s

professional football.

always nice to get a cup run.

I think Roy approached the game well

There’s always a small risk for top players when facing smaller sides, but it’s less

and put out a strong side. You’ve only got

prevalent in the FA Cup. In pre-season, for

to look at the bench; he normally rests Wilf

example, there genuinely are people trying

entirely for cup games, but this time he not

to hurt you. I remember playing a friendly for

only named him in the squad but brought him

Palace and Neil Warnock took me off because,

on for that added spark.

for whatever reason, I was targeted. Claude

The FA Cup is arguably the biggest domestic trophy in the world and we would have drawn Chorley in the Fourth Round had

Davis was getting angry, saying ‘put me on,’ because he wanted to give a bit back!

But it’s a little bit different in the FA Cup

we progressed, so there was an opportunity

– teams are desperate to win and, against

for a half-decent run.

Yeading, you could see their delight when big

But, as we’ve seen, sides like Chorley,

Newcastle players turned up – not me, mind.

Marine and Crawley Town don’t just act as

On the flipside, you don’t want to be the team

easy passes to the next round…

that loses. On the coach going up, you think

Giant killings

‘please don’t let today be the tournament’s biggest shock’. If we’d have lost to Yeading, it still would have been spoken about today. You

I played for Newcastle against Yeading in

go there, are professional and try to get the

2004/05. They’ve merged with Hayes now,

job done.

but back then there were 123 league places

We made the semi-final that year, so

between the two clubs which was one of the

when people ask me how far I got in the FA

biggest gaps in the competition’s history. We

Cup, I’ve always said: ‘Semi-final – we played

played at Loftus Road rather than their home

Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium.’

stadium and so 10,000 Yeading fans turned up.

But I was doing some research before speaking

We put a strong side out - Jean-Alain Boumsong made his debut, Craig Bellamy, Titus Bramble, Lee Bowyer, Jermaine Jenas.

on the radio recently and found out I didn’t get played! ‘Sub not used’ - I was gutted.

For some reason, all these years I thought

Newcastle were one of the biggest sides in

I’d played that game. I think maybe my missus

the country and they held us for 50 minutes,

asked one day and I tried to impress her – ‘yeah,

which was a big story and a huge threat to us.

yeah, I played a semi-final’. It must have stuck!

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Ironing out the Hammers ‘Surprise’ is the key word with West Ham. A lot of people tipped them to not even have a point at this stage of the season but they’ve excelled.

They’re a similar team to Palace: they could potentially have a good run at the back end of the season and look to challenge for Europe.

They’re not really looking behind, either.

We should have beaten West Ham in the last game – Christian shouldn’t have been sent off and we were well on top before he was.

That gives us some advantage, knowing we can go and out-play this team.

I always liked playing against sides like West Ham and our opponent in a few days, Wolves. If you’re playing against the very top teams, you’re normally on the back foot – getting outplayed and with little possession.

You can’t really showcase what you’re about.

Against these teams where you’re pretty evenly matched, though, you can showcase your skill.

I think this game is made for Wilf and Eze to get on the ball and try to put West Ham on the back foot. As a former player and now fan of the club, that’s something I’d like to see more of. I love watching Palace in full-flow, like when Eze scored against Sheffield United.

Outstanding. That’s what people want to see.

Including today, our upcoming run goes: West Ham, Wolves, Newcastle, Leeds, Burnley, Brighton, Fulham. That’s seven games we could potentially earn 21 points from. I know it’s difficult, because every game in the Premier League is difficult, but

Against these teams where you’re pretty evenly matched, you can showcase your skill.

I think this game is made for Wilf and Eze to get on the ball and try to put West Ham on the back foot

that sort of run is what Palace need to aim for. Secure a brilliant winning streak and, in the middle of March, you’re comfortably pushing up the table.

darren ambrose

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Quizzes, Games & MORE! Junior EAgles

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Schools In Focus Remote learning Palace for Life Primary School Officer

James said: “The workshops have been going

James Jenden and Mental Well-Being

really well. The students have contributed a

Co-Ordinator Tom Prance have been

lot of good points and we have had some great

delivering online ‘introduction to mental

conversations.”

health’ workshops via Zoom. So far, they have delivered the workshops to Hamsey Green, Foresters, Stanley Park, Bandon Hill and Dorchester.

During the workshop, James and Tom look at what mental health means to us, how we change our own mental health, how we can identify mental health and what we can do if one of our friends is in need.

Guess who

Badge jumble

Can you guess the four players from today’s

Can you work out four of Sam Allardyce’s

opponents in the below face mash-up?

former clubs from the mixed up badges?

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

wordsearch

spot the difference

Can you find the six hidden football-themed

Can you find the five differences in these

words below?

two Palace pictures?

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Six words to find:

Tomkins, Hammers, Kouyate, Moyes, Ogbonna, Irons.

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

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answers

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gloves 5. PUMA logo missing on Zaha's socks N U Y

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Junior EAgles

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3. Benrahma's boots different colour 4. PUMA logo missing on Zaha's

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Betway (Benrahma's shirt) 2. PUMA logo missing on Van Aanholt

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3 Blackburn Rovers 4 Everton. Spot The Difference: 1. 'B' missing on Cresswell. Badge Jumble: 1 Sunderland 2 Newcastle United Guess Who: 1 Mark Noble 2 Michail Antonio 3 Declan Rice 4 Aaron

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An unmissable line up on BT Sport

Search bt.com/sport

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John Harris a legend of a man,

Happy 8th Birthday Isaac. Hope

loving husband, dad and an all

you have a great day. Lots of love

at Selhurst Park and all the

round diamond bloke who will be

from Daddy, Mummy and Bella

fans a happy New Year and

missed but NEVER ever forgotten xx

Wishing all the players, staff

hope they have a great 2021!

RIP in loving memory of Mr Ernest Ronald

Pat Connery. 25/10/35 - 14/01/21. Thanks

Bradnam, 11.06.1938-16.12.2020. Lifelong

Dad for taking me to my first game in 1966

fan, Palace till he died. COYP

followed by a great rollercoaster ride to now.

Love Paul, Jackie, Liam, Craig & Glor

I'd like to pay tribute to my dad who passed away

Missing my dear husband Dave Coronas, who

on the 2nd January 2021. He left behind his wife

passed away on 6th December from cancer at

Linda, his daughter Anita & sons Richard & Paul,

the tender age of 39. Dave was a lifelong Palace

he was a grandfather & great grandfather & was

supporter and is sadly missed by myself and

loved dearly. He will be missed every day.

who all knew him. RIP my lovely Dave xx messageboard

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Est.

1895 opposition

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west ham match preview West Ham have been one of the league’s most eye-catching performers this season. After finishing 16th in 2019/20, Irons fans would not have expected the start they enjoyed in 20/21.

After 10 games, West Ham sat fifth with 17 points. They’d scalped sides such as Wolverhampton Wanderers (40) and Leicester City (3-0) and earned draws against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.

This bright early form dimmed relatively-speaking over Christmas, with an admittedly commendable six points from five games, but the Hammers appear to have regained their strength for the short journey to south London.

The Eagles will take heart from 2019/20’s performances against David Moyes’ men: winning 2-1 both home and away before drawing 1-1 on the road earlier this season.

Palace were harshly reduced to 10-men in that recent clash when Christian Benteke received a second yellow card.

Turn to page 24 for Darren Ambrose’s views on the Hammers and page 44 for Daniel Storey’s in-depth tactical analysis!

official matchday programme

david moyes

I told them: 'Well done for the result,' and 'well done for where you are and the points you've got,’ but I want this to be the start and not the finish. recent outings

1-0

w {h) 16.01.21

0-1

w {a) 11.01.21

0-1

w {a) 1.01.21

35

m united premier league wins

all-timers Mark Noble

136

Steve Potts

73

James Collins

70

Aaron Cresswell

68

47

Mark Noble

46

Michail Antonio

41

Carlton Cole

41

premier league goals

Paolo Di Canio

last time out 1 3 21 15 5 41 28 9 10 20 30

Fabianski Cresswell Ogbonna Dawson Coufal Rice Soucek Benrahma Lanzini Bowen Antonio

2-1 1 15

5

21 3

28

20

41 10

9

30 opposition

01

player profile

36

Age

35

Height

1.9m

Joined

28th June, 2018

Debut

12th August, 2018 v Liverpool

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Lech Poznań, Legia Warsaw, Arsenal & Swansea City

04

Łukasz Fabianski POSITION: GOALKEEPER NATIONALITY: POLAND

05

One of the Premier League’s most seasoned veterans, Fabiański spent seven years with Arsenal after joining in 2007. He remained the Gunners’ backup ‘keeper while in north London but established himself as first-choice at Swansea City in 2014. Since moving to West

Fabián Balbuena

Vladimir Coufal

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: PARAGUAY

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: CZECH REPUBLIC

Ham in 2018, Fabiański has become

15

an integral part of the Hammers’ squad, with his absence due to injury keenly felt on occasion over

21

the past two years.

262 apps 69 clean sheets official matchday programme

Craig Dawson

Angelo Ogbonna

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: ITALY

37

23

Issa Diop

Ryan Fredericks

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: FRANCE

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

26

24

207 apps 47 clean sheets

03 31 Aaron Cresswell

Arthur Masuaku

Ben Johnson

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: DR CONGO

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

POSITION: DEFENDER NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

player profile

A West Ham stalwart since joining in 2014, Cresswell has been a regular

Age

31

Height

1.7m

his career in east London. He played

Joined

3rd July, 2014

has featured at least 30 times in four

Debut

16th August, 2014 v Tottenham Hotspur

in the Hammers’ lineup throughout more than anyone in 2015/16 and of his six full West Ham seasons.

Cresswell has developed a reputation as a reliable attacking fullback, although his goal tally is not sparkling. However, the 31-year-old

PREVIOUS CLUBS:

takes some corners and free-kicks

Tranmere Rovers & Ipswich Town

for David Moyes’ men, making him a notable threat whoever he faces.

opposition

38

10

16

Manuel Lanzini

Mark Noble

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: ARGENTINA

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

18

32 apps 12 wins

28 37

Nathan Holland

Tomás Soucek

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: SPAIN

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: CZECH REPUBLIC

player profile

Pablo Fornals

Six-foot, four-inch Souček didn’t

Age

25

Height

1.92m

West Ham, joining the Hammers

Joined

29th January, 2020

and receiving widespread

Debut

1st February, 2020 v Brighton

take long to make his mark at initially on loan in January 2020 plaudits for his debut display.

Since then, Souček has become a permanent member of the squad and won the Czech Golden Ball. A box-to-box

PREVIOUS CLUB:

midfielder, the 25-year-old has

Slavia Prague

impressed with five goals from 17 league appearances this season.

official matchday programme

20

player profile

39

Age

24

Height

1.75m

Joined

24th July, 2018

Debut

4th August, 2018 v Swansea City

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Hereford United & Hull City

41

Jarrod Bowen POSITION: FORWARD NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

07

Bowen became a highly regarded player during his time with Hull City, for whom he scored 54 goals from 131 outings.

Making his debut with the Tigers in the 2016/17 Premier League, Bowen remained with the club after relegation to become one

Declan Rice

Andriy Yarmolenko

POSITION: MIDFIELDER NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

POSITION: FORWARD NATIONALITY: UKRAINE

of their brightest talents.

09

He joined West Ham in January 2020 and, despite scoring just once in 19/20, has

30

begun to return to his earlier goalscoring form, netting five from 17 this season.

39 apps 6 goals

Saïd Benrahma

Michail Antonio

POSITION: FORWARD NATIONALITY: ALGERIA

POSITION: FORWARD NATIONALITY: ENGLAND

opposition

40

#17

#03

clyne

Cresswell

player comparison

Age 29

position defender

nationality eng

Age 31

position defender

nationality eng

apps

goals

clean sheets

apps

goals

clean sheets

69%

official matchday programme

Tackle success

Successful 50/50s

42

Interceptions

% 11

47

8

Passes per match

207

Assists

Interceptions

Tackle success

Successful 50/50s

55

4

Passes per match

Assists

194

248

62

% 291

129

22

38

61%

41

#27

#31

Mitchell

Johnson

player comparison

Age 21

position defender

nationality eng

Age 20

position defender

nationality eng

apps

goals

tackles

apps

goals

tackles

Interceptions

Passes per match

Clearances

Duels won

Aerial battles won

10

Aerial battles won

1

Duels won

8

Clearances

38

Passes per match

0

Interceptions

14

13

28

30

54

7

9

24

13

23

8

opposition

42

officialLOCK matchday programme

EXPLODE

PLAY

43

Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games against West Ham (W2 D2), their longest unbeaten streak against the Hammers in the competition

25

West Ham have kept a clean sheet in each of their last two away league games, last stringing together three consecutive top-flight shut-outs on the road in February 2014 (three in total)

21 2

0

match facts

22

27

GOALS

181 230 SHOTS

19

27

33

22

EXPECTED GOALS

GOALS CONCEDED

43

12

44

AVERAGE POSSESSION %

28

23

EXPECTED GOALS AGAINST

11

36

SHOT CONVERSION RATE %

34

SHOT ACCURACY %

3

7

CLEAN SHEETS

77

78

PASS ACCURACY %

goal times time

SCORED

CONCEDED

time

SCORED

CONCEDED

0-15

6

4

0-15

4

4

16-30

3

6

16-30

3

3

31-45

3

3

31-45

4

3

46-60

3

4

46-60

5

3

61-75

4

4

61-75

2

3

76-90

3

12

76-90

9

6

opposition

44

what’s the storey @danielstorey85

again two formations that

attacking signings - either

can end up being used

sold or pushed towards the

simultaneously in the same

fringes of the squad - and

game. He even went with 3-4-

in have come workmanlike

1-2, with two centre-forwards,

players who Moyes trusts

for a 2-1 win over Aston Villa.

to fight harder and longer.

But after a 2-2 draw with

Since September, West

Brighton & Hove Albion, Moyes

Ham have only lost to

Columnist, Daniel Storey, can be

abandoned the three-man

Liverpool, Manchester

heard on The Totally Football Show

central defence and switched

United and Chelsea in

and seen in the Irish Examiner, the

back to the original 4-2-3-1. That

the Premier League.

i paper and many more.

has Souček and Declan Rice

Do West Ham stick with the fourman defence?

David Moyes might not be regarded as the Premier

That workmanlike, often

as holding midfielders, Aaron

pragmatic style is reflected

Cresswell and Vladimír Coufal

not only in the personnel but

as full-backs that still have

also the statistics. West Ham

licence to push forward and

sit second in the division for

wingers who drift infield to let

aerial duels won and are

Coufal and Cresswell overlap.

particularly good at defending

Saïd Benrahma and Manuel

set pieces and crosses into

League’s most tactically versatile

Lanzini are the two candidates

the box. They are also second

manager, but he has often

to start as a No.10, while

for interceptions, proof of an

changed West Ham’s shape this

Sébastien Haller’s departure to

energetic central midfield with

season in search of an answer

Ajax leaves Michail Antonio as

Rice at its heart.

that, in recent weeks, their form

the starting centre-forward.

suggests he has discovered.

That is the plan Crystal

Further proof of that gutsy resilience comes with the

Palace should expect to face.

data on what periods West

season using either a 4-2-3-

Moyes may still opt for the extra

Ham score their goals in. Their

1 or 4-1-4-1 shape that are

central defender in some away

eight in the final 10 minutes

similar to each other and can

games, but is more likely to

is the joint-highest in the

be tweaked using the same

save it for ‘big six’ opponents

division. Moyes’ side score

personnel; it largely depends

against whom he expects to

almost a third of their goals

on the positioning of Tomáš

cede possession and territory.

after the 81st-minute.

A new workmanlike era

Ham supporters would accept

changed to a five-man defence

The key to Moyes’ resurgence

that could often lead to

and the switch had an effect.

at West Ham has been

sloppiness, particularly away

After fielding his 5-4-1 in a 2-1

establishing a meritocracy

from home. That seems to

defeat to Liverpool, Moyes

within his squad. Out have

have been largely eliminated

shifted to a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1,

gone some of the expensive

this season under Moyes.

West Ham started the

Souček as a holding player or more advanced midfielder.

Then, in October, Moyes

official matchday programme

For a while, even West their team had a soft centre

45

Watch the crosses into the box Whichever system Moyes plays, one constant is the inverted wingers. Jarrod Bowen has been a revelation since his arrival from Hull City and prefers the right-wing. Pablo Fornals is comfortable on either foot but prefers his right and starts on the left.

These two, in combination with the fullbacks, are the main source of West Ham’s chance creation.

They drift infield to let Cresswell and Coufal overlap.

The full-backs provide the outswinging crosses while an inswinging threat. Coufal and Cresswell have delivered 110 crosses from open play this season, ranking first and second for West Ham. The reason for this crossing (West Ham rank third in the Premier League for open-play crosses) becomes clear when you examine the statistics. They sit joint-third for headed goals and first for headed shots. Thirty-four percent of West Ham’s non-blocked shots this season have come from headers, 5% above any other team in the league.

Beware the set-pieces It stands to reason that if a team is successful from open-play crosses then they will also be effective from set-pieces. With Souček joined by two of Angelo Ogbonna, Fabián Balbuena or Craig Dawson - and the full-backs staying put to offer cover - West Ham have scored eight set-piece goals this season. Only Everton, Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers can boast more and all three are only one goal ahead. Again, only two clubs have seen more shots arise from dead-ball passes.

That’s a slight concern for Palace. Only four teams in the league give away more corners, two teams give away more free-kicks and only three allow more shots from dead-ball situations. Roy Hodgson must prepare his team for an aerial assault. Perhaps playing Christian Benteke as a forward - ostensibly an attacking move - could aid Palace in those defensive set-piece situations.

daniel storey

Statistics correct as of January 18th

the inverted wingers offer

46

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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 Former Palace ‘keeper, Perry Suckling, had

Pardew’s win ratio as Palace manager was

two loan spells during his time with the Eagles.

40.23% - was it higher or lower for his stint

One of those was with West Ham United, but

with the east Londoners?

at which other London club was his second?

07 Peter Simpson left Crystal Palace as the club’s

02

all-time top scorer before joining West Ham

James Tomkins has eight Premier League

United. How many times did Simpson find the

goals to his name for the Eagles. Can you

net for Palace?

remember who the centre-back scored his last goal against?

08 Ian Wright has 33 England caps to his name.

03 Former West Ham and Palace player, Tony

How many goals did the striker score for the

Gale, won the Premier League with which club?

Three Lions?

09

04 How many times did Palace Academy

If you added Danny Gabbidon’s goals for

graduate, Chris Powell, represent England?

Palace and West Ham together, what number would you get?

05 Powell was named assistant manager

10

by Alan Pardew when the former Palace

Name the former Hammer and Eagle from this

manager became boss of which Eredivisie

snippet of their career path: Manchester City –

side last season?

Strasbourg – West Ham United - Wimbledon

answers 6 Higher (41.1%) 7 165 8 9 9 2 (both for Palace) 10 Michael Hughes 1 Brentford 2 Southampton 3 Blackburn Rovers 4 5 5 ADO Den Haag opposition quiz

48

49

fantasy dinner party This week, new Palace Women signing, Kirsty Barton, indulges her Palace fandom and brings two reality competition icons together.

Wilfried Zaha I’m a staunch Palace fan and think he’s a legend. He’s also great with fans and with what he does for the community.

I’m a staunch Palace fan and think he’s a legend. He’s also great with fans and with what he does for the community.

arton

Cristiano Ronaldo Purely because I’d love to hear his stories about how he’s got to where he’s got. I watched him on Piers Morgan once and just think his stories are amazing.

Rita Ora She’s just cool.

Tom Jones I just want to hear him sing!

Liam Neeson I would feel so safe with him there – he could look after me!

fantasy dinner party

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51

Over the road at Copers Cope

ollie Webber 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

U

nder-23s goalkeeper Ollie Webber recently trained with a Premier League first-team. It’s

a career stage most players dream of reaching, however fleetingly.

But, in the weeks after testing himself alongside Vicente Guaita and Jack Butland, Webber reveals his initial goal was never to become a shot stopper, but a full-back instead.

“I used to play right-back,” he says, “then one day the goalie in my local team didn’t turn up. So when the coach was looking for a replacement, I said I’d go in as it though it might be quite fun. I up on the action that out-field positions bring may have meant letting go of a dream, but Webber admits he loves playing in goal.

Last season, the ‘keeper played on loan with Greenwich Borough to get accustomed to a more senior level, gaining experience to improve his qualities in adult competition. It was a tough and demanding challenge, he says, but one which helped him mature on the pitch: “That was really good for me, a really good learning curve. Especially as the goalkeeper, there are different paths out on the field. You need to play some senior games and get a bit battered, get a lot of balls, deal with crosses, get used to the physicality of grown men.

“So, yeah, it was a really good learning curve, a good eye opener to what non-league football is like and what it’s like to play ‘men’s’ football.

official matchday programme

randon llie ierrick ebber

did really well.” As a youngster, giving

53

It really benefitted me a lot, it helped me become the player I am now.”

The 20-year-old’s time at Greenwich Borough prepared the skills he then honed with first-team peers.

Webber allows himself an aspirational thought when discussing his nearfuture and the calibre of session he joined under Dean Kiely.

He says: “[Training] has been just amazing. It has been a big step up in class and, of course, on the intensity of training levels from the Under-23s to the first-team. But it is amazing to be with the first-team, to be able to learn from the likes of Jack Butland, Vicente Guaita, who are two amazing goalkeepers.

“To learn from them and the

It has been a big step up in class and, of course, on the intensity of training levels from the Under-23s to the first-team. But it is amazing to be with the first-team, to be able to learn from the likes of Jack Butland, Vicente Guaita, who are two amazing goalkeepers

coach, watching how they do things every day and joining in with the rest of the squad has been really good fun and I’ve learnt a lot from it.”

Whoever they’ve trained with, every aspiring footballer needs a bedrock of support. For Webber,

“It’s for the family as well and what they sacrificed for me, that is what motivates me every morning, to get up and work hard, try hard and do it for them as well as me.”

Webber’s advice to budding goalkeepers,

he would not be where he is today

when reflecting over his own experience, is:

without his family; when asked what

“Just have fun! Enjoy it. Always give 100%

motivates him through the intensity of

in everything you do, don’t let criticisms get

Development football, he says: “Well,

you down.

for me, being a footballer is the best job in the world, so I love that.

“But it’s also the sacrifices that

“People will criticise you if they don’t understand the position, especially if you’re young; parents and teammates having a go at

my family made when I was younger,

you for making mistakes. Mistakes can happen,

driving me all over the place, taking me

learn from them, and just give everything

to games here, there and everywhere,

you’ve got.”

to training sessions as well. When I

With half a season stretching out for the

finished school, doing homework in the

Under-23s and possible further chances to rub

car, dinner in the car and having to go

shoulders with the first-team, Webber will be

on and train.

keen to follow his own advice.

over the road at copers cope

tio n

su

p

po

rt

ed

by p

fou alace for life

nd

a

Palace Kitchen to feed thousands in need this winter Crystal Palace Football Club and Palace for Life Foundation have reopened The Palace Kitchen – the pioneering project that provides healthy and nutritious food to thousands of local people in need.

Initially, club chefs will prepare around 350 meals a day, four days a week, throughout December with a commitment to cook more than 5,000 meals before Christmas.

The club will continue to work with Croydon Council to identify vulnerable individuals and families in the greatest need of support. This will include those in emergency housing, the elderly, families and homeless people.

Donate here: www.justgiving.com/palacekitchen

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, we look back at the causes led by the Holmesdale Fanatics in 2020 and formation of the We Are Palace initiative.

Voices of south london

56

T

he coronavirus pandemic has, of course, inflicted disruption and devastation across the country. But it has also

brought out the best in many.

Within football, supporters had the game taken away from them when it was needed most.

This saw figures in the sport unite to benefit those around them during a pivotal moment.

At Palace, club staff phoned senior Season Ticket holders, helped provide meals to south Londoners in need and players combined to make donations to various causes.

With fans disbanded from their usual togetherness on the terraces, unifying the support-base became a tougher task than ever but, through the power of fan groups and social media, the Holmesdale Fanatics spearheaded three campaigns throughout 2020 before forming

Fan groups behind We Are Palace: • • • • • • • • • •

Holmesdale Fanatics Five Year Plan Fanzine The Eagles Beak Holmesdale Online forum HC15 CPFC Polska Proud and Palace CPFC USA RedNBlueArmy Back of the Nest podcast

the We Are Palace charity collective alongside other groups (see opposite).

Their efforts began before the evolving

with a banner covering seats in Block E available to fill, the Fanatics requested

pandemic came to most people’s attention,

instructions on supporting the foodbank

with £1,000 and 40 bags of warm clothing

to be printed front and centre of the

donated to Croydon’s homeless community.

Holmesdale stand.

The fanbase came together to offer these

This, together with the decision

contributions before the Eagles defeated

to boycott the pay-per-view system,

Newcastle United in February.

generated a phenomenal £7,000.

Then, just days after the Premier League was suspended, a pandemic response began with a call for supporters to join the NHS

Combined, the three initiatives raised over £11,500 for those in need.

After the success of each initiative,

volunteer initiative. Within a month, attention

the Fanatics worked with nine other groups

turned to the Norwood and Brixton foodbank, a

– ranging from international supporters

charity the club and its fans have a longstanding

to podcasts and the official LGBT group,

relationship with.

Proud and Palace – to form the We Are

Supporters’ donations allowed the Fanatics

Palace collective. After organising a

to deliver parcels to the foodbank in May –

campaign to supply underprivileged local

the second outstanding show of fan-inspired

children with presents at Christmas, the

support from the Palace community.

initiative will strive to continue supporting

When the Premier League announced that fans couldn’t return to Selhurst Park and,

official matchday programme

the south London community under the Palace banner.

57

Local community support has been at the heart of the Holmesdale Fanatics since 2005 and we’ve been keen to take that to the next level to help those in our area most in need during what has been a difficult period for many Explaining why the Fanatics took the action they did in 2020, spokesman Mick Grafton said: “Local community support has been at the heart of the Holmesdale Fanatics since 2005 and we’ve been keen to take that to the next level to help those in our area most in need during what has been a difficult period for many.

“While we aren’t in the stadium, we were keen to be able to put our numbers to use in this positive way.

“Following the success of the foodbank appeals, we wanted to expand the reach and work together with the other supporters’ groups.

Working together we can achieve much more, bring fans together at the club and collectively widen the reach of the impact we can have.

“Palace is a great community club and this We Are Palace collective just highlights the best aspects of that community spirit. It’s a great chance to give back to the local area and support the brilliant work of these charities helping south Londoners.

“It makes you proud to see the positive impact our club can have on the lives of so many in our local area.”

voices of south london

58

palace for life Raise funds for Palace for Life Foundation by joining the Palace Squad to take on 13 other London football clubs as part of the Race the Euros challenge!

The Race the Euros event will see 14 London football clubs race across Europe in a virtual activity challenge.

Working in squads of 23, each club aims to be the fastest to cover the 6,720 miles that separate all of the Euro 2021 host cities.

The event is scheduled to run during March and participants can log miles in nearly 80 different activities (subject to Government guidelines), including running, swimming, cycling, football, golf, tennis and even by washing their car!

We will be monitoring the Government guidance on exercise and outdoor

official matchday programme

All funds raised from the event will support Palace for Life Foundation’s work in the community through investment in solutionfocused projects

59

activities over the next few weeks and constantly reviewing and adapting the list of approved activities to make sure the challenge can be completed safely and in line with all legislation.

A live event portal will chart the progress of each club team and as each squad reaches a host city, information about that city and its footballing history will be unlocked.

All funds raised from the event will support Palace for Life Foundation’s work in the community through investment in solution-focused projects, tackling some of the biggest challenges facing our community today including social isolation and health inequalities.

Palace for Life Foundation has been working hard to adapt their services to support the local community during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes Palace for Life coaches supporting primary schools to help the children of key workers, online mentoring for the most vulnerable young people and the creation of The Palace Kitchen, which prepared 20,000 nutritious meals for people in need in 2020.

However, there are many more people needing support for many months to come as the impact of COVID-19 continues to impact our communities, affecting both physical and mental health. To secure a place in the Race

Enter the Palace for Life Super Draw this month and support The Palace Kitchen. From just £5, you can win great Palace prizes or a cash jackpot of £1,500, with proceeds helping

the Euros Virtual Event 2021, you will need to

us to continue to fight the

pay £10 entry fee and commit to raising £100 in

impact of COVID-19 on our

sponsorship.

See the full list of activities and join the Palace Squad by visiting palaceforlife.org and searching: Race the Euros.

communities and our people.

Join today at palacesuperdraw.com

Find out more at palaceforlife.org or @PalaceForLife

palace for life

GAME CHANGER footballfoundation.org.uk

61

game that changed my career 1-1

A footballer’s debut is, understandably, usually the game that means the most to them; hard work rewarded and a dream achieved. However,

26th july, 2012 olympic games

that footballing bow doesn’t necessarily represent the 90 minutes that had the biggest impact on a player’s career.

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, Cheikhou Kouyaté recalls a unique international clash that propelled him onto the world stage and allowed him to rub shoulders

heikhou

with some of Europe’s most seasoned players.

It was a very, very good experience for me, Sadio Mané and [Idrissa] Gana Gueye, everyone. The experience changed my and my teammates’ life

I remember this game changed my life – I’ll

never forget this experience in London before I moved here.

We had a good game and it was the first

time we played against Ryan Giggs – a legend for Manchester United. You have Tonks [James Tomkins], [Craig] Bellamy, the first time you play with these people you think: ‘Today, I need to have a good game.’ We asked for that.

It was a very, very good experience for

me, Sadio Mané and [Idrissa] Gana Gueye, everyone. The experience changed my and my teammates’ life.

game that changed my career

62 @pnm1979

official matchday programme

63

2000/01 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, Gary Cahill models the away kit from the 2000/01 season.

kit or miss

64

2000 A t the end of a bad time, during a

bad season, came a pretty terrible

kit. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 2000/01

actually ushered in a spell of smart away strips – with the white sash, light blue and yellow and black styles each well

What went wrong: There is nothing memorable about this kit and it’s not minimalist enough to be a bold, stylish statement (see 2013/14 or the early ‘70s for more successful examples).

represented in the noughties.

But Crystal Palace welcomed the new millennium in disappointing fashion.

How to save it:

This two-tone kit was designed with the

Firstly, the yellow needs to be stronger:

lack of panache at times exhibited in 00/01,

either bright like more recent kits, or a

making a fitting companion for a surprise

decent attempt at gold. And it needs detail –

relegation battle.

any detail – to break up its mustard expanse.

Seemingly inspired by an under-ripe

It’s also not quite the flowing, billowing fit of

mango, the lack of anything noteworthy

the ‘80s and ‘90s, and it’s not close to being

on this shirt is what makes it so poor.

the frame-hugging styles we see today.

Staggeringly, it accompanied one of

Instead, it’s got a sort of boot-cut jean look.

Palace’s most iconic and memorable days – survival at Stockport in May 2001.

That remarkable clash with Dougie Freedman’s remarkable heroics will never be tarnished, but if any kit comes close to detracting from the taste of survival, this is surely up there.

Reminds us of: Anyone who took on Stockport.

Story of the season 2000/01 was a rocky season for Palace, who, under new ownership, had changed

2001

dramatically as a club when Alan Smith returned after a five-year hiatus.

The Eagles stormed through the League Cup impressively and reached the semi-finals in January, but their season never got going in the league.

A spell between November and February looked to have left

The lowest point: Falling to Wimbledon in a fifth consecutive loss. In this kit. As the away team at Selhurst Park. With just 10 games

Palace comfortably mid-table,

remaining, relegation became a frightening

but a run of losses both at the

possibility after this defeat.

start and end of the campaign meant the south Londoners were hurtling towards relegation with two games to go.

Club legend Steve Kember replaced Smith in a fire-fighting move that led to the side’s dramatic survival on the final day.

Where are they now?

TFG Sport made Palace’s kits between ’99 and ’01 alongside the likes of Kilmarnock, Burnley and Dundee United. It was a fleeting affair that saw the designers steadily cease their production of football kits.

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 seaon

68

Robins down to Division Three, came out after the new season’s fixture list had been published and all the Football League did was to slot Sunderland, promoted instead, into those games allocated to Swindon. So it should have been the Wiltshire outfit making an 80mile trip to SE25 rather than the Black Cats clocking up 600 round miles.

In a day of strong winds and torrential rain, Chairman Ron Noades arranged breakfast for the bedraggled Mackems as they arrived from the

F

north-east. For those spectators braving

our days after their victory at

it on the then-open terraces, the Arthur

Maine Road the Eagles had a

Wait stand was offered as shelter.

Boxing Day home game against…

The game itself remained goalless

Sunderland! Many fans have asked how

for the first hour and then, against

the authorities came up with such a

the run of play, Sunderland scored

fixture and then the Metropolitan Police

with only their second shot. However

ordered it to be a 12:00 kick-off.

John Salako came to Palace’s rescue

To answer this, one has to go

when he lashed in from the edge of the

back to the summer. At the end of the

penalty area with 12 minutes remaining

previous season Swindon Town had

and then laid on a cross for Mark Bright

been promoted to Division One but

to head home the winner with five

financial irregularities were being

minutes left.

investigated. The subsequent report’s findings, which initially relegated the

official matchday programme

Thirty years ago, before Sky TV’s football monopoly, live transmission of

69

A UNIQUE START The lack of formality throughout Coppell’s first years at Palace speaks volumes about the nature of his appointment. Aged just 28, the manager had been retired from playing for just eight months when Palace came knocking.

He explains: “I actually went to live in Amsterdam for three months, just to get away from it all and try and decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I remember I came back in April and met Ron [Noades] for the first time at a Football Writers’ Dinner and he had just appointed Dave Bassett as manager. I was in his company for, I don’t know, 10 minutes. Dave left Palace after four or five days and I just said to my wife: ‘Ron Noades will give me a call, I know he will.’ Lo and behold, a couple of days later, I got the call, came down to London and that was it.”

came three minutes before half-time.

Eric Young released Wright and the live-wire forward danced past defender Gary Gillespie to the right byline, where Bright deftly flicked his low cross into the net, the ball passing through Grobbelaar’s legs.

After the break Liverpool abandoned their five-man defence in search of an equaliser, but Nigel Martyn stood firm against any shots that came his way while in the final minutes Liverpool were lucky not to concede a penalty when Glenn Hysén wrestled Wright to the ground as the forward chased another through-ball.

Having collected his fifth league victory in December, Coppell was named Manager of the Month.

a game was made by ITV and the Eagles earned their

In similar fashion to 2020/21, the

turn on the box with the visit of leaders Liverpool, a

Reds game was followed by a trip to

game that was moved to Sunday, 30th December. In

Villa Park, but 30 years ago this trip

the morning manager Steve Coppell signed a three-

came just two days later - New Year’s

and-a-half-year contract, his first formal agreement

Day. The effects of six games in 17 days

with the club.

finally took their toll and the players

Once again Palace put Liverpool’s suspect

looked tired mentally and physically in

defenders to the test in the first-half, cheered on by

the second-half as they conceded two

most of the sell-out crowd. ‘Keeper Bruce Grobbelaar

goals, one a penalty. Behind the scenes

looked decidedly unsure, typified after 15 minutes

Palace said farewell to Alan Leather, the

when he raced from his goal to attempt a sliding

Club Secretary for the past 18 years.

tackle on Ian Wright near the touchline.

Liverpool looked vulnerable down the Eagles’ right side and when facing crosses to the near post, so it was no surprise when the breakthrough

1990/91 season

70

official matchday programme

71

B

eating Brighton 2-1 before Christmas was massive. I was really pleased for the boys because they had such a

great start to the season and then had a little blip in performances. I was delighted we secured a really positive result to finish off a really positive year.

As staff, we’ve seen massive resilience and an ability to bounce back from these young lads. You look at the technical, tactical and social, but the psychological side is a massive thing to analyse, too. We’ve got on

We want to create a winning mentality in the Academy and ensure the players understand the importance of doing the right thing

and off-field expectations and dealing with disappointment is one of them because, if

We want to create a winning mentality

these players are going to have a career in

in the Academy and ensure the players

the game, there’s going to be plenty of it.

understand the importance of doing the right

There will be massive highs but also massive

thing to achieve results. But we also understand

lows; they have to learn to deal with that.

that the big goal for us is to create players for

We’re here to aid them in understanding

the first-team. We can’t look away from that.

their emotions and to give them the

Yes, we want to be competitive in the league,

mechanisms to deal with them.

but our main priority is to give these players the

Our first game of 2021 saw us beat Fulham 4-1. Fulham have a really

greatest opportunity of having a career.

We certainly won’t hold anybody back

experienced coach in Steve Wigley and

– if someone’s excelling, we allow them to

we knew it would be a tough test but,

challenge themselves in the next age group and

again, the boys responded really well to the

make their pathway as smooth and open as we

challenge. We looked strong and physically

can. That’s something the football club has had

capable, so we knew the players worked

success in over the years – long before I was

hard over Christmas to keep themselves in

coaching I saw Wilfried Zaha’s transition into

shape, which is another massive tick box

the first-team and remember playing a Reserve

for us as coaches.

game with Aaron Bissaka.

You’re looking at young players who are

Shaun Derry and I have a great

committed to being professional footballers

relationship and a great understanding of the

and that showed in their performance. After

pathways at this football club. Shaun was

the game, the atmosphere in the changing

around with Victor Moses, Sean Scannell,

room was calm, which was interesting given

Nathaniel Clyne, Wilfried Zaha - we’ve seen

we’d just moved top of the table. It was

the impact these pathways have.

clear the players understand we need to be

It’s also something Dougie Freedman and

consistent – not only in our messages and

Gary Issott are well aware of, so it’s a healthy

behaviour but also in our emotions.

time at this football club for young players.

paddy m©carthy

Kirst

72

official matchday programme

Barto

73

I’m buzzing to be with Palace and the girls are great - I couldn’t have asked for a better set to come into

I

am buzzing to have signed on loan for

My ticket used to be in the Holmesdale

Crystal Palace after 10 straight years

and I remember watching Jamie Smith and

with Brighton.

Jobi McAnuff as a kid. But at the moment I

I joined Brighton from Chelsea in 2011

absolutely love Jimmy Mac in midfield. I think

back when women’s football wasn’t as big as

he’s brilliant. He does everything so well, but

it is now. We worked our way through those

particularly the basics – he’s not like a Wilfried

seasons though and earned promotion to the

Zaha, an absolute standout player for what he

Women’s Super League in 2017/18, which

does on the ball, but he does the hard graft.

meant turning professional. That was massive

I made my Palace debut in the 0-0

for each of us and was such a different

draw with London City Lionesses, where we

experience from what we were used to do.

secured a point despite having 10 players

Becoming professional is a massive step-

for much of the second-half. It was a great,

up in terms of analysis and mental strength.

end-to-end game and was a massive fight for

It’s a lot more in-depth and your time is filled

everyone. We could have come away with

throughout the day. But playing part-time

all three points on another day, but what we

– like I am with Palace – is more physically

earned was well deserved and it was nice to

demanding. For me, training two hours in the

get 90 minutes with the girls under my belt.

evening at the intensity we do is more tiring than spreading your work across a day.

But signing for Palace was a no-brainer

Now, hopefully we can have a really strong end to the season and climb up the table a bit.

Palace have the facilities, players and structure

for me. The club itself, its setup and plans

to become a professional club one day, but

going forward made it my number one option

right now it’s about focusing on the second half

and I didn’t want to move anywhere else. And,

of the season, picking up as many points as we

added to that, I’m a Palace fan myself – so this

can and climbing up the table.

move had a little extra excitement to it.

My dad is an absolute Palace fanatic –

I’m buzzing to be with Palace and the girls are great - I couldn’t have asked for

he’s a Season Ticket holder and has been for

a better set to come into. They’ve been so

many years now. I used to be a Season Ticket

welcoming, so encouraging and made me

holder as a kid but I haven’t got to Selhurst as

feel at ease very quickly. I’m hugely excited

much as I’d have liked to since I turned pro.

for the coming months.

kirsty barton

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

W S PA . C O . U K

logo-crystal-palace-dec-2017.indd 1

29/12/2017 09:17

Scott Dann

Max Meyer

Cheikhou Kouyaté

Jordan Ayew

Andros Townsend

Wilfried Zaha

Mamadou Sakho

Wayne Hennessey

Jeffrey Schlupp

James McArthur

James McCarthy

Michy Batshuayi

Gary Cahill

Eberechi Eze

Vicente Guaita

Martin Kelly

Nathan Ferguson

Jaïro Riedewald

Sponsorship Available

Christian Benteke

Sponsorship Available

Tyrick Mitchell

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

official matchday programme

Sep

oct

nov

dec

jan

feb

mar

2-3

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

0-0 0-1

Blackburn Rovers

London Bees

Lewes

Durham

Leicester City

Sheffield United

Bristol City

Coventry United

London Bees

Liverpool

Lewes

London City Lionesses

Leicester City

Durham

Leicester City

Blackburn Rovers

London Bees

Liverpool

Charlton Athletic

Sheffield United

Coventry United

Sun 27

Sun 4

Wed 7

Sun 11

Sun 18

Sun 1

Thu 5

Sun 8

Thu 19

Sun 6

Sun 13

Sun 10

Thu 14

Sun 17

Sun 24

Sun 7

Sun 14

Sun 7

Thu 25

Sun 4

Sun 25

Lewes

1-1

London City Lionesses

Sat 12

0-1

2-0

0-4

6-1

2-1

4-1

2-2

Charlton Athletic

Sun 6

may Sun 2

apr

Sep oct nov dec JAN FEB MAR APR

STATS

Middlesbrough

Sat 1

Middlesbrough Mon 3 Fri 7

Sat 24

Newcastle United

Sat 8

West Bromwich Albion

Brighton & Hove Albion

Tottenham Hotpsur

Aston Villa

Southampton

Mon 26

1-0

3-4

Sat 17

Stoke City

Mon 12

West Ham United Sat 3

Sunderland

Mon 22

Reading Sat 20

Reading

Fri 12

West Bromwich Albion Sat 13

Leeds United

Mon 1

Leicester City Sat 6

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Sun 21

Norwich City Sat 27

Burnley

Mon 15

Chelsea Sat 20

Aston Villa

Fri 5

Fulham Sat 13

Norwich City

Sat 06

West Bromwich Albion

Mon 25 Mon 1

4-1 Arsenal Sat 30

2-3

Fulham

Mon 18

2-1 Fulham Sat 16

3-0

Newcastle United

Mon 21

1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion Sat 19

2-5

Fulham

Fri 4

1-5 Fleetwood Town

Fri 11

Stoke City

Tottenham Hotpsur Sat 05

Mon 30

2-1 Aston Villa

Sat 28

Sunderland

Mon 23

1-0 West Ham United

6-0

Reading

Sat 7

1-4

Leeds United

Mon 9

1-0 Reading

Sat 31

Sun 1

3-2 Leicester City

Sat 24

2-1

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Mon 26

Norwich City

Sat 17

1-0

Burnley

Mon 19

Chelsea

Fri 2

0-1

Aston Villa

Fri 2

2-1

1-0

2-3

2-1

Arsenal

Sat 26

0-3

Norwich City

Southampton

Sat 19

Result

Opposition

Date

Fri 25

3-3

West Bromwich Albion

Mon 21

Result

Opposition

Date

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

may

Sep oct Nov dec Jan feb MAR APR may

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

Sat 17

Brighton & Hove Albion

1-1

14th

Sat 24

Fulham

2-1

8th

Sat 31

Wolverhampton Wanderers

0-2

13th

Sat 7

Leeds United

4-1

8th

Mon 23

Burnley

0-1

11th

Fri 27

Newcastle United

0-2

15th

Sun 6

West Bromwich Albion

1-5

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

Sat 30

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Tue 2

Newcastle United

Sat 6

Leeds United

Sat 13

Burnley

Mon 22

Brighton & Hove Albion

Sat 27

Fulham

Sat 6

Tottenham Hotspur

Sat 13

West Bromwich Albion

Sat 20

Manchester United

Sat 3

Everton

Sat 10

Chelsea

Sat 17

Southampton

Sat 24

Leicester City

Sat 1

Manchester City

Sat 8

Sheffield United

Wed 12

Aston Villa

Sat 15

Arsenal

Sun 23

Liverpool

official matchday programme

(10-11)

R2 5th

Cheikhou KouyatĂŠ

Card Red Card

Max Meyer

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

7

8

Jordan Ayew Andros Townsend Wilfried Zaha Mamadou Sakho Wayne Hennessey Jeffrey Schlupp Nathaniel Clyne James McArthur Stephen Henderson Christian Benteke James McCarthy Michy Batshuayi Gary Cahill Eberechi Eze Tyrick Mitchell Vicente Guaita Jaroslaw Jach Martin Kelly Sam Woods Nathan Ferguson Nya Kirby Brandon Pierrick JaĂŻro Riedewald

77

9 10 11 12 13 15 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 27 31 33 34 35 36 37 40 44

Fixtures & results

78

Club

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD Pts

1

Manchester United

19

12

4

3

36

25

11

40

2

Manchester City

18

11

5

2

31

13

18

38

3

Leicester City

19

12

2

5

35

21

14

38

4

Liverpool

18

9

7

2

37

21

16

34

5

Tottenham Hotspur

18

9

6

3

33

17

16

33

6

Everton

17

10

2

5

28

21

7

32

7

West Ham United

19

9

5

5

27

22

5

32

8

Chelsea

19

8

5

6

33

23

10

29

9

Southampton

18

8

5

5

26

21

5

29

10

Arsenal

19

8

3

8

23

19

4

27

11

Aston Villa

16

8

2

6

29

18

11

26

12

Leeds United

18

7

2

9

30

34

-4

23

13

Crystal Palace

19

6

5

8

22

33

-11

23

14

Wolverhampton Wanderers

19

6

4

9

21

29

-8

22

15

Newcastle United

18

5

4

9

18

30

-12

19

16

Brighton and Hove Albion

19

3

8

8

22

29

-7

17

17

Burnley

17

4

4

9

9

22

-13

16

18

Fulham

18

2

6

10

15

27

-12

12

19

West Bromwich Albion

19

2

5

12

15

43 -28

11

20

Sheffield United

19

1

2

16

10

32 -22

5

Gameweek 20

premier league

All statistics correct as of 12pm Thursday 21st January

crystal palace √ west ham

chelsea √ wolves

26th January 18:00

27th January 18:00

newcastle √ leeds

brighton √ fulham

26th January 18:00

27th January 19:30

southampton √ arsenal

everton √ leicester

26th January 20:15

27th January 20:15

west brom √ man city

man utd √ sheffield utd

26th January 20:15

27th January 20:15

burnley √ aston villa

spurs √ liverpool

27th January 18:00

28th January 20:00

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 Jeffrey SCHLUPP Nathaniel CLYNE James MCARTHUR (GK) Stephen HENDERSON Christian BENTEKE James MCCARTHY Michy BATSHUAYI Gary CAHILL Eberechi EZE Tyrick MITCHELL (GK) Vicente GUAITA Martin KELLY Sam WOODS Nathan FERGUSON Jaïro RIEDEWALD

01 02 03 04 05 06 08 09 10 11 12 15 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 27 31 34 35 36 44

west ham united f.c.

01 03 04 05 07 09 10 14 15 16 18 20 21 23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31 34 35 37 41 42 45 50 54 56

Łukasz FABIANSKI (GK) Aaron CRESSWELL Fabián BALBUENA Vladimir COUFAL Andriy YARMOLENKO Saïd BENRAHMA Manuel LANZINI Frederik ALVES Craig DAWSON Mark NOBLE Pablo FORNALS Jarrod BOWEN Angelo OGBONNA Issa DIOP Ryan FREDERICKS David MARTIN (GK) Arthur MASUAKU Tomáš SOUČEK Gonçalo CARDOSO Michail ANTONIO Ben JOHNSON Nathan TROTT (GK) Darren RANDOLPH (GK) Nathan HOLLAND Declan RICE Ajibola ALESE Ademipo ODUBEKO Harrison ASHBY Conor COVENTRY Emmanuel LONGELO