Crystal Palace v Fulham matchday programme 2526

contents

Crystal Palace √ fulham thu 01 jan 2026 | 5:30pm k.o.

Directors Chairman Steve Parish, David Blitzer, Joshua Harris, Woody Johnson Chief Executive Officer Sharon Lacey Chief Financial Officer Mitesh Velani Club Secretary Christine Dowdeswell Head of Sports Medicine Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad Academy Director Gary Issott Director of U21 Development Mark Bright Chief Operating Officer Jonty Castle Chief Commercial Officer Barry Webber General Counsel David Nichol Head of Ticketing Paul McGowan Head of Retail Foz Bowers Head of Marketing Matt Franks Head of Safeguarding Laura Baptiste Head Groundsman Bruce Elliott

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25 10 chairman 34 Talking tactics

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Editor Jack Lacey-Hatton Design Billy Cooke, Stu Ellmer Contributors Robin Johnson,

43 Kevin Phillips 48 academy 52 palace women 58 international eagles

Ed Dowling, Joe Turner, Kevin Phillips, Ian King, Tommy

62 ian king

Macarthur, Patrick Rosanio, Sebastian Frej Photography Neil Everitt, Peter Hurn, Sebastian Frej, Pinnacle Photo Agency, Kontent Haus, Getty Printer Bishops Printers

67 Behind the Lens

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72 Eagle Arcade 74 from the terraces

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briefing

weekly briefing

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On this day 1 january 2013

Welcome back to Selhurst Park for today’s match, and a Happy New Year to all of you joining us this evening.

As a reminder, Palace travel to Newcastle United this Sunday (4th January 15:00 GMT), before then returning to action for our third Premier League game of 2026 against Aston Villa just three days later on Wednesday, 7th January (19:30 GMT).

At the time of writing, limited tickets remain on sale for the visit of Unai Emery’s team to Members.

Tickets are sold out for our FA Cup Third Round visit away to Macclesfield on Saturday, 10th January (12:15 GMT), however a waiting list is open for supporters who qualify – head to www.cpfc. co.uk/tickets for more information.

And finally, tickets currently remain on sale for our trip to Sunderland the following week on Saturday, 17th January (15:00 GMT) to Season Ticket Holders and Members.

jan

jan

jan

Palace Women √ Sheffield United (A)

UEFA Conference League play-off draw

sunderland Premier League (A)

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16

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Palace beat Wolves 3-1 at Selhurst Park midway through the promotion season, with André Moritz scoring two free-kicks.

Manager

oliver glasner Welcome back to Selhurst Park, and welcome to Marco Silva and his Fulham players and staff for this evening’s game.

l

ast Sunday’s defeat against Tottenham was obviously a disappointing result for us all. We can be pleased with aspects of the performance and, in the first half an hour in particular, we had quite a few attacking situations.

But we’re in a phase right now where things don’t go our way easily, particularly converting chances to goals. The structure in our play is recognisable. But when you have so many games to play across a season, there’s usually a difficult period to navigate. What’s important now is that we stay calm, support each other and give the players the confidence they need. We know that when we have this confidence, we can trust them to get things right.

A special mention to Jefferson Lerma who played his 100th game for Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup against Arsenal. He’s someone who brings great character and great physicality to our midfield. You can see with his assist in that game against Arsenal as just one example of how good he is on set-pieces as well.

Jefferson’s also versatile and can do a job for us in different positions, he’s a big part of this team.

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when you have so many games to play across a season, there’s usually a difficult period to navigate. What’s important now is that we stay calm, support each other and give the players the confidence they need

Manager

we’ll approach this game with confidence and belief. We want to show that we can return to winning ways, especially at home. We might not have had a break from matches, but New Year always feels like a restart for everybody

Likewise, well done to Will Hughes on another milestone, after he made his 150th appearance in the Tottenham game. You can always rely on Will.

He’s a senior player, wore the captain’s armband last season and is always driving the team forward. He’s always speaking to the players and helping to push them. That’s very important for our group.

You can always rely on Will.

He’s a senior player, wore the captain’s armband last season and is always driving the team forward. He’s always speaking to the players and helping to push them. That’s very important for our group I’d like to use this opportunity to pass on my congratulations to Christine Dowdeswell, our Club Secretary, who is retiring after 27 years. She was a big support for me when I first arrived here and is one of the longest-serving members of staff we have. She has great knowledge and a great network of people she has worked with across the FA, Premier League and the whole of English football, so it will be a challenge to see her leave. You could always see there was huge

appreciation from her that she worked for Crystal Palace. I believe that it was not just her job, it was her passion.

And if there’s one person who deserves a happy retirement, it’s Christine. I wish her all the best.

Today’s game sees us against a Fulham team we managed to defeat just last month, although it feels like longer since that day. We managed to get a winner right at the end with Marc’s goal and it was a great moment for us. They are a good team, with a lot of experience. But we see this as a good opportunity, and we’ll approach this game with confidence and belief.

We want to show that we can return to winning ways, especially at home. We might not have had a break from matches, but New Year always feels like a restart for everybody.

Once again may I wish you a happy and healthy New Year – thank you for your support and I look forward to seeing you all today

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Captain

marc Guéhi Welcome back to Selhurst Park for our first game of 2026 against Fulham. I hope we can start the year with a win in front of you all today.

H

owever you celebrated seeing in the New Year last night, I’d like to start by wishing you all the best for the next 12 months.

It was two difficult results for us to take either side of Christmas.

Against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup we gave a committed performance against one of the best teams in the country and matched them. I thought, on balance, we deserved the equaliser at the end of the game and to take the tie to a penalty shootout.

It’s never easy going straight to penalties, but credit to every one of the boys who stood up and took one, particularly when we’re away from home going second – not an easy position to be in. It didn’t go our way on the night, but that’s the way with penalties. Overall, we did everything we could to reach a semi-final, it just wasn’t to be.

Against Tottenham last time out we managed to create plenty of chances, but it just wouldn’t fall for us. Sometimes in football, particularly the Premier League, you get a game like that where it isn’t your day in front of goal. They didn’t threaten us that often, but credit to

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we managed to create plenty of chances, but it just wouldn’t fall for us. Sometimes in football, particularly the Premier League, you get a game like that where it isn’t your day in front of goal

Captain

We know we’ll have to be at our best from the off, but with Selhurst Park behind us, we have a great chance of getting another three points.

I hope you all enjoy the game and that we start the New Year with a win for you

them for taking the chance when it came along. It was a tough end to December. But on reflection I think, the boys have taken on the challenge of playing eight games in the space of just 25 days as well as we could have hoped. For the most part we’ve been competitive and we’ve also ensured progression in the Conference League, so there’s lots of positives to take from the month.

the recent results mean we’re all keen to get back to winning ways today. Fulham are a good team but we’ve done well against them over the last year. We managed to get the win against them last month at Craven Cottage, and that was a real battle

Of course, the recent results mean we’re all keen to get back to winning ways today. Fulham are a good team but we’ve done well against them over the last year. We managed to get the win against them last month at Craven Cottage, and that was a real battle. But it felt like

the longer the game went on, the better we played. They’ve been on a good run since that game, but in front of our own fans we believe we can take the game to them.

We know we’ll have to be at our best from the off, but with Selhurst Park behind us, we have a great chance of getting another three points.

I hope you all enjoy the game and that we start the New Year with a win for you

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chairman

steve parish Welcome back to Selhurst Park for today’s match – our first fixture of 2026 – and welcome to the supporters, players, staff and directors of Fulham.

I

’d like to start by taking this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I hope you all had a great evening welcoming in 2026, as well as reflecting on 2025 which proved to be such a special year for the club.

The year ended with two trophies and league form that would see us sit in sixth place in the league table across the calendar year and whilst the last few league results have not gone the way we wanted, we again came incredibly close to beating Arsenal and reaching another semi-final.

Thanks to all of you for your fantastic support, not just last year but over the near 16 years I have had the privilege to be chairman. Your support up and down the country really is one of the key reasons we have been able to excel.

With still so much to play for this season and with players coming back, there’s much we can look forward to in 2026.

Ahead of kick-off today, we will uphold our important tradition of taking a moment to honour and celebrate the lives of those in the Crystal Palace family who sadly left us during 2025. I know you will join me in extending my condolences to all those who have experienced loss this

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Thanks to all of you for your fantastic support, not just last year but over the near 16 years I have had the privilege to be chairman. Your support up and down the country really is one of the key reasons we have been able to excel

Chairman

year and take a moment to reflect this afternoon. May they rest in peace.

I’d like to congratulate both Jefferson and Will on their recent milestones. Jefferson made his 100th Palace appearance against Arsenal, while Will made his 150th in the game with Tottenham. Both have become integral parts of the firstteam squad as well as being great professionals and role models for the younger players coming through.

Christine has been with Crystal Palace for 27 years, I don’t have enough pages to express how important she has been to this club in that time Today also marks the retirement of Club Secretary Christine Dowdeswell and the final game she will be on duty.

Christine has been with Crystal Palace for 27 years, I don’t have enough pages to express how important she has been to this club in that time.

An outstanding servant to the club, Christine has worked alongside a great number of managers (23 in all), hundreds of players and footballing stakeholders down the years. I know every person at the club is going to miss her kindness, tireless work, dedication and warmth she has brought to her role, and to the training ground as a whole. We of course wish her all the very best for the future.

Also well done to Ismaïla for making a fine start to the African Cup of Nations as he represents his country, Senegal.

Starting both games, he contributed with an assist in a 3-0 win over Botswana in their first group match, before also featuring in a draw against DR Congo.

It’s always great to see our players flourishing on the international stage, but particularly when it is in a major tournament. Whilst we miss him, I wish Ismaïla and his team the best of luck.

Among numerous other fixtures, there will be plenty of Cup football played by our various teams over the next month. We have the Men’s team away to Macclesfield in the FA Cup third round, which I’m sure will prove a fantastic occasion for both teams and the competition as a whole. Our Women’s team have a third meeting in as many seasons with holders Chelsea in the Women’s FA Cup to look forward to, and our Under-18s team have an FA Youth Cup away tie up at Newcastle towards the end of the month. We saw last season what cup football can do for this club and hopefully we can have a strong month across all three competitions.

Turning attention back towards today, we have a chance to show what we can do against a spirited opposition in good form. The New Year is an opportunity to regroup and make sure we can continue to compete at the highest level.

Get behind Oliver and the players this afternoon, and let’s start 2026 in the best possible way.

Up the Palace

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we have a chance to show what we can do against a spirited opposition in good form. The New Year is an opportunity to regroup and make sure we can continue to compete at the highest level.

Get behind Oliver and the players this afternoon, and let’s start 2026 in the best possible way

ADAM As incisive in his insight as he is in his progressive passing, Adam Wharton is often hailed as a rare breed of English midfielder. But his evolution into one of the Premier League’s most consistent performers – as the 21-year-old tells Robin Johnson – has hailed from a wide range of influences, all of which stand him in good stead for a huge 2026 ahead for both club and, all being well, country…

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adam wharton

I

n the great pantheon of footballing clichés, the term ‘football intelligence’ has become increasingly widespread.

You can understand why. When the Premier League is more competitive than ever before – writing ahead of match round 19, there are still just seven points between the Champions League places and the bottom half – any small advantage could hold the difference between a vital, season-defining victory or a difficult, downtrodden defeat.

It is safe to assert that Adam Wharton, in his now-two years as a Premier League player, has established himself as one of the division’s standout midfielders. His numbers are incredibly impressive – but, more importantly, so too is his ability to assert himself on any contest, which instinctively must derive from a deeper understanding of the game.

Is that from rewatching his performances, seeking those minor improvements? “I’m not like ‘I have to watch them’, but I think it’s good to,” he explains, in measured tone. “That way, you can see a lot more than what you see on the pitch at the time.

“Everything’s a lot clearer – and then, you can use it for future reference.

“When I was at Blackburn, coming through the academy, you had to do that analysis as part of your scholarship. For every game, you had to create clips and then send them to the manager, just to show them your understanding of the game, and obviously to try and help you develop.

“That probably helped me a lot – and over time, it just became a habit for me, I guess.”

Little coincidence, then, that Wharton is often his teammates’ choice

When I was at Blackburn, coming through the academy, you had to do that analysis as part of your scholarship.

For every game, you had to create clips and then send them to the manager, just to show them your understanding of the game, and obviously to try and help you develop

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for ‘Analyst’ in our ‘staff selection’ section (see page 23).

“They probably say that because in the analysis sessions, I answer quite a few of the questions,” he laughs. “It makes sense to put me in there.”

Footballing statistics are everywhere in these halcyon days for the fan of the footballing acronym. But in an age of occasional over-information, how does Wharton ensure he takes on board the right information?

Pre-orientation is one of his sharpest skills during matches – but outside of them, how does he like to receive the messages that help him sharpen his footballing brain? Is it better to be coached in an analysis session, or out on the training pitch?

“I think a bit of both,” the 21-year-old reasons. “It’s good to get feedback on the pitch, because then when you start playing again, you can try it straight away.

Chris richards

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it was all just an accumulation of football, football, football 16

adam wharton “But it’s also good if you’re watching back a video and the Manager says something, because you can see proof of it right in front of you.

It becomes clear straight away that whatever he’s trying to say to you, it can happen, and he can prove it to you.

“A little mix of a bit of everything is good. If you’re always getting information on the pitch, you might then try it, it might not come off, and then you might not believe it for yourself. But if you see it on the video too, then you can see it works.

“The Manager just gives us little bits here and there. In training sessions, after a passage of play, he might go up to you and speak to you after spotting little adjustments, maybe being five yards this way, five yards that way, or your body shape… just little things like that.

“Then, you just keep adding them to your game, it builds up, and you become better over time. It’s all about little things here and there.”

The contrast of a marginal, more academic approach with the fast-paced nature of today’s game – just take a look at the fixture schedule – is an interesting one.

But it a methodology true to Wharton’s character: an intelligent, critical thinker who, as a schoolboy, got 10 GCSEs, including A-star grades in maths and computer science.

Indeed, his coach at Moorland School, Charlie Jackson, recently told reporters: “Adam is something special.

He really is going to be world-class. He has bags of God-given talent, but he’s a bright man too – excellent at maths and science, but great to be around. He is the definition of a role model.”

How’s that for a glowing report card? “I have no idea!” he laughs.

The Manager just gives us little bits here and there. In training sessions, after a passage of play, he might go up to you and speak to you after spotting little adjustments, maybe being five yards this way, five yards that way, or your body shape… just little things like that. Then, you just keep adding them to your game, it builds up, and you become better over time

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“Moorland had a partnership with Blackburn and gave us extra football lessons. I think I was quite smart generally in school… but I didn’t enjoy it!

“But I guess that sort of helped me understand football. And then, obviously growing up with two older brothers playing football… I think it was all just an accumulation of football, football, football.”

The ability to analyse, partition and break things down is the core requirement of science, maths and analysis – but in the moments where his brain needs to slow down after a game, the challenge is the opposite: to switch off.

Those following him on social media will know his talent for clipping often comes to the fore – but in his downtime, Wharton generally takes things slow.

adam wharton He explains: “I just like to relax, maybe go for some food, go to cinema every now and then… I like just watching a movie at home, just to chill.”

Any recent recommendations?

“I’ve not been able to go too much recently - I’ve been quite busy,” he points out – a fair reference to the aforementioned fixture calendar.

“But there was one which was alright… it was with Leonardo DiCaprio… One Battle After Another!”

Again: a fair descriptor of the aforementioned fixture calendar?

“And I think the new Avatar is coming out, so I’ll be seeing that soon...”

There has never been a more varied time to be a Crystal Palace player: frequent Wembley visits, trophy celebrations and competitive European fixtures are not exactly littered throughout the club’s broader history.

But Wharton is taking all of these new challenges in his stride – and, crucially, harnessing them as further opportunities to improve. “In Europe, I’ve found you’re playing a completely different way of football,” he explains.

“In the Premier League, the games are very tough. We have a lot less possession than in Europe.

“But in the Conference League, you’ve got teams who will just sit back the whole game and try and be compact and difficult, which is what we sometimes do in the Premier League against the so-called ‘bigger teams.’

“In Europe, we’re finding we have more possession, so it’s about us breaking them down. You’ve got some teams who are very physical and kicking it long and trying to make it a tough battle.

It’s just a mix of all different types of football, whereas the Premier League is more footballbased in terms of on the ball. You’ve obviously still got to have possession, but every team has technical players all over the pitch who can deal with the ball comfortably, whereas in Europe you’ve got a bit of a mix of everything

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“It’s just a mix of all different types of football, whereas the Premier League is more football-based in terms of on the ball. You’ve obviously still got to have possession, but every team has technical players all over the pitch who can deal with the ball comfortably, whereas in Europe you’ve got a bit of a mix of everything.

“Of course, sometimes you’re tired, or you’re playing on different pitches.

You might not think that makes a difference, but it does.

“For us, it’s just about adapting and playing a different style of football. It’s good for us to have these matches to see where we are compared to where we want to be.”

How potent is Palace’s usual style of play, then, in continental competition?

“I think we can use our strengths as a weapon because the intensity is so high in the Premier League.

we can use our strengths as a weapon 19

we’ve had the feeling of winning trophies 20

adam wharton “If we can keep that intensity up, I think some European teams – maybe where their leagues aren’t as intense – will struggle if they’re not used to it. At the same time, sometimes the teams we’ll come up against will work against that intensity.

“Every team is different. If you’ve got a plan to play against them, and if we’re on it, we know we can beat any team. It’s just about maintaining the level when we’re playing every three days.”

There-in lies possibly the biggest change at Palace this season – the increased physical, but also mental, demands, of fighting on multiple fronts.

But at the same time, when speaking to a young player as cerebral as Wharton, and having seen for ourselves the Eagles’ propensity for bouncing back from difficult moments in matches – who would have foreseen an FA Cup victory and record Premier League points total coming, given our winless start to last season? – you can simply never rule this group out.

“We know how good of a team we are when we’re playing at our best,” Wharton says. “If we go one goal down, we’ve still got the belief that we’re going to create the chances, and we’re going to create the moments to score a goal.

“I think the Manager also instilled in us that we always keep going until the end. You saw that against Liverpool at the start of the season where, after they equalised late on, we went on and got the winner – and we’ve done it a few times this season.

“You’re never going to be in a position where you’re always winning matches. There’s going to be a time when you’re down.

We know how good of a team we are when we’re playing at our best,” Wharton says. “If we go one goal down, we’ve still got the belief that we’re going to create the chances, and we’re going to create the moments to score a goal. I think the Manager also instilled in us that we always keep going until the end

“In that moment, it’s just about keeping your head up and keeping on playing the same way. We’ll get that chance.”

Despite recent patchy form for his side, Wharton recognises that brighter days are to follow – starting, hopefully, with today’s 2026 opener against Fulham.

Any New Year’s Resolutions – or perhaps World Cup goals? “I’m just taking it all as it comes.

“We want to get as far in Europe and as high up as we can in the Premier League – those are the big goals. And with the cup competitions, we want to try and win as many matches as possible – we’ve had the feeling of winning trophies a couple of times now, and we want to keep having it.

“But I’m not really thinking about the World Cup. It’s a long way away.

We’ve got a lot of games before that – I know I just need to play well, and if I do, I’ll get the opportunity to go.” Sound, sage – ‘footballing intelligent’ – words.

But then, from Adam Wharton, would you expect anything else?

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captain

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follow-up

staff selection

with adam wharton

Everybody knows a footballer’s best position on the pitch – but what if they took on an alternative role off it? Here, Adam Wharton picks his ideal Palace backroom team – from his teammates…

manager

Analyst

Player Care Manager

I’d say Hughesy.

Daichi – he watches a lot of football.

JP probably! He speaks to everyone.

Fitness coach

Club chef

Social Media Manager

Clyney. Model pro – you still see him in the gym quite a lot.

Can I say Hughesy again? He’s got a bit of experience!

Maxence.

Commentator

lawyer

referee

I think Chris Richards!

I feel like Skip (Marc) would be thorough with it and make sure everything’s right.

Justin. I think he’d let the game play and wouldn’t be too soft.

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fulham

fulham

f.c.

Only two Premier League managers have been with their respective clubs longer than Marco Silva has at Fulham. The highly-rated Portuguese coach now looks to improve on last season’s 11th placed finish…

Since that defeat Marco Silva’s team have shown a steely resolve. They have won six out of their nine Premier League fixtures played since.

Even in their defeats Fulham could take positives. They very nearly produced what would have been the greatest Premier League comeback of all-time against Manchester City.

10th

Points

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Harry Wilson

5

Most Assists 4

Trailing 5-1, a momentous second-half display saw the Whites get it back to 5-4, only denied a point after a late goal-line clearance.

Then when Palace and Fulham met a few days later at Craven Cottage, Marc Guéhi’s later header settled a tight game in the Eagles favour.

But generally, Fulham’s performance levels have been high.

They come into today’s game on a run of three league wins on the spin and now sit in the top half of the table.

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away

home

H. Wilson/ S. Chukwueze

third

IMPRESSIVE RECOVERY

Position

Top Scorer

Season so far Fulham had to ride out a below-par start to the 2025/26 season, but over the last month appear to have found the sort of form that saw them rightly considered European contenders for much of last season.

The Whites made only two permanent signings in the summer.

Goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte and exciting Brazilian winger Kevin – the latter not arriving until deadline day.

By that point their campaign had begun in a underwhelming fashion. Draws against Brighton and Manchester United were followed by a defeat to Chelsea.

At the end of October, Fulham lay just one place and three points above the relegation zone, following a lastminute defeat away to Newcastle.

this season

fulham

0-1 west ham √ fulham Saturday, 27th December / London Stadium

“It’s a big win for us, if last week was a crucial one and a massive three points, then this one was even more important for us to climb to a position in the table we deserve to be in. A third win in a row away from home is difficult to achieve in the Premier League.”

Marco Silva

7

Substitutes

jimenez

23

B. Lecomte

6

H. Reed

10

T. Cairney

11

A. Traore

16

20

18

J. Kusi-Asare

berge

lukic

22

21

T. Castagne

24

J. King

31

I. Diop

38

S. Ridgeon

goal cards

8

32

kevin

wilson

smith rowe

33

15

5

2

robinson

cuenca

andersen

tete

1 leno subs

SILVA FOR SILVERWARE?

WHAT HAPPENED Raul Jimenez grabbed a late winner as Fulham recorded a vital Premier League victory and extended relegation-threatened West Ham's winless run to seven games.

In a match of few clear-cut chances, Jimenez, who also scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in Fulham’s previous game, headed into the net from Harry Wilson's cross after Ollie Scarles had missed a chance to clear.

The three points lifted the Whites inside the top half of the table, with Marco Silva’s team ending the year of 2025 with three league wins on the spin.

Fulham are perhaps the biggest club left in England yet to win a major trophy. But they are consistently going deep in cup competitions.

Of course, Palace came out on top in the memorable FA Cup quarter-final between the two sides last season.

This season, Fulham made it to the last eight of the Carabao Cup, only for another late Newcastle goal to send the holders through and knock Silva’s side out of the competition in harsh circumstances.

Despite that setback, the Whites will have their eye on another deep run in the FA Cup this month, as they chase what would be a first major piece of silverware.

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fulham

a SEASON TO REMEMBER A look back at one of our opponents’ most successful campaigns of all time. In this issue, a review of when Fulham went on a European adventure for the ages, including one of the greatest comebacks in club history.

fiulham 2009/10 A remarkable 2008/09 season under Palace legend Roy Hodgson saw Fulham achieve a club record-high seventh place in the Premier League, earning qualification for the following season’s UEFA Europa League.

Building on that success, the following campaign would capture the imagination like no other, as Hodgson’s side defied all expectations to reach the final of Europe’s secondary competition – a feat that remains one of the most extraordinary chapters in the club’s history.

The season began steadily in the Premier League. Hodgson’s pragmatic approach, built around defensive discipline, organisation, and careful game management, ensured that Fulham were never in serious danger of relegation.

Experienced campaigners such as Bobby Zamora, Damien Duff, and Danny Murphy guided the side with calm leadership, while emerging talents like Clint Dempsey, Chris Baird, and Zoltán Gera added creativity, pace, and attacking flair.

A 12th-place finish with 49 points reflected a consistent, if

unspectacular, domestic campaign, but it provided the platform for a far more remarkable journey on the European stage. Fulham’s balance of solidity at the back and resilience in attack proved vital in what was to become an extraordinary continental adventure.

In Europe, the Whites captured the imagination of fans across the continent. Their UEFA Europa League campaign began nervously enough with a 1-1 draw at CSKA Sofia, followed by a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Basel at Craven Cottage.

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A last-minute equaliser from Roma in their third group match, followed by a defeat in Italy, left Fulham’s progression hanging by a thread.

Despite a 1-0 win over CSKA Sofia in the return fixture, they still needed a victory in their final group match against Basel to advance. After taking a 2-0 lead and later 3-1, they were pushed to the brink by Marco Streller’s late strike but held on to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory, finishing second in the group and reaching the knockout stages.

fulham

The Round of 32 saw Fulham face Shakhtar Donetsk, the previous season’s UEFA Cup winners. A 1-1 draw in Ukraine and a 2-1 home victory, with goals from Zamora and Gera, secured the aggregate win despite a late goal from Jadson and a red card for Danny Murphy.

In the Round of 16, Fulham faced the mighty Juventus and produced one of the most iconic nights in club history. After losing 3-1 in Turin, Fulham mounted a stunning comeback at Craven Cottage. Fabio Cannavaro’s red card, coupled with goals from Zamora and Gera – including a decisive penalty – set the stage for Clint Dempsey’s dramatic, yet delicate, chip in the final minutes.

That sealed a 4-1 victory and a remarkable 5-4 aggregate triumph.

Quarter-final and semi-final ties against VfL Wolfsburg, the reigning German champions, and Hamburg SV tested Fulham’s resilience further.

Crucial goals from Zamora and Gera, combined with disciplined defending and Mark Schwarzer’s commanding ‘keeping, carried the team through.

Although Atlético Madrid ultimately proved too strong in the final, the journey itself became a defining chapter in Fulham’s history, showcasing courage, teamwork, and the spirit of real underdogs.

Fulham’s 2009/10 Europa League campaign remains one of the most memorable stories in European football. Victories over Juventus, Wolfsburg, and Hamburg demonstrated that with determination, discipline, and a touch of magic, without previous European experience clubs could contend at the highest level.

While the trophy ultimately eluded them, the campaign continues to be celebrated by fans as one of the finest achievements in the club’s proud history.

In the Round of 16, Fulham faced the mighty Juventus and produced one of the most iconic nights in club history.

After losing 3-1 in Turin, Fulham mounted a stunning comeback at Craven Cottage

29

fulham

01

gk Bernd

Leno age

joined

33 2022

def kenny

tete age

02

gk Alexander

joined

30 2020

from

Borto age

Kenny Tete is a right-back who blends Dutch precision with pace and attacking intent. Born in Amsterdam, he emerged at Ajax, making over 50 senior appearances and reaching the 2017 Europa League Final.

He later featured in Lyon’s run to the 2020 Champions League semi-finals. Tete joined Fulham in 2020, becoming a fan favourite and powering a Championshipwinning season.

Ahead of 2025/26, he signed a deal and marked the campaign by scoring against Spurs, his first goal since December 2023.

36 joined

21 2020

def joachim

from

from

05

Anderson age

joined

29 2024 30

from

gk Benjamin

23

Lecomte age

joined

34 2025

def calvin

from

03

Bassey age

joined

25 2023

def Harrison

Reed age

from

06 joined

30 2020

from

fulham

def Jorge

Cuenca age

15

joined

26 2024

mid sander

Berge age

joined

16

27 2024

def ryan

from

25

Sessegnon age

Sander Berge joined Fulham from Burnley in August 2024. A powerful defensive midfielder who can also operate as an advanced No.8, Berge began his career in Norway before starring for Genk, where he won the Belgian title in 2019.

He later impressed in England with Sheffield United and Burnley, earning Burnley’s Player of the Season award in 2023/24 after featuring in 37 Premier League matches.

Enjoying parenthood, Berge welcomed a son over the summer and has shown new-found creativity this season.

from

joined

25 2024

def antonee

from

33

Robinson age

joined

28 2020 31

from

21

def Timothy

Castagne age

joined

30 2023

31

def issa

Diop age

joined

28 2022

def jon

from

from

34

Esenga age

18

joined

academy

fulham

35

def samuel

Amissah age

18

mid sasa

joined

academy

Lukic

20

mid tom

Cairney age

10

joined

34 2015

from

32

mid emile

Smith Rowe

fwd Raúl

Jiménez age

age

joined

29 2023

mid oliver

from

44

Gofford age

joined

20 academy

age

joined

25 2024

fwd Rodrigo

Muniz age

from

09

joined

24 2021 32

from

07

joined

34 2023

from

Raúl Jiménez joined Fulham from Wolves in 2023 and has since re-established himself as a proven Premier League goalscorer.

The Mexican striker began his career at Club América before winning multiple titles with Benfica and starring for Wolves, where he scored 57 goals.

After a serious head injury in 2020, Jiménez made a full recovery and rediscovered his best form in SW6, scoring 21 league goals across his first two seasons. A Mexico icon, he boasts over 120 international caps.

fulham

11

fwd adama

Traoré age

joined

29 2023

17

fwd alex

Iwobi

from

age

joined

29 2023

from

fwd

19

fwd samuel

Chukwueze age

joined

26 2025

fwd josh

king age

18

from

24 joined

academy

fwd -

kevin age

22 joined

22 2024

from

18

fwd jonah

Kusi-Asare age

joined

18 2025 33

from

harry

08

Wilson age

joined

28 2022

from

Harry Wilson is a left-footed attacking midfielder known for his creativity and long-range finishing.

The youngest player to represent Wales at 16, he has since earned over 50 caps.

After developing at Liverpool and impressing on loan at Hull, Derby, Bournemouth and Cardiff, Wilson joined Fulham in 2025.

A key attacking presence at Craven Cottage, he is one of only three Fulham players to record multiple Premier League hat-tricks of goal involvements and the first to do so twice, including a stunning equaliser against us last month.

fulham

TALKING TACTICS

@CPFC_Tampa

Sports scientist-turned-hobbyist analyst Pat Rosanio – better known by fans as @CPFC_Tampa – has been breaking down Crystal Palace games on social media for a number of years, having previously worked in Major League Baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays. In a new feature for 2025/26, Pat will present a scouting report on the opposition – here he examines today’s visitors Fulham.

Fulham will arrive in SE25 looking to play expansive and attractive football. Marco Silva’s men are stronger defensively than numbers may show, and make the most of the chances they generate.

EXPANSIVE ATTACK In terms of how they attack, Fulham are methodical, expansive, and prefer the left side of the pitch, where they initiate 41% of builds – third most in league.

They are patient, with the thirdslowest direct speed and the fifth-most passes per sequence.

However, they are not just a short-passing side, as they utilise passes of all types. Fulham rank top of the entire league for switches of play, as well as long passes completed, led by centre-back and former Palace defender Joachim Anderson – the player who leads the Premier League in both metrics.

Fulham progress the ball in a balanced fashion, ranking mid-table in progressive carries (eighth) and progressive passes (ninth) alike.

In the final third, team play is prioritised, with Fulham averaging an

assist on nearly 70% of their goals.

However, they have struggled to create chances (15th in non-penalty expected goals), but excellent shotplacement has increased the likelihood of these chances for goals.

Fulham rank fourth in the Premier League for NPxG gained ‘post-shot,’ showing the clinical ability of their attacking players.

The issues so far have been shot quantity and overall shot quality, ranking 12th in total shots and 19th in NPxG/shot.

DEFENSIVE TENDENCIES Defensively, Fulham deploy a deep defensive block with a high PPDA (passes per defensive action), showing that they only step up to tackle when it is necessary.

34

Silva’s team rank just 17th for tackle win-rate but have an excellent win-rate against dribblers – their 60% success is second in the league. This again depicts a side who are not ‘active’ defensively but often win the ball when needed.

Rather than a high press, Fulham will look to deploy an offside trap. They rank third in forced offsides and have looked more confident in the tactic as the season progresses.

Overall, Fulham, in general, concede very few chances – allowing just the sixth-fewest xG in the league.

One area of vulnerability is counter-attacks, a direct source of three of the goals they have conceded as we approach the halfway point of the season.

projected starting xi

fulham

lb

lw

robinson

kevin

dm cb gk leno

berge

cuenca

cb andersen

am

st

smith rowe

jimenez

dm lukic

rb tete

rw wilson

SEASON TRENDS √ REVERSE FIXTURE In the reverse fixture at Craven Cottage, many of Fulham’s seasonal trends rang true. Fulham took 12 shots, but mainly of low-quality – shown by a low NPxG/shot of 0.06.

However, their post-shot xG value to 1.4, and Harry Wilson’s goal was a perfect example of quality shot placement.

In the reverse fixture, Fulham widely eschewed middle attacks, but also favored their right side due to injuries at left back.

Expect them to stick to their affinity on the left with Antonee Robinson returning to the starting XI – the American was absent for the last meeting between the teams.

In the reverse fixture, Fulham routinely invited Crystal Palace dribblers forward and dealt with the threat. They won 10 of their 16 challenges against dribblers and did not let a single Palace player carry the ball into their penalty area.

35

PLAYER TO WATCH: KEVIN The young Brazilian winger, signed in the summer, is likely to be thrust into action in Samuel Chukwueze’s absence.

He’s been electric while on the pitch – ranking high in defensive actions and completing more takeons than any player in the league per-90 minutes.

His issue, so far at least, has been the final ball, as Kevin has yet to register a goal or assist and ranks low for xG + xA.

This season we’re going up from 128 to

Premier League matches

36

fulham

fulham flashback 2001/02

STREETS WON’T FORGET: Steed Malbranque After an excellent spell at Lyon, Malbranque had the chance to move to the Premier League with Arsenal

HOME KIT - our verdict: A bona fide noughties classic. Fulham’s home shirt from this season is a beauty.

White, black, with that perfect red trim on the collar and sleeve – completed by the Pizza Hut logo. Close to perfect.

but declined.

Instead he moved to England with Fulham in 2001, going on to be a Craven Cottage hero for the next five years.

Known for accurate long-range shots, Malbranque was a joy to watch; technically excellent and tactically shrewd in his play.

One of his best seasons came the year after his arrival in 2002/03, when his 13 goals in all competitions played a pivotal role in keeping Fulham in the Premier League, during a difficult season when home games were played at Loftus Road.

Despite ultimately making a move across London to Tottenham

away kit - our verdict: Another excellent design. It just needs the club badge and the adidas three stripe logo to be moved a few inches. It’s hard to go too far wrong with red and black stripes.

37

in 2006, Malbranque − at least in England – will always be more closely associated with Fulham than any other club.

fulham

BOTH SIDES of THE FENCE Andy Johnson Andy Johnson’s football journey began at Luton Town, where he progressed rapidly through the youth ranks before signing for Birmingham City and making his professional debut in 1998.

A natural finisher with an eye for goal, Johnson quickly established himself as a prolific forward, making over 100 appearances for the Blues and helping them earn promotion to the Premier League in 2002.

That summer, Johnson moved to Palace in a deal that included Clinton Morrison moving the other way. His early weeks at Selhurst Park were frustrating, but he broke his duck in a 2-2 draw against Wimbledon and soon found his rhythm. Over the next few weeks, he scored nine goals across four consecutive games, including a hat-trick against Brighton, another treble at Walsall, and a brace against Coventry in the League Cup. Johnson’s goalscoring exploits continued to define his time at Palace. In 2003/04, he scored 32 league goals, finishing as the Championship’s top scorer and helping the Eagles win promotion via the play-offs.

He proved himself in the Premier League, netting 21 goals in 04/05, earning a place in the PFA Team of the Year and receiving his first England call-up.

His legacy in SE25 was cemented with inclusion in the club’s Centenary XI, alongside legends such as Ian Wright and Nigel Martyn, after scoring 15 goals following Palace’s return to the Championship.

In 2008, Johnson signed for Fulham, making an immediate impact by scoring 10 goals in his first season and helping the Cottagers qualify for the UEFA Europa League. His second season was hampered by a troublesome knee injury, limiting him to just 13 appearances and three goals, and he missed a chunk of the 2010/11 campaign.

He returned with a bang the following season, scoring a Premier League hat-trick in a 6–0 West London derby win over QPR and netting twice in Fulham’s 4-1 Europa League victory over Wisła Kraków, bringing his European tally to eight goals, including strikes against NSÍ Runavík, Crusaders, RNK Split, Twente, and Odense.

Despite injuries limiting his later appearances, Johnson’s lethal finishing and knack for scoring in key moments left a lasting mark at Craven Cottage. His contract expired in June 2012, departing after four years.

He later joined QPR, where injuries disrupted his progress, before a brief return to Palace prior to his retirement in 2015. He mains one of Palace’s true modern day greats.

38

1998

Makes professional debut for Birmingham City after progressing through the youth system.

2002

Joins Palace in a swap deal involving Clinton Morrison.

2002/03

Scores nine goals across four consecutive games, including hat-tricks against Brighton and Walsall, and a League Cup brace vs Coventry.

2003/04

Nets 32 league goals, finishing as Championship top scorer; helps Palace win promotion via the play-offs.

2004/05

Scores 21 Premier League goals, earns a place in the PFA Team of the Year, and receives first England call-up.

2005/06

Scores 15 goals in the Championship following Palace’s relegation; later included in the club’s Centenary XI.

2006

Transfers to Everton, scoring key goals in the Premier League and UEFA Cup.

2008

Signs for Fulham and produces 10 goals in his first season to help the club qualify for the UEFA Europa League.

2011/12

Becomes a leading forward for Fulham, scores a Premier League hat-trick in a 6–0 West London derby vs QPR.

2014

Briefly returns to Crystal Palace before retiring.

fulham

WHen we last met

1-2 fulham √ palace Sunday, 7th December, 2025 – Craven Cottage

1 henderson

26

5

6

richards

LACROIX

guÉhi

17

20

18

3

clyne

wharton

kamada

mitchell

10

9 nketiah

pino

14 MATETA

7 jiminez

19

32

8

chukwueze

smith rowe

wilson

17

16

iwobi

berge

21

3

5

2

castagne

bassey

andersen

tete

1 leno

the scorers wilson 38'

Just three weeks and four days on from the most recent fixture between the two sides, Palace and Fulham prepare to do battle again in the Premier League today.

The last meeting was both entertaining and evenly matched.

Eddie Nketiah confidently put the Eagles in front after 20 minutes, scoring on his first league start of the season.

But Fulham levelled not long before the break through Harry Wilson's sumptuous curled finish, after the Welsh forward played a clever one-two with Alex Iwobi.

Both sides continued to create chances after the break, but the longer the game went on, the more likely it seemed Palace would get the winner.

Oliver Glasner introduced Jefferson Lerma and Christantus Uche from the bench and momentum swung the Eagles way.

Jean Philippe Mateta dragged an effort wide before Yeremy Pino and Uche both went close, the latter sliding in but being denied by Fulham ‘keeper Bernd Leno.

However, with just three minutes of normal time to play, Pino delivered a perfect corner, met by the head of captain Marc Guéhi, leaving Leno with no chance.

The goal secured all three points and completed a dream week on the road for Palace after a 1-0 win at Burnley only a few days earlier.

39

nketiah 20' Guéhi 87'

MATCH STATS 63%

Possession

37%

12

total shots

11

4

Shots on target

5

6

corners

4

8

free kicks

5

west ham united

RedBull_UK3383_ZERO_Crystal Palace Match Day Programme_148x105mm_AW.indd 1

40

08/01/2025 09:51

fulham

HEAD TO HEAD

adam

Wharton age

21

pos

mid

nat

sander

25/26

21

Goals

25

29.55

Expected Goals

20.57

7

Clean Sheets

5

Berge age

27

pos

mid

nat

PL Apps

16

68

Corners

87

PL Apps

18

Goals

0

47

Blocks

64

Goals

0

Assists

2

512

Assists

0

Minutes played

1303

Minutes played

1552

Passes

612

Passes

860

Duels Won

68

Duels Won

59

Dribbles

15

Dribbles

7

613

Clearances

4

Palace are looking for a fourth win on the bounce against Fulham – for the first time in the history of the fixture

2019

The last time the Eagles beat Fulham at home, with Luka Milivojevic and Jeffrey Schlupp scoring

18

A win today would be our 18th in history against the Cottagers

Delivered by:

41

west ham united

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42

KEVIN PHILLIPS

43

KEVIN PHILLIPS

KEVIN PHILLIPS As Crystal Palace take part in a club-record 13th top-flight season, we hear from the man who kicked it all off – Super Kevin Phillips. The former England and Palace striker shares his thoughts on playing the same opponent twice and the challenge Fulham will pose…

Happy New Year! I hope you’ve all had a lovely time celebrating with loved ones over the last 24 hours.

During my 20-year career as a professional it was a rarity to celebrate New Year. Normally you’re still in the thick of games, so it’s one of the perks of retiring from playing.

Although we’re still very much in the Festive period, I think Palace will be glad to see the end of December and start a new month. It’s been extremely busy with eight games.

So many fixtures meant it would have been something of a

miracle to come through the month unbeaten and without any injuries.

Naturally, they’ve now got a few players absent and just came up short in the two games either side of Christmas, against Arsenal and Tottenham.

But the Spurs game in particular showed they are still capable of creating chances. Things just didn’t fall their way on the day.

The manager is utilising his squad, as he has to, the downside of that is that sometimes things become a little disjointed.

44

I hope you’ve all had a lovely time celebrating with loved ones over the last 24 hours.

During my 20year career as a professional it was a rarity to celebrate New Year. Normally you’re still in the thick of games, so it’s one of the perks of retiring from playing

KEVIN PHILLIPS

FULHAM OFFERS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY I know the manager has spoken in recent months about the lack of time on the training pitch.

That makes things difficult. But the one benefit of playing so often means you can quickly get momentum back if you don’t have it.

It also means you can climb the table if you’ve had a couple of defeats.

One win today and the confidence will be back in the team, and they’ll be relishing the trip to Newcastle.

I used to find it amazing that when you win, and you play a game two or three days after, suddenly no players will be moaning about knocks or aching pains. Getting a win quickly lifts the mood.

The league table is still incredibly close and with a few positive results they’ll be back within reach of the top six.

the one benefit of playing so often means you can quickly get momentum back if you don’t have it.

It also means you can climb the table if you’ve had a couple of defeats. One win today and the confidence will be back in the team

Only a few weeks ago, Palace managed to get the win over Fulham, and I think psychologically that will have an impact today.

Of course it’s going to give the group a slight edge going into this game. They will feel like they’ve got Fulham’s number at the moment.

That game also showed they could win without Ismaïla Sarr and Daniel Muñoz, so I’m sure they took a lot from that.

On the flipside Fulham will be desperate for a good result today after losing three in-a-row to Palace. They’ll want to show they have the mentality to beat a good team and maintain the good run of form they’ve been on.

I think today’s match could pan out like the previous meetings between these two. It’ll be close because we know that Fulham are a good side on their day.

But it’s a game that Palace are more than capable of winning and – after a few disappointing results at home − offers a perfect chance to get three points

.

45

25 YEARS CHAMPIONING GRASSROOTS Shout it from the terraces, it’s our anniversary! Since 2000, we’ve been transforming lives, giving every community great places to play sport. We're not finished yet, so here's to more game-changing investment.

Search Football Foundation to find out more

46

47

academy

palace academy The Crystal Palace Academy is a place where young talent thrives – and throughout this season’s programme, we’re sitting down with a rising star from the next generation. This week, it’s the turn of goalscoring attacking midfielder, Stuart Oduro...

stuart oduro my roots I started playing football when I was really young, mainly because everyone else did, but also because I genuinely loved it. My older brother played as well, so I just wanted to follow him. I enjoyed it straight away and it never felt like a chore.

My grassroots journey started at Dagenham United when I was about eight. It was proper grassroots football – just playing for fun, enjoying the game and learning without pressure.

My older brother has given me the most support growing up. He’s always looked after me, taking me to training and games, giving me tips and helping me improve. He’s advised me – not just in football – but in life as well, so I owe a lot to him.

The first position I played was a box-to-box number eight when I was under 10. Then around 11 or 12, I moved into a number ten role, which really suited me. My best moment so far has to be winning the Floodlit Cup – that’s something I’ll always remember.

age

nationality

18 position

forward

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to never give up and to always pray.

Last season was really tough for me because I wasn’t playing much, and there were times when I wanted to quit.

But I’m religious, I believe in God, so I kept praying and pushing on.

Giving up would’ve been easy, but I knew I wouldn’t feel right if I did. That mindset has shaped my character – just keep going, keep praying and do your best.

My Inspirations My football inspiration is Cristiano Ronaldo. I’ve always admired his mentality and work ethic. He’s the

48

definition of hard work – first in, last out, takes care of his body and stays professional on and off the pitch. I try to emulate that in my own game.

In terms of attributes, I’d say I’ve got a bit of Eden Hazard and a bit of Jérémy Doku. My strengths are dribbling, close control, finding passes and scoring goals, so those are the types of players I look up to.

my Teammates My best friend at the Academy is Benji Casey. The hardest working is either Jasper Judd or Charlie Walker-Smith.

Chuks Okoli and Euan Danaher are more talented than they think. I’d say I’m the funniest in the changing room – whenever I speak, people laugh, even if I’m a bit bad sometimes.

Jasper is most likely to become a future manager. He’s the captain, speaks a lot on the pitch and already talks about management. If I was stuck on a desert island, I’d take Chuks because he’s smart, Dean Benamar for entertainment, and Charlie or Sean Somade for the athletic side

.

academy

fixtures&results

pos club

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

1

ips

9

7

1

1

7

22

2

mun

8

7

0

1

8

21

3

ful

8

5

3

0

10

18

4

che

9

6

0

3

9

18

5

sou

9

5

3

1

5

18

Home Away Cup International Cup

u21s

u18s AUGUST

AUGUST Fri 22 Fri 29

Tottenham Hotspur West Bromwich Albion

W D

2-3 0-0

SEPTEMBER

Sat 16

Birmingham City

W

0-8

6

tot

9

5

1

3

5

16

Sat 23

Chelsea

L

2-4

7

sto

9

4

4

1

4

16

Tue 26

Manchester City

D

3-3

8

bha

9

4

3

2

9

15

Sat 30

Tottenham Hotspur

W

2-3

9

whu

9

4

3

2

6

15

10

lei

9

4

2

3

2

14

Tue 2

Bromley

D

3-3

SEPTEMBER

Tue 16

AFC Wimbledon

L

3-1

Sat 13

Ipswich Town

W

8-0

11

wol

8

4

2

2

2

14

Sat 20

Reading

W

2-0

12

cry

8

4

2

2

1

14

Sat 27

Aston Villa

L

3-1

13

mci

9

4

1

4

3

13

14

avl

9

4

1

4

-1

13

Mon 22 Leeds United

W

3-2

Sat 27

L

4-1

Manchester United

OCTOBER Mon 6

Birmingham City

W

3-1

Tue 21

Stevenage

L

5-2

Mon 27 Newcastle United

L

0-2

Fri 31

W

0-2

Aston Villa

NOVEMBER Tue 4

Valencia

L

0-1

Fri 7

Stoke City

D

2-2

Wed 12 Juventus

W

Wed 26 Nordsjælland

W

JANUARY Sat 10 Fri 16

Chelsea Nottingham Forest

OCTOBER Sat 4

Sheffield United

W

1-3

15

ars

8

3

3

2

1

12

Sat 18

Fulham

W

4-0

16

eve

9

4

0

5

-1

12

Sat 25

Brighton & Hove Albion

L

0-4

17

lee

8

3

2

3

2

11

18

nor

8

3

2

4

-1

11

NOVEMBER Sat 1

Leicester City

W

4-2

19

bir

9

3

2

4

-5

11

Sat 8

West Ham United

L

3-2

20

nfo

9

3

1

5

-1

10

Sat 22

Chelsea

W

4-0

21

liv

9

3

1

5

-2

10

Sat 29

Southampton

W

4-2

22

bla

9

2

2

5

-6

8

23

new

9

2

2

5

-8

8

DECEMBER Fri 5

Bradford City

W

3-0

3-1

24

sun

9

2

1

6

-4

7

Sat 13

Norwich City

W

4-2

25

mid

8

1

3

4

-2

6

3-2

JANUARY

26

bur

9

2

0

7

-6

6

Sat 17

West Bromwich Albion

27

wba

9

1

3

5

-11

6

Thu 22

Newcastle United

28

der

9

1

1

7

-12

4

Sat 24

Chelsea

29

rea

8

0

3

5

-14

3

Sat 31

Birmingham City

Wed 21 Borussia M’gladbach

FEBRUARY

Mon 26 Derby County

Sat 7

Ipswich Town

Sat 14

Tottenham Hotspur

pos club

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

Sat 21

Leicester City

1

cry

12

8

0

4

20

24

FEBRUARY

Sat 28

West Ham United

2

che

9

6

3

0

18

21

Mon 9

MARCH

3

tot

12

6

3

3

16

21 21

Fri 30

Ipswich Town

Middlesbrough

Mon 16 Fulham Mon 23 West Ham United MARCH

Sat 7

Aston Villa

4

avl

11

7

0

4

8

Sat 14

Reading

5

sou

10

6

1

3

10

19

Tue 17

Fulham

6

lei

11

6

1

4

6

19

Sat 21

Brighton & Hove Albion

Mon 2

Sunderland

APRIL

Fri 6

Blackburn Rovers

Sat 11

Southampton

Sat 18

Arsenal

Sat 25

Norwich City

Tue 28

Arsenal

Mon 16 Wolves Sun 22

Liverpool

APRIL

MAY

Mon 13 Arsenal

Sat 9

West Bromwich Albion

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Tuesday, 30th December.

49

7

bha

11

5

2

4

7

17

8

whu

11

5

1

5

2

16

9

ars

10

4

3

3

0

15

10

wba

12

4

3

5

-1

15

11

ful

11

5

0

6

-7

15

12

rea

11

3

3

5

-9

12

13

bir

11

3

1

7

-26

10

14

nor

12

1

4

7

-12

7

15

ips

12

1

1

10

-32

4

academy

palace academy i

Crystal Palace Academy 2025 Wrapped: A Year to Remember

t’s fair to say that 2025 was a memorable year for the Palace Academy. From thrilling comebacks in Premier League 2 to commanding performances in the International Cup and U18 Premier League South, the season showcased exactly what makes Palace’s pathway so special.

At Under-21 level, Darren Powell’s young Eagles impressed, particularly with their resilience. A dramatic comeback at Manchester City, overturning a 2-0 half-time deficit to win 3-2 through goals from Rio Cardines, Hindolo Mustapha, and Dylan Reid, perfectly captured the squad’s unwavering character and belief.

Later, a 5-2 stoppage-time victory at West Ham epitomised their relentless spirit, while triumphs over Brighton (3-1) and a 6-0 dismantling of Chelsea secured a Premier League 2 play-off semi-final place. Palace narrowly fell to Southampton despite late efforts striking the woodwork and penalties agonisingly missed, capping off an otherwise positive 2024/25 campaign.

Mustapha’s outstanding year earned him a Premier League 2 Player of the Season nomination, a first senior call-up to Sierra Leone, and a goal in AFCON qualifying.

Zach Marsh’s hat-trick against Tottenham in the 2025/26 opener and Luke Browne’s stoppage-time header

50

against Leeds in the VBS curtainraiser provided further highlights for 2025, while statement victories over Juventus and group leaders FC Nordsjaelland in the International Cup also deserve a mention…

Meanwhile, at Under-18 level, the squad began the year with a 5-0 away win at London rivals West Ham and a 4-1 victory over Aston Villa.

Over the summer, Palace finished runners-up in the Mohammed VI Football Academy Tournament in Morocco, notably defeating PSG under Dave Cooper’s guidance.

August, of course, saw the arrival of Spaniard Javier Alonso, and since then Palace have topped the U18 Premier League South with victories over Southampton (4-2) and Norwich (4-2), while advancing through a ‘group of death’ in the Premier League Cup following a 4-0 win over Chelsea.

academy

The squad also reached the FA Youth Cup fourth round with a 3-0 win against Bradford under the Selhurst Park lights.

The most memorable performances included back-toback 8-0 wins against Leicester and Ipswich, Benji Casey’s consecutive hat-tricks, Donte Martin’s thunderbolt strike, and Makai Bernard-Ferguson’s curling, top-corner finishes.

U16 striker Mylo Bernard scored within two minutes of his debut against Leicester, while the likes of Dylan Monk and Seb Bonsu-Amako also stepped up to make their mark at U18 level.

The year culminated in Academy graduates stepping onto the senior stage: Rio Cardines debuting in Palace’s first European away win at Dynamo Kyiv, Benji Casey following away at Shelbourne FC, and George King, Dean Benamar, and Joel DrakesThomas starting at Selhurst Park in Europe, forming the youngest XI since 1982 and marking the first time three Academy debutants started a senior match.

Drakes-Thomas set multiple records: The youngest English player in the UEFA Conference League, and youngest ever Palace Premier League player when he came on against Leeds.

Off the pitch, Academy players represented the club through school visits, literacy initiatives, and social action projects, demonstrating leadership, character, and community spirit

.

u21s Name

u18s apps goals

Kai-Reece ADAMS COLLMAN Asher AGBINONE

10

Dean BENAMAR

3

Luke BROWNE

12

Rylan BROWNLIE

1

Rio CARDINES

3

Benji CASEY

9

Matteo DASHI

3

Joel DRAKES-THOMAS

7

2

1

Name

apps goals

Raihaan ANDERSON

4

David ANGIBEAUD

16

Dean BENAMAR

2

Lucca BENETTON

1

Mylo BERNARD

4

Sebastian BONSO-AMAKO

6

Makai BERNARD-FERGUSON

15

7

Benji CASEY

11

15

Euan DANAHER

14

Joel DRAKES-THOMAS

4

2

Jacob FASIDA

11

1

Khyan FRAZER-WILLIAMS

11

1

2

Craig FARQUHAR Jacob FASIDA

6

Joe GIBBARD

9

Ajean-Ray GREAVES

7

Jake GRANTE

9

Marcus HILL (GK)

3

Zack HENRY

Jasper JUDD

15

Marcus HILL (GK)

Oladotun LAMIDI

7

Jackson IZQUIERDO (GK)

4

Donte MARTIN

16

Mofe JEMIDE

11

Jack MASON (GK)

2

Jasper JUDD

1

Jayden McDONALD

2

George KING

8

Aiden MORGAN

3

Harry LEE (GK)

9

Zach MARSH

13

7

Adler NASCIMENTO

12

2

David OBOU

5

Dylan REID

12

3

Kaden RODNEY

11

3

Charlie WALKER-SMITH

1

Thiago SPERONI (GK)

Tyler WHYTE

6

Sebastian WILLIAMS

10

2

3

5

Joshua MUWANA

1

Stuart ODURO

2

Chuks OKOLI

15

10

Jerome OSEI KYREMEH

14

2

Daniel OWOADE

3

Remi AHAZIE-SHITTU

1

Sean SOMADE

16

1

Charlie WALKER-SMITH

14

2

Harry WHITWORTH (GK)

10

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Tuesday, 30 December. th

51

6

WOMEN

palace women

4-4 palace √ southampton 14/09/25

There have been some thrilling Palace Women games throughout this year, so let’s take a look back at some of the best clashes of 2025...

3-1 palace √ aston villa 16/03/25

2-0 palace √ newcastle united 09/02/25 Palace Women made history in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, as they reached the quarter-final stage of the competition for the first time ever.

After a 6-1 drubbing of Sheffield United in the fourth-round, second-tier outfit Newcastle United were all that stood in their way of a place in the last eight.

The Magpies held firm for 80 minutes, but a goal from Ashleigh Weerden on 81 minutes and an Abbie Larkin strike at the death confirmed a 2-0 win for the Eagles, and a first-ever place in the last eight.

Palace lost 1-0 away to eventual winners Chelsea in the next round, but history was made in getting to the quarter-final stage.

The Eagles were without a home win at the VBS Community Stadium in their maiden Women’s Super League campaign, until March’s clash against Aston Villa.

It was a day of firsts, as three academy graduates were named on the bench for the first time, Aniek Nouwen made her first start since suffering an ACL injury, and Palace earning their first ever home win in the women’s top-flight.

It was debutant Nouwen who bagged the first goal, a bullet header from a wonderful Lily Woodham corner.

Weerden doubled Palace’s advantage on 53 minutes before Lucy Parker scored for Villa, setting up a nervy finale in South London.

With the Villans piling forward in extra-time, goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo made an ill-advised back pass to Katie Stengel, who passed into an empty net and sent the Palace faithful into delirium.

Although ultimately it wouldn’t be enough for the Eagles to avoid WSL relegation, it was an end-to-end thriller that supporters won’t forget in a hurry.

52

It was Palace’s first home game in the newly-named Barclays Women’s Super League 2, and it was certainly a match to remember.

The VBS saw eight goals scored, with the Eagles drawing 4-4 with the Saints.

Southampton took the lead, before Larkin and Justine Vanhaevermaet put Palace on top.

The Saints then scored two more before Larkin grabbed a stunning second and Weerden put Palace ahead.

A 64th minute goal from Megan Collett made it 4-4. Eight goals, with the vast majority scored inside just an hour of play – remarkable. In the end, the points were shared in what was an absolute classic in SM1.

1-2 Nottingham Forest √ palace 21/09/25 Just a week after Palace’s thriller against Southampton, Jo Potter’s side travelled to the East Midlands to face new WSL2 team Nottingham Forest.

Summer signing Justine Vanhaevermaet got the Eagles off to the perfect start on 18 minutes, with a wonderful, hooked volley from the left side of the box.

Things would then get even better for Palace, as fellow summer

WOMEN

arrival Kirsty Howat grabbed her first Palace goal on 32 minutes.

It was a finish made out of pure instinct and determination, as the Scotland international latched on to a deflected Weerden shot and poked it beyond the Forest ‘keeper.

A late goal from Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah denied Shae Yañez a clean sheet, but Palace held on for their first league away win since October 2024.

fixtures&results Name

Home Away FA Cup League Cup SEPTEMBER

apps goals

Eve ANNETS (GK)

3 5

Sun 7

Charlton Athletic

L

1-0

Chloe ARTHUR

Sun 14

Southampton

D

4-4

Zara BAILEY

Sun 21

Nottingham Forest

W

1-2

Wed 24 London City Lionesses

L

1-2

Sun 28

Durham

D

1-1

Sun 5

Newcastle United

D

2-2

Sun 12

Sunderland

D

1-1

Sun 19

Ipswich Town

W

3-2

october

november

3-0

playerstats

Sun 2

Portsmouth

L

2-1

Annabel BLANCHARD

16

Lola BROWN

4

My CATO

11

Aimee EVERETT

11

Josie GREEN

4

3

1

Shanade HOPCROFT

11

1

Kirsty HOWAT

16

6

Elise HUGHES

16

2

15

4

Sun 9

Sheffield United

L

1-2

Abbie LARKIN

palace √ birmingham city 07/12/25

Sun 16

Ipswich Town

W

1-2

Ruesha LITTLEJOHN

5

Sun 23

Leicester City

W

0-3

Jamie-Lee NAPIER

14

Hayley NOLAN

14

Palace’s last home league game of 2025 was certainly one to remember.

The Eagles were in fine form with consecutive wins against Ipswich Town and Leicester City, and now they had their sights set on high-flying Birmingham City.

What followed was perhaps Palace’s most dominant league performance of the year, with goals from Molly-Mae Sharpe, Annabel Blanchard and Shanade Hopcroft sealing a famous 3-0 triumph in Sutton.

Each goal was better than the last, from Sharpe’s audacious chip to Blanchard’s free-kick to Hopcroft’s stunner from outside the box.

It was also Palace’s ‘Festive Fixture’ off the pitch, so there was plenty to cheer on a memorable day in South London.

Sun 7

Birmingham City

W

3-0

Indiah-Paige RILEY

8

Sun 14

Lewes

W

0-1

Molly-Mae SHARPE

9

Wed 17 Bristol City

W

2-3

Isabella SIBLEY

6

Sun 21

L

0-2

Allyson SWABY

12

1

Justine VANHAEVERMAET

12

3

Emma WATSON

8

2

Ashleigh WEERDEN

16

3

Shae YAÑEZ (GK)

13

december

Arsenal

january Sun 11

Sheffield United

Sat 17

Chelsea

Sun 25

Durham

february Sun 1

2

Southampton

Sun 8

Bristol City

Sun 15

Birmingham City

march

pos club

P

W

D

L

GD

1

cha

11

8

3

0

10

Pts 27

2

bir

11

7

1

3

15

22

Sun 15

Nottingham Forest

3

bri

11

6

1

4

9

19

Sun 22

Newcastle United

4

new

11

5

4

2

5

19

Sun 29

Charlton Athletic

5

cry

11

4

4

3

3

16

6

nfo

11

5

1

5

-1

16

7

sou

11

4

3

4

6

15

april Sun 5

Ipswich Town

8

sun

11

3

3

5

-3

12

Sun 26

Sunderland

9

shu

11

3

3

5

-9

12

10

dur

11

2

4

5

-2

10

11

por

11

3

1

7

-12

10

12

ips

11

1

2

8

-21

5

may Sun 3

Portsmouth

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Tuesday, 30th December.

53

PALACE FOR LIFE

palace for life A new year means the chance for Palace for Life to reflect on another successful 12 months as the Foundation continues to change lives across South London…

18,000+ Young people worked with in total in South London, across our programmes from Targeted Intervention to Football Development.

8,280 250 Palace fans crossed the Marathon March finish line!

We broke two (yes, TWO!) records: A record number of marchers, and the record amount raised, £130,000.

Pupils have seen the FA Cup from 15 schools in South London, so far!

These are all partner schools, where we regularly deliver our primary and secondary education programmes.

54

donate to palace for life below

PALACE FOR LIFE

13 Young people offered trials with the Crystal Palace F.C. Academy.

We are passionate about developing young footballing talent through a clear and dedicated player pathway, offering the most talented players the chance to progress into the Academy and other local teams.

Players like Teddy are already thriving through the Palace Pathway.

1

1 Palace for Life event at the Houses of Parliament.

22

3 Times Palace for Life appeared on the front of shirt in Palace’s inaugural European UEFA Conference League campaign.

Local schools played on the pitch at Selhurst Park in our annual Play on the pitch event.

The event is part of our Football Development programme, where we help aspiring players develop all aspects of their football, both at courses in the school holidays and in a further education setting.

We provide opportunities to progress to academies, universities or even the professional game.

55

Charity single released from the DS Eagles.

The DS Eagles, our Down’s Syndrome football team, recorded a powerful cover of the iconic Palace hit Glad All Over to raise awareness, challenge outdated assumptions about disability and work, and raise vital funds for young people in South London. This was all as part of the DS GAME ON programme, a project that combines our DS Eagles work with our flagship employment programme, GAME ON. Thank you, once again, for all your support this year, and we look forward to another record-breaking year in 2026.

Donate to Palace for Life by scanning the QR code below.

KICK OFF YOUR INVESTMENT JOURNEY

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Join a community of 40+ million users worldwide

Official Trading Partner of Crystal Palace FC

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The value of your investments 56 may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.

PALACE FOR ALL

palace for all Palace for All is the club’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) brand, and the umbrella beneath which all our campaigns, activations and initiatives sit. The message is simple: Crystal Palace Football Club is for everyone. We continually celebrate the diversity across our club, and take a proactive approach to tackling prejudice and promoting understanding.

how to report discrimination Crystal Palace Football Club is committed to identifying, confronting and eliminating discrimination, whether by reason of race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, age, ethnic and national origin, pregnancy or maternity, disability or gender reassignment.

You can report discrimination and/or abuse on a matchday by using the Anti-Social Behaviour Text Alert Service – the number is 07507 477 669 – or by scanning the MyVoice QR code.

Please include as much relevant information as possible.

Please include the stand, block, row and seat number you are in, and identify the location of the anti-social behaviour, being as precise as possible. Please state if you wish to remain anonymous in your message. Security staff will make every effort to deal with the issue. If they are unable to resolve the issue, each text will be

edi strategy Our EDI Strategy sets out our aspirations as a club until 2034, as well as our objectives and commitments towards being an inclusive and diverse club.

followed up and investigated by a club staff member.

You can alternatively contact your nearest steward, who will do their best to help – and assist with your report.

We would also encourage supporters to contact customer. service@cpfc.co.uk or inclusion@cpfc.co.uk, or to make use of Kick It Out’s reporting form.

57

wellbeing strategy Our newly published Wellbeing Strategy highlights our approach to ensure Wellbeing is at the heart of the club’s culture.

Fans are also encouraged, following their visit to Selhurst Park, to complete the Fan Survey after the game, or to share any EDI-related feedback via email to inclusion@cpfc.co.uk

.

More information can be found at cpfc.co.uk/information/equalityand-diversity

international eagles

international eagles We’re now less than 12 months away from the biggest footballing spectacle on the planet, the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With the potential for plenty of Palace representation in USA, Mexico and Canada, we’re looking ahead to the tournament throughout 2025/26 with our International Eagles feature. In each issue we’ll be taking a look at one nation aiming for glory in North America and examining their Palace links.

For today’s programme we’re covering the five-time world champions…

eagle in focus

brazil matheus franÇa Arriving at Crystal Palace at just 19 years of age in the summer of 2023, França had already shown his potential in South America.

First making his senior debut with home town club Flamengo in the 2021 Brazilian club season, the forward scored nine goals in 27 first-team games, before swapping Rio for South London.

Renowned for his flair, physicality, high work rate and tenacious mentality, França had won both the Copa Libertadores and Copa do Brasil in his two years playing domestic football.

On the international stage, he has made three appearances for the Brazil Under-20 side, having also represented his country at Under-19 level.

58

Making his debut in a defeat at Newcastle in two months after signing, França’s first start came in an FA Cup third-round tie with Everton, the Brazilian winning Player of the Match.

Claiming his first Palace assist in Oliver Glasner’s first game in charge – the 3-0 win over Burnley in in February 2024, injuries restricted his appearances the following term.

However, a proud moment arrived in April of that season, his first Eagles goal, with a brilliant injury-time header earning a point against Southampton.

With the aim of getting minutes under his belt, França returned home for a loan spell at Vasco da Gama in the summer of 2025.

international eagles

Road to the 2026 World Cup

population

213,000,000

With the tournament expanding to 48 teams for the finals next summer, Brazil only needed to finish in the top six of the South American qualifying league to ensure automatic qualification for North America.

Yet the five-time winners made heavy work of it. Three defeats in-a-row, the last of which was a home loss to bitter rivals Argentina, left Brazil with just seven points from their opening six games.

They eventually recovered to finish fifth, but did lose an additional three games along the way, finishing below Ecuador, Colombia and Uruguay as well as holders Argentina.

Capital

Brasília spoken language

Portuguese currency

Brazilian Real favourite dish

Feijoada

59

Italian great Carlo Ancelotti took the managerial job halfway through the campaign, with Dorival Junior sacked after the second loss to Argentina, a 4-1 thrashing.

He will now be hoping to add the one trophy missing from his illustrious CV, in his first international management role.

60

PALACE HISTORY

61

IAN KING

fa cup archives

palace 3 nottingham 1 forest Saturday, 20th February 1965

Following on from last season’s glorious FA Cup Final triumph at Wembley, historian Ian King takes a look at Crystal Palace’s history through the lens of 19 classic cup ties. In this issue, a sixties classic…

starting 01

John Jackson

02

Bert Howe

03

Terry Long

04

John Holsgrove

05

Alan Stephenson

06

Peter Burridge

07

Brian Whitehouse

08

Roy Horobin

09

Cliff Holton

10

David Burnside

11

Bobby Kellard

p

alace had the opportunity to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1907, in the 1964/65 season.

Such was the interest in the home game against First Division Nottingham Forest that all tickets had been sold for more than a week which meant a new ground record attendance of 41,667.

Palace had beaten fellow second-tier clubs, Bury at home and Southampton away, to reach this stage and – as they had in the Bury game – opted to play in amber shirts.

62

It was a typical mid-winter afternoon with the encounter being played on a heavy snow-flecked pitch and in a chill wind.

Manager Dick Graham’s line-up included, as his would on occasion, a couple of players not wearing the shirt number associated with their usual position, while John Jackson continued in goal instead of Tony Millington.

Forest had the first opportunity when Colin Addison’s shot curved wide and immediately Jackson’s goal at the Whitehorse Lane end was covered with ‘streamers’.

IAN KING

As the half wore on the Glaziers began to get the upper hand, thanks partly to twenty year-old Alan Stephenson, in his first full season, keeping England international Frank Wignall in check with his fine tackles, and accurate headers.

Four minutes before half-time Palace took the lead when Roy Horobin played a cross-field pass to Bobby Kellard, who centred for David Burnside to produce a delicate header inside the far post.

BURRIDGE’S VOLLEY Forest hit back immediately and four minutes after the break a drive from Henry Newton hit a post, then leaving Wignall to scrape the ball home from a prone position.

For 15 minutes the game was in the balance, but this setback had led to Graham moving Peter Burridge to his more accustomed forward position and it produced dividends midway through the second-half. Burnside picked up a misplaced pass, sending Cliff Holton away down the left and his hammered low cross was volleyed spectacularly into the net from twenty-five yards by Peter Burridge.

Any lingering doubts of the outcome were snuffed out five minutes from time when Roy Horobin sped away on the right-hand side, before Holton cooly drove the ball home past an exposed Peter Grummitt.

At the final whistle there was a pitch invasion as Palace went on to a sixth-round meeting with a high-flying Leeds United team from the First Division. Also at Selhurst Park, that would attract another ground record of 45,384.

PLAYER IN FOCUS Alan Stephenson Hertfordshire born Alan Stephenson began his Palace journey by travelling across London on hearing there were trials at Selhurst Park, signing initially on amateur forms.

A strong, slim, tall and stylish centre-half, Alan featured in the Southern Junior Floodlit and Youth Cups when just seventeen in the autumn of 1961, signing professional forms the following March.

Just one month later he made his first-team debut, but his next appearance would not be until September 1962 when he scored against Brighton.

Instead it would be the 1963/64 season in Division Three where he eventually forced his way into the promotion side alongside Brian Wood in a dual central defensive partnership.

From then on, Alan only missed a game through injury for the next three seasons as the Glaziers established themselves in Division Two, during this period he became the captain and gained England Under-23 honours.

While with Palace Alan was involved in two bizarre incidents, the first being at Birmingham City in August 1965 where his last minute header would have been the equaliser, only for the referee to

63

blow his whistle just before the ball was about to enter the goal.

Then, in December of the same year, Palace were about to leave Euston station for a game at Carlisle United when Alan had a difference of opinion with manager Dick Graham and was sent home.

Restored to the team for the next game, at the end of the month, he netted twice against Ipswich in a tactical move to the forward line in a 3-1 victory.

Graham left soon after, with Bert Head arriving as manager. But with Alan’s dominant displays for the team, it became obvious he was destined for higher things.

In March 1968, Alan followed Johnny Byrne over to West Ham United for £80,000, having made 185 appearances with 13 goals, leaving a legacy that allowed Bert Head to purchase Mel Blyth, Colin Taylor, Roger Hoy, John Loughlan and Tony Taylor who became valued members of the 1968/69 promotion team.

CAMPAIGN CAPSULE

campaign capsule Throughout 2025/26, we’ll be revisiting some iconic seasons during Crystal Palace’s history. As we wave goodbye to 2025, it’s a fitting time to take a look at the season that meant so much…

i

t may already seem like a brilliant blur. The joy of winning the FA Cup – a first major trophy in our club’s illustrious history – was unprecedented.

But it’s easy to forget the memorable season that had preceded that famous triumph, a first full campaign in charge for Oliver Glasner.

Having ended the previous term with a top-half finish, the immediate target at the start of the year was obvious, repeating the feat.

The departure of superstar forward Michael Olise to Bayern Munich left an obvious hole in Palace’s attack.

But the arrivals of Ismaïla Sarr and – on deadline day – Eddie Nketiah softened the blow, while Maxence Lacroix and Daichi Kamada would also prove shrewd recruits.

Yet the Eagles would endure a tricky start in the Premier League.

Defeats away at Brentford and at home to West Ham marked the start of an eight-game winless start.

A victory over Tottenham, thanks to a single goal from Jean-Phillipe Mateta relieved the growing pressure to get a win. The same player grabbed the only goal in Palace’s next win, away at Ipswich in early December.

24/ 25

seasonfacts league position

12th fa cup winners

manager(s)

oliver glasner top goalscorer

jean-philippe mateta But it was a memorable away day at rivals Brighton that proved to be something of a turning point in the league campaign, on-loan Trevoh Chalobah and two goals from Sarr securing all three points.

Although Arsenal would end our interest in the Carabao Cup at the quarter-final stage – following wins over Norwich, QPR and Aston Villa – the team bounced back superbly.

64

17goals A Boxing Day draw with Bournemouth kick-started a run that saw Palace lose only twice in the league until mid-April.

Performances that will live long in the memory came during that time; a Mateta double at Old Trafford, a 4-1 thrashing of Champions League chasers Aston Villa and Daniel Muñoz’s stunning winner as the Eagles did the double over Brighton.

CAMPAIGN CAPSULE

Ben Chilwell, on loan from Chelsea, and Romain Esse also arrived in January as the squad was bolstered – with Adam Wharton’s timely return from injury providing a further boost as the team geared up for the final third of the season.

By now the FA Cup was taking centre stage. After seeing off Stockport County and Doncaster with minimal fuss, Palace drew South London rivals Millwall in the fifth round.

And despite losing Mateta to a nasty injury in the opening moments – which saw Millwall reduced to ten men – Palace showed composure and class to win 3-1, with Muñoz and Nketiah amongst the goals.

That meant a quarter-final against Fulham at a sold-out Craven Cottage.

After a nervy opening 20 minutes Ebere Eze proved the difference, with two stunning goals as Palace booked a return to Wembley, Nketiah getting the other in one of the best team performances of the season.

It teed up an FA Cup semi-final against Villa, who were also in hot pursuit of silverware under Unai Emery.

But once again that season, Palace had the edge defeating highflying Villans. Eberechi Eze rifled a magnificent drive high beyond World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez from the edge of the penalty area and Glasner’s team never looked back.

Ismaila Sarr then doubled the lead in the second-half when he drilled a low shot into the bottom corner from outside the box, before the Senegal forward made it 3-0 after racing clear to beat Martinez.

That meant it was back to the national stadium for the final against

Manchester City a month later.

And once again, Eze was Palace’s hero when he crowned a flowing team move by sweeping home Daniel Munoz’s cross after 16 minutes.

Of course, every single player in red and blue that day wrote themselves into club history, not least Dean Henderson who made save after save, crucially keeping out Omar Marmoush’s penalty after 36 minutes.

The Eagles had claimed the first major trophy in club history. 2024/25 was, from that moment on, destined to be the greatest season in club history.

But there was still the matter of settling the final Premier League position, with two further games to play after lifting the cup.

Wolves were beaten 4-2 on an equally memorable night at Selhurst Park as the celebrations continued, Nketiah scoring twice, as Joel Ward bid farewell to South London.

That meant the team surpassed 50 points for the season, the first

65

time a Palace side had done so since the 1991/92 campaign in the old First Division.

A final day draw at champions Liverpool was a fitting way to conclude a historic season – Palace ending up as FA Cup winners and with a club record Premier League points haul of 53.

memorable match

1 Eze

0 Saturday, 17th May 2025

‘It’ is discrimination, in all its forms. Racism. Homophobia, Misogyny. Disablism.

If you have seen it or heard it, follow the QR code to report it to Kick It Out. Together, we can put an end to it.

Take action today at kickitout.org

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05/10/2023 16:07

66

BEHIND THE LENS

Taking us where many can only dream to tread, club photographer Sebastian Frej enjoys a unique perspective on Crystal Palace – one which he continues to share with the world.

You can follow Sebastian on Instagram: @sebastian_frej_

67

BEHIND THE LENS

01

“JP ready for action before the Tottenham game!”

68

BEHIND THE LENS

02

“Maxence after the Arsenal game. A nice moment as the fans showed their love for him.”

“Even with so many games, the support has remained loud and proud.”

69

03

thank you christine Today’s matchday marks Club Secretary Christine Dowdeswell’s final one with Crystal Palace, as she goes into retirement following 27 years’ exemplary service to the Football Club.

b

orn in Streatham, and a Croydon resident since the 1980s, Christine has encapsulated the greatest qualities of the club she first arrived at in 1998, serving with warmth, diligence and shrewd judgment but, above all, always being happy to go the extra mile for the many managers, players, footballing staff, officials and supporters she has worked alongside.

There are few who know more about the inner workings of Palace than Christine – in stark contrast, she freely admits, to when she first came to the club, having previously worked as a PA in the textile industry – arriving at Palace with little to no knowledge of football, save for her family’s love for the club.

“I arrived at Palace as an office manager, basically,” Christine recalls. “I’d given up work 10 years beforehand to raise my family, but then I decided it was time to go back to work.

“I was sent to Palace as a temp, on the catering side. The club eventually took it in-house and they kept on asking me to stay permanently – eventually, I did! One day, [former Chief Executive] Phil Alexander asked if I would go down to the training

ground, because the secretary who was in place had gone off sick and they didn’t have anyone to help them.

“Iain Dowie was the manager at that time, so I worked with him and his team, and then when the former secretary left, they asked me to take over the role. I’ve been at the training ground ever since!

“I didn’t know a thing about football, I have to say! But I picked up all sorts of information as I learned what I had to do to help the team out.

That was the year [2004/05] we got promoted to the Premier League. It was a big learning curve – but I’ve gone on from there!

70

I’ve made a lot of friends at Palace – not only the staff, but the people I’ve met through the club. It’s just opened a big world to me over all these years, meeting so many great people

“In those days, we were much smaller as an organisation than we are now. I would deal with everything to do with the players: from player care – be that registering a player, finding them somewhere to live, or getting them settled – to the administration, and everything to do with the FA and contracts and leagues…

“I’ve worked with about 20 managers, and I’ve met numerous players. It’s been such a varied role – you can never say, from one day to the next, what’s going to end up on your desk. There are a lot of everyday tasks, but different challenges always come out of the blue too.

“Since then, I’ve been through some challenging times including two administrations, but also experienced winning the play-offs with Iain Dowie and again with Ian Holloway. Those were all amazing times – they’re special, the sort of memories you’ll never forget.”

There are no prizes, though, for guessing Christine’s favourite day in the job in the last 27 years. “The most amazing result,” she smiles, in reference to last season’s FA Cup final win over Manchester City.

“It was just one of those unbelievable moments that you wished was going to happen, and wanted to happen, but could never be sure it was going to… and then when it did, it was just fantastic. Then, to follow that with winning the FA Community Shield, another amazing achievement, made 2025 such a fantastic year.”

A vital cog in Palace’s wheel, Christine reflected warmly on the evolution of the club she has experienced first-hand over the last quarter of a century.

The one constant – the quality of the people: “It was just me from my family who didn’t follow football, so to speak, until I started working here… and then, you become part of it – you become part of the football family then, don’t you?

“There have been a lot of memorable managers I’ve worked with: Oliver, Roy Hodgson, Alan Pardew, Patrick Vieira, Iain Dowie, Neil Warnock, Ian Holloway and others… you can take something you’ve enjoyed about working with each and every one of them. That’s been a great privilege.

It was just one of those unbelievable moments that you wished was going to happen, and wanted to happen, but could never be sure it was going to…

“The time I’ve been here, there have also been some outstanding personalities – and it’s great to work with people now like Paddy McCarthy, who of course I knew when he was a player, and others like Julian Speroni, Dougie Freedman, Darren Powell… it’s lovely to have known all those people, all that time.

“We’re not so small now, but we’ve always been a very close unit at the training ground. Everybody works together, and we’re all there with the same aim: to try and get the results.

We’re there to try and make life as smooth as we can for everybody, for all the players, the managers and the coaching staff. Everything we work towards amounts to that.”

71

We ask if there is anybody specifically Christine would like to thank – and she mentions: “Steve Parish, who’s always been there, believed in me, and supported me.

“It’s hard to highlight individuals, because I don’t want to leave anyone out – so I would just thank all the people I’ve worked with over the years, in particular everybody at the training ground, all the players and all the staff here.

“I’ve always had support from everybody at the club – they will always be very special people to me.”

So, after 27 years’ service, what does Crystal Palace mean to Christine now, ahead of her exciting new chapter? “It’s just a massive part of my life,” she smiles. “For someone who never really took any interest in football, it’ll always be something I have in my heart moving forwards.

“It’s quite emotional, really. It’s a long time to be somewhere. It’s taken up such a big part of my life, it just feels a bit strange that it’s going to come to an end.

“But, on the other hand, you come to a point where you’ve got to think outside of work, and focus on other things and what you’re going to do for the rest of your life.

“I’ve made a lot of friends at Palace – not only the staff, but the people I’ve met through the club. It’s just opened a big world to me over all these years, meeting so many great people.

“It’s been an amazing time here. I don’t know where 27 years have gone!”

On behalf of the club: thank you, Christine, for them – and have a wonderful retirement!

.

EAGLE ARCADE

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

wordfit Can you fit these 10 names to have played for both Palace and Fulham into the puzzle?

9 letters andersen collymore hangeland 7 letters coleman johnson 6 letters martin salako symons

s a l a k o

4 letters gray kuqi

who plays here?

Can you name the current League One team who play their home games at this ground?

72

EAGLE ARCADE

spottheball

un-scramble theeagle 1

Erin tofu

2009

2 drown Johannes

2002-2006 2014-2015

3

2025-

Asa Robson

today’smascots age: 13

age: 12

age: 9

age: 9

age: 11

cain mitchell

lewis watson

zac watson

connor butcher-eames

james house

prediction:

prediction:

prediction:

prediction:

prediction:

2-1

3-0

4-1

2-0

2-1

age: 11

age: 8

age: 12

age: 10

age: 12

jack menning

rupert buckland

alexander grimsey

cruz clayton

graham klayman

prediction:

prediction:

prediction:

prediction:

prediction:

2-1

2-1

1-0

3-1

2-2

Who Plays Here?: Reading – Select Car Leasing Stadium Spot the Ball: B Un-scramble the Eagle: 1) Rui Fonte 2) Andrew Johnson 3) Borna Sosa

73

FROM THE TERRACES

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

Betty Ball ( nee Clarke ) the daughter of George Clarke 10 years a Player for Crystal Palace 1923/4 to 1933. Betty will be 98 years old 24th January!

Happy 40th Birthday Ash/Daddy! Hope you have the best day. Loyal Palace season ticket holder since 1992 — your girls proudly following in your footsteps!

Happy 40th to Ash Murphy, loyal follower of the Palace ladies team home and away, great to have him here today cheering on the boys against Fulham.

Happy 17th Birthday Tia – you will soon be driving to our games at the Palace !! Lots of Love Mum & Dad & all your family & friends.

74

Happy birthday to my Dad, Elton Maryon. He’s a season ticket holder in the Main Stand. Hope you enjoy the game and have a smashing day! Lots of love, Kate xx

FROM THE TERRACES

Happy 16th Birthday Daniel, wishing you a wonderful day, lots of love Mum and Dad x A third generation Crystal Palace supporter. Teddy Peter Nicholas born on 28.11.2025. Waiting to get big enough to join his Daddy and Grandad in the Holmesdale Lower.

Happy 21st Birthday Bill, born an Eagle, aways and Eagle. Love Mum Dad George n the Arthur crew x

In loving memory of Ray Dullaway.

Forever Crystal Palace!

Happy 13th birthday VIOLET KING have an amazing day, love Uncle Wayne, Sam and Max xx

75

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

fixtures & results

25/26 fixtures & results Opposition

august

Sun 10 Sun 17 Thu 21 Sun 24 Thu 28 Sun 31

Liverpool Chelsea Fredrikstad Nottingham Forest Fredrikstad Aston Villa

82,645 39,678 23,013 24,876 10,016 41,036

W D W D D W

2-2 (3-2) 0-0 1-0 1-1 0-0 0-3

Final 12th Play-offs 14th Play-offs 8th

SEPtember

Sat 13 Tue 16 Sat 20 Sat 27

Sunderland Millwall West Ham United Liverpool

25,154 16,754 62,455 25,118

D W W W

0-0 1-1 (4-2) 1-2 2-1

9th Third round 5th 3rd

october

Thu 2 Sun 5 Sat 18 Thu 23 Sun 26 Wed 29

Dynamo Kyiv Everton Bournemouth AEK Larnaca Arsenal Liverpool

6,839 51,770 25,125 23,038 60,103 60,420

W L D L L W

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

League phase (7th) 6th 8th League phase (16th) 10th Fourth round

november

Sat 1 Thu 6 Sun 9 Sat 22 Thu 27 Sun 30

Brentford AZ Alkmaar Brighton & Hove Albion Wolverhampton Wanderers RC Strasbourg Manchester United

25,083 21,459 24,326 29,976 29,528 25,189

W W D W L L

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

9th League phase (9th) 10th 5th League phase (18th) 9th

december

Wed 3 Sun 7 Thu 11 Sun 14 Thu 18 Sat 20 Tue 23 Sun 28

Burnley Fulham Shelbourne FC Manchester City KuPS Kuopio Leeds United Arsenal Tottenham Hotspur

19,365 27,283 10,134 25,166 21,306 36,334 59,497 25,186

W W W L D L L L

0-1 1-2 0-3 0-3 2-2 4-1 1-1 (8-7) 0-1

5th 4th League phase (9th) 6th League phase (10th) 8th Quarter-final 9th

Thu 1 Sun 4 Wed 7

Fulham Newcastle United Aston Villa

17:30 15:00 19:30

Sat 10

Macclesfield

12:15

Sat 17 Sun 25

Sunderland Chelsea

15:00 14:00

february

Sun 1 Sun 8 Wed 11 Sat 21 Sat 28

Nottingham Forest Brighton & Hove Albion Burnley Wolverhampton Wanderers Manchester United

14:00 14:00 19:30 15:00 15:00

march

Wed 4 Sat 14 Sat 21

Tottenham Hotspur Leeds United Manchester City

20:00 15:00 15:00

april

Sat 11 Sat 18 Sat 25

Newcastle United West Ham United Liverpool

15:00 15:00 15:00

Sat 2 Sat 9 Sun 17 Sun 24

Bournemouth Everton Brentford Arsenal

15:00 15:00 15:00 16:00

january

Date

may

Home Away FA Cup Carabao Cup Conference League Community Shield Started Used sub Unused sub Goal(s) Yellow card Red card

attendance/KICK-OFF

76

Result

Position

Daniel Muñoz Tyrick Mitchell Maxence Lacroix Marc Guéhi Ismaïla Sarr Jefferson Lerma Eddie Nketiah Yéremy Pino Matheus França Christantus Uche

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 26 28 29 31 34 38 42 44 49 55 59 60 72 73 86

77

Joél Drakes-Thomas

Benji Casey

Dean Benamar

George King

Rio Cardines

Justin Devenny

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Walter Benítez

Kaden Rodney

Caleb Kporha

Chadi Riad

Remi Matthews

Naouirou Ahamada

Cheick Doucouré

Chris Richards

Borna Sosa

Jaydee Canvot

Romain Esse

Adam Wharton

Will Hughes

Daichi Kamada

Nathaniel Clyne

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Dean Henderson

fixtures & results

premier league

leaguetable pos

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD

1

Club arsenal

18

13

3

2

33

11

22

Pts 42

2

manchester city

18

13

1

4

43

17

26

40

3

aston villa

18

12

3

3

29

19

10

39

4

liverpool

18

10

2

6

30

26

4

32

5

chelsea

18

8

5

5

30

19

11

29

6

manchester united

18

8

5

5

32

28

4

29

7

sunderland

18

7

7

4

20

18

2

28

8

brentford

18

8

2

8

28

26

2

26

9

crystal palace

18

7

5

6

21

20

1

26

10

fulham

18

8

2

8

25

26

-1

26

11

tottenham hotspur

18

7

4

7

27

23

4

25

12

everton

18

7

4

7

18

20

-2

25

13

brighton & hove albion

18

6

6

6

26

25

1

24

14

newcastle united

18

6

5

7

23

23

0

23

15

bournemouth

18

5

7

6

27

33

-6

22

16

leeds united

18

5

5

8

25

32

-7

20

17

nottingham forest

18

5

3

10

18

28

-10

18

18

west ham united

18

3

4

11

19

36

-17

13

19

burnley

18

3

3

12

19

34

-15

12

20

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

18

0

2

16

10

39

-29

2

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Tuesday, 30th December.

MATCHWeek19 tue 30 dec 19:30

tue 30 dec 20:15

turf moor

old trafford

tue 30 dec 19:30

thu 01 jan 17:30

stamford bridge

selhurst park

tue 30 dec 19:30

thu 01 jan 17:30

the city ground

anfield

tue 30 dec 19:30

thu 01 jan 20:00

london stadium

gtech community stadium

tue 30 dec 20:15

thu 01 jan 20:00

emirates stadium

stadium of light

78

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Crystal palace f.c.

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 14 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 26 28 29 31 34 38 42 44 55 59 60 72 73 86

Dean HENDERSON (GK) Daniel MUÑOZ Tyrick MITCHELL Maxence LACROIX Marc GUÉHI Ismaïla SARR Jefferson LERMA Eddie NKETIAH Yéremy PINO Christantus UCHE Jean-Philippe MATETA Nathaniel CLYNE Daichi KAMADA Will HUGHES Adam WHARTON Romain ESSE Jaydee CANVOT Borna SOSA Chris RICHARDS Cheick DOUCOURÉ Naouirou AHAMADA Remi MATTHEWS (GK) Chadi RIAD Caleb KPORHA Kaden RODNEY Walter BENÍTEZ (GK) Justin DEVENNY Rio CARDINES George KING Dean BENAMAR Benji CASEY Joél DRAKES-THOMAS

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fulham f.c.

T. Harrington S. Meredith S. Long S. Martin N. Davies S. Attwell

1

Bernd LENO (GK)

2

Kenny TETE

3

Calvin BASSEY

5

Joachim ANDERSEN

6

Harrison REED

7

Raúl JIMÉNEZ

8

Harry WILSON

9

Rodrigo MUNIZ

10

Tom CAIRNEY

11

Adama TRAORÉ

15

Jorge CUENCA

16

Sander BERGE

17

Alex IWOBI

18

Jonah KUSI-ASARE

19

Samuel CHUKWUEZE

20

Saša LUKIĆ

21

Timothy CASTAGNE

22

KEVIN

23

Benjamin LECOMTE (GK)

24

Josh KING

30

Ryan SESSEGNON

31

Issa DIOP

32

Emile SMITH ROWE

33

Antonee ROBINSON