Crystal Palace v Brentford matchday programme 2425

cover story

cover story#12 Welcome back to Selhurst Park – and welcome back to the matchday programme, where we are celebrating 100 years of football at this very stadium, from 1924 to the present day. Every edition of the programme this season will feature a special handillustrated cover, marking one of the many landmark dates that has made this such a unique place over the last century.

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his week we are looking back to March 1973 and one of the most important managerial appointments in Palace history. A stylish and charismatic man emerged from the tunnel and arrived in the dugout – the one and only Malcolm Allison, for the first of his two spells in South London.

The instant impact of his arrival was felt on the pitch with a 2-0 victory over Chelsea, Allison paraded to the Selhurst Park faithful before kick-off.

It was Palace’s first London derby win in the First Division – after 34 unsuccessful attempts, Allison had already provided the magic touch.

But the new manager’s transformative impact was fully felt in years to come, leaving a real legacy at Palace. That summer Allison was the

catalyst for ‘the Glaziers’ becoming ‘the Eagles’ and the introduction of the the red and blue kit, replacing the old claret and blue.

Joining Allison on our front cover this week is midfielder Justin Devenny. Devenny has had quite the last 18 months - joining Palace, making a Premier League debut and an international bow for Northern Ireland and, earlier this month, signing a new long-term contract at Selhurst Park. He reflects on his footballing journey so far in our feature long-read.

Remember, you can keep collecting each original illustration throughout the campaign to build out timeline from 1924 to the current day – make sure you get the matchday programme each week, then place them side by side for the full effect!

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contents

Crystal Palace √ brentford sun 26 jan 2025 | 2:00pm k.o.

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

Editor Jack Lacey-Hatton Design Billy Cooke, Stu Ellmer, Lucas Gough Front cover David Flanagan

06 08 12

25 10 CHAIRMAN 36 HALL OF FAME 38 EAGLE EYE

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41 STATS 44 DOC BROWN 46 MACCA 50 ACADEMY

Contributors Robin Johnson, Toby Jagmohan, Ed Dowling,

56 PALACE FOR LIFE

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

60 100 years of selhurst park

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

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Manager

oliver glasner Welcome back to Selhurst Park, and welcome to Thomas Frank and his Brentford players and staff for this afternoon’s game.

W

e come into this game off the back of a very good week. It started with a clinical performance in the FA Cup against Stockport which, as I mentioned, is a very important competition for us then the two away wins at Leicester and West Ham in the Premier League.

At one of the biggest stadiums in England at West Ham, we could hear our own fans throughout the match and that’s always a good sign.

Special thanks to those who travelled to support the team in both games.

The scoreline was obviously the same in both games, but they were quite different. At Leicester we weren’t at our best in the firsthalf and the players knew that at half-time. We are always honest with each other, and we all said we can do better. The response showed the character of the group – that they are always listening and trying to improve. The players went out and delivered in the second-half at Leicester, then again three days later at West Ham. At the London Stadium we showed real determination and belief from the first second. We started

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at West Ham, we could hear our own fans throughout the match and that’s always a good sign. Special thanks to those who travelled to support the team in both games

Manager

We know it will be an intense game against a good team, with a great manager in Thomas Frank. They’re also very creative with set-plays and we’ll have to be wary of that. But it’s a great chance for us to overtake them and to keep climbing the table

very dominant, pressed them well and played with confidence. Both matches were 0-0 at half-time. But at Leicester we felt a bit lucky and that we had to change things to win, whereas at West Ham, I think everyone knew that if we continued playing at the same level, we would win the game. Now it is important for us not to get complacent. We are satisfied with the results, but we can still improve.

I would also like to welcome Romain Esse, who joined us from Millwall last week. It is a great time to join, because we now have four weeks without a midweek game.

This means Romain gets time on the training pitch to understand how we want to play and get to know the other players, which will help him integrate with the group quickly.

It is a great time to join, because we now have four weeks without a midweek game.

This means Romain gets time on the training pitch to understand how we want to play and get to know the other players, which will help him integrate with the group quickly

We have a lot of respect for today’s opponents Brentford. We know it will be an intense game against a good team, with a great manager in Thomas Frank. They’re also very creative with set-plays and we’ll have to be wary of that. But it’s a great chance for us to overtake them and to keep climbing the table.

The team will need that big support again, but I know you’ll provide it – hopefully we can get another positive result to make you proud

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Captain

marc Guéhi

To celebrate in front of the packed-out Palace away ends at full-time was, for me, two of the most memorable moments of the season so far

Welcome back to Selhurst Park for this afternoon’s game against Brentford – where we’ll be looking to extend our strong run of form.

S

ince my last notes before the Stockport game, not only have we progressed in the FA Cup, but we have also secured two excellent wins on the road in the Premier League. To play three games in six days was always going to be a tough challenge – to win them all was fantastic and shows what a great team spirit and togetherness we have.

Thanks to all the fans who took the time out to come and support us over two away games in quick succession. To celebrate in front of the packed-out Palace away ends at full-time was, for me, two of the most memorable moments of the season so far.

That week was also a mark of our progress. Having said that, we also know there is still room for improvement. We weren’t at our best in the first-half against Leicester and we all knew it. But even then, we managed to not concede, stay on level terms and then start fast after the interval with a vital goal. It’s a sign of a good team when you can survive those dips and still get a result.

We then managed to up our performance levels at West Ham.

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Captain

I thought defensively, as a unit, we were excellent. We managed to really restrict the number of chances they created. Considering they were at home, with a new manager and coming off the back of a win in midweek, we had to be on it from the word go. That gave us the platform to get another win and our quality at the top of the pitch again shone through.

JP was excellent and thoroughly deserved his two goals − it was a great display all-round.

Considering they were at home, with a new manager and coming off the back of a win in midweek, we had to be on it from the word go. That gave us the platform to get another win and our quality at the top of the pitch again shone through

I also just want to take this opportunity to welcome Romain Esse to the group after joining us from Millwall. It’s always nice to have a fresh face join in January and he’s already fitted in with the boys nicely.

We know this afternoon’s match will be a difficult challenge, but it is also one we’re relishing. Brentford are a tough side, but we’re in excellent form and I’m confident we can keep this run going. With your backing we can get another three points. I can’t wait to hear you all today. Let’s get Selhurst Park rocking

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Brentford are a tough side, but we’re in excellent form and I’m confident we can keep this run going.

With your backing we can get another three points. I can’t wait to hear you all today, let’s get Selhurst Park rocking

chairman

steve parish Welcome back to Selhurst Park for today’s match, and welcome to the supporters, players, staff and directors of Brentford.

T

he club has enjoyed a strong start to 2025, unbeaten in three Premier League matches and progressing in the FA Cup. To play and win three games in the space of just seven days is a huge demand at any level of football, particularly given the recent bout of illness in the squad. To do it without even conceding a goal is even more impressive, and Oliver, his staff, and his players deserve great credit.

It was an important week and the team responded to the challenge – as did you. Our support on the road in the wins at both Leicester and West Ham was outstanding. The West Ham game also marked our 600th Premier League fixture – and the first time we’ve gone seven consecutive topflight away matches without losing.

Considering how competitive this league is, it’s a great achievement, and a run we want to keep going.

I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Romain Esse to Crystal Palace, after he joined us from Millwall last week. Romain has made huge progress over the last two years, and we can’t wait to see what he can do at Selhurst Park. Hailing from South London, he is an exciting

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To play and win three games in the space of just seven days is a huge demand at any level of football, particularly given the recent bout of illness in the squad.

Chairman

I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Romain Esse to Crystal Palace, after he joined us from Millwall last week. Romain has made huge progress over the last two years, and we can’t wait to see what he can do at Selhurst Park

addition and the type of player who will get supporters off their seats. I know you’ll give him a warm Palace welcome this afternoon.

Congratulations as well to Justin Devenny, after he signed a new long-term contract with us last week. He is another young player who has progressed well this season, showing there is a clear pathway for our Under-21s group and proving that they can make an impact on the first-team squad.

Well done also to our Under-18s, who went level on points at the top of the U18 Premier League South table last week after a 2-1 win at Leicester City. Like our first-team, that made it back-to-back away victories for them in January. I look forward to watching their progress over the second half of the campaign.

Every Premier league game is its own story.

Brentford have also shown their quality this season, achieving some impressive results against some of the top sides in the league, so it promises to be an enthralling encounter

This afternoon sees us back on home soil against a side with a similar record over the first 22 games of the season. Every Premier League game is its own story. Brentford have also shown their quality this season, achieving some impressive results against some of the top sides in the league, so it promises to be an enthralling encounter.

With Selhurst Park in full voice we can make anything happen. As ever, make sure you throw everything you have behind Oliver’s team.

Up the Palace

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Having traded the Scottish second tier for England’s top league; won a trophy; become Under-21s captain; made his Premier League and senior international debut in the same month; and recently signed a new contract until 2027, it has been a remarkable 18 months for Justin Devenny. Here, he tells us his story, in his words: from a small town north of the border, to scoring in the Premier League….

Interview: Toby Jagmohan

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Justin Devenny I was born in Irvine, in Scotland – and I feel as if I’ve played football for as long as I can remember.

I don’t know precisely when I started, but I’d have been kicking a ball as early as I could have been with my brothers and my family.

My Mum was actually my coach when I was younger. She led our team, Galston F.C. up in the Irvine Valley. We were a good team as well – we had some good players! There were always scouts watching us.

I was growing up there, doing well, learning a lot. My Mum set a perfect example, helping me and almost teaching me the way to be on a pitch.

People always ask me, ‘who’s my biggest inspiration?’, and I would say my Mum. She just wanted me to enjoy my football, first and foremost. If you enjoy your football, that’s when you’re at your best.

Through her, I learnt that nothing happens without hard work. That’s the one phrase that will stick with me forever. If you work hard, you’ll reap the rewards eventually – and that’s something that has stuck with me.

When I was about five or so years-old, I went from Galston to Kilmarnock.

I was training with a few other teams, but I think Kilmarnock made the most sense. It was local, and it was a good set-up.

I grew up at Killie, but it was tough. I dealt with a lot of injuries when I was in the younger age groups, and it was incredibly frustrating.

But then, at the same time, I think it was almost good for me in a way, because I feel like at that time, I had to make a decision: ‘What are you going to do here? Are you going to sulk? Are you

My Mum set a perfect example, helping me and almost teaching me the way to be on a pitch. People always ask me, ‘who’s my biggest inspiration?’, and I would say my Mum. She just wanted me to enjoy my football, first and foremost.

If you enjoy football, that’s when you’re at your best

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going to feel sorry for yourself? Or are you going to be in the gym every day?’

For me, at that time, I was trying to get stronger. I was just trying to improve myself in any way I could. I was relentless, persistent and consistent with it. I was thinking: ‘well, I can’t be on the pitch today, but what can I do?’

I was always thinking: ‘This is what I want to do, I want to be a professional footballer. This is how I want my life to be.’

That hard work eventually got me through the injuries and then, by the time I was back on the park, I probably wasn’t 100% at the time, but I knew I had to go and play football.

In 2021/22, I moved to the Lowland League – the fifth tier of Scottish football – so looking back, it’s crazy to think that I’m now here in the Premier League! I went on loan to Broomhill F.C.

Justin Devenny

What are you going to do here? Are you going to sulk?

Are you going to feel sorry for yourself?

Or are you going to be in the gym every day?

For me, at that time, I was trying to get stronger. I was just trying to improve myself in any way I could

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Justin Devenny

It was such a great opportunity and something that I’d always wanted to do: be a part of a Premier League club. Eventually, it all got signed, and I joined Palace in August 2023

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Justin Devenny for half a season and played regularly for six months.

In my career, everything has been a stepping stone, leading up further and further to where I am now – which is how everyone wants things to work out, I suppose! I did well in the Lowland League, but that wasn’t the level I wanted to be at – it was just a start.

I spent the second half of that season on loan at Airdrieonians, but I didn’t play that much.

I made about nine appearances, but probably only started twice. But everyone there really helped me to develop. I’m very grateful to everyone who helped me along the way.

I came back to Kilmarnock after the initial Airdrie loan. They offered me a new contract, but I had to turn it down because I thought to myself: ‘I’m going to go to Airdrie. I’m going to go and really kickstart my career.’

I ended up being one of Rhys McCabe’s first signings. I still keep in contact with him – I could tell he really believed in me. Going into pre-season, I was flying – I felt really fit and ready for the challenge. That season, 2022/23, I ended up playing 45 games in total, and that’s how my career properly got started.

I loved every minute there.

The changing room there was incredible. Quite a lot of the players there are my good mates still to this day.

That first season, when I was on loan, we’d got to the Scottish League One Play-Off final, but we got beat.

We wanted to improve on it and the next year, we reached the same stage.

I remember in the semi-finals, against

I ended up being one of Rhys McCabe’s first signings. I still keep in contact with him – I could tell he really believed in me.

Going into preseason, I was flying – I felt really fit and ready for the challenge. That season, 2022/23, I ended up playing 45 games in total, and that’s how my career properly got started

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Falkirk, we won 7-2 on aggregate, and I scored and set one up.

The two-legged final against Hamilton Academical was close. That went to extra-time but we eventually won it on penalties – I even managed to score one too! I was so happy after the final, and that was when my agent told me: ‘Oh – Crystal Palace have been watching you.’

I was smiling for a week straight – I couldn’t believe it.

That summer, I was just checking my phone every day, hoping for an update.

It was such a great opportunity and something that I’d always wanted to do: be a part of a Premier League club.

Eventually, it all got signed, and I joined Palace in August 2023. From there, I was straight in with the Under-21 squad.

It was a new chapter, but I’m grounded, and I told myself I was going to work as hard as I can. I want to bring the same attitude every day and always

Justin Devenny train at my maximum level, always try to do more, and always try to find any little edge that can help me become a better player and, honestly, a better person.

My initial taste of first-team action was the mid-season training camp in Marbella, where we played Bodø/Glimt.

I played 45 minutes and was thinking to myself: ‘This is where I want to be. This is the level. This is the target.’

I finished the season with U21s and we obviously won the Premier League International Cup, which, again, was a special moment, especially at that time in my life. Little things were happening away from football at the time. It was just such a great feeling.

Coming into this season, I knew how big it was going to be for me.

I don’t know if it actually was, but I was telling myself that it was almost make or break, in a way. I wanted to go into it with the attitude: ‘This is it.’

Starting pre-season with the first-team was big. I went on the tour to America, and loved every minute of it.

When we came back, I was kind of in and out, sometimes training with the first-team, sometimes not – but I was getting minutes in with the Under-21s again, captaining the side.

All of that led up to my Palace and Premier League debut against Fulham in November.

I remember manager Oliver Glasner pulled me aside at the start of the week, and explained that he fully trusted me.

That was special to hear. It showed me that my hard work was worth it.

He told me that I had a good chance of starting the game and, from there, I was just fully focused on it.

I remember manager Oliver Glasner pulled me aside at the start of the week, and explained that he fully trusted me. That was special to hear.

It showed me that my hard work was worth it.

He told me that I had a good chance of starting the game and, from there, I was just fully focused on it

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People always ask me whether I was nervous, but when I was stepping out onto the pitch, I wasn’t at all, because that’s where I want to be.

I just felt ready to go out there. I’d say I was probably the most nervous when the manager pulled me aside and told me there was a chance I could play!

I just wanted to embrace the challenge of Premier League football. I started against Fulham – my debut was such a special moment – and then also started the next game away at Aston Villa, which was probably even better!

Scoring that goal on the break to put us ahead at Villa Park… I mean, I think you could tell in my celebration: I was absolutely buzzing! It was all I wanted to achieve since I could remember.

Justin Devenny

Scoring that goal on the break to put us ahead at Villa Park… I mean, I think you could tell in my celebration: I was absolutely buzzing! It was all I wanted to achieve since I could remember

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Justin Devenny

hopefully I can just keep going, and going, and going. I’m grateful for the contract – and it’s time to kick on. I come off the training pitch here every day having learned something new.

Being able to train with such great players… all the boys want the best for me, which is all anyone can ask

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Justin Devenny

It wasn’t that I couldn’t believe it – I could, because I fully backed myself – but to be given that opportunity to impress… that’s the bit I’m most grateful for.

Then, the rest is up to me.

I’ve managed to feature on and off the bench, which is obviously amazing for me, and hopefully I can earn more chances to show what I can do.

When opportunities come in life, you’ve got to take them, and to be able to go and play in front of the Crystal Palace fans… that’s such a great feeling. Whether it’s at Selhurst Park or away from home, now, I just want to get as many minutes as I can.

The day after we played Fulham, I was in for recovery, and the Northern Ireland manager, Michael O’Neill, got in touch.

He said: ‘We’d like you to be involved – can you come and train with us?’ I was buzzing – it all happened so fast! To then come on in the last few

When opportunities come in life, you’ve got to take them, and to be able to go and play in front of the Crystal Palace fans… that’s such a great feeling.

Whether it’s at Selhurst Park or away from home, now, I just want to get as many minutes as I can

minutes against Luxembourg… that was incredible. There I was; I’d made my senior debut for my country.

Now, I can start thinking about how I can go and make an impact on that team. Hopefully more opportunities will come, and if I get them, I can show what I can do.

Earlier this month, I signed a new Palace contract until 2027.

I’m absolutely delighted. This is the next step in my career and hopefully I can just keep going, and going, and going. I’m grateful for the contract – and it’s time to kick on.

I come off the training pitch here every day having learned something new. Being able to train with such great players… all the boys want the best for me, which is all anyone can ask.

My Mum is always saying: ‘Do you miss us up here?’ – and I say ‘no’! Obviously, I miss my family – but because I’m loving what I’m doing, how could I not want to be right here?

.

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captain

SHARE GOOD TIMES WITH

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

And finally...

and finally...

with justin devenny

Justin Devenny picks out three players that he looked up to during his junior footballing career….

Scott Brown I’m a Celtic fan and watching him growing up - he’s the perfect example of hard work and desire.

Everything he does is with a purpose and that’s one thing I always tell myself, before every game: ‘make sure you leave everything on the park.’ Every single match, he put absolutely 100% into it, he’s a proper leader too.

Andrés Iniesta He’s the player that I’d like to be. I model and adapt my game around his playing style, because he was so good, so comfortable on the ball, and so effective in the middle of the park. I’ve always been in the middle, always on the ball and starting moves − and that was his game.

Lionel Messi I think this one is pretty selfexplanatory. The greatest.

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FOR THE CLUB captain

PLAY NOW PLAY NOW PLAY NOW

PLAY NOW 24

PLAY NOW

The World’s Game

brentford

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brentford

brentford F.C. the bees 1889

top-flight stability Position

11th

Points

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Top Scorer Bryan Mbeumo

13

Most Assists

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away

Their home record is amongst the best in the league, Brentford having made the Gtech Community Stadium something of a fortress, as they approach their fifth anniversary in their new home this summer. Only Arsenal have taken more points on their own patch this season, with the Bees having scored a remarkable 29 goals in 13 home Premier League games.

But Frank’s side are no slouches on the road either – as their impressive 5-0 win at Southampton to start 2025 showed. With a young, attack-minded team and a manager whose stock continues to rise, Brentford have managed to establish themselves as a solid Premier League club. When they’re at their best, the Bees are a dangerous opponent for any side in the division.

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home

Mikkel Damsgaard

third

After three years of Premier League survival, Brentford are now looking to push on and thrive in the top tier of English football.

And although avoiding relegation has been the primary aim every season, the Bees have rarely looked in serious trouble of ever dropping back into the Championship since their 2021 promotion. Danish coach Thomas Frank has built a versatile squad, not over-reliant on their big names, with an ability to adapt formation and tactical approach, depending on what the scenario requires.

Brentford have shown this by coping admirably with the departures of Christian Eriksen and Ivan Toney in recent years. Toney’s move in August 2024 could have potentially depleted the Bees' attack. Instead, the likes of Byran Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have stepped up and filled the void, supplied by the consistent Mikkel Damsgaard.

THIS Season

brentford

head2head

1-3 √ arsenal Gtech Community Stadium

brentford

draw

palace

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12

18

√ southampton St Mary's Stadium

0-1 √ Plymouth argyle Gtech Community Stadium

2-2 √ manchester city Gtech Community Stadium

0-2 √ liverpool

lastfive

0-5

1-1

30th August 2022 Selhurst Park

1-1

18th February 2023 Gtech Community Stadium

1-1

26th August 2023 Gtech Community Stadium

3-1

30th December 2023 Selhurst Park

2-1

18th August 2024 Gtech Community Stadium

Gtech Community Stadium

0-2

“We defended well - we had to do that at times - we were good going forward, we created some good situations, but we didn't get enough out of those moments.”

Thomas Frank

brentford √ liverpool Saturday 18th January / Gtech Community Stadium

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24

Substitutes

32

wissa

damsgaard

mbeumo

12

h. Valdimarsson

3

R. Henry

18

6

27

7

k. Schade

yarmolyuk

nørgaard

janelt

8

m. Jensen

14

f. carvalho

16

b. mee

26

y. Konak

32

p. Maghoma

36

k. ji-soo

goal cards

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4

22

30

lewis-potter

van de berg

collins

roerslev

1 Flekken subs

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brentford

key players Thomas Frank’s side have established themselves as a solid Premier League club, capable of beating any team in the division on their day. Here, we take a look at four of Frank’s most important players...

RETURNING HERO -

DEF rico

henry age

3 Height

27

5’7

joined

from

2016

After close to 16 months out with a serious knee injury, Rico Henry’s return to action at the start of 2025 has been welcomed with open arms from the Bees faithful. It is no coincidence that Brentford endured a trickier season last term, when Henry was out for the vast majority of the campaign.

A supreme defender, comfortable on the ball and with pace to burn, he was sorely missed during his time out on the shelf. A key component of the Brentford attack, Henry first joined from Walsall back in 2016 for just £1.5million. Since then, he has made close to over 200 appearances across all competitions, playing a role in the Bees' evolution from Championship play-off chasers to an established Premier League outfit.

Henry was actually named in the EFL Championship Team of the Season during Brentford’s promotion campaign.

At international level he has represented England at Under-19 and Under-20 level.

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mid mikkel

24

damsgaard age

Height

24

5’11

joined

from

2022

A €15 million arrival from Serie A outfit Sampdoria in August 2022, Mikkel Damsgaard remains one of Europe’s most exciting attacking midfielders.

His breakthrough season came in 2019/20, deployed on the leftwing for an exciting Nordsjælland side, scoring 11 goals and assisting another seven. He moved to Italy the following summer, spending two years with the Genoa club.

He was afforded plenty of playing time after he joined in the July and ended his first season in Italy having made the joint-second most appearances in the squad.

His senior Denmark debut, and two further caps followed, before he was included in Hjulmand’s squad for the delayed Euro 2020.

Damsgaard played the majority of Denmark’s run to the semi-finals at the tournament – scoring in their final four meeting with England at Wembley.

brentford

MR CONSISTENT Few players have delivered on a more consistent basis for Brentford than Christian Nørgaard since promotion to the Premier League.

Since the departure of Pontus Jansson at the end of the 2022/23 season, the Dane has also led the side as captain.

His signing from Fiorentina in 2019 seemed to coincide with the team turning from play-off also-rans to serious contenders for promotion.

His second season in West London saw Nørgaard forced on to the sidelines with an ankle injury just four games into the new campaign.

However, it ended with play-off final glory at Wembley – the midfielder recovering to play in 13 of the club’s last 14 league games during a memorable year.

Any doubts about Nørgaard’s – and Brentford’s – ability to step-up to the top-flight was wiped out in an instant in the opening game of the season. The Dane scored only his second goal for the club in a famous 2-0 win over Arsenal in the Bees' first taste of Premier League football and he has never looked back.

MID christian

nørgaard age

6

Height

30

6’1

joined

from

2019

Having arrived in England with no previous experience of top-flight football nearly six years ago, Bryan Mbeumo has turned himself into a reliable Premier League goalscorer in recent seasons.

After signing from French club Troyes, he enjoyed a storming first season in England, scoring 16 goals and providing eight assists - part of a fabled attacking trio alongside

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fwd bryan

19

mbeumo age

Height

25

5’7

joined

from

2019

Saïd Benrahma and Ollie Watkins.

Even without his attacking partners, who departed West London after Mbeumo’s first season, he continued to thrive under Thomas Frank, scoring eight goals and making 12 as the Bees were promoted from the Championship.

In 2022/23 he played every single league game, as Brentford finished in ninth place.

brentford

gk mark

flekken age

joined

31 2023

def aaron

hickey age

joined

22 2022

def ethan

pinnock age

joined

31 2019

1 from

2 from

5 from

12

gk hákon

Valdimarsson age

joined

23 2024

3

def RICO

HENRY age

joined

27 2016

from

16

def ben

mee age

from

joined

35 2022 30

from

13

gk matthew

cox age

21

joined

2021

from

4

def SEPP

Van Den Berg age

joined

23 2024

def Kristoffer

Ajer age

from

20 joined

26 2021

from

brentford

def nathan

22

collins age

from

joined

23 2023

6

MID CHRISTIAN

NøRGAARD age

joined

30 2019

from

14

mid FáBIO

Carvalho age

joined

22 2024

from

def mads

30

roerslev age

joined

25 2019

8

MID MATHIAS

JENSEN age

from

joined

29 2019

from

18

mid YeHor

Yarmolyuk age

joined

20 2022 31

from

def kim

36

ji-soo age

joined

20 2023

from

10

MID JOSH

DASILVA age

joined

26 2018

mid MIKKEL

from

24

Damsgaard age

joined

24 2022

from

brentford

mid Yunus

26

Konak age

joined

19 2024

fwd IGOR

THIAGO age

joined

23 2024

fwd KEANE

from

joined

23 2022

JANELT age

from

age

from

joined

26 2020

9

LEWIS-POTTER age

VITALY

fwd

23

27

MID

YOANE

WISSA joined

28 2021

fwd GUSTAVO

from

joined

19 2024 32

SCHADE age

from

age

from

joined

23 2023

11

NUNES age

KEVIN

fwd

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7

fwd

from

19

BRYAN

MBEUMO joined

25 2019

fwd TONY

from

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YOGANE age

joined

19 2022

from

brentford

squaddepth st Yoane WISSA Igor THIAGO lw

rw

Mikkel DAMSGAARD Keane LEWIS-POTTER Tony YOGANE

Bryan MBEUMO Kevin SCHADE Gustavo NUNES

am Fábio CARVALHO Josh DASILVA

cm Mathias JENSEN Yehor YARMOLYUK Paris MAGHOMA Dm Christian NØRGAARD Vitaly JANELT Yunus EMRE KONAK

lb Rico HENRY

Rb Aaron HICKEY Mads ROERSLEV

CB

CB

Nathan COLLINS Ethan PINNOCK Kristoffer AJER

Sepp VAN DEN BERG Ben MEE Kim JI-SOO GK

Mark FLEKKEN Hákon VALDIMARSSON Matthew COX

Loaned In

Academy Graduate

33

New Signing

brentford

through time 1926 Brentford appoint Harry Curtis as secretary manager – a transformative move. Curtis would go down as the most successful boss in club history, taking them from a struggling third tier club to the First Division in only nine years.

Curtis leads his team to the FA Cup fifth round in 1927, before winning all 21 home league matches in 1929/30 – only the fifth side in EFL history to do so.

Promotion to the second tier follows three years later, then a further promotion in 1935 seeing Brentford become a First Division club. In their first season they finish in fifth place – the highest of all the London clubs.

1889 1899 1904 1913

Founded in October – first competitive game follows a month later Club turns professional First game at Griffin Park Relegated to second division of the Southern League

1919

London Combination Champions

1926

Appoint Harry Curtis as manager

1932

Football League Division Three (South) Champions

1934

Second Division Champions

1946

Relegation to the Second Division

1961

Relegated to Fourth Division, only to bounce straight back following season

1985

Wembley appearance in EFL Trophy final

1998 2002 2013 2020 2021

Ron Noades buys club – installs himself as manager Second Division play-off final lost to Stoke City Promotion to the Championship Leave Griffin Park to move into new Gtech Community Stadium Promoted to the Premier League

1991/92 -

2013/14 -

2020 -

Brentford have had their fair share of dramatic final days of the season.

One arrived in 1992, with the Bees chasing promotion from Division Three. Locked in a battle at the top of the league with Birmingham City, they were able to secure a 1-0 win at Peterborough to clinch the title – striker Dean Holdsworth having finished as the league’s top scorer with 24 goals.

One year after they were cruelly denied promotion to the Championship on the final day against Doncaster Rovers – Marcello Trotta hitting the crossbar with an injury time penalty before Rovers broke away and scored – Brentford were up. Under Mark Warburton, they finished second in League One to return to the second tier after 21 years away.

After first being granted permission for a new stadium back in 2013 – Brentford were granted planning permission to build a new stadium close to Kew Bridge. Ground is broken in 2018 and two years later Brentford say goodbye to Griffin Park.

Sadly, the final games at the stadium are played without any supporters, due to restrictions from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Brentford’s final

34

brentford

dreamfive GK Gerry Cakebread Goalkeeper Gerry Cakebread made 187 consecutive appearances for the club between 1958 and 1963, the year he played a vital role in the Bees winning promotion from Division Four.

cb Terry Evans An old-school centre-back, who was strong, good in the air and sharp when it came to reading the game. Evans played close to 300 games for Brentford and captained the '92 promotion winning squad.

cm Kevin O’Connor Kevin O'Connor also captained the club and played more than 500 times for Brentford and filled just about every position bar goalkeeper between 1999 and 2015. He won two promotions during his time in West London and has also served as Thomas Frank’s assistant manager.

st David M©Culloch Prolific for Brentford prior to the Second World War, David McCulloch remains one of the club’s greatest ever players. He was crucial to Brentford’s highest ever league finish of fifth in 1936, scoring 26 goals in 26 games.

st Ivan Toney Although the Bees have rarely missed Toney this season, he remains one of the best strikers in modern club history.

In 2020/21 he equalled Glenn Murray’s EFL Championship goalscoring record, then found the net 12 times the year after to help his team maintain their Premier League status.

senior match at the stadium is a 3-2 aggregate win over Swansea in the Championship play-off semi-final.

Although the Bees lose out in the final that year, they are promoted the following season, in their first campaign at the Gtech Community Stadium, to return to the top-flight.

35

brentford

kitstory

celebribees

best

worst

Home: 2002/03

Home: 2012/13

Think Lloyd Owusu smashing in the goals at Griffin Park. The black sponsor shouldn’t really work, but they somehow pulled it off.

There’s far too much going on here. A sponsor that doesn’t really work adding blue, the randomly placed Puma logo.

You get a headache just looking at it.

best

dean gaffney

worst

The EastEnders actor – who also produced the greatest bushtucker trial in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here – is a huge Brentford fan.

natalie sawyer Presenter of Sky Sports News and TalkSPORT fame, Natalie was born in Ealing and previously featured in advertising campaigns for the club.

adam devlin away: 1993/94

away: 2004/05

Hummel knew what they were doing with this retro number. It’s got a slight Man City vibe – but nicer.

In a word, smart.

It looks like the Bees decided to borrow an old school rugby kit for their away strip in the 2004/05 campaign. A simply woeful effort.

36

The Bluetones guitarist and songwriter collaborated with Hard-Fi frontman Richard Archer to record a charity single to honour former Bees star Jota.

brentford

greatestgames 5-1 league cup thrashing After not meeting for over 40 years, the two sides were paired together in the first round of the League Cup in August 1977. Brentford took the first leg spoils, 2-1, but it was Palace who would progress with a roaring comeback at Selhurst – winning 6-3 on aggregate.

1-1 an entertaining draw After two dull stalemates between the sides in Brentford’s first Premier League campaign, a far better contest took place at the start of the following season. Wilfred Zaha’s trademark sublime goal looked to have won it, only for Yoane Wissa to head home in the 88th minute.

3-1 the olise show One of Michael Olise’s best performances in a Palace shirt came last season, in a 3-1 win over the Bees at Selhurst Park. The visitors took an early lead, but Olise’s stunning volley got Palace level. Ebere Eze then got the Eagles in front, before a wonderful individual run from Olise, where he beat five defenders, sealed the points and his Player of the Match title.

37

brentford

eagle eye

@billythebee99

Billy Grant is the co-editor of the Beesotted Brentford blog and podcast. He has appeared on Sky Sports News, The Overlap, The Guardian and more. Here, he gives us his views on Brentford…

What have you made of Brentford’s season so far?

We’ve had a great season to date. I’ve seen so many exciting matches, some proper Kevin Keegan specials, so naturally I’m happy.

We’ve only lost two home matches (to title contenders Liverpool and Nottingham Forest), drawn two home matches and won the rest.

We’re scoring goals for fun and are seeing some really exciting matches – the 2-2 draw against Man City the obvious example.

Saying that, we are quite simply unable to keep a clean sheet. Our form away from home too has, generally, been poor.

Just how highly do you rate manager Thomas Frank?

Thomas Frank is fantastic and people are waking up to his brilliance. He loves the Bees, but I fear the worst with his increasing army of admirers.

He is a brilliant people-person and an excellent tactician. Every now and then we get comprehensively beaten, so you wonder how he would fare managing a so-called ‘bigger’ club. But when you look at the players who he has developed and taken to a higher level like Ollie Watkins, Ivan

38

We’ve only lost two home matches (to title contenders Liverpool and Nottingham Forest), drawn two home matches and won the rest.

We’re scoring goals for fun

brentford

Toney, Christian Nørgaard etc, you realise the job he has done is nothing short of a miracle.

Wissa has surpassed Toney to become our Premier League top goalscorer.

Not bad for a player deemed a super-sub not too long ago How do you feel the team has coped with losing Ivan Toney last summer?

Ivan who? Seriously, no disrespect to Toney but we have had to move

on and removing a larger-than-life individual has allowed other players to step up to the plate. Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo have done just that, scoring over 10 goals each this season. Wissa has surpassed Toney to become our Premier League top goalscorer. Not bad for a player deemed a super-sub not too long ago.

Who is Brentford’s most important player – and whose contribution flies under the radar?

It has to be Mbeumo. He has been tremendous with 60 goal contributions in the Premier League - and he was injured for a good part of that as well.

When he turns and runs, he is an absolute menace to defenders.

Christian Nørgaard is underrated, but his role in dictating the play in the central midfield position is second to

39

none when he is on his game. Against Manchester City he was unplayable.

Give us a name to keep an eye on for the future?

23-year-old midfielder Paris Maghoma was loaned out to Bolton Wanderers last season and had rave reviews. We thought he may have been loaned out to a Championship club this time out, but we’ve decided to keep him around the first-team. He has made five appearances and already made an impression. His glide through the Southampton defence to set up a late goal in that game is a sign of his skill and confidence.

Finally, where will Brentford finish this season?

12th

.

west ham united

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brentford

HEAD TO HEAD

marc

guÉhi

ethan

pinnock

7

Goals

6

0

Penalties won

4

0

Penalties scored

3

118

2

Clean sheets

2

Apps

Goals

6

11

Yellow cards

8

Goals

8

Clean Sheets

28

0

Clean Sheets

23

Successful tackles

150

Successful tackles

167

Recoveries

648

Recoveries

437

age

24

POSITION

def

Apps

nat

Successful 50/50s

42

Passes per match

58.58

0

Red cards

5

The number of consecutive drawn fixtures between Palace and Brentford after the Bees' promotion in 2021.

1963

The year the last time Palace lost both league games to Brentford in a single season.

5

Points Brentford have taken away from home this season - only Southampton have taken fewer.

Delivered by:

41

age

31

POSITION

def

nat

107

Successful 50/50s

20

Passes per match

43.96

42

doc brown & james m©arthur

43

doc brown

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

LE STREAK, C’EST CHIC Back in the 80’s, if our fledgling football chat ever featured the word “streak”, it was invariably followed by muffled titters and the sharing of a tabloid newspaper article nicked from mum and dad with a photo that was either blurred or cropped or prominently featured a strategically placed policeman’s helmet.

In the modern era, despite global temperatures rising, the daring bare-bottomed dash has dramatically decreased to pretty much non-existence. I honestly can’t think of a single wobbly bod making that faithful journey this side of the millennium – whether that’s for better or for worse I shall leave for you to decide. Who am I to judge?

These days, when I hear people discussing footballing streaks, what follows is less likely to be “the cold did him no favours” and more likely to be “that’s Crystal Palace for you.” I’ve mentioned our penchant for streakiness before, but as we round out the first month of the New Year and welcome a pretty streaky opponent today in the shape of Brentford (who from August to New

Year almost never lost at home and never won away), I think it’s time to dig down a little deeper into this because – I don’t know about you – but I find it quite weird.

Cast your mind back, if you will, to our promotion year. We all remember the glory at the end, but do you recall just how streaky we were in that mad dash to the promised land? Ian Holloway won his first game in charge 5-0 against Ipswich and we sky-rocketed up the table, making our best start to a league season for 37 years, going on an unbeaten run of 14 games.

Fourteen! With the old rose-tinted glasses on, you might say, “well that’s no surprise, we ended up in the playoffs,” but we actually did a reverse streak, winning only one game in our last 10. One! From 14 to one. Streaktastic.

As a Premier League outfit, we began making some of the decisions that moulded us into the stalwarts we are today, changing the mentality around the place and going from OneSeason Wonders to Prem Staples.

But even within that fundamental culture shift, even during that profound transition, we still managed

44

As a Premier League outfit, we began making some of the decisions that moulded us into the stalwarts we are today, changing the mentality around the place and going from OneSeason Wonders to Prem Staples

doc brown to have a terrible start, lose one manager, get another in and go on to finish 11th. Streakarama.

How about that 15/16 season?

We didn’t win a league game from Boxing Day in 2015 until April 2nd the following year – not one single game in four months! Oh and naturally we also reached the FA Cup Final and could easily have beaten the biggest club in the world to claim our first major trophy – absolutely bananas.

At this stage I wouldn’t have been surprised if I looked up the word ‘Streaky’ in the dictionary and there was a picture of Alan Pardew doing that dance.

The following year, one win in 11 took us straight into the danger zone, then one loss in eight took us out again, and the season after that came what I like to call…

STREAKAGGEDON.

The Streakmasters were evolving, and I know you will need no reminders of the mad streak Oli took us on at the end of last season.

Le streak, c’est chic We all remember this one: zero wins and zero goals in our first seven games. The whole country was talking about the Streak Specialists of South London. It had a been an eventful few years up with the big boys, but surely, SURELY this time we were

doomed…? Nah, only one loss in our last eight games and we were fine.

Streaky McStreakface does it again.

2019/20 might have been a bit weird because of the pandemic, but not even a profound global shift in human thinking, behaviour and habit could stop us streaking, losing all but one draw in our last eight games. Still stayed up though so… shrug emoji.

In 2021/22 we tweaked the streak, putting a whole new spin on the idea of losing loads then suddenly winning loads. That’s right, we just drew pretty much every game and it kind of worked – we finished 12th and almost made the Cup Final again! The Streakmasters were evolving, and I know you will need no reminders of the mad streak Oli took

45

us on at the end of last season. Le streak, c’est chic.

So, what have we learned? For me, I would say the biggest takeaway is that hope is always around the corner. It’s a minor miracle that we’ve competed with the big dogs for as long as we have, but a huge part of that comes from us never, ever giving up. All of these streaks bear it out – no matter how bad things get, we seem to bounce back stronger.

And I’ll tell you what, if one of these mad streaks finally ends up in a European place or a trophy, I might just risk it all and do a 1980s streak in celebration.

Should that day ever come, I just pray it’s a warm one.

UTP!

.

James M©arthur

james m©arthur Palace legend James McArthur made 253 appearances for the club, playing over 19,000 minutes in all competitions across nine years.

Below, he looks back on a great week for the club, and explains why Romain Esse and Palace can both look forward to the weeks ahead...

They fly so high Both of Palace’s Premier League matches last week were very, very good performances.

Palace have good momentum, and you might even have expected them to win with the way they’re playing, but I don't think you realise how hard that is to achieve away from home. Two in a row is very impressive – and with two great performances and clean sheets, too. That just shows you where the lads are at just now, and obviously confidence is very high.

Two in a row is very impressive – and with two great performances and clean sheets It’s tough to go away from home and put in dominant performances from the first whistle to the last, so

what’s been really important for the team is not conceding many goals.

And when you're getting into halftime at, for instance, 0-0, you know you've got goals in there – but you also know you've got a great defence and a great goalkeeper, so you can go for the game a little bit more in the second-half, with full trust that you can get a clean sheet.

Defensive delight When someone gets taken out of the team, or when you get goals from everywhere, or someone’s not playing, but the team still performs to a high standard… I think that's what's great about this team just now. Trevoh Chalobah obviously went back to Chelsea last week, but Chris Richards has come in and been absolutely brilliant. The depth in the squad just now is fantastic.

I think Will Hughes has really stepped his game up this year, especially with the injuries there’ve been in central midfield. He seems to be the one that's been there and really, really stepped up. When Adam Wharton comes back, as well, that'll boost everyone.

46

Hughes has really stepped his game up this year, especially with the injuries there’ve been in central midfield.

He seems to be the one that's been there and really, really stepped up

James M©arthur

I'm really looking forward to the second half of the season, and seeing how far Palace can push up that table.

It was a great, great win that the lads needed.

It's obviously nice to see him back scoring – and smiling! You see the videos of him and he's obviously crazy, but it’s so nice to see!

signing, it’s because you need that spark, but he’s going into a team that's really thriving. I'm sure he'll want to get in on that action to show what he's worth, but also to try and help the lads win games.

New Year, same JP -

Fantastic form -

When JP Mateta scored against Ipswich, I spoke about his confidence, and him hopefully kicking on from there – and he’s definitely done that.

It’s been some year for him, really.

To be honest, he probably didn't start this season as well as he would have liked – obviously, he was away with France, and it’s very tough to come back and be as fresh as you possibly can – but right now, he looks like he’s dominating defenders again. He looks like he's enjoying his football.

When you're scoring goals as a striker, there's no better feeling, and everything else takes care of itself: your hold-up play becomes better, you make the right runs… if you look at Erling Haaland last year, he seemed to be in every correct position there possibly was, and every time it fell to him, he was scoring goals. This year, with that loss of confidence, he’s not probably in the same position as last year, where it was always dropping to him.

That was probably the same with JP at the start of the season. He was still working very hard, trying his best to help the lads, and obviously trying to score for himself – but right now, everything seems to be falling for him, because his confidence is so high.

Looking at the run Palace are on – one loss in the last 11 games – it’s incredible.

I know there are a lot of draws in there too, but they’ve been good draws. And when you’re not losing games, you’re getting results, and things seem to fall for you. Even when you're not playing as well or the games are tight, you come out of them with points.

The lads seem to be doing that, and it's a real joy to watch at the weekend, when you know there's a great chance they’re going to win.

Brentford have done exceptionally well this year. They’re very dangerous, scoring a lot of goals, and the lads will need to be on it.

They’re a team who are very hard to play against. You think you've got games wrapped up and then they score that last-minute goal… I can remember it a good few times! Even if you start the game well, you need to be on it for 90 minutes against a well-organised side, who are doing well in the league this year.

I'm sure it's a game that the lads will say: ‘We’re doing great, but we need to keep doing the right things and keep our standards up.’ If they do that, I believe they'll get the result again

Welcome Romain When you join a new club, you want to really impress. I think that Romain Esse is coming in to a very good, welcoming dressing room, which definitely helps.

I think he'll add a great deal of quality, but I think the important thing is not to expect too much, too early.

With any new player coming into a team, it does take time to adapt to the way a manager plays and how different players play.

But it’s a great dressing room to go into. A lot of the time, in this period, when you make a new

47

.

captain

CHOOSE YOUR

WIIINGS RED BULL GIVES YOU WIIINGS.

48

INSIDE PALACE

49

inside palace

palace academy With so much talent coming through at Crystal Palace, it’s time to grill the next generation on the key questions past, present and future. This week David Montjen is in the hotseat for our quickfire Q&A…

FACT FILE

past

present strongest attribute?

I’d say my link-up play. I got an assist for Jerome Osei to help us complete the comeback against Leicester recently.

i model my game on...

Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Career highlight?

Signing my first Scholarship, it was a really proud day for me and my family.

childhood idol?

favourite palace player?

When I was younger, I looked up to Didier Drogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but now I’d say Rafael Leão.

He’s only just joined, but Romain Esse – I’ve seen him play for Millwall and he’s a really exciting player.

shirt number?

89.

current boots?

Adidas F50s.

future

david Montjen age

first team?

in five years time...

I played for a grassroots team called ‘Most Wanted’ and also for my school team before I got scouted in December 2018.

I want to be playing in the Premier League, at the highest level.

first match you went to?

World Cup, 100%. It doesn’t get any bigger than that.

It was a Palace game back in 2019 - I can’t remember who we played.

nationality

17

First shirt? position

striker

It was an Arsenal one, I got it as a birthday present - but I should say I don’t even support Arsenal!

50

champions league or world cup?

i want to improve...

Just being an all-round target man.

manager or pundit?

Pundit, it’s way more fun than being a manager!

inside palace

fixtures&results

pos Club

P

W

D

L

GD Pts

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

1

mci

12

10

1

1

25

31

2

ful

12

10

0

2

14

30

u21s

u18s AUGUST

AUGUST Tue 20

Stevenage

L

0-1

Sat 17

Tottenham Hotspur

Fri 23

Blackburn Rovers

W

7-2

Sat 24

Southampton

1-1

Wed 28 Birmingham City Sat 31

W

3-0

Fri 30

Leeds United

D

SEPTEMBER Tue 17

Real Sociedad

D

2-2

Fri 20

Reading

D

1-1

Tue 24

Gillingham

W

3-1

Mon 30 Nottingham Forest

W

2-1

OCTOBER Sat 5

Brighton & Hove Albion

L

0-10

Fri 18

Sporting CP

L

1-2

Fri 25

Southampton

W

2-0

NOVEMBER

Reading

L

4-6

D

1-1

W

3-0

SEPTEMBER Sat 14

Norwich City

W

4-2

Sat 21

Fulham

L

0-6

Sat 28

Aston Villa

L

1-3

OCTOBER Sat 5

Liverpool

L

2-5

Sat 26

Leicester City

D

1-1

D

1-1

NOVEMBER Sat 2

Arsenal

Sat 9

West Bromwich Albion

D

2-2

Fri 1

Tottenham Hotspur

W

5-1

Sat 23

Arsenal

W

2-0

Tue 5

Peterborough United

L

1-4

Sat 30

Brighton & Hove Albion W

2-0

Fri 29

Newcastle United

L

0-1

DECEMBER Fri 6

Manchester City

L

0-1

W

3-1

Tue 17

Chelsea

W

4-2

D

3-3

JANUARY

december Tue 10

RSC Anderlecht

Mon 16 Liverpool JANUARY Mon 6

Fulham

L

0-1

Fri 10

Leicester City

W

2-0

Fri 17

RB Leipzig

L

1-2

L

0-1

Mon 20 Wolves Mon 27 Norwich City FEBRUARY Mon 10 Stoke City Mon 17 Aston Villa

Tue 14

West Ham United

W

5-0

Sat 18

Leicester City

W

2-1

Sat 25

Tottenham Hotspur

3

bha

12

7

3

2

22 24

4

che

12

7

1

4

16

5

mun

11

7

0

4

7

21

6

liv

11

6

2

3

4

20 19

22

7

new

11

6

1

4

2

8

sou

12

6

1

5

1

19

9

whu

10

6

0

4

2

18

10

cry

12

5

3

4

1

18

11

wol

11

5

2

4

1

17

12

sun

11

5

1

5

7

16

13

ars

11

5

1

5

-2

16

14

nfo

11

5

0

6

4

15

15

lei

12

4

3

5

1

15

16

lee

11

4

3

4

-1

15

17

eve

11

4

3

4

-3

15

18

der

12

5

0

7

-11

15

19

wba

11

4

2

5

-5

14

20

nor

11

4

1

6

-6

13

21

rea

12

3

3

6

-7

12

22

bla

11

3

1

7

-10 10

23

tot

12

3

1

8

-11

10

24

mid

11

3

0

8

-13

9

25

avl

11

2

1

8

-16

7

26

sto

10

0

2

8 -22 2

FEBRUARY Sat 1

Southampton

pos Club

P

W

D

L

Sat 8

Reading

1

avl

10

7

1

2

6

22

2

cry

13

6

4

3

5

22

3

sou

12

5

5

2

5

20

4

tot

11

5

3

3

6

18

5

ful

9

5

1

3

8

16

6

bha

11

4

4

3

7

16

Sat 15

Norwich City

Sat 22

Aston Villa

MARCH Sat 1

Fulham

Mon 24 West Bromwich Albion

Sat 8

West Ham United

MARCH

Sat 15

Chelsea

GD Pts

7

che

12

5

1

6

0

16

8

whu

10

3

4

3

0

13

Mon 3

Arsenal

APRIL

Sun 16

Manchester City

9

ars

9

2

4

3

-2

10

Thu 17

Arsenal

10

nor

10

2

4

4

-4

10

Sat 26

West Bromwich Albion

11

lei

11

2

3

6

-6

9

12

rea

11

2

3

6

-12

9

13

wba

11

1

5

5

-13

8

APRIL Fri 4

West Ham United

Mon 14 Chelsea

MAY Sat 3

Brighton & Hove Albion

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Thursday, 23rdJanuary.

51

inside palace

palace academy South London is a proverbial hotbed of talent, with a sizable proportion of Premier League players having some roots in this area of the capital.

One of these players is, of course, Asher Agbinone – among the latest Crystal Palace Academy graduates…

t

he 19-year-old winger was born in Croydon and has been at the club from Under-9 level, progressing through the ranks year-on-year, to eventually make his Premier League debut away at Nottingham Forest earlier this season.

This came about through incredible hard work and discipline as he worked his way up in the Academy system. He signed his first professional contract in October 2022, shortly after netting his first ever goal at Under-18s level: A late winner against Sheffield United in the Premier League Cup. Before signing that contract and well before he put on a Palace shirt, Agbinone took us back to his South London roots when speaking to Palace TV: “Living in Croydon, you know, you always pass the stadium, and you know about Crystal Palace. You always know about the players that play there. Playing for a club in the area that you’ve grown up, it’s one of the best feelings, I’d say.

“Even in the Premier League, which is the best league in the world, you can still see if a player’s got the South London roots in him. I want to

do the same, be able to express myself and play my best football freely.

“Going to the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace, my brother and I, that’s where we kind of both started. It’s quite important, I’ve got a lot of memories playing there, even before I joined Palace.”

In his first breakthrough season, 2022/23, Agbinone netted eight times in 21 appearances for the Under18s. He then went one better the

Playing for a club in the area that you’ve grown up, it’s one of the best feelings, I’d say following year, with nine goals in 18 appearances – all after overcoming a lengthy injury which saw him miss the first half of the campaign.

The 2023/24 campaign also saw Agbinone make his first step up to Under-21s football, where he made two Premier League 2 appearances.

His strong end to the season also earned him a place in the first-team’s

52

Coming on against Forest was just pure excitement.

I just wanted to show everyone in that stadium what I could do and what I was capable of pre-season tour of the United States next summer.

Agbinone made an instant impression on the pre-season tour, scoring the final goal in the 3-1 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Stateside Cup, helping send Palace on their way to tournament glory.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity and happy,” said Agbinone after scoring that goal.

“I was very excited. It’s something I wanted to do from a young age [and I’m just] so grateful that I got the opportunity, and I was able to show what I could do.”

Another landmark moment came exactly a month on from scoring in pre-season, when Agbinone made the senior team matchday squad for the first time, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. He then went on to make his debut at the City Ground six weeks later.

“Coming on against Forest was just pure excitement. I just wanted to show everyone in that stadium what I could do and what I was capable

inside palace

of,” Agbinone said after making his debut.

“I would say that [my hard work has been rewarded]. I’m very thankful for the gaffer, and obviously the team, the coaches and the backroom staff, for giving me the opportunity to play in the Premier League.

“Training up with the first-team has been excellent, it’s everything I would want. Getting challenged against some of the best players in the world, it’s tough every day, and that’s what I like to do.”

Palace Under-16s coach Svetoslav Todorov, who helped guide Agbinone through the ranks, added: “I’ve always been really honest with you, through the whole journey you’ve been with the club.

“I’m privileged that I was able to help you and guide you in the right direction. I’m really happy as well with where you’ve ended up, where you are at the moment – you made your Premier League debut and you might think your ceiling is higher than that, you’re ready for the next challenge.”

The winger has since gone on to make further matchdays squads in the Premier League and a home debut as a late substitute against Fulham at Selhurst Park would follow in November.

The New Year sees Agbinone head to promotionchasing Gillingham to further his development, joining the Gills for the rest of the season. He made his debut against Doncaster, winning their Man of the Match award after an impressive performance to make the perfect start

.

u21s Name

u18s apps goals

Name

apps goals

Kai-Reece ADAMS-COLLMAN

16

1

Dean BENAMAR

10

1

Benji CASEY

17

5

Freddie COWIN

7

0

1

Euan DANAHER

8

0

11

2

Matteo DASHI

8

1

Billy EASTWOOD (GK)

0

0

Jesse DERRY

12

12

Malcolm EBIOWEI

3

0

Joel DRAKES-THOMAS

6

1

Chima EZE

0

0

Billy EASTWOOD (GK)

2

0

Craig FARQUHAR

0

0

Chris FRANCIS

0

0

Jacob FASIDA

3

0

Joe GIBBARD

13

0

Zack HENRY

12

2

Jake GRANTE

10

0

Marcus HILL (GK)

11

0

Sean GREHAN

15

1

Mofe JEMIDE

1

0

Jackson IZQUIERDO (GK)

3

0

Jasper JUDD

6

1

Mofe JEMIDE

14

1

Joe KHOSHABA (GK)

0

0

Caleb KPORHA

8

1

Finley MARJORAM

5

0

George KING

15

2

Zach MARSH

15

3

Enrique LAMEIRAS

7

0

Roshaun MATHURIN

1

0

Jack MASON (GK)

4

0

Louie MOULDEN (GK)

16

0

David MONTJEN

6

0

Hindolo MUSTAPHA

18

5

Joshua MUWANA

9

0

Adler NASCIMENTO

8

1

David OBOU

3

1

David OBOU

1

0

Ademola OLA-ADEBOMI

3

1

Stuart ODURO

2

0

Luke PLANGE

3

0

Chuks OKOLI

5

2

Jadan RAYMOND

6

0

Jerome OSEI

14

3

Dylan REID

6

0

Caleb REDHEAD

1

0

Kaden RODNEY

14

0

Sean SOMADE

14

0

Joe SHERIDAN

5

0

Charlie WALKER-SMITH

12

1

Franco UMEH

7

2

Jemiah UMOLU

16

13

Harry WHITWORTH (GK)

0

0

Jack WELLS-MORRISON

6

0

Tyler WHYTE

14

1

Seb WILLIAMS

1

0

Seb WILLIAMS

16

3

Asher AGBINONE

8

2

Victor AKINWALE

3

0

Cormac AUSTIN

7

0

Luke BROWNE

17

0

Rio CARDINES

9

0

Jesse DERRY

8

Justin DEVENNY

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Thursday, 23 January. rd

53

inside palace

palace women After becoming Crystal Palace women’s first signing of 2025, Clarissa Larisey has wasted no time settling into life in South London…

t

he Canadian forward joined Palace last week from Swedish club BK Häcken for an undisclosed fee and arrives with a wealth of experience across several European leagues.

Fresh, focused, and full of enthusiasm, Larisey, 25, is determined to make an immediate impact as she embarks on an exciting new chapter in the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL).

Speaking about her January move, Larisey could not contain her excitement: “It feels great to be here finally. I mean, I love London, so I am just happy to be here.”

Having visited the capital before, Larisey is able to already feel a sense of familiarity.

Beyond football, she is most excited about exploring the capital’s vibrant culture: “I’m definitely looking forward to the shopping!

“London has so much to offer, and I love discovering new places to eat. I have tried a few restaurants before and enjoyed them, so I’m excited to explore even more.”

Larisey’s signing marks a significant moment in her career, and she detailed how the move to Palace came about: “Palace got in touch with my agent, and the conversations

we had made it clear this was a fantastic opportunity.

“Speaking with Laura [Kaminski] and Grace [Williams], I could feel their passion and excitement for the club.

“They shared their vision, and I couldn’t turn down the chance to be part of it.”

The WSL’s reputation as one of the best leagues in the world also proved an important factor in her decision.

“I’m really excited to be playing in the WSL. It is a league full of worldclass talent, and I want to test myself against the best, while contributing as much as I can to this team.”

Larisey’s footballing journey has taken her across Iceland, Scotland, and Sweden, with each chapter shaping her development.

“My professional career started in Iceland after college. It was a short stint but a great introduction to professional football.

“Then, I had an amazing experience at Celtic. I loved the club, the players, and the fans. It was special playing there.

“Sweden was another step up – the football is aggressive and very technical. I learned a lot, and now, I am ready for the challenge of the WSL with Palace.”

54

I’m really excited to be playing in the WSL. It is a league full of worldclass talent, and I want to test myself against the best, while contributing as much as I can to this team One additional bonus of moving to Palace is reuniting with her former Celtic teammate Izzy Atkinson.

“I’m so happy to play with Izzy again! She is brilliant both on and off the pitch, always bringing great energy and banter.

“We had a strong connection at Celtic, and I can’t wait to pick up where we left off.”

When asked what fans can expect from her, Larisey described herself as a high-energy player who gives everything for the team.

“I would say I bring energy and positivity. Those are the two things I am most passionate about.

“I always aim to stay upbeat and focused, pushing myself and my teammates to give 100%.

“On matchday, I want to be a dynamic, impactful presence—both in attack and by supporting my team defensively.”

inside palace

But the Canadian admits that at 25-years-old, she is not yet the finished article and is eager to grow as a player under head coach Laura Kaminski.

“I’m here to improve. The programme Laura and Grace are leading is exciting, and I believe I can develop a lot at Palace.

“I’m ready to work hard and see what we can achieve together.”

Larisey understands the demands of playing in the WSL and recognises the importance of adapting quickly: “It’s going to be a challenge, no doubt. But I’m ready for it.

“This league is competitive from top to bottom. Staying mentally sharp and physically prepared will be key, but I am confident we’ll rise to the occasion.”

While she adjusts to life in South London, Larisey’s focus remains firmly on football.

Her energy, optimism, and hunger to succeed promise to make her a valuable addition to Kaminski’s squad.

Palace fans can look forward to watching a determined and driven forward ready to contribute with skill, speed, and a relentless work ethic.

With Larisey’s infectious positivity and proven talent, it is clear she is ready to embrace the challenges ahead as Palace look to stay in the WSL. Whether she is breaking down defences or linking up with her teammates, Clarissa Larisey is set to bring flair and fight to Palace’s second half of the season

.

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

playerstats Name

apps goals

Chloe ARTHUR

5

O

Izzy ATKINSON

5

O

Sun 22

Tottenham Hotspur

L

0-4

Annabel BLANCHARD

14

3

Fri 27

Chelsea

L

0-7

My CATO

14

2

Aimee EVERETT

13

O

october Wed 2

Aston Villa

L

0-2

Mille GEJL

13

3

Sun 6

Leicester City

W

2-0

Fliss GIBBONS

10

O

Sun 13

Brighton & Hove Albion

L

0-1

Josie GREEN

10

O

Sun 20

Liverpool

D

1-1

Shanade HOPCROFT

3

O

Elise HUGHES

O

O

november Sun 3

Manchester City

L

0-3

Clarissa LARISEY

O

O

Sun 10

Everton

D

1-1

Abbie LARKIN

14

O

Sun 17

Aston Villa

L

2-3

Milla-Maj MAJASAARI (GK)

3

O

Sun 24

Charlton Athletic

W

2-0

Hayley NOLAN

5

O

december

Ria ÖLING

O

O

Sun 8

2-5

Lexi POTTER

13

O

West Ham United

L

Wed 11 Tottenham Hotspur

L

0-2

Indiah-Paige RILEY

12

2

Sun 15

L

0-1

Molly-Mae SHARPE

11

1

january

Katie STENGEL

15

1

Tue 14

Sheffield United

W

6-1

Katrine VEJE

13

O

Sun 19

Arsenal

L

0-5

Ashleigh WEERDEN

15

3

Sun 26

Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester United

Lily WOODHAM

12

O

february

Annis-Clara WRIGHT (GK)

O

O

Sun 2

Shae YAÑEZ (GK)

12

O

Brighton & Hove Albion

Sun 9

Newcastle United

Sun 16

Manchester United

march

pos Club

P

W

D

L

GD Pts

Sun 2

1

che

11

10

0

1

30

2

ars

11

7

1

3

20 24

3

mun

11

7

1

3

15

24

4

mci

11

7

3

1

11

22

Liverpool

Sun 16

Aston Villa

Sat 22

Everton

Sun 30

Arsenal

april Sun 20

Chelsea

Sun 27

West Ham United

may

31

5

bha

11

5

4

2

0

17

6

tot

11

4

5

2

-7

14

7

liv

11

3

5

3

-7

12

8

avl

11

2

5

4

-6

10

9

eve

11

2

5

4

-10 10

10

whu

11

2

7

2

-12

8

Sun 4

Leicester City

11

lei

11

1

7

3

-11

6

Sun 11

Manchester City

12

cry

11

1

8

2 -23 5

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Thursday, 23rdJanuary.

55

inside palace

palace for life This week’s update from Palace for Life looks at the return of the Foundation’s Soccer Schools – read on for more information and how to book.

February half-term Soccer Schools return Palace for Life Soccer Schools are returning to South London this February half-term.

Our Soccer Schools are returning to Kent County Cricket Club this February half-term, and you can book a place for your child using the QR code on the following page.

All of the sessions are designed by coaches at Palace for Life and Crystal Palace F.C. to give girls and boys from years 2 to 8 the opportunity to develop their football skills and meet new friends during the school holidays.

This February half-term, Soccer Schools will take place between the 17th February and the 21st February at Kent County Cricket Club between 9:00am and 4:00pm.

Prices start at £28.

56

donate to palace for life below

inside palace

WHAT SESSIONS ARE AVAILABLE? Boys & Girls Soccer Schools Our Soccer Schools provide a fun and enjoyable experience to learn new skills, play in competitions and make friends. As well as improving as a footballer, each child will learn vital social skills. Children will be coached by FA and UEFA licenced coaches with vast and different areas of expertise.

Goalkeeper specific Soccer Schools Our Goalkeeper specific Soccer Schools provide a fun and enjoyable experience to learn new skills, play in competitions and make friends. Children will be coached by FA and UEFA licenced coaches with vast and different areas of expertise, with a chance to be selected for our Goalkeeper Player Development Centres.

how do i book?

For full times and dates, and to book, please scan the QR code below.

WHEN AND WHERE ARE THEY TAKING PLACE? Our February half-term Soccer Schools are taking place from between the 17th February and the 21st February at Kent County Cricket Club between 9:00am and 4:00pm.

57

58

100 years of selhurst park

59

100 years of selhurst park

100 YEARS OF Selhurst Park

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

A WIND OF CHANGE In the summer of 1972, there was a significant change in the boardroom – the first in the 22 years since Chairman Arthur Wait had been involved. In came Ray Bloye, head of the Matthews Holdings consortium, taking a 51% stake and replacing vice-chairman Victor Ercolani who resigned. Suddenly Palace were being connected with a number of high-profile players but with little success.

The season began with Bert Head still in place as manager with Terry Long as his assistant, but there were no new faces as a steady start left Palace floating in mid-table. Then in early September came a shock home defeat to Stockport County in the League Cup, resulting in Bloye deciding to loosen the purse strings.

Around the same time another director of Matthews Holdings, Dick Varey, joined the board.

Spending started with Iain Phillip’s arrival from Dundee –

Iain Phillip (left) signing an agreement with Crystal Palace chairman Arthur Wait (right) to complete his transfer from Dundee on 11th October 1972.

60

followed by Paddy Mulligan and Charlie Cooke from Chelsea. But it was the manner of the arrival of Don Rogers from Bert Head’s old club Swindon Town at the end of October that brought matters to the boil.

It would appear that Bloye took exception with Chairman Wait and Manager Head going directly to the Wiltshire club to sign Rogers. It was then announced that Arthur Wait would become president – with Bloye now club Chairman.

100 years of selhurst park Malcolm Allison meets the fans at Selhurst Park on his second day as manager of Crystal Palace, alongside Chairman Ray Bloye (left) and General Manager Bert Head (right).

Despite tensions Wait was allowed back into the boardroom, but the uneasy truce between the two was short lived. Two weeks later, in early November, Wait walked away asking to be relieved of all his financial commitments and seldom returning to the club he loved.

On-the-pitch results improved starting with Rogers’ solo effort against Everton, and Alan Whittle netting on his debut in the 5-0 rout of a struggling Manchester United.

By the time February came around, Palace were out of the bottom two and among a clutch of clubs with

a similar points total. However, a mammoth three-game FA Cup tie with Sheffield Wednesday ended in defeat and any lingering confidence seemed to quickly evaporate.

Slipping back into the relegation zone, Bloye announced in mid-March that Bert Head would become general manager, as the club looked for a team manager.

With the news that flamboyant Manchester City boss Malcolm Allison was becoming disillusioned, Bloye took his chance and met him at a London hotel. An announcement swiftly followed on 30th March, 1973, just a day before Palace’s

61

game with Chelsea – confirming that he had persuaded Allison to become the Glaziers new manager.

Allison met the players just 90 minutes before kick-off, when coincidentally a young prospect named Jim Cannon was handed his Palace debut by assistant manager Terry Long. Allison then strode onto the pitch flanked by Bloye and Head.

Despite defeating Chelsea, Palace’s next victory after that day would only come when relegation was already confirmed and within a couple of weeks Bert Head had quietly left Selhurst Park

.

100 years of selhurst park

ian king’s Selhurst Squad

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

c

roydon-born Steve Kember joined as an apprentice in 1963 and then completed full professional terms on his 17th birthday in December 1965. Less than a month later manager Dick Graham handed Steve his first team debut on January 1st 1966 but he was sacked two days later.

The following Saturday at Selhurst Park he scored his first goal in the 1-0 victory over Bury and Steve still remains our youngest ever goalscorer. Steve soon matured as a skilful midfield player and in the promotion season of 1968/69 he was one of three players to feature in every League and Cup game, including the final home fixture against Fulham, netting eight goals. In the top-flight he was a vital player for Palace for two seasons, gaining an England Under-23 cap in October 1970, but in September 1971 he left for Chelsea to raise £170,000 for manager Bert Head to spend on a player overhaul.

In the autumn of 1978 manager Terry Venables brought Steve back to Selhurst Park to add his experience to the team of younger players as the club looked to return to Division One. With that attained one evening in May 1979 Steve thus became the first Palace player to be involved in two promotions to the top-flight.

STEVE

Kember position

nationality

cm

In February 1980, he left for a second time to play in Canada soon to return as a youth team coach.

Then in November 1981, following the sacking of Dario Gradi, he was installed as manager to help the club stave off relegation from Division Two, also reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals, however that summer he was surprisingly replaced by Alan Mullery, much to the chagrin of Palace supporters.

Fast forward almost 20 years and Steve was working at Palace again when, with the Eagles sliding towards

62

relegation from Division One in 2001, he was given the responsibility to maintain our status from the two remaining away games, the second of which was the nail-biting game at Stockport County where, having avoided the drop, he was ‘chaired’ by the players.

In April 2003, following the departure of Trevor Francis, Steve was again put in charge for the final four games and for the following season.

Despite a promising start, results fell away and Steve was dismissed in November to be replaced by Iain Dowie a month later.

As can be seen, Steve has been employed in almost every capacity at Selhurst Park and these days can be found in the club’s hospitality suites on matchdays.

100 years of selhurst park

honourable

Mentions

nicknamed ‘Rubber’ by the fans, he provided opportunities for the likes of his wing partner Albert Harry and Peter Simpson. Popular with the fans for his wholehearted commitment, when he left the club he had made over 300 appearances.

david payne

terry long Terry joined from Wycombe Wanderers in 1955 and was associated with the club for 18 years.

For seven years from 1956 he was virtually an ever-present that included a run of 234 consecutive league and cup appearances as the club climbed from the depth of Division Three South and gain two promotions.

Terry did not often score goals but one was a 25-yard ‘screamer’ in the friendly against Real Madrid and another against Q.P.R. in September 1967 took the club to the top of Division Two. Terry then moved into coaching for his post-playing career and his 480 appearances are second only to club legend Jim Cannon.

billy turner Coming to Selhurst Park in 1925 Billy was a feature, injuries and illness apart, in the side for the next 11 years as the club twice finished second in Division Three South when there was only one promotion place. Rarely a goalscorer himself,

Born in Thornton Heath, David joined his local club as an apprentice making his senior debut in November 1964.

From 1966 his competitive play in midfield complemented that of Steve Kember as their partnership took Palace to Division One in 1969. When John Sewell retired in 1971 David took over his right-back role for two seasons until he left to join other former Palace players at Orient in 1973.

peter nicholas Peter was one of the youth team that won and then retained the Youth Cup in 1977 and 1978 and the driving defensive midfield player became an integral part of the team that won promotion back to Division One in May 1979 and did so well in the first part of the following season.

With Palace in financial straits Peter was sold to Arsenal in March 1981, but returned in October 1983 when his tenacious attitude helped the club to retain its Division Two status. When Steve Coppell took over as manager in 1984, he was ever present until moving to Luton Town in January 1985.

In the next issue, Ian continues to look through Palace’s greatest midfielders for his ultimate Selhurst 100 squad...

63

selhurst

Squad JOHN GK JACKSON

1964-1973

nigel gk martyn

1989-1996

RB

Paul HINSHELWOOD 1973-1983

rb

joel ward

2012-

kenny lb sansom

1975-1980

lb richard shaw

1987-1995

CB MEL BLYTH

1968–1974 1977-1978

cb jim cannon

1973-1988

cb eric young

1990-1995

rm peter taylor

1973-1976

rm attilio lombardo

1997-1999

cm steve kember

1963–1971 1978-1980

?

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

?

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

?

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

?

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

?

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

?

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

?

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

100 years of selhurst park

stories of Selhurst Park

Selhurst Park isn’t just a Premier League football ground, but the heart of a vibrant and diverse community, whose stories stretch back a century. Here, in a more self-referential twist than usual, we hear about how a recent programme cover caught the imagination of some Selhurst regulars…

w

hen Anthony Davie opened a recent Crystal Palace matchday email, it was to his great surprise that he saw not only kick-off timings or opposition data on the opposition (Southampton) – he also saw himself and his late father.

Anthony, a 64-year-old postman based in Northampton, but born and raised in Thornton Heath and South Norwood, was one of several fans who saw themselves featured on the front cover of the match programme.

The Southampton programme cover in question, illustrated by the brilliant Dave Flanagan as part of our season-long Selhurst Park centenary celebrations, depicted Palace’s squad cheering in the stands after securing promotion in the penultimate match of the 1969/89 season.

And whilst the likes of goalkeeper John Jackson, manager Bert Head and Chairman Arthur Wait could be seen on it celebrating with Will Hughes – transported back in time as our feature interviewee that issue – so too could Anthony, who contacted the club.

“You think: ‘hang on – that’s me!’” he laughed. “And there’s Jacko! I copied and pasted it and

“Hang on that’s me!”

Anthony Davie

enlarged it, and I knew it was me – it felt fantastic!

“I was so excited. You know when something really makes your day? And then, of course, the memories come flooding back! Kids, young kids, might not understand it, but it’s history – forever. You can’t change history – history’s there!”

“My first ever match, my Grandad took me – he was Chelsea, so he took me to see Chelsea against Man United on a Saturday in March 1968.

My Dad obviously wasn’t happy with

64

that, so he took me on the Wednesday night to see Palace against Millwall!”

Thankfully, a 4-2 win for Palace.

Recalling the incredible afternoon later that season, when Palace hit back against Fulham to secure their first-ever promotion to the top-flight, Anthony’s memories came flooding back.

“My daughter said to me: ‘do you still remember that day?’ and I said: ‘yeah, I do.’ I was eight, but I remember it because it was such a fantastic day, beyond my dreams.

100 years of selhurst park

“In that fantastic artwork, it was all my Dad’s old football team that used to meet in the enclosure in what we used to call the ‘Old Stand’.

They were called Sell Park Rangers and were all his old football friends – so that’s where we used to go.

“I remember there being a bit of chuntering when we were 2-0 down at half-time! People were saying: ‘it’s all gone wrong again!’ But then they came back and made it 3-2.

“After the game, everyone was so excited and jumping about.

And then when the players came out to celebrate, they were literally above where we were standing in that artwork!

“My daughters are in their 30s and they even took the mickey out of me, because the artist who drew that cover has even got my double crown!”

It was not only Anthony who spotted himself on the cover, however, with Mike Grierson – father of our recent media star, Chris –

and his friend Mike Gidley also identifying themselves.

“It was a surprise, after all these years, to be on the programme cover!” Mike Grierson laughed. “It was a very historic moment for the club, to reach the top-flight for the first time. I’m sure anybody who was there would remember it because of all the emotion.”

Covers aside, Anthony also possesses a very special keepsake from the encounter.

“My Dad held me in his arms, and with his other hand, he was bang, bang, banging on the side – like you can see in the photo. Jacko looked down and saw him, and saw a little boy in his arms, and gave me his jumper!

“I always remember my Dad shoving it up his jumper inside his jacket, because he was a bit worried that someone else would fancy it on the walk home!

“I remember it had a scuff of mud on his chest, and I wore it non-

stop – I used to wear it in bed, I used to wear it everywhere! I also got one of David Payne’s shinpads, but I don’t know where that went!

“Eventually I went away somewhere, and my mother decided to wash it for me – I was absolutely devastated!”

Nevertheless, it wasn’t the last seen of Anthony and Jacko’s jumper: “In the ‘90s, I was Hornchurch Football Club’s reserve team manager, and the first-team had nicked the ‘keeper so I had to play in goal – and I wore it!

“We lost 8-1 away at Billericay – and I wore that jumper in goal!

I remember the Billericay reserve forward said: ‘Unlucky, ‘keeper – and get yourself a decent jumper!’”

Since then, Jacko’s jumper has lived in Anthony’s cupboard, and he plans to donate it to Palace upon completion of Selhurst Park’s new Main Stand.

For now, though, it is his history that we are celebrating

.

Got a Selhurst story to tell?

Let us know by emailing selhurst100@cpfc.co.uk!

Four generations of Anthony Davie’s family.

65

100 years of selhurst park

from the Archive

Connie Mullins has lived in SE25 since 1934, followed the club since 1951 and had a Season Ticket from 1969 until the pandemic prevented her attendance. In celebration of her 103rd birthday this week, we republish her “first 100 years” – first published in January 2022 – in her words…

i

moved to SE25 with my family when I was 12 and I have lived in the same house, overlooking South Norwood, for nearly 90 years now.

I was working at Hartley’s, the jam manufacturer, when the war broke out and continued to travel to London Bridge each day. I remember walking from the station one day to find Whitworth Road in complete chaos after a bombing raid; it was unrecognisable, and I needed help from someone nearby to find my way across Whitehorse Lane and get back home.

The disruption the Blitz caused to train services became so bad I found myself waiting in massive queues at Forest Hill for two hours, so the Hartley’s staff slept at the offices on weekdays.

One evening the building suffered a direct hit, leaving my colleagues and I stuck in a lift. Some of the men died when the bomb hit their part of the building but thankfully most of us were safe. I have avoided the use of lifts ever since!

After the jam factory bombing I decided I would like to go into the airforce. I joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), which was established as a female auxiliary of the Royal Airforce in 1939.

I served in the WAAF from 1943 to 1947; first at a large RAF base outside Cambridge called Waterbeach. There I learned to ride a bicycle. During the war I moved to two other bases, Mepal and Marham, also in East Anglia.

Mepal played a major role in the war as it was the base where the Lancaster bombers started their raids.

Later in the war another bomb fell even closer to home, damaging several houses on my road. Our house lost its roof and every ceiling except the dining room. My mum had left a meat pudding slow steaming in the kitchen while she was at work and, unlike the roof, it stayed intact after being flung to the top of the road. Our neighbours set about eating it!

66

Life was to change when I met George in Jersey with my friend Joan in 1948, my first holiday after the war. I married George at Parchmore Methodist Church in Thornton Heath, in 1951, and our son David was born in 1955.

My marriage also opened the 70year chapter of my life involving Crystal Palace. George was a keen football fan and supported Arsenal from a distance in Jersey before the war but, after moving with me to South Norwood, had a football ground right on his doorstep. He started going to matches and, eventually, around 1951/52, I thought: ‘Why not join him?’

At first we stood on the Park Road terrace, but took our first seat in the Main Stand when I was expecting David. George was not used to sitting down at football and got cramp in his leg – he had to get up and stand at the back!

When David was born my mum and her friend Jesse used to look after him on Saturday afternoons so George and I could go to the games - now back on the terraces. David joined us when was old enough, and has been a Palace supporter ever since!

100 years of selhurst park

The three of us gradually saw Palace move up through the Third Division South, Fourth Division and Third Division with Laurie Scott, Cyril Spiers, Arthur Rowe, Dick Graham and later Bert Head, who got us to the topflight for the first time in 1969.

Over the years we gradually moved around the ground as improvements were made and new stands were built. From the Park Road terrace, which was quite high in those days, we moved to the new enclosure in front of the Arthur Wait stand built for promotion to Division One. Later we moved to a seat in the stand itself. I remember the away fans were often quite close to us in what is today the away section. I can still remember the shrill voices of some Leeds supporters; a challenge to ‘Joyce the Voice’, who was our celebrity ‘shouty’ Palace fan on the old enclosure at the front of Arthur Wait.

Finally, we graduated to the Main Stand. We started in the wings but in recent years moved to the Stanley Stephenson Lounge, where some of Palace’s most mature supporters reside! Just in the row in front of us sat Phil, who was already 100 when he attended his last game against Brentford at the start of 2021/22 before his sad death in early December 2021.

We had season tickets by 1969 when we reached the First Division.

I remember the first match was at home to Manchester United, with Bobby Charlton (one of my very favourite players, who scored that day), George Best and Denis Law. It was hard to believe this was happening to Palace after so many years in the lower leagues – even more so as we

managed a 2-2 draw thanks to Roger Hynd and Gerry Queen!

We were on holiday in the Isle of Wight until that Saturday morning but dashed home on the train to Waterloo to pick up our Season Tickets from the doormat just in time for kick-off; a benefit of being an SE25 girl, living so close to Selhurst Park!

Another highlight came in 1990 when we went to Wembley for the first time; again the opponents were Manchester United. I remember the long coach journey around the North Circular and, of course, Ian Wright’s two goals which had us within a hair’s breadth of being cup winners. My next trip to Wembley for the Zenith Data Systems final a year later against Everton was even more rewarding with a 4-1 win.

In 2015, I had just had an operation to remove a melanoma from my face when Palace played at home to West Bromwich Albion, a team I had never taken to! That feeling was reinforced when the West Brom full-back hoofed a robust clearance 20 rows into the Main Stand and connected with my head.

67

A few matches later I was introduced to one of my all-time favourite Palace people, Mark Bright, who, together with co-owner Stephen Browett, presented me with a ball signed by the Palace first-team as a memento of my ‘header’!

.

Connie’s son David (69) still attends most home games, and let us know that, while she is unable to get to matches these days, she is going well, and always listens out for the crowd from her home near the ground – and usually knows the score when David returns for a post-match cuppa!

Happy birthday, Connie!

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68

round-up

69

round-up

eagle arcade

10 letters SHIPPERLEY 9 letters fullarton 8 letters m©carthy, morrison

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

7 letters grabban, schlupp 6 letters kaikai, powell, salako

Can you fit these 12 names to have played for both Arsenal and Palace into the puzzle?

5 letters quinn, smith 4 letters bent

s c h l u p p

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

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

70

round-up

quiz-talpalace 1

What is Brentford’s nickname?

2

Which member of England’s Euro 2024 squad was (at the time) playing for Brentford?

3

Which season did Brentford win promotion to the Premier League?

4

Who did they beat in the Championship play-off final that season?

5

Who is Brentford’s top goalscorer so far this season?

6

What is the name of the closest train station to Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium?

7

What year did Brentford move into the Gtech Community Stadium?

today’s mascots emily Lydon prediction: age: 7

2-1 holly caplan prediction:

age: 9

2-0 arthur adams prediction:

age: 6

2-1 mason cull prediction:

8

What was the score the last time Crystal Palace and Brentford played at Selhurst Park?

9

The founders of Brentford Football Club were members of which other sports club?

age: 9

2-1 harley davis prediction:

What was the name of Brentford’s old stadium, their home until they moved to the Gtech?

age: 12

2-1 alfie steer prediction:

age: 5

2-2

9) Rowing club members 10) Griffin Park 5) Bryan Mbeumo 6) Kew Bridge 7) 2020 8) 3-1 to Palace 1) The Bees 2) Ivan Toney 3) 2020/21 4) Swansea City

lucy moir

Quiz:

prediction:

Spot the Ball: B Career Ladder: Jeffrey Schlupp

10

age: 10

71

2-1

round-up

what’son?

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

palace √ brentford

palace u21S √ norwich

man utd √ palace

sun 26 jan | 14:00

mon 27 jan | 12:00

sun 02 feb | 14:00

premier league

premier league 2

premier league

LIVE audio commentary

LIVE match broadcast

LIVE audio commentary

brighton √ palace

palace √ newcastle

doncaster √ palace

sun 02 feb | 14:00

sun 09 feb | 13:00

mon 10 feb | 19:45

barclays women’s super league

adobe women’s fa cup

emirates fa cup

LIVE audio commentary

LIVE audio commentary

LIVE audio commentary

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

72

round-up

Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Wilfried Zaha steals show as Palace beat Southampton in FA Cup 4th round.

Remi Matthews turns 31.

monday, 27 january

24 january, 2015

10 february

January transfer window closes.

Palace beat Chelsea in FA Cup tie - setting new club attendance record.

Scott Dann turns 38.

monday, 03 february

30 january, 1926

14 february

Palace win final ever match at first home ground - original Crystal Palace

Saša Curcic turns 53.

06 february, 1915

14 february

friday, 14 february

73

round-up

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.

Happy 40th birthday to my beautiful daughter and the best sister, Kim. Have the best day ever. Lots of love always from Mum and Rob xxx

Wishing Jesse Byers-Grunwald an unforgettable 11th birthday and hoping for 3 points today to celebrate.

With loads of love from Dad xxx

Happy 15th birthday to Ivy Grace.

Lifelong Eagle. Have a great day.

Lots of love Mum, Dad, Thomas and Amelia xx

Happy 70th Birthday to Ross Lovelock for the 3rd of February. A season ticket holder in the main stand since 1960! Love Sue, Kieran, Hannah, Alan and Roy.

74

Happy 12th Birthday Leo!! We hope you have the best day ever. You bring us so much joy. We all love you lots & lots! Mum, Dad, Tilly & Esmae xxxx

Happy birthday to amazing Elsa Taunt, 11 on 7 February! Love Mum, Dad, Sylvia, Juno - and Ken xxx

Happy 11th Birthday to George from all your family. Enjoy celebrating by being at another Palace game.

round-up

Happy Birthday to two amazing grandsons Bradley and George, have a great day at Palace, lots of love, Nan & Grandad x

A very happy 60th birthday to Jane Stewart - love from sisters Ruth and Gina and brothers John and Paul.

Happy birthday Darren loads of love from Sarah, Jake, Finley, Oscar and Thea xxx

Happy Birthday Connie Mullins 103 on January 20 2025 and supporting Palace since 1951. Her all time favourite players are Mark Bright and Joel Ward.

Happy 7th Birthday Milo, wishing you a wonderful day lots of love mum, dad and Lily xx

Remembering Howard Holt, a lifelong Crystal Palace supporter and season ticket holder who passed away in 2024.

Missed by all your family and friends.

Happy 9th Birthday Jude! Lots of love, Mummy, Daddy, Lyla, Grandad Ed, Nanny G and the whole family xx

Happy 50th birthday to Barry James from Mitcham - a lifelong supporter.

Love Mummy and Poppett XXX

75

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

round-up

24/25 fixtures & results

ALL-TIME

may

april

mar

february

january

december

november

october

september

august

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

Opposition

attendance/KICK-OFF

Sun 18

Brentford

16,988

L

1-2

Sat 24

West Ham United

25,099

L

0-2

17th

Tue 27

Norwich City

12,503

W

4-0

Second round

Sun 1

Chelsea

39,298

D

1-1

16th

Sat 14

Leicester City

25,124

D

2-2

16th

Tue 17

Queens Park Rangers

13,945

W

2-1

Third round

Sat 21

Manchester United

25,172

D

0-0

16th

Sat 28

Everton

38,954

L

1-2

18th

Sat 5

Liverpool

25,185

L

0-1

18th

Mon 21

Nottingham Forest

29,443

L

0-1

18th

Sun 27

Tottenham Hotspur

25,108

W

1-0

17th

Wed 30

Aston Villa

N/A

W

2-1

Fourth round

Sat 2

Wolverhampton Wanderers

29,505

D

2-2

17th

Sat 9

Fulham

25,142

L

0-2

18th

Sat 23

Aston Villa

42,175

D

2-2

19th

Sat 30

Newcastle United

25,101

D

1-1

17th

Tue 3

Ipswich Town

29,533

W

1-0

17th

Sat 7

Manchester City

25,142

D

2-2

16th

Sun 15

Brighton & Hove Albion

30,893

W

3-1

15th

Wed 18

Arsenal

N/A

L

2-3

Quarter-final

Sat 21

Arsenal

25,167

L

1-5

16th

Thu 26

Bournemouth

11,129

D

0-0

16th

Sun 29

Southampton

25,130

W

2-1

15th

Sat 4

Chelsea

25,179

D

1-1

15th

Sun 12

Stockport County

21,014

W

1-0

Third round

Wed 15

Leicester City

29,766

W

2-0

12th

Sat 18

West Ham United

62,469

W

2-0

12th

Sun 26

Brentford

14:00

Sun 2

Manchester United

14:00

Mon 10

Doncaster Rovers

19:45

Sat 15

Everton

17:30

Sat 22

Fulham

15:00

Tue 25

Aston Villa

19:30

Sat 8

Ipswich Town

15:00

Sat 15

Newcastle United

15:00

Wed 2

Southampton

19:45

Sat 5

Brighton & Hove Albion

15:00

Sat 12

Manchester City

15:00

Sat 19

Bournemouth

15:00

Sat 26

Arsenal

15:00

Sat 3

Nottingham Forest

15:00

Sat 10

Tottenham Hotspur

15:00

Sun 18

Wolverhampton Wanderers

15:00

Sun 25

Liverpool

16:00

palace Career Appearances palace Career goals

76

Result

Position 13th

Joel Ward Tyrick Mitchell Rob Holding Maxence Lacroix Marc Guéhi Ismaïla Sarr Jefferson Lerma Eddie Nketiah Eberechi Eze Matheus França Daniel Muñoz Jean-Philippe Mateta Jeffrey Schlupp Nathaniel Clyne Daichi Kamada Will Hughes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 26 28 29 30 31 34 42 46 55 58 63 64

45 362 170

1

22 137 27 52 20 147 12

41 132 247 233 23 106 26

0 103 53 61

31

2

1

3

1

0

12

3

0

2

0

0

1

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

6

3

8

5

1

2

31

0

40 19

1

2

2

77

0

21

1

0

Asher Agbinone

Zach Marsh

Caleb Kporha

Justin Devenny

Franco Umeh

Kaden Rodney

Chadi Riad

Remi Matthews

Matt Turner

Naouirou Ahamada

Cheick Doucouré

Chris Richards

Odsonne Edouard

Romain Esse

Adam Wharton

Dean Henderson

round-up

round-up

table

week23

pos Club P

W

D

L

F

A

GD Pts

sat 25 jan 15:00

1

21

15

5

1

50

20

30

50

vitality stadium

2

22

12

8

2

43

21

22

44

3

22

13

5

4

33

22

11

44

sat 25 jan 15:00

4

22

11

7

4

44

27

17

40

5

22

11

5

6

44

29

15

38

6

22

11

5

6

38

26

12

38

7

22

10

7

5

36

26

10

37

8

22

10

6

6

33

34

-1

36

9

22

8

10

4

35

30

5

34

10

22

8

9

5

34

30

4

33

11

22

8

4

10

40

39

1

28

12

22

6

9

7

25

28

-3

27

13

22

7

5

10

27

32

-5

26

14

22

7

5

10

27

43 -16 26

15

22

7

3

12

45

35

16

21

4

8

9

18

28 -10 20

tottenham hotspur stadium

17

22

4

4

14

32

51

sun 26 jan 16:30

18

22

3

7

12

20

43 -23 16

villa park

19

22

3

5

14

23

48 -25 14

sun 26 jan 19:00

20

22

1

3

18

15

50 -35

craven cottage

10 -19

american express stadium

sat 25 jan 15:00 anfield

sat 25 jan 15:00 st. mary’s stadium

sat 25 jan 15:00 molineux stadium

sat 25 jan 17:30 etihad stadium

sun 26 jan 14:00 selhurst park

sun 26 jan 14:00

24 16

6

All statistics correct as of 17:00 Tuesday, 21st January.

nextthree

home away

sun 02 feb 14:00

mon 10 feb 19:45

sat 15 feb 17:30

old trafford

the eco-power stadium

selhurst park

78

Crystal palace f.c.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 26 28 30 31 34 42 46 55 58 63

Dean HENDERSON (GK) Joel WARD Tyrick MITCHELL Rob HOLDING Maxence LACROIX Marc GUÉHI Ismaïla SARR Jefferson LERMA Eddie NKETIAH Ebere EZE Matheus FRANÇA Daniel MUÑOZ Jean-Philippe MATETA Jeffrey SCHLUPP Nathaniel CLYNE Daichi KAMADA Will HUGHES Adam WHARTON Romain ESSE Chris RICHARDS Cheick DOUCOURÉ Matt TURNER (GK) Remi MATTHEWS (GK) Chadi RIAD Kaden RODNEY Franco UMEH Justin DEVENNY Caleb KPORHA Zach MARSH

brentford f.c.

T. Harrington M. Perry R. West T. Robinson D. England A. Howson

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 18 19 20 22 23 24 26 27 28 30 32 36 39 42

Mark FLEKKEN (GK) Aaron HICKEY Rico HENRY Sepp VAN DEN BERG Ethan PINNOCK Christian NØRGAARD Kevin SCHADE Mathias JENSEN Igor THIAGO Josh DASILVA Yoane WISSA Hákon VALDIMARSSON (GK) Matthew COX (GK) Fábio CARVALHO Ben MEE Yehor YARMOLYUK Bryan MBEUMO Kristoffer AJER Nathan COLLINS Keane LEWIS-POTTER Mikkel DAMSGAARD Yunus Emre KONAK Vitaly JANELT Ryan TREVITT Mads ROERSLEV Paris MAGHOMA Kim JI-SOO Gustavo NUNES Tony YOGANE

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