Crystal Palace v Liverpool matchday programme 2223

saturday, february 25 2023 | 19:45

Crystal Palace √ LIVERPOOL

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. Zaf Iqbal Academy Director

Gary Issott

Director of U21 Development

Mark Bright

Chief Operating Officer

Sharon Lacey

Chief Commercial Officer

Barry Webber

General Counsel

David Nichol

Head of Ticketing

Paul McGowan

Head of Retail

Foz Bowers

Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

James Woodroof

Head of Safeguarding

Cassi Wright

Head Groundsman

Bruce Elliott

Editor Will Robinson

Design Billy Cooke, Stu Ellmer, Lucas Gough

Contributors Ian King, Robin Johnson, Ben Bailey Smith, Toby Jagmohan, Tommy Macarthur, Alex Wynter, Molly-Mae Sharpe

Photography Neil Everitt, Sebastian Frej, Pinnacle Photo Agency, Getty Printer Bishops Printers

Fans aren’t stupid – if you care, you will show it on the pitch. It doesn’t need to be said on Twitter after games, but that is just my opinion on it

Maxi Jazz mural at Selhurst Park

Crystal Palace Chairman Steve Parish paid tribute to “a supporter in the absolute truest sense of the word” at the formal unveiling of the new Maxi Jazz mural at Selhurst Park.

At a short event held prior to the fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion, the Chairman was joined by a number of the legendary musician’s friends and loved ones, before officially opening the mural to the match-going public.

A lifelong Crystal Palace fan and an Associate Director of the

On this day: February 25th

A Mark Bright double either side of half-time saw Crystal Palace continue their push towards the play-off places at Selhurst Park in 1989. In torrential conditions, the Palace centreforward swept home from Gary O’Reilly’s lay-off, before heading powerfully home from a second O’Reilly assist to the delight of manager Steve Coppell.

club, Maxi Jazz was born in Brixton, lived in West Norwood, and rose to prominence as lead singer of the band Faithless. He sadly passed away in December at the age of 65.

Chairman Steve Parish said at the unveiling: “I was fortunate enough to be able to speak at a celebration of Maxi’s life, which was fantastic.

“He was just a fabulous, fabulous person. He was a massive supporter of the club. He was a supporter in the absolute truest sense of the word.

“Having a permanent memorial to him here is just fantastic… the way it’s been

done, and the words that they’ve used from one of Maxi’s songs… it’s just such an amazing, emotional piece of work, so I’m really proud and privileged to be able to unveil it today.”

Fan update

Supporters in the Holmesdale Road Stand can check out the mural of Maxi Jazz by renowned British Street Artist collective MurWalls throughout matchday.

What’s inside

Find out… about Ben Bailey Smith’s party-pooping (Page 40), how Dylan Reid is settling at Palace (Page 46) and about the Eagles’ most revered strike partnership (Page 64).

Welcome to Selhurst Park to everyone supporting us today, and welcome also to Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool coaching staff, directors, players and visiting fans.

We faced an in-form Brentford team last time out, but the performance from the players was what I was looking for. I saw a team that competed with a good structure in place, and we took a deserved lead in the second-half. They are a team in a good period and it is not an easy place to go, so to concede in stoppage time left a bitter taste because we should have taken the three points from the game.

Knowing Brentford’s strengths, we respected our game plan: we didn’t give them space, and I was pleased with our discipline and the way we stopped them creating chances. These are the positives that we can take from the game. What is important is for us to keep working every single day to try to improve those details, and the concentration has to be there until the final whistle.

It was a tough weekend for us because we felt that we should be bringing home the three points, but that shows that there are still parts of the game to improve to turn those performances into wins. I am seeing

positive signs in games and in training, and we will take that into the games ahead.

Vicente has been important for this football club since long before I arrived, and it is good that he has shown his longevity by making his 150th appearance for Palace –hopefully there are more years to come from him.

I am also pleased with how well Nathan is progressing. We want to go step-by-step, and he played with the Under-21s and came out of the game with no issues. The next stage is to play for a bit longer and build him up from there. I hope he will be rewarded by being more involved because he has worked hard to get his fitness back to help the team.

The fixtures have been tough, but what I’m proud of is the that the players are sticking together in a difficult period. They are working hard and for me this is the sign of a team that will win games. What will be important for us is to improve the quality of our decision making in the final third and how we can create chances when teams give us that opportunity. This is something we are focusing on and the players’ work ethic has been good.

Macca also made his return to the squad, and his experience can help the players on and off the field with his leadership and the way he communicates. It is important to have those types of players, with a winning mentality and the drive to help the others around them.

Having the game at home tonight is massively important because the support has been incredible. Against Liverpool we need a special atmosphere to get all three points against a very good team.

Thank you for your support .

Against Liverpool we need a special atmosphere to get all three points against a very good team

We were so disappointed to concede so late on at Brentford, and I think our performance deserved three points to take back to south London.

Brentford have secured some impressive results against the best teams this season, and their 10-game unbeaten run going into last Saturday’s match shows what a difficult place it is to go – but we played confidently and took a deserved lead through Ebs’ goal. In the later stages we had chances to put the game to bed, but in the end we were frustrated to be going home with just a draw. There was a lot of disappointment in the dressing room after full-time, but that just shows the mentality of this squad and this set of players. We have the highest standards at this football club, and that setback will only encourage us to keep working to get results – the intensity in training this week has been more proof of that.

I want to congratulate Vicente on reaching 150 appearances for the club. Anyone who has been watching Palace in the last five years will know what an important player

he has been, and I hope he can continue to show his quality for the rest of the season.

Liverpool are coming to Selhurst Park full of confidence, but we know that at home we can beat anybody. We have had such a tough run since Christmas and the fixture list has not been kind to us, but we showed against Manchester United and Newcastle United that we will not make it easy for anyone. If we perform to our very best, we can secure an important result against Liverpool. What that means is winning our individual battles, keeping our concentration from the first minute to the last, and making it as hard as possible for Liverpool to play their game.

Finally, I want to thank you for your support at Brentford and I know that under the lights at Selhurst Park you will create an incredible atmosphere. Your support really does drive us on, and we hope that we can produce a performance that will make you proud.

Make some noise! .

under the lights at Selhurst Park you will create an incredible atmosphere. Your support really does drive us on, and we hope that we can produce a performance that will make you proud

captain

Welcome to the directors, staff, players and supporters of Liverpool to Selhurst Park for this mouth-watering encounter, and to each and every Palace supporter here to get behind Patrick’s side.

Four draws in the last five matches, with all opponents situated in the top-half, is undoubtedly a reasonable return, but I’m sure you’ll agree that we deserved more – from the Brentford game in particular. To concede the equaliser as literally the last action of the game was a blow, but once again it demonstrates results are decided by the finest of margins and all teams in the Premier League have players that can hurt you if you give them space. I can’t recall a more packed bottom half of the league with everyone beating everyone, and no team a certainty for relegation as we enter the last 15 games of the season.

Our Under-21s will travel to Liverpool within the next few weeks for the quarter-final of the Premier League International Cup, after the absolutely incredible last-minute win over Sporting Braga last week at Dulwich. Whilst it would have been nice to face overseas opposition (with PSV Eindhoven, Valencia

and Sparta Prague also reaching the knockouts), it is a fantastic development opportunity for the group regardless of who Paddy’s side plays. It continues to give

being made every week), rest assured we are looking at various improvements to the stadium in general. Hopefully you’ll have seen, in person or in photographs, the Maxi Jazz memorial which is a fabulous addition. We have recently welcomed experts in stadium audio infrastructure to help improve the sound from the PA system, and we intend to undertake works during the summer break, which I know will be welcome news.

me such joy to see our Under-21s and Under-18s develop the way they are, both sitting third in their respective leagues.

Whilst all of our focus is on the Main Stand development project (with very positive progress

Next Sunday at Selhurst, we are proud to host the Continental Cup Final between Arsenal and Chelsea. It promises to be a fantastic occasion, and we expect around 20,000 people to join us. It is a huge shame that the game clashes with our Women’s team who take on Bristol City in Bromley, but this was regrettably unavoidable, and hopefully the occasion inspires even more supporters of the women’s game.

As always, throw everything you can behind Patrick’s team tonight. Up the Palace .

To concede the equaliser as literally the last action of the game was a blow, but once again it demonstrates results are decided by the finest of margins

If you were messing about you would be told, and that is just how it was

When Sam Allardyce resigned as England manager and Gareth Southgate prepared to take on perhaps one of the most scrutinised jobs in football, it was no surprise that the former Palace captain had a considered take on proceedings. As one of the most eloquent thinkers in the game, he embraced the opportunity while failing to revel in his predecessor’s downfall.

“I have to say I’m involved in a sport that I love and an industry that at times I don’t like,” he remarked as the scandal unfolded. ‘Well,’ you might remark, ‘those are words from another time. The game has changed.’ In the era of social media managers, imaginative endorsement deals and thrice-weekly haircuts, you may well be right.

But those are just the facets we see – those that are illuminated by the celebrity driven age we live in. There is still a significant strand of the ‘old school’ who love the game for what it offers them on the pitch: competition, hard work and, ultimately, a battle to be won.

Will Hughes is one of those players. At just 27-years-old he is very much a member of the new generation of footballers, but he refuses to be sucked in to every aspect of the modern game. It is an attitude that started from his upbringing at Derby County.

“There is a certain element, a mindset and a mentality,

that plays a big part of being a footballer – no matter what level you are at,” he says. “Less than a percent make it as a professional footballer. You have to have a certain mindset for it.

“The team that I broke through in at Derby was a big factor in that. I refer to ‘old school’, and they were under Nigel Clough. If you were messing about you would be told, and that is just how it was. It is quite different nowadays, because you have to

be careful with what you say to some players.” For full journalistic transparency, the phrase ‘messing about’ has been subbed in for… well, you can work it out.

“You have to work as hard as you can, that is the bottom line,” Hughes continues. “I know it might sound stupid and we think it is the basics, but you know as well as I do in football that, nowadays, not every player works as hard as they can. So that has always got to be the basics, and I am very competitive.”

That competitive streak started as a youngster – and

You have to work as hard as you can, that is the bottom line, I know it might sound stupid and we think it is the basics, but you know as well as I do in football that, nowadays, not every player works as hard as they can

although it has become easier to manage, it still burns just as brightly. “I have got two older sisters, so I never used to let them beat me at anything sport wise. It was just in me. I was the little one and I had to look after myself. I have got better as I’ve got older. When I was a child and I would lose a board game at home, I would be fuming. I just wouldn’t allow it – I would cheat to win!”

At Crystal Palace, Hughes has found that same desire to maintain the principles of the ‘old school’ in conjunction with a modern, progressive style of football. Walking out in SE25, he is reminded of what he loves about the game – which can often be hard to focus on in the maelstrom of vested interests and football stories reaching the front page.

“I think football nowadays is becoming…it is everyone with cameras taking videos and not living in the moment,” he says. “The atmosphere at Selhurst is unique – it’s a big factor in what we are trying to create. It’s proper – that’s what I mean by proper.

“I like the tight tunnel, it’s an old-school stadium. It creates an atmosphere. A lot of the new stadiums now are for business purposes, so it’s not as good.” That word ‘proper’ comes up after we remind Hughes of a tweet in which he refers to Palace as a ‘proper’ club. It is one of his very rare forays into social media.

“I have a public Twitter but I don’t tweet. I just go there to get updated with news and watch the occasional funny video,” Hughes says. “I have got a private Instagram. Having a brand is part of being a footballer now, so each to their own, but personally it is not my cup of tea. Especially when a lot of what is said on social media by players now is not too authentic.

“As much as some players and managers now don’t like it, that is part of the game. It’s about branding, the business side of it. Ultimately it’s what makes money. It is losing that old-school factor of what it used to be, but we just have to roll with it – especially the younger lads.”

Fame comes with competing at the highest level, and Hughes is not averse to it in all its forms. “I engage with it to a point,” he says. “I will always sign autographs after the game for whoever wants them. That’s a big part of it: they are the ones supporting you, they are the ones travelling up and down the country to watch you play, so I will always engage with that part of it.

The atmosphere at Selhurst is unique –it’s a big factor in what we are trying to create. It’s proper – that’s what I mean by proper. it’s an old-school stadium. It creates an atmosphere. A lot of the new stadiums now are for business purposes

everyone with cameras taking videos and not living in the moment

It is the best job in the world and I wouldn’t change it for a thing

“Social media-wise, it’s just not my cup of tea. There’s a focus nowadays where players have to be engaged on social media otherwise it seems like they don’t care, but that’s absolute nonsense.” Again, nonsense has replaced a more colourful word here. Use your imagination.

“Fans aren’t stupid – if you care, you will show it on the pitch. It doesn’t need to be said on Twitter after games, but that is just my opinion on it.”

Where Hughes might tire of the external voices surrounding football, there is nothing he loves more than the sport itself. “It is the best job in the world and I wouldn’t change it for a thing,” he says. Having become a father just 10 months ago, a whole new perspective has been introduced to his career.

“When you speak to players who have had kids before, they will always say that your life changes. Now I have got a little baby at home, that keeps me occupied more than I ever could

There’s a focus nowadays where players have to be engaged on social media otherwise it seems like they don’t care, but that’s absolute nonsense

if you listen to the right people and are willing to take advice, there is always room to learn as well

have imagined. You can never prepare for it. Everyone gives you tips and books on what to do, but nothing can prepare you for how life-changing it is – in a good way.

“It’s tough obviously, but the good parts massively outweigh the hard parts. You are so focused on them being OK, that other things don’t seem as important.” That perspective can be healthy in a league as intense as the Premier League – especially after a defeat. “As I’ve got older I try to switch off from football,” Hughes says. “I don’t watch much at home unless it’s a big game.

“The first thing I would do is critique my performance. I always look at the negative side in terms of what I could have done better. But when you have a little’un at home and dogs that distract you, it’s easier to switch off from a loss. It’s never easy because it’s always on your mind, but compared to when I was younger I am dealing with it a lot better now.”

Even at 27-years-old, Hughes is still striving to improve. His indifference for off-the-pitch noise means his focus is laserlike on his performances each weekend, and his advice for young players is much the same.

“It’s a tricky one, because you don’t want to tell them how to do things – you’ve got to learn on your own at some point,” he explains. “Just enjoy it. It sounds so simple. If you keep working hard and realise this is just the start, that is the big thing. A lot

of players play some games and think they have made it, but there is a long way to go.

“There is always room to improve, but I don’t think that side of it is looked upon enough in today’s game: the mental side. Some people have it and some people don’t, but if you listen to the right people and are willing to take advice, there is always room to learn as well.”

No lesson could better sum up Hughes’ approach to the sport

that has dominated his life since breaking through at Derby County at just 16-years-old. Work hard, adapt, improve. Fatherhood has only reaffirmed his belief in focusing on the important things.

Plying your trade in the biggest and most successful league in the world can bring with it constant distractions, but Hughes possesses the key to balancing it all in perfect harmony: perspective. That, arguably, is the greatest mindset of them all

Just enjoy it. It sounds so simple. If you keep working hard and realise this is just the start, that is the big thing. A lot of players play some games and think they have made it, but there is a long way to go

Will Hughes loves a tough challenge – but how will he fare with our selection of the very toughest questions?

the follow the follow -up -up

#12 What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

I go and let my dogs out to go to the toilet. They are six- and four-year-old golden retrievers called Leo and Bailey. I have got to let them out first, that’s my first priority. They used to yowl overnight when they were puppies, but now they are OK.

#22 Cricket –yes or no?

Yes – I’m a big cricket fan. Well, I would say I’m a big fan but I am a bit of a fair weather fan as well. England mainly, I’ll watch most of their games.

#1 Who was your childhood idol?

Steven Gerrard. Everything about him: his persona, the way he played, that was something I looked up to.

#9 What sport would you do in the Olympics?

I would want to do golf. I’m very good – no, very keen but not very good!

#59 Which TV show do you quote the most?

The Office. I’ve got a confession: I have started watching the American one. Its OK, but the English one, you can’t compare it. It’s a different level. A lot of people told me to get into the American one so I am giving it a go, but it’s not as good as the English one.

Worth a try? Probably.

Did you know?

Liverpool initially played in blue and white quartered shirts when they were founded in 1892, but adopted the city’s customary colour of red four years later. They continued incorporating local landmarks in 1901 when the liver bird was added to the club’s badge – and played in red shirts with white shorts before Bill Shankley switched to an all red kit in 1964.

the reds the reds

After challenging for the quadruple last season and winning both domestic cups, 2022/23 has been a far more turbulent campaign for Liverpool.

match preview

Jürgen Klopp’s men had a disastrous start to 2023, losing three of their first four league games and exiting the FA Cup at Brighton & Hove Albion. However, victory over Everton in the Merseyside derby brought about a rise in spirits and belief began to return to Anfield – only strengthened by another important victory at St James’ Park against fellow top-four hopefuls Newcastle United. They may be licking their wounds after a chastening 5-2 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday night, but with a second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu three weeks away all focus now turns to the Premier League and Selhurst Park.

cody gakpo

A January signing from highflying PSV Eindhoven, Gakpo had a phenomenal World Cup with the Netherlands, scoring three times as they reached the quarter-finals before losing on penalties to eventual winners Argentina.

last five √ palace

Recent clash

Boot in both camps

christian benteke

Benteke joined Liverpool in a huge £32.5m deal in 2015, but suffered from a change of manager when Jürgen Klopp replaced Brendan Rodgers. After a season at Anfield he joined Palace, where he scored 37 goals in 177 games for the club – becoming

158 apps

367 saves

71

Ibrahima 02

Konaté

Height 1.93m

Joined 19th July, 2018

Alisson became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper when he signed for Liverpool in July, 2018, but the hefty fee was soon justified. He kept 21 clean sheets in his first season, winning the Premier League’s Golden Glove award, and has won a Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and Club World Cup at the club.

28 opposition

Age 30 player profile

Virgil Van Dijk

Konstantinos Tsimikas

alisson becker POS GOALKEEPER NAT BRAZIL

POS DEFENDER NAT NETHERLANDS POS DEFENDER NAT GREECE POS DEFENDER NAT FRANCE

POS DEFENDER NAT ENGLAND

joe gomez

clean sheets

Andrew Robertson

POS DEFENDER

NAT SCOTLAND

06

thiago alcântara

POS MIDFIELDER

NAT SPAIN

player profile

Age 24

Height 1.80m

Joined Academy

joël matip

POS DEFENDER NAT CAMEROON

07

POS MIDFIELDER NAT ENGLAND

POS DEFENDER NAT ENGLAND

Debut October 25th, 2016 v Tottenham Hotspur

career history:

Liverpool

60 clean sheets

183 apps

47 assists

Converted from a wide midfielder to a full-back during his youth development days, Alexander-Arnold has retained the hallmarks of a playmaker: his delivery into the forward players has been invaluable to their success under Jürgen Klopp. He now has 18 England caps, more than 250 Liverpool appearances and a haul of major trophies to his name before the age of 25.

trent Alexander-Arnold

james milner

Height 1.74m

Joined May 28th, 2018

Debut September 18th, 2018 v Paris Saint-Germain goals

135 apps

Fabinho took some time to settle into life at Anfield, but as soon as he took his place at the base of the Liverpool midfield it looked like a natural fit. By the end of his first season he was lifting the European Cup in Madrid, and his relationship with full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson has been pivotal to the Reds’ domineering approach.

roberto firmino

POS FORWARD

NAT BRAZIL

mohamed salah

POS FORWARD

NAT EGYPT

darwin núñez

POS FORWARD

NAT URUGUAY

17 apps

3 Assists

cody gakpo

POS FORWARD NAT NETHERLANDS

POS FORWARD

NAT PORTUGAL

Height 1.87m

diogo jota goals

Age 27 player profile

Joined June 13th, 2022

Debut July 30th, 2022 v Manchester City

After a breakout season at Benfica, which saw him net 34 times in 41 games – including both home and away against his future club – Núñez was courted by some of Europe’s wealthiest clubs, and signed for Liverpool for a club record fee. He featured for Uruguay at the 2022 World Cup alongside ex-Liverpool striker Luis Suarez.

career history: Peñarol, Almería, Benfica

Following their 1-1 draw at Anfield in the reverse fixture, Crystal Palace are looking to avoid defeat in both Premier League meetings with Liverpool for the first time since 2014-15.

Liverpool have won their last seven Premier League away games against Crystal Palace. Only at Norwich (eight) have the Reds had a longer away winning run in the competition.

goals

28 03 Cheick doucourÉ fabinho

88 55 35

It’s Saturday afternoon, kick-off is ticking closer and you're first to the pub. Before long, hazy memories and almost-accurate stats will fill the air. Brush-up for your Liverpool pre-match below.

Weren’t they...

Founded in a split with Everton. In 1892, Anfield was already hosting sell-out games on Merseyside –but the home side was Everton, not Liverpool. However, when the committee fell out with Club President and owner of the land at Anfield John Houlding, Everton relocated across Stanley Park to Goodison Park.

Left with an empty stadium, Houlding found himself in a tricky situation, and launched a new club as a result: ‘Everton FC and Athletic Grounds Ltd’, known as Everton Athletic for short.

When the Football Association refused to recognise a second club called Everton, they changed names

didn't he...

Choose their famous all-red strip. Liverpool played in blue and white quartered shirts in their early days, before adopting the city’s traditional red in 1896. However, for almost 70 years they wore red shirts and white shorts, rather than the all-red strip we are familiar with today.

That all changed before a European fixture against Belgian side Anderlecht in 1964. Legendary striker and broadcaster Ian St John remembers the moment in his autobiography: “He [Shankly] thought the colour scheme would carry psychological impact – red for danger, red for power.

“He came into the dressing room one day and threw a pair of red shorts to Ronnie Yeats. ‘Get into those shorts and let's see how you look’, he said. ‘Christ, Ronnie, you look awesome, terrifying. You look 7 ft tall.’ ‘Why not go the whole hog, boss?’ I suggested. ‘Why not wear red socks? Let's go out all in red.’ Shankly approved and an iconic kit was born.” Some decisions were meant to be.

pub talk tibdit

It’s a familiar sight on matchdays at Anfield: scarves aloft, banners waving and You’ll Never Walk Alone belted out from the Kop End.

However, they were not the first English club to adopt the song as a pre-kick-off ritual.

In fact, their biggest rivals got there first. The tune was first written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for the 1945 musical Carousel, and was consistently one of the most popular songs of the era. In 1958, following the Munich Air Disaster which saw eight Manchester United players and 15 others lose their lives, the song was performed in tribute.

Members of an operatic society headed to Old Trafford for the first home match after the tragedy, and the fans in the stadium – familiar with the tune – joined in the singing in an act of solidarity.

The song first became a part of Liverpool folklore when local group Gerry and the Pacemakers recorded their 1963 cover, which reached number one in the UK charts.

Bill Shankley heard a preview of the new record, and decided to incorporate it into the club. “Gerry my son,” Shankley told lead singer Gerry Marsden, “I have given you a football team and you have given us a song.”

The song was later adopted by Celtic after their 1966 Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final victory over Liverpool, and is still sung by fans of Borussia Dortmund.

didn't they…

Field a team of solely Scottish players. When Liverpool were preparing for their first match in 1892 – a pre-season friendly against Rotherham Town – they looked further afield for new recruits.

Manager John McKenna travelled to Scotland on a scouting trip, and recruited an entire squad to join the new side.

In the 1890s, Scottish footballers who moved south to play in England were known as ‘Scotch Professors’, based on their passing style of play in direct comparison to the individualistic, dribbling approach utilised by most English teams at the time.

Led by the Irish McKenna and entirely made up of Scottish talent, the first Liverpool XI came to be known by a new nickname: the ‘team of Macs’. It must have worked – they beat Rotherham 7-1 and haven’t looked back since

Pre-match pint

Cronx Pop-Up - 5.0% ABV

This IPA uses hops from USA & New Zealand, including Comet, Waimea and Motueka. Tons of dry hopping give it a great tropical fruit nose.

30 YEARS OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Arsenal 2-3 Crystal Palace – April 21st, 2019

After Wilfried Zaha's second half goal, James McArthur of all players won this match for Palace, securing Premier League safety in the process.

doc brown Molly-Mae Sharpe dylan reid

Why Ben Bailey Smith wants to spoil the party

Alex Wynter on rejoining the Palace family

40-41 44-45

alex wynter

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.

THE FINE ART OF PARTY POOPING

I slumped down into my seat at the Gtech Community Stadium last Saturday on 95 minutes and 58 seconds or whatever ridiculous stage it was when that header went in at the far end.

When I finally raised my head, my fellow away-day Eagles were streaming out, more than ready to drown their sorrows over a technically great point that felt like a terrible loss. There was very little raving and ranting though –the most consistent expression I seemed to find in any face I nodded at was a silent sort of Eyebrow/ Lip/Shoulder combo shrug situation that wordlessly said: “That’s (Palace) Life.”

I spent the walk from the stadium to the pub thinking exactly that – what a curse to be a Palace fan, look at the pain and frustration I have to go through, poor me, etc etc. But then I got to the pub and guess what: it was half Palace, half Brentford. And guess what else: they were all really nice, really normal football fans, every bit as long suffering as us and they had an

almost therapeutic way of soaking up our pain without gloating.

I’m sure we would’ve gracefully done the same in a 50/50 pub with the Brighton fans the week before that. Ahem.

My point is that we’re all on one end of those 1-1s at some stage – in fact, in recent years I’d be pretty confident in suggesting that we’ve spoilt a fair few premature celebrations for other supporters across the Premier League. And when you also take into consideration the fact that we’re not famed for banging in a plethora of goals, those spoilers rarely tend

to be the result of things swinging our way in spectacular fashion – it’s way more of a straight-forward, traditional meat and drink partypooper vibe.

I’m thinking Michail Antonio trying to get the Hammers party started by crossing the ball instead of corner-flagging it in the last

I’m thinking Michael Olise not even partying at end of the Man United party at our place.

Ben Bailey Smith

Jordan Ayew tears out of the lift, inexplicably whacking paper cups out of everyone’s hands. When they call security, it’s just Joachim Anderson and Marc Guéhi in fake uniforms. It’s chaos up there.

minute. I’m thinking 26% possession at the Seagulls party we actually hosted. I’m thinking Michael Olise not even partying at end of the Man United party at our place. And today, I’m very particularly thinking about a Liverpudlian summer rave-up that Ebs and Wilf rocked up to and ruined back in August.

And so I wonder if, for now, until we become the great entertainers we know we can be, maybe we should just accept this knack of ours and own it. Take pride in it. Celebrate it, even. Advertise it:

CRYSTAL PALACE FC - OFFICIAL PARTY POOPERS FOR HIRE, NO TEAM TOO BIG, NO POSSESSION PERCENTAGE TOO SMALL, WE DELIVER ACROSS ENGLAND, WHY NOT GET IN TOUCH NOW AND SEE HOW EFFECTIVELY WE CAN RUIN YOUR BIG DAY!

Picture it:

At your 50th wedding anniversary, you’ve decided to hire a strictly vinyl-only DJ to add a touch of nostalgia to the dancefloor. SCREEEEECH! Will Hughes bumrushes the stage, tears the record from the turntable and just starts frisbeeing 12-inch after 12-inch across the community hall. The few older ladies from the bridge club who’d hoped he might be a male stripper are left bitterly disappointed, cowering behind the kitchen counter

Ooh, it’s the Christmas office do, and all the staff – even HR and the accounts department – are finally letting their hair down on the 14th floor, what a year it’s been. DING! Jordan Ayew tears out of the

lift, inexplicably whacking paper cups out of everyone’s hands. When they call security, it’s just Joachim Anderson and Marc Guéhi in fake uniforms. It’s chaos up there.

“Saturday Nite. Corner of Holmesdale and Park. 7.45pm

When you think about it, “Saturday Nite. Corner of Holmesdale and Park. 7.45pm ’til Late” does sound a lot like a party, doesn’t it? And with Liverpool doing most of the celebrating in recent weeks, maybe we should give this shindig a retro theme, maybe a halftime comeback-performance from DJ Damo & MC Gayle.

Whatever the result tonight, remember: if we can’t celebrate a glorious past, let’s spoil the present to make way for the parties of the future.

Cheers!

’til Late” does sound a lot like a party, doesn’t it?

Ben Bailey Smith

cpfc women cpfc women

I grew up in Bradford but started out in Leeds United’s academy for a year when I was nine or ten, before moving to Bradford City Women’s team from the age of 12, making my way into the first-team at 16. I support Bradford City. I had a season ticket there and still support them now – although it can be quite painful these days!

molly-mae sharpe

I loved watching Kelly Smith and Sue Smith growing up. Sue Smith was just the ultimate player, really. She was the one who actually scouted me for Leeds, so I got to meet her, which was amazing.

My Mum has no idea about football – she doesn’t have a clue. She never liked it or enjoyed watching football, except when I was playing. She supported me loads, driving me from one end of the country to the other to give me the opportunity to play.

When I was asked to train with Bradford’s first-team, I was nervous at first. My coach was amazing. He said: “Just come and train – we won’t put any pressure on you to play, it’s just that we’ve heard good things.” Because I support Bradford, it was massive

Crystal Palace Women broke club records in 2021/22, and are looking to do the same this season. In each edition, we hear directly from one of the squad, with Molly-Mae Sharpe discussing her path to Palace from West Yorkshire – via sunnier climes in the United States…

As a 16-year-old, in her first season with the Bradford City Women’s first-team, Sharpe scored a hat-trick in the final of the West Riding County Cup to defeat Leeds United.

Take note of Sharpe finished joint-top scorer with Durham Women in the 2020/21 Women’s Championship, netting 10 goals as her side finished second.

for me, putting on that shirt. The girls really got behind me, even though I was young. It was a great experience.

It had always been in the back of my mind to move to the United States. When I went into secondary school, I heard about the colleges out there. I put a video of myself online playing, and universities started getting in touch with me, offering scholarships. I knew it would be for me – and the weather in England just wasn’t doing it for me!

play professionally in the one top league or nothing. I knew I wanted to carry on professionally, and Durham Women offered me the chance to play in the Women’s Championship and complete a Masters’ degree through a scholarship at the same time.

I wanted to continue my education, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to get my Masters’ and play at the same time. Durham is only an hourand-a-half away from Bradford, so I was able to go home and see family and friends, too.

We came second in the Championship in 20/21 and had a great season. It was great jumping straight into the league, scoring goals and playing every week.

It was a massive decision. Like I mentioned, my Mum always supported me, but it was just me and her at home, so it was difficult letting her only child move to Miami. She knew that a full scholarship at a university in America was an amazing opportunity that I just couldn’t pass up.

I also studied for a degree in Sport & Exercise Science for four years out there, alongside playing. It was perfect. I won Offensive Player of the Year in my last year –that was a great achievement, and we did quite well as a team.

After my four years in America I was 22-years-old. It’s changing now, but back then it was either

I’d always admired Crystal Palace. They were always a very difficult team to play against, and they were always involved in the community. London as a city had always appealed to me. I really just thought it was the place for me, so I moved in 2021. Now, I love it here. It’s obviously expensive living in London, but it’s worth it!

The fans that come to watch us carry us every week – they’re brilliant. They travel up and down the country to support us, and we appreciate them so much. Seeing them at our games gets us all buzzing, to be honest.

We’ve just got to carry on with the process and carry on improving every week. We want to finish as high as we can in the league, so from now on, we’ve just got to take every game as it comes

universities started getting in touch with me, offering scholarships. I knew it would be for me – and the weather in England just wasn’t doing it for me!

We’re building every week and every training session, we’re getting better.

academy academy

Alex Wynter - u9S-u16S Player Care Officer

I joined the club at Under-9s and left at the age of 21. I played a couple of times for the first-team and that was my journey at Palace until rejoining recently.

Nothing is the same as when I was first here. It has changed completely. We used to train up at the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace, but now everything is on site here and it’s a great facility for the boys to enjoy their football at all ages.

It’s great to be back at the club; it’s always felt like home here and I have been thoroughly enjoying it. It has been busy over the past few months since I returned – it’s completely different being on the other side.

I’m the Player Care Officer at the Academy for Under-9s through to Under-16s. My job is to provide support to the boys and their parents throughout their Academy journey. It’s also a role which implements and plans a Life Skills Programme for both parents and players. I’m effectively a link between the players, parents and coaches and I provide holistic support throughout.

With varying age groups, the U9s would need a completely different programme to say the U16s. The U16s would be going on to a different chapter of their

life – they would be thinking a lot about earning their scholarships to progress to the Professional Development Phase, while the U9s would be at the beginning of their footballing journey, coming into an environment like this for the first time. There is a lot of variety for

like Kiran Dingri, Susan Jackson or Lekan Odushola to go to who don’t have an immediate say on what happens on the pitch. We’re here for a holistic point of view. We are quite fortunate to have four people in our Player Care Team.

The idea and concept of player care is coming into play more and more. It will be pivotal to a lot of players and coaches and can really make a difference. When I was coming through, there was nothing like this; there was just a coach, a player liaison officer and maybe education if you earned a scholarship, but now to have a team of people to speak to and help you throughout is great.

each age group and I’ve got to tailor things for each individual player.

My role is predominantly off the pitch. We are away from coaching, but I think that’s a good thing for the boys. They have got someone like myself, or other Player Care Officers

My experience coming through the Academy has helped. It gives me an opportunity to relate to the players. I know the process and what they have been through, so it does help me in this role as a Player Care Officer. What has been going on here off the pitch for these rising prospects has been brilliant and with the new facilities and wings due to open in a few months’ time, it is a really good time for the Academy

It gives me an opportunity to relate to the players. I know the process and what they have been through, so it does help me in this role as a Player Care Officer.

over the over theroad road

dylan reid

Highlights so far

Making his debut for St Mirren at the age of 16 against Rangers. In doing so, he became the youngest ever player in Scottish Premiership history. Take note of Reid is a deep-lying midfielder who is good on the ball and capable of dictating the tempo of a game.

Getting to know DYLAN REID -

After putting pen to paper on his new deal in south London just a few weeks ago, Dylan Reid became the latest youngster to join the Academy setup. “I’m super excited and I can't wait to hopefully start playing soon,” he said. “I can't wait to see where this will go. The coaches and facilities here are top drawer and I’ll always give my best on and off the pitch, I just need to kick on.”

The midfielder joins Palace after featuring across the border in Scotland for St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership. He made his debut last season at 16 years and five days old, setting a record as the youngest ever player in Scottish Premiership history.

“To make my debut at Ibrox was honestly such a special feeling for me and my family,” Reid says. “Ever since then I’ve tried to kick on in any way that I could to continue to be in and around the first-team.

“Training with the first-team was challenging, I’ve been doing it since I was 15, but it was a good experience and it forces you to adapt and become better physically and technically.”

Dylan is one of the best young talents in Scotland for his age in his position. For Dylan to make his debut at 16 and set a Scottish Premiership record is a fantastic achievement for him

Playing up the ranks has helped Reid adapt, but also develop his ability to impact the game from midfield.

Gary Issott academy director

“I wouldn’t say I play like anyone, but I do admire the likes of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and what they have to offer. I can play deep, I can play box-to-box, but I really like to dictate the tempo. I like the ball to go through the midfield and to be a part of everything that’s going on on the pitch and I try to get involved as much as I can.

“When I was coming through the ranks I was always playing as a midfielder. I was never really attacking, but I think I can add that to my game: to start getting goals and assists. It’s something I want to look at and hopefully I can develop that here.

“The facilities here are out of this world, especially for an Academy, even though some of it is still getting finished! My main

focus now is to use these facilities and just to play regularly and get into the team as much as I can to further my development”

I do admire the likes of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and what they have to offer. I can play deep, I can play boxto-box, but I really like to dictate the tempo.

Keeping you posted on all things south London. Over the page, dive into the fascinating history of one of the most vibrant and bustling streets in town…

sir henry cooper

Born in Lambeth, Cooper shot to fame when he knocked down a young Cassius Clay – later known as Muhammad Ali – in 1963. He remained a popular figure throughout his career, twice winning BBC Sports Personality of the Year and remaining the only boxer to receive a knighthood.

Brick Lane, Soho, London Bridge and more

3rd March

London is full of surprises, and it’s never too late to see new parts of the city you call home. Unseen Tours offer a new approach, supporting guides who were formerly homeless to create and lead walks in different neighbourhoods of London, talking you through both their own personal stories and their knowledge of the area’s extensive history.

go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence,” wrote Max Ehrmann in his famous Desiderata. And why not heed that advice? Head down to Surrey Street on a Sunday morning, and take a deep breath. It’s calm. It’s quiet. Take a moment to absorb the tranquillity of your surroundings. It is a once a week occurrence, and it won’t last long.

Now flash forward 24 hours, and watch in wonder at the organised chaos unfolding in front of you. It’s a sea of colours and noises, sights and smells; it is, in essence, south London at its very best. Surrey Street market is in full flow.

There is a reason the market is so regularly used as a location by film and television producers. It is a frothing sea of activity, and has been so for close to 800 years. From flowers, to fruits and vegetables, to handmade clothes and specialty homemade foods, the 75 or more stalls have it all.

It is not an exaggeration to look back almost eight centuries to find the origins of such a south London gem. There are traces of a market existing as far back as the Anglo-Saxon period in what is now Croydon, but the earliest confirmed record is from the 1236/37 season – err, we mean the year 1236.

A market charter was granted to the town by the then Archbishop of Cantebury, Robert Kilwardby, in 1276 – making it one of, if not the, oldest market street in London. Soon it became

a weekend on Surrey Street in the middle ages would have been far more graphic than even some of Palace’s worst defeats down the road at Selhurst Park

known by a series of different names: the Shambles – no jokes about Palace performances from decades gone by, please – the Flesh Market, the Butcherie and Butcher Row. No prizes for guessing what was sold there. Indeed, a weekend on Surrey Street in the middle ages would have been far more graphic than even some of Palace’s worst defeats down the road at Selhurst Park. The slant of the road meant that the blood from the slaughtered animals could flood downhill and away from the customers. Butcherie, indeed.

Over time the market evolved, offering corn and even livestock – but it didn’t take long for the real crowd-pleaser to arrive. It was, of course, the street’s first pub. Originally known as The Bell, the 13th century inn stood for centuries before being rebuilt as the Dog & Bull, and remains on Surrey Street to this day. It proudly proclaims itself to be the oldest pub in Croydon, its name stemming from the centuries old blood sport of ‘bull baiting’, where the two eponymous animals were set on one another for the entertainment of the crowd. On that particular front, the sporting entertainment in south London has vastly improved since Palace arrived. The market itself has received royal approval, with the then-Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, visiting in November, 1994. If the 13th century cattle sellers could see this buzzing, multicultural

hive of activity now, it’s safe to say they would be sprinting to the Dog & Bull for a particularly strong drink and a good sit down.

There is food from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, Vietnam to Venezuela; handmade breads and herbal medicines; brightly coloured flowers to brilliantly dyed clothes. It is a hub of diversity and individual expression, and yet a picture of community and togetherness.

So next time you find yourself craving a bowl of cherries or a bunch of orchids – or more likely just an assault on the senses on a Saturday morning – you know where to go. It’s been under our noses for eight hundred years now, and it’s not going anywhere .

If the 13th century cattle sellers could see this buzzing, multicultural hive of activity now, it’s safe to say they would be sprinting to the Dog & Bull for a particularly strong drink and a good sit down

Surrey Street, Croydon, in the 1970s.

THROUGH THE LENS

The Premier League celebrates its 30th anniversary this season, with Palace there at the start in 1992/93 and still there today – with a few detours along the way. Here, we break down the club’s Premier League spells, letter by letter.

q q quotes

palace have inspired passions, upsets and incredible memories since their return to the Premier League – so here are some of our favourite quotes from the past 10 years:

“Passionate, rock solid, good people, great area: my type of football club.”

Damien Delaney

“My nine-year-old self was hooked by Selhurst Park’s noise and lights, sounds and smells.”

Stephen Browett

“This team – that was built up of mainly free agents, no-hopers and players people didn’t want – became one of the best teams I played in.”

Peter Ramage

“Faces have changed, players have changed and owners have changed, but the important thing is what we’ve done together for the football club.”

Julián Speroni

“This club is definitely a family and there’s genuine love here.”

Wilfried Zaha

“Palace were my team… it was very much a question of our team, our local team: Crystal Palace.”

Roy Hodgson

“The honour of captaining the club – my club, the club I supported as a boy – is one of my proudest achievements.”

Jason Puncheon

“It’s very special, this place.”

Ian Holloway

Without Crystal Palace, none of my journey happens

r r ramage

“Then fast forward nine or 10 months [and] we’re both sitting on the steps of Wembley and just having a moment between the two of us. It wasn’t two teammates, it was just two mates, not realising it was getting beamed on the Wembley screens.

“I didn’t even realise it was [on the screens] until my mum and dad [told me] after the game. My mum was in tears, saying: ‘I can’t believe what’s just happened.’ Yeah, we got promoted, Mum.

It’s one of the most iconic Palace portraits. Halfway up the famous Wembley steps, ultimate goal of promotion achieved, and the team’s ‘hard man’ breaks down in tears. The emotion was just too much for Damien Delaney. But who was there – as he always was – to pick him back up again? Peter Ramage.

“He just sat down and started breaking down,” Ramage remembered in When Eagles Dare “It was quite hard to watch – I’ve never seen Damo like that. Big Irish

man with cuts all over his face, you know – he’s a pretty young man.

“We didn’t even know the camera was there. It was just two mates sitting there, me trying to console him.

“One thing I did remember him saying was ‘something like this shouldn’t happen to me,’ I was like: ‘Damo, you deserve it.’ He’d never been promoted in his career. He had obviously come at the start of the season from nobody wanting him; he was going to retire.

jesurun rak-sakyi

“It could’ve been any two of us throughout that squad sitting there having that conversation, because I think that’s how close we were.”

The defensive duo later joined the celebrations on the Wembley balcony, but the image of the two of them that day will forever live in the minds of players and fans alike.

Ramage never played for Palace in the Premier League, but his pivotal role in reaching the promised land means his place on this list is more than deserved .

The latest exciting graduate from Palace’s Academy, RakSakyi made his Premier League debut against Chelsea on the opening day of the 2021/22 season, before making his first start on the final day against Manchester United.

The tricky winger became Palace’s sixth youngest Premier League debutant at just 18-years-old, and is currently thriving on loan at Charlton Athletic.

Having been on the brink of collapse in 2010, Crystal Palace earned promotion back to the Premier League 10 years ago this season. Here, Club Historian Ian King tells the story of a dramatic campaign – with a little help from the stars of When Eagles Dare

February 2nd: Palace 2-1 Charlton Athletic

Palace were on a run of only one victory in 11 matches and had failed to score in four of their last five – and were missing captain Mile Jedinak against Charlton after an eye injury sustained during the fracas at Huddersfield, with Alex Marrow taking his place. New signings Kevin Phillips and Stephen Dobbie were on the bench, while the Addicks had missed out on the loan signing of Jeffrey Schlupp from Leicester.

The encounter was a game of two halves as Charlton took control from the kick-off and should have had more to show for their dominance than former Palace player Ricardo Fuller’s 15 th minute opening goal. Ian Holloway introduced Kevin

Phillips for the second-half and the wily old campaigner provided a partner for the isolated Glenn Murray. Soon Dobbie was also introduced and opportunities appeared, with Murray drawing the Eagles level with 15 minutes left. Four minutes later the comeback was complete when a slip by the Charlton ‘keeper left the Palace centre-forward with a straightforward finish. Three points kept the Eagles in the play-off places and still in with a chance of automatic promotion.

February 8th: Watford 2-2 Palace

It was a disastrous start at promotion rivals Watford as the home team caused havoc in the first 25 minutes, scoring two goals through defensive

january 31st

errors. It could have been worse had Matej Vydra’s free header found the target.

As he did against Charlton, Holloway changed things for the second-half with Jonny Williams and Phillips coming into the fray, and the his side looked immeasurably better. Just after the hour mark the Eagles were on the offensive, and Peter Ramage was on hand to thump home the loose ball after his defensive partner Damien Delaney had seen his header blocked. Four minutes later Phillips opened his Palace account with an assured finish from Jazz Richards’ pass, and looked more likely to go on and win the game, but had to be satisfied with a point after Ramage headed straight at the keeper.

In the end it was a good point for both clubs as the

On transfer deadline day both Kevin Phillips and Stephen Dobbie had joined the Eagles on loan with Jason Banton going on loan to Plymouth

other three outfits involved in the battle for play-off places all lost the following day.

February 16th: Palace 4-1 Middlesbrough -

On paper this was an important game against fellow play-off contenders, and Jedinak returned to the side. The first-half failures of the previous two games were soon forgotten as Wilfried Zaha crossed the ball for poacher Murray to score after just nine minutes. Further chances came Palace’s way but they were thankful for Ramage heading off the line as the first 45 minutes drew to a close.

After the break it got better for the home team when Ramage swivelled from a corner and shot home to double the Eagles advantage. More came in the 57th minute as Murray whipped the ball into the top corner from 25 yards. The Teesside club netted with 10 minutes to go, but substitute Phillips, latching on to Zaha’s through ball, drilled his shot into the net to complete an emphatic result.

Cardiff remained favourites for the title with Hull City looking good in second. Watford and Palace were well placed in third and fourth, but Leicester and Middlesbrough were now looking over their shoulders .

february 8th

jonny player in focus

BORN: 9 th October, 1993 –Pembury, Kent

APPEARANCES: 70

GOALS: 1

Another Palace Academy gem, Williams made his debut in August, 2011, and his balance, vision and close control made him a fans favourite. Returning from a hamstring problem, he made a telling contribution in the second part of the 2012-13 season but was unable to break into the side during the club’s return to the top-flight while his injury hoodoo struck again. After a spell at Charlton Athletic, he now plays for Swindon Town.

It felt like there was a real pathway from the Academy to the first-team. It was all about working hard, probably the most intense training I had in my career. It got me ready for that transition in Dougie’s first-team

Jonny Williams

Holloway questioned Watford’s use of a loan ‘loophole’ with udinese

february 8th

Alex Marrow makes his final first team appearance for Palace

from the

Times have changed over Crystal Palace’s rich and storied history. In each edition, we dust off the archive and reprint a story from one of the club’s historical programmes. This week, we republish a column from an iconic meeting between these two: ‘Crystanbul’.

have played this season surely means Rodgers is a certainty?

From the Press Box -

Today’s Guest Writer: Jason Burt, Football Correspondent, The Sunday Telegraph

Who has done the better job this season – Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool or Tony Pulis at Crystal Palace? That, by common consent, is the choice when it comes to the Manager of the Year award, which will be presented by the League Managers Association a week today. The ceremony takes place the day after the Premier League finishes, with votes being cast right up until that day by the managers. So maybe they will wait to see who wins the league?

If Liverpool finish top, champions for the first time in 24 years, then surely it has to be Rodgers who wins? Even if they do not, taking a team from seventh place into the top three with the thrilling style of football Liverpool

Undoubtedly Rodgers would be a worthy winner and he had conducted himself superbly

has been presented has it gone to the manager who has won the title – three times for Sir Alex Ferguson and twice for Arsene Wenger. No Chelsea manager –neither Jose Mourinho nor Carlo Ancelotti – has taken the award, while Manchester City’s Roberto Mancini was also over-looked.

What does that show?

Maybe Ferguson was shortchanged – after all, he won 13 titles, even though he did collect 11 divisional awards. But it also demonstrates that managers are not swayed by winning trophies or by the achievements at bigger clubs and often examine the body of work their peers have achieved in a season.

since he took over at Liverpool, so it is no surprise that he is odds-on with the bookmakers. But, interestingly, only five times in the 21 years that the award

from the archive

So Pulis must be in the reckoning – and Sunderland’s Gus Poyet cannot be discounted should he save the Black Cats from relegation. But it is the remarkable job that Pulis has achieved at Selhurst Park since he was appointed last November that has been the more impressive.

The statistics are astonishing. With four points from 11

Crystal Palace v Liverpool –May 20th, 2014

Pulis has worked on team shape and tactics, analysed opponents and formulated plans. It is not rocket science – it is just good, intelligent, inspirational football management

matches, only seven clubs have accumulated more than 39 points from the 25 games since Pulis took over, while only four clubs have a better defensive record than Palace’s 11 clean sheets. But the stats only tell half the story. With due recognition to Keith Millen, who certainly helped turn things around in his spell as caretaker, Palace were on the floor both literally, in terms of the table, and psychologically when Pulis took over.

While Palace bought well in the January transfer window, it was Pulis working with the existing group of players that

gave them the fighting chance that they so brilliantly grasped. Like Rodgers, Pulis’ work has been done on the training pitches. He has coached and coached and coached again. Pulis has worked on team shape and tactics, analysed opponents and formulated plans. It is not rocket science – it is just good, intelligent, inspirational football management. The same can be said of many other managers, of course, but few have achieved the spectacular results of Pulis and Rodgers this season. And Palace have played good football, too. Witness the superb

victory away to Everton recently, or the manner in which Chelsea were beaten at Selhurst Park. Mourinho could not complain about Palace’s tactics or approach after that one. No buses were parked. Palace wanted it and Pulis had a plan.

In all probability, Rodgers will win the Manager of the Year award and deservedly so. But Pulis’ work also deserves to be recognised and maybe he should, at the very least, win the divisional prize for the Premier League. For, thanks to him, that is where Palace will be playing their football next season .

The above copy is printed verbatim.

palace for life

A Turning Point: Ted’s story

a16-year-old south Londoner, Ted was the first young person to come through the Advantage mentoring scheme at Palace for Life and has made significant improvements since starting his journey.

Advantage is a programme for young people aged 14-21 who have been referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. It provides impactful mental health support for young people by bringing together professional football club community organisations and the local NHS. The programme focuses on supporting young people with key interventions and assistance in order to help them re-establish aspirations and a sense of connection.

Ted began his mentoring journey in April, 2022. He wasn’t in the best headspace; his home life was tumultuous with his mood and regular outbursts. Ted was approaching the end of secondary school and felt unsure about his future prospects, so was hesitant to make any long-term goals. He initially thought he wanted to go into bricklaying, so had committed himself to a college course in that

area, but wasn’t sure if that was the path he 100% wanted to take. His school started noticing the negative emotions he was experiencing and as a result he was referred to the Advantage programme by staff. Over a six month period his mentor at Palace for Life, Gemma, helped him to identify areas that he enjoyed, and how best he could try and work through his feelings. After settling into the Advantage programme with Gemma, Ted started to identify his own emotional reactions and started to understand how his emotional responses were having an impact

– not only on himself, but on his wider family and relationships. During his one-to-one mentoring sessions in the south London area, online and at Selhurst Park, he began thinking about the steps he would like to take after school. During this time, Ted opened up and spoke about his interest in cars, and it was this realisation that made him change college courses from construction to mechanics, so he could really pursue his passion – Ted was also gifted with a laptop via Palace for Life’s Centre Forward Fund, to assist him with his studies.

“During his time on the programme, Ted has engaged

excellently even through adversity, as he had to move away during the school break to support his wellbeing,” his mentor Gemma said about Ted’s progress. “Throughout the programme Ted has engaged in sessions, used resources to unpick his thinking and carried out reflective time for himself.”

As time went on, it was evident that these mentoring sessions with Gemma had helped Ted massively. In a reflection session during the programme, Ted was asked how he felt about the mentoring so far. “It’s been a great experience, and I have come a long way,” he said. “I personally think that without my mentor, things would have taken a turn for the worst with my behaviour and attitude.”

Ted has now started his mechanics college course. “I love college so far,” he said. “I’m making loads of new friends and I’m enjoying working on the cars a lot!”

At the end of the six month programme, Ted described the mentoring as ‘life-changing’, and wants to continue to be a part of Palace for Life in the future.

Through our Targeted Intervention department, we work with young people through 1:1 mentoring to offer tailored support for those who need it most. We have a team of experienced mentors who are able to offer young people unique insight into how to better their options and have a positive impact on their future.

To help support more people like Ted, you can donate to Palace for Life at palaceforlife.org .

Support Palace for Life in our mission to raise £1 million to help us transform thousands of more young south Londoners’ lives. donate a pint from your pre-match routine below

McJedley, Wright and Bright, Zaha and Bolasie. Palace’s history is full of players who’ve formed memorable partnerships. Here, we look at the most prolific of them all...

it seems an old-fashioned ideal in the modern day and age. In the era of false 9s, lone centre-forwards and deep-lying playmakers, the traditional strike partnership seems to have fallen by the wayside. But had we ever had it so good?

There were all the combinations. The little and large: Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch spring to mind. The nippy runner and the powerful finisher. The fast and the furious: step up Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney. But at Crystal Palace, we were privileged to watch one of the very best at work. Their names even rhymed, for goodness sake; it was just meant to be.

Ian Wright, Mark Bright and an absolute shedload of goals.

Goals of all types too. Long-range screamers to perfectly

crafted openers to scrambled home equalisers; powerful headers to intricate lobs. Palace’s two No 9s could do it all.

joining Port Vale and Leicester City. Gary Lineker had just left the latter, allowing a young Bright to establish himself in the first-team and earn a £75,000 move to Crystal Palace. Talk about a bargain.

Wright’s early years were spent in south London – Woolwich to be specific. His path was a tumultuous one, and despite trials with Southend and Brighton & Hove Albion (gulp) he failed to earn a professional contract. A spell in Chelmsford Prison followed, and while reprimanded he vowed to turn his life around.

Their stories could not be more different – geographically at least. Bright, born in Stoke-onTrent, played his early football for

An inspiring story like that can only be inspirational if the protagonist succeeds, and boy did Wright succeed. Signing for semi-professional Greenwich Borough, he was spotted by Crystal Palace after a tip-off from Dulwich Hamlet manager Billy Smith and came to a trial at Selhurst Park. Steve Coppell took one look at the plucky centre-forward and signed the 21-year-old there and then.

Wright impressed in his first season, scoring nine times, and was joined by Bright a year later. “I went there [Palace] in November [1986] and from then until the end of the season I scored seven and Wrighty scored eight – and we said: ‘That’s not good enough. If we think we’re elite players and we think we can play in the First Division, we have to work hard and try to get our partnership together working’,” Bright later explained.

In 1987/88, Wright scored 23 times – Bright scored 26. You can see where this is going:

When we got on the pitch, there was just certain things he knew I was going to do and I knew he was going to do mark bright

there was now a real competition to be Palace’s top scorer. In 1988/89 Bright scored 25 – but this time Wright netted 33. Palace had a strike force to be reckoned with, and it had fired them to the play-off places.

More fantastic memories were to follow. Wright scored 118 for Palace, while Bright netted 114 of his own. Their remarkably comparable records only further emphasises their synchronicity. They remain two of just eight men to reach three figures for the club, and the two highest scorers of the post-war period.

The duo deserved a major trophy, and came so close in the 1990 FA Cup final. Wright scored twice and Bright was a constant presence as Palace drew 3-3 with Manchester United before narrowly losing the replay.

There was success at Wembley a year later, however, as Wright once again netted a brace to see off Everton 4-1 in the Full Members Cup final. Zenith Data Systems Cup champions, you’ll never sing that.

Wright and Bright’s 232 goals for Palace marked a remarkable period for the club, one that many fans see – along with today’s sustained Premier League success – as a golden era. Steve Coppell, Alan Smith, Geoff Thomas, Eric Young, John Salako, John Pemberton, Nigel Martyn. Heady days.

“Everybody added a little bit to what we had and you have to perfect it. When we got on

the

The page for Palace supporters: taking your comments from the terraces into the programme. This week, we print your messages. Want to get in touch? Use the details below.

A big happy 40th Birthday to Conor Burke, who travels often to Selhurst from Kerry in Ireland - here’s to a big 3 points vs Liverpool as a present!

Happy 10th birthday Aaron. Have a great day Spud. Lots of love from mum, dad and Hannah

Happy 70th Birthday Dad! Hope you enjoy the game! Lots of love from all the family xx

the terraces

A huge happy 16th Birthday to Jake Mitchell. Lots of Love from all of your family. Hope you see a Palace win this evening

Happy 10th Birthday to Alex Goh. Lots of love Mum, Dad, Isabelle and Olivia. Xxxx

Welcome to the Crystal Palace family Harrison Seymour aged 7, enjoying your first match at Selhurst watching the mighty Eagles. Lots of love from Aunty Jo.

My Dad and lifelong Palace supporter John Scrivens sadly passed away on the 2nd December 2022. He is sadly missed by his whole family, but flying with the eagles now.

Happy birthday Justina from all your family and friends. Have a wonderful day, all my love Galv xxx

from all your family

Anthony McGeever loved Crystal Palace as a season ticket holder, his late wife, three children and his five grandchildren. He came to Selhurst Park with them before and is much loved.

Matouš Elphick celebrated his 21st birthday on February 14th. Lots of love from Mum, Dad, Anežka and Tomáš xxxx P.S. Here he is at the Leeds match with cousin Jirka

Congratulations to David Frost on his 80th birthday, a lifelong Palace fan who has been coming to Selhurst Park for over 70 years. David has instilled his love of the club to his extended family and friends who wish him many happy returns.

Happy Birthday, Pete! Have a brilliant day. Love from Maria, Mum, Dad, Sarah, Andrew & the boys, Jen, Jamie & the girls, and of course the cats and dog!

Happy 70th Birthday, Gary Boland, An Eagles fan for over 53 years. Love

Happy 13th Birthday Robert Justice Carey. Love Aunty Beth, Will & James xxx

Happy 40th Birthday Darren lots of love from Sarah, Jake, Finley, Oscar and Thea xxx

Happy 16th Birthday Harry. Have a great day. Love from Lob, Teresa & Louis

Prepare for an exciting away trip, look back on a dramatic late winner, meet the mascots and pit your wits against Brighty below.

Euan Maguire 1-1

AGE: 11 SCORE PREDICTION:

zach wickham 1-1

AGE: 12 SCORE PREDICTION:

zachary battersby 1-3

AGE: 11 SCORE PREDICTION:

Stephen Lyons 3-2

AGE: 13 SCORE PREDICTION:

freddie harford 2-1

AGE: 9 SCORE PREDICTION:

Poppy Danusia Tiller 2-1

AGE: 9 SCORE PREDICTION:

Holly Hinton 3-2

AGE: 8 SCORE PREDICTION:

rocco jacob 1-2

AGE: 11 SCORE PREDICTION:

Want to feature as a mascot?Email: liam.connery@cpfc.co.uk

next up: aston villa

It’s a trip to the Midlands for Palace as they head to Villa Park to take on Aston Villa on Saturday, 4 th March (15:00 GMT).

Travel:

Witton is the nearest train station to Villa Park, with regular services from Birmingham New Street. Alternatively, Birmingham New Street is a short drive from the stadium.

Pre-match:

There are a number of away pubs near Villa Park, with The Witton Arms, The Yew Tree and the Hare of the Dog all previously welcoming travelling supporters.

BEAT BRIGHTY BEAT BRIGHTY

In each edition, club icon Mark Bright calls it how he sees it and predicts events from this week’s football. See how you fare and try to Beat Brighty!

Scoring:

One point for every correct result, three for a correct scoreline.

Best memory:

Dwight Gayle scored a sumptuous late winner at Villa Park on Boxing Day, 2013 as Palace picked up a huge three points on their road to survival.

Manage to Beat Brighty? Keep track of your total score above!

team stats: women / U21s / U18s

Annabel Blanchard

Blanchard scored the winner as Palace Women beat Durham to boost their promotion chances in south London.

AUGUST Sun 21 London City Lionesses

Sat 27 Coventry United

SEPTEMBER Sun 18 Southampton

Sun 25 Blackburn Rovers

OCTOBER

Sun 2 Bristol City

Sun 16 Sunderland

Sun 23 Bristol City

Sun 30 Durham

NOVEMBER

Sun 20 Charlton Athletic

Sun 27 Lewes

FEBRUARY Sun 5 Southampton

Sun 12 Durham

Sun 26 Sheffield United

MARCH

Sun 5 Bristol City

Sun 12 Sheffield United

Sun 19 Birmingham City

Sun 26 Blackburn Rovers

APRIL

Sun 2 Sunderland

Sun 16 Birmingham City

Sun 23 Lewes

Sun 30 Charlton Athletic

Jack Wells-Morrison

Wells-Morrison scored a dramatic late winner as Palace reached the knockout stages of the Premier League International Cup.

Cormac Austin

Austin scored from the spot as Palace came from behind to earn a point against Brighton & Hove Albion.

SEPTEMBER

Tue 6 Hertha Berlin W 1-0

Wed 28 Paris Saint-Germain W 7-3

FEBRUARY

Sat 4 Dinamo ZagrebL 1-2

Wed 8 SC Braga W 2-1

TBC

TBC Liverpool

Sat

FEBRUARY

Sat 25 Arsenal

MARCH

Sat 11 Arsenal

Sat 18 Leicester City

APRIL

Sat 1 Southampton

Sat 15 Norwich City

Sat 22 Chelsea

Sat 29 West Bromwich Albion

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

22/23 FIXTURES & RESULTS

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

PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE 22/23

west posClub PWDLFA GDPts 1 arsenal 2317 33 5123+2854 2 manchester city 2416 44 6024+3652 3 manchester united 2415 45 4128+1349 4 tottenham hotspur 2413 38 4435+942 5 newcastle United 231011 2 3515+2041 6 fulham 2411 58 3530+538 7 Brighton & Hove Albion 2210 57 3929+1035 8 liverpool 2210 57 3828+1035 9 brentford 23 8 11 4 3730+735 10 chelsea 23 878 2323 0 31 11 aston villa 23 84 112838-1028 12 Crystal Palace 23 689 2131-1026 13 nottingham forest 23 67 101838-2025 14 leicester city 23 73 133641-524 15 Wolverhampton Wanderers 23 65 121732-1523 16 everton 23 56 121730-1321 17 bournemouth 23 56 122144-2321 18 west ham united 23 55 131929-1020 19 leeds united 23 47 122839-1119 20 southampton 23 53 151940-2118

25th

nottingham forest 74 premier league

15:00 bournemouth man city

Crystal palace f.c. LIVERPOOL f.c.

Joel WARD

Tyrick MITCHELL

Luka MILIVOJEVIC

James TOMKINS

Marc GUÉHI

Michael OLISE

Albert SAMBI LOKONGA

Jordan AYEW

Eberechi EZE

Wilfried ZAHA

Vicente GUAITA (GK)

Jean-Philippe MATETA

Jeffrey SCHLUPP

Joachim ANDERSEN

Nathaniel CLYNE

James McARTHUR

Will HUGHES

Sam JOHNSTONE (GK)

Odsonne EDOUARD

Chris RICHARDS

Cheick DOUCOURÉ

Naouirou AHAMADA

Nathan FERGUSON

Joe WHITWORTH (GK)

Jaïro RIEDEWALD

David OZOH

Kaden RODNEY

D. England

D. Cook

D. Robathan

S. Martin

A. Marriner

R. West

ALISSON Becker (GK)

Joe GOMEZ FABINHO

Virgil VAN DIJK

Ibrahima KONATÉ

THIAGO Alcântara

James MILNER

Naby KEÏTA

Roberto FIRMINO

Mohamed SALAH ADRIÁN (GK)

Jordan HENDERSON

Alex OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN

Curtis JONES

Cody GAKPO

Harvey ELLIOTT

Diogo JOTA

Konstantinos TSIMIKAS

Calvin RAMSAY

Luis DÍAZ

Andrew ROBERTSON

Darwin NÚÑEZ

Fábio CARVALHO

ARTHUR Melo

Joël MATIP

Bobby CLARK

Stefan BAJCETIC

Rhys WILLIAMS

Nathaniel PHILLIPS

Ben DOAK

Caoimhín KELLEHER (GK)

Trent ALEXANDER-ARNOLD Layton