I was thinking about how we are seemingly having yet another season of Palace drama, of ups and downs that eclipse the newsworthy going-ons of any other club. Just this season we were the first to fire a manager, of international renown, had a biblical run of injuries, set all sorts of new records for number of minutes without a goal / matches without a point / matches without an away goal. We've won and lost numerous points on dramatic last-minute goals, ref decisions and keystone cop penalty faux pas. We've announced a new stadium, been accused of old fashioned football hooliganism against our most bitter rival and somehow drawn them in the cup against all rational odds.
A look at even our recent period around promotion and current stint in the Prem shows all our insane dramas. Managers leaving while we sit top of the championship. The legendary Poogate, beating over most bitter rivals with our star striker crippled before setting a record for the most play off victories. Going into the Prem with a team barely able to pass at Championship standard but managing that incredible run to safety under Pulis on sheer spirit and resolve. Scumbag Pulis' abandonment us on the eve of the following season followed by the scandal over the Freedman and McKay texts. The messianic return of Pardew followed by the worst statistical year in our history, that we somehow survived.
Looking back further, we survived as a club by the skin of our teeth in 2010 to be rescued not by opportunists but genuine fans. We avoided a death knell relegation at Hillsborough. Before that, we suffered the last day relegation at The Valley on surely the most dramatic last day in Prem history. And who can forget staying up with our reserve team under Coppell ( the proudest I have ever been of a Palace team ) after the Goldberg administration when we were supposed to be the next superclub?! Before that, the last-minute Hopkins curler. Before that, Oldham winning three games against all odds to relegate us on a record breaking 49 points and the only club to go down fourth from bottom. Before that, beating Liverpool in the F.A. Cup semi after losing 9-0...
Almost any of these stories are realistically fit to belong only in Roy Of The Rovers. No sensible fiction writer would scribe this for adults. Yet all happened and happened to us.
Is there a single club who can point to such an incredible roller coaster history of improbable victories, defeats, lulls, precipices, last-minute agonies, ecstasies, scandals and God knows whatever else has been missed out? Are we unique in this regard or can we point out other equally crazy clubs? Are we a 'Soap Opera' outfit? God's plaything? And would we have it any other way? Is our history what makes us Palace?
A look at even our recent period around promotion and current stint in the Prem shows all our insane dramas. Managers leaving while we sit top of the championship. The legendary Poogate, beating over most bitter rivals with our star striker crippled before setting a record for the most play off victories. Going into the Prem with a team barely able to pass at Championship standard but managing that incredible run to safety under Pulis on sheer spirit and resolve. Scumbag Pulis' abandonment us on the eve of the following season followed by the scandal over the Freedman and McKay texts. The messianic return of Pardew followed by the worst statistical year in our history, that we somehow survived.
Looking back further, we survived as a club by the skin of our teeth in 2010 to be rescued not by opportunists but genuine fans. We avoided a death knell relegation at Hillsborough. Before that, we suffered the last day relegation at The Valley on surely the most dramatic last day in Prem history. And who can forget staying up with our reserve team under Coppell ( the proudest I have ever been of a Palace team ) after the Goldberg administration when we were supposed to be the next superclub?! Before that, the last-minute Hopkins curler. Before that, Oldham winning three games against all odds to relegate us on a record breaking 49 points and the only club to go down fourth from bottom. Before that, beating Liverpool in the F.A. Cup semi after losing 9-0...
Almost any of these stories are realistically fit to belong only in Roy Of The Rovers. No sensible fiction writer would scribe this for adults. Yet all happened and happened to us.
Is there a single club who can point to such an incredible roller coaster history of improbable victories, defeats, lulls, precipices, last-minute agonies, ecstasies, scandals and God knows whatever else has been missed out? Are we unique in this regard or can we point out other equally crazy clubs? Are we a 'Soap Opera' outfit? God's plaything? And would we have it any other way? Is our history what makes us Palace?
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