January 18 2006

Darren Ward

When Andy Roberts joined Palace from Millwall in 1995 his brother, who had a season ticket down at the The New Den, disowned him for the crime of joining the Nigels in SE25.

But Roberts knew best, joining a club that allowed him to play in the Premiership (something he never would have done with the Lions) and where his talent could shine.

Voted Player Of The Year in 1996 Palace got good value from the £2m midfielder before he left for Wimbledon in 1998.

We always do well out of our Lewisham neighbours player wise, which must really wind up their 7,000 fans.

Darren Ward looks like being added to the list that includes Roberts and Chris Armstrong while ex-Eagle and current Millwall boss David Tuttle can reminisce about how the glamorous surroundings of Senegal Fields once tempted Jamie Moralee and Bobby Bowry to leave Selhurst.

After an initially solid, if inauspicious, start to his Palace career Ward repaid a massive chunk of his £1.1m transfer fee when his goal against Plymouth sealed all three points for the Eagles.

With five league goals in 25 games Ward is in danger of becoming better known for his finishing then his stopping.

But what does Millwall's former Fans' Player of the Year think of life under Dowie? No one really knows as the Peckham Beckham (shouldn't that now be Beckenham Beckham?) doesn't really do interviews, preferring to do his talking on the pitch.

But let Ward remain an enigma - it worked for Eric Young, someone else who wore a headband and was a colossus in defence.

Live Croydon Guardian text commentary