It is unfair IMHO to compare across generations. Here are my players of the decades since I have been watching from 1974:
70’s Peter Taylor
80’s Ian Wright
90’s Dougie Freedman ( although arguably played more in his second spell in 00’s)
00’s AJ
10’s to date Wilf

Calvin Andrew.

Everyone would stand when Kenny Sansom ran towards the bar

"It feels much better than it ever did, much more sensitive." John Wayne Bobbit

You are all forgetting Per Bartrum!

His work rate, ability on the ball, especially in front of goal, was something to behold.

His his all round ineptitude as a footballer makes ‘Teckers’ look World class! 😀😀

Seriously though, given all factors included in previous posts - and I watched ‘Budgie’ in his heyday, the standard of football was not the same then, so for me, our most exciting player has always been ‘Wrighty’ ... just ahead of Cliff Holton... (again I jest &#128512. His two goal coming on as a sub in the Cup Final against Man U were magic.

Doesn't matter if a player was with us 5 seconds. If we signed Messi and he played only two games but they were against City and Liverpool and he ran the show and scored hatricks in both everyone would agree he was our best ever player.
For the record Lombardo was not with us 5 minutes but for one and three quarter seasons and in my opinion was the best player Palace ever had (certainly in my time of supporting Palace). Best Englishman> Budgie Byrne I imagine.

First game in 1977 for me.

Best I have seen is hard as the game has changed a lot over the years.

Best keeper - Nigel Martyn

Best center back - Jim Cannon,
Best full back - Kenny Sansom
Best center midfield - Gerry Francis
Best winger - Wilf
Best forward - Ian Wright

There were loads of alternatives !

Some people are like Slinkies … not really good for anything, but you can’t help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.