Frosty day. Watching claret and blue scarves and hats pass my house. Lots of laughing men walking up the Hill. I followed. I had never walked so far, but they were all having such fun, so I continued down the other side of the hill. Even more men in claret and blue hats. This must be fun! All of a sudden I don't know where I am. A man says, "Come with me, we'll find your dad at half time." In we go, me for free. My first Palace game. Don't remember who we played or what the date was. Palace won though. Must have been '69'/'70.

The bloke who took me into the game took me home after I told him where I lived. My dad beat me for going off with a stranger. I was six or seven at the time. Best beating I ever had.

Wish I could thank that man. The beating hurt but I would have liked to introduce him to my pop. Then my dad could really be angry at him for making me a Palace fan. He was from Bermondsey!

Systematically dragged down by the lawmakers

1947/48 season, being grabbed by an elderly drunken Millwall fan who came to see his side play against Newcaastle at Selhurstt because The Den had been closed down by bad behavior. Since that time I have always been totally and irrevocably anti Millwall. Will they ever be congenial anywhere?