I think it has a lot to do with wages. If a club is prepared to pay huge wages then they can get real quality but if you are working within a tight framework and want value for money as SP does then things become very difficult. If the rumours that SP took a lot of persuading to sign Cabaye then splashing £15-20m plus 80-100k a week wages on a relatively unknown player from Europe seems unlikely. I for one hope we do get our big boy pants on but I'm not holding my breath.

The ups and downs of Palace have left me older than my years

Well there is also the location point which I think is often underestimated. We should be able to use the London location as a draw for players. Given an adequate wage structure, and all other things being equal, I suspect that many potential signings would prefer to be in the London area rather than up here where I live. There are many positives to living up here in the Dales but I doubt if they are the kind of reasons that would appeal to most 50k + footballers (no disrespect intended). It is a widely held belief amongst northern club supporters that our London base is in itself a big potential advantage. Given time, I think Palace will benefit from this as the main club in South London.

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. Groucho Marx

Bring in a Johnson or Evans in on 80k it won't just cost us 80k as the rest of the team will want rises!
We take low risk gambles some pay of some don't!
Puncheon
Dann
Ledley
Souare
McCarthur
Kelly

then there is
Fryers
Marriapa(not so much now)
Campbell

We have to remember you got to build a squad so some of the players like chung and Sako may not be players who start but they improve our squad.

I for now would like us to give some of our youth a chance but this is getting harder and harder in a teamer with higher and higher expectations and fans with growing short sight.

I agree.

It's just frustrating when you see other clubs around us big and small going about there business strengthening there squad.
Newcastle are supposedly looking at Berahinio and Townsend. Them 2 plus Shelvey is some pretty good business.
This isn't a new thing with Palace, we clearly struggle to attract top players. Obviously not counting Cabaye but that was more to do with his previous relationship with Pardew.
This is the 3rd season that we are once again looking in the reject bin.
1.Bent
2.Bendtner
3.Adebayor

Theres Only One Darren Pitcher

Oh here we go again. I usually keep well away from this but I am going to voice my opinion this time as some of these comments are ridiculous. We have a little spell where we are not over achieving and pushing on to get top 4 and all of a sudden we only buy 'from the scrap pile' and 'never attract quality players'. Really? Knee Jerk comments in abundance. Quit your jibber jabber springs to mind. It was only at the start of the season we were being commended for buying the right players and moving forward. Also, we are in a strong position unlike say Newcastle for example. They have to buy to try and avoid relegation... We don't. Therefore if the right player comes along be sure that Parish will pay the right money to bring them in. But let's not just buy for the sake of it. It would be better to save the cash to buy in the summer for the right player. It's not fantasy football. The owner isn't going to buy players just to appease knee jerk ignorant and stupid fans who think that brings success when in fact it will give us a squad of rejects again.

Edited by I'mPalace Till I Die (19 Jan 2016 12.49pm)