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Palace Old Geezer Midhurst 01 Feb 21 3.04pm | |
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I started supporting Palace in the late 50’s when Dad and I went on the bus every other week from Wallington, changing at West Croydon, to stand on the Holmesdale Road terrace. I squeaked ‘Up The Palace’ and rattled my, hand painted, black and white rattle as loudly as I could. I can remember the stinking Gents down the back and the Bovril hut which was roughly where the away dressing rooms are today... and I loved it. We always went to the same spot and I’d perch on the barrier until I was big enough to stand and peer through a gap in the crowd. If I was lucky Dad would buy some peanuts from the bloke hawking his wares. Occasionally we’d walk right round the ground – there was only one stand in those days – and watch the second half at the Whitehorse Lane end if we were playing in that direction ‘so we could see all the goals go in’. When the game was a bit dull I’d wander round picking up the empty beer bottles from by the men’s feet and return them to the Bovril hut where they were worth a penny each... and I loved it. The 60’s were a blur and in 1971 I married and work took me away from the area, but I’ve never lost my Palace passion. I’m not a season ticket holder and I don’t get to many games now. The last match I saw was in October 2019 when Man City beat us 2-0... and I loved it. Not the result – just being there. Thing is, there are a lot of negative comments on here and, to be honest, it irks me although I am pleased to see some more positive and realistic things being written recently. We all accept that Crystal Palace FC is not a big club, but that’s the attraction isn’t it? I am retired now, but when I was out earning a crust I tried my best to do a good job although sometimes things didn’t work out. Well, as far as I’m concerned, Steve Parish tries hard to do a great job at Palace and let’s face it, he’s done exceedingly well. Same goes for Roy who has done a brilliant job in keeping us in the world’s greatest football league for a record period of time. Some of the criticism he and some of our players get on here is unfair I think. Sure, we sometimes play a nervy game and tactics such as his late and seemingly strange substitutions appear odd, but everyone at the club tries their best for it to be a success and it is quite normal if it doesn’t work out every time. A few of our players are not always performing at their best, but that doesn’t mean they’re not trying. I could name some that I regard as past their ‘Best Before’ date, but that would defeat the point of this post. Our great club is run by a Board of lifelong supporters, the manager supported us when he was a lad and we are fortunate to have many loyal, long serving folk, including ex –players working hard behind the scenes to make the club a success within a limited budget. It always feels to me like ‘our’ club rather than ‘the’ club and I love it that way. I suspect that, despite the criticism on here sometimes, most of us would be appalled if we were owned and run by a multinational conglomerate and managed by one of our friends from abroad. It wouldn’t feel right and, anyway, it was tried before Roy came on board and it certainly didn’t work then. We will continue this strange season with more great results and a share of disappointments, but we will not be relegated. We will enjoy some sparkling football and endure some dour games. We will leap off the sofa and hide behind same in equal measure I suspect. Who knows what the future holds these days, but one thing is certain, being a Palace supporter will never be dull. And I love it that way!
Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled. |
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Teddy Eagle 01 Feb 21 3.18pm | |
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Tom-the-eagle Croydon 01 Feb 21 4.14pm | |
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Originally posted by Palace Old Geezer
I started supporting Palace in the late 50’s when Dad and I went on the bus every other week from Wallington, changing at West Croydon, to stand on the Holmesdale Road terrace. I squeaked ‘Up The Palace’ and rattled my, hand painted, black and white rattle as loudly as I could. I can remember the stinking Gents down the back and the Bovril hut which was roughly where the away dressing rooms are today... and I loved it. We always went to the same spot and I’d perch on the barrier until I was big enough to stand and peer through a gap in the crowd. If I was lucky Dad would buy some peanuts from the bloke hawking his wares. Occasionally we’d walk right round the ground – there was only one stand in those days – and watch the second half at the Whitehorse Lane end if we were playing in that direction ‘so we could see all the goals go in’. When the game was a bit dull I’d wander round picking up the empty beer bottles from by the men’s feet and return them to the Bovril hut where they were worth a penny each... and I loved it. The 60’s were a blur and in 1971 I married and work took me away from the area, but I’ve never lost my Palace passion. I’m not a season ticket holder and I don’t get to many games now. The last match I saw was in October 2019 when Man City beat us 2-0... and I loved it. Not the result – just being there. Thing is, there are a lot of negative comments on here and, to be honest, it irks me although I am pleased to see some more positive and realistic things being written recently. We all accept that Crystal Palace FC is not a big club, but that’s the attraction isn’t it? I am retired now, but when I was out earning a crust I tried my best to do a good job although sometimes things didn’t work out. Well, as far as I’m concerned, Steve Parish tries hard to do a great job at Palace and let’s face it, he’s done exceedingly well. Same goes for Roy who has done a brilliant job in keeping us in the world’s greatest football league for a record period of time. Some of the criticism he and some of our players get on here is unfair I think. Sure, we sometimes play a nervy game and tactics such as his late and seemingly strange substitutions appear odd, but everyone at the club tries their best for it to be a success and it is quite normal if it doesn’t work out every time. A few of our players are not always performing at their best, but that doesn’t mean they’re not trying. I could name some that I regard as past their ‘Best Before’ date, but that would defeat the point of this post. Our great club is run by a Board of lifelong supporters, the manager supported us when he was a lad and we are fortunate to have many loyal, long serving folk, including ex –players working hard behind the scenes to make the club a success within a limited budget. It always feels to me like ‘our’ club rather than ‘the’ club and I love it that way. I suspect that, despite the criticism on here sometimes, most of us would be appalled if we were owned and run by a multinational conglomerate and managed by one of our friends from abroad. It wouldn’t feel right and, anyway, it was tried before Roy came on board and it certainly didn’t work then. We will continue this strange season with more great results and a share of disappointments, but we will not be relegated. We will enjoy some sparkling football and endure some dour games. We will leap off the sofa and hide behind same in equal measure I suspect. Who knows what the future holds these days, but one thing is certain, being a Palace supporter will never be dull. And I love it that way! Wonderful post fella. You capture what being a Palace fan really means. It’s not all about the winning, but being part of something, a sense of identity and life long memories. Going to read your post to my kids tonight. COYP
"It feels much better than it ever did, much more sensitive." John Wayne Bobbit |
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Palace Old Geezer Midhurst 01 Feb 21 4.23pm | |
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Thanks Tom. I'm touched.
Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled. |
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bifffabazz Highworth, Wiltshire 01 Feb 21 4.29pm | |
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Amen brother, top post. I worked as the scoreboard operator from its birth in 1989 to its demise when we got thr first jumbotron. I did my job, got in hot out and was privileged to witness some great times. I got it.
Bring on the vaccine, the controlling of Covid and the return of us all to the Palace rollercoaster.
Spirit of 1974 |
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johnmcormick8 Brundish 01 Feb 21 4.39pm | |
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aye brother your 100% right, think what you wrote should be shown to everyone on here so folk understand who we are. Up the Palace!
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JRW2 Dulwich 01 Feb 21 5.21pm | |
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To me, the opening words of the OP - "I started supporting Palace in the late 50s" - provide the basis for all that follows. I am certainly of that era, and I think that for me and the rest of us veterans that has two consequences. First, we are probably wiser, certainly more philosophical and certainly more realistic than in our younger days about life in general. And second, more specifically as Palace supporters, we have been through the mangle and back more times than we can probably remember: 3rd division south, founder members of the new bottom (4th) division, yo-yoing between 1st, 2nd and 3rd divisions, great results, disgraceful results. No need to go on. I still love it.
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becky over the moon 01 Feb 21 6.24pm | |
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Originally posted by johnmcormick8
aye brother your 100% right, think what you wrote should be shown to everyone on here so folk understand who we are. Up the Palace! Being of the same generation as the OP, and sharing the same sentiments, I'm pinning this post to the top for a while!
A stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell give some indication of expected traffic numbers |
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Palace Old Geezer Midhurst 01 Feb 21 6.39pm | |
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JRW2 - Quite!
Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled. |
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Palace Old Geezer Midhurst 01 Feb 21 6.54pm | |
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Thanks Becky.
Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled. |
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Plaistow Eagle 01 Feb 21 7.14pm | |
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Originally posted by Palace Old Geezer
I started supporting Palace in the late 50’s when Dad and I went on the bus every other week from Wallington, changing at West Croydon, to stand on the Holmesdale Road terrace. I squeaked ‘Up The Palace’ and rattled my, hand painted, black and white rattle as loudly as I could. I can remember the stinking Gents down the back and the Bovril hut which was roughly where the away dressing rooms are today... and I loved it. We always went to the same spot and I’d perch on the barrier until I was big enough to stand and peer through a gap in the crowd. If I was lucky Dad would buy some peanuts from the bloke hawking his wares. Occasionally we’d walk right round the ground – there was only one stand in those days – and watch the second half at the Whitehorse Lane end if we were playing in that direction ‘so we could see all the goals go in’. When the game was a bit dull I’d wander round picking up the empty beer bottles from by the men’s feet and return them to the Bovril hut where they were worth a penny each... and I loved it. The 60’s were a blur and in 1971 I married and work took me away from the area, but I’ve never lost my Palace passion. I’m not a season ticket holder and I don’t get to many games now. The last match I saw was in October 2019 when Man City beat us 2-0... and I loved it. Not the result – just being there. Thing is, there are a lot of negative comments on here and, to be honest, it irks me although I am pleased to see some more positive and realistic things being written recently. We all accept that Crystal Palace FC is not a big club, but that’s the attraction isn’t it? I am retired now, but when I was out earning a crust I tried my best to do a good job although sometimes things didn’t work out. Well, as far as I’m concerned, Steve Parish tries hard to do a great job at Palace and let’s face it, he’s done exceedingly well. Same goes for Roy who has done a brilliant job in keeping us in the world’s greatest football league for a record period of time. Some of the criticism he and some of our players get on here is unfair I think. Sure, we sometimes play a nervy game and tactics such as his late and seemingly strange substitutions appear odd, but everyone at the club tries their best for it to be a success and it is quite normal if it doesn’t work out every time. A few of our players are not always performing at their best, but that doesn’t mean they’re not trying. I could name some that I regard as past their ‘Best Before’ date, but that would defeat the point of this post. Our great club is run by a Board of lifelong supporters, the manager supported us when he was a lad and we are fortunate to have many loyal, long serving folk, including ex –players working hard behind the scenes to make the club a success within a limited budget. It always feels to me like ‘our’ club rather than ‘the’ club and I love it that way. I suspect that, despite the criticism on here sometimes, most of us would be appalled if we were owned and run by a multinational conglomerate and managed by one of our friends from abroad. It wouldn’t feel right and, anyway, it was tried before Roy came on board and it certainly didn’t work then. We will continue this strange season with more great results and a share of disappointments, but we will not be relegated. We will enjoy some sparkling football and endure some dour games. We will leap off the sofa and hide behind same in equal measure I suspect. Who knows what the future holds these days, but one thing is certain, being a Palace supporter will never be dull. And I love it that way! Mate first and foremost excellent post..!! I was born down Holmesdale Road, so Palace is in my blood through thick and thin..!! My two boys started off as Chelsea supporters but soon saw the light, errors of their ways and are now ardent Palace fans as is my Grandson, I have another on the way in the next week or so and sure he will follow the family tradition..!! I'm a little younger than you - so going to my first Palace game would have been around 1975/6. So in the times of Taylor/Harkouk. My Dad built me a little box I could stand on so I could see all over the heads in front of me. I distinctly and fondly remember taking it with me to watch Fulham away..!! But - you always knew there would be a "but" where I disagree with you, is that we are no longer that "little Palace" - we are now a Premiership side in our 8th consecutive season. With all that comes with that, so the finances, the fans expectations, maintaining our Premiership status etc.. Yes it's very nice to paint a picture of "our team" being managed by "one of our own" - but if that ain't working which it is not then the "downside" is severe and potentially catastrophic..!! That's the reality of the Premiership world I am afraid - it's a results driven business and has no place for sentiment. Before you say it - yes it's sad indictment, but you're either with it or you ain't because that is the reality in the here and now..!! COYP
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Palace Old Geezer Midhurst 01 Feb 21 8.20pm | |
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Sure. I do understand and you're right, it is potentially scary,but the point is it's not for us to try and influence what's going on. OK for us to comment and have a view, but we have to leave it to the experts.
Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled. |
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