August 18 2004

Crystal Palace

Palace defender FITZ HALL says the chance to work with the Dowie brothers and fitness coach John Harbin convinced him to sign from Southampton, by Joseph O'Shea.

The highly-rated 23-year-old signed a four year contract last Thursday, after the clubs finally concluded a £1.5million transfer and he made an impressive debut in midfield at Carrow Road on Saturday.

HALL said: "Once I knew they were in for me I always wanted to come to Palace and work with Iain Dowie again. I wasn’t playing regularly for Southampton, so when I got the phone call I was delighted."

Having been released by Barnet, HALL played under Bob Dowie at non-league Chesham and it was on his recommendation that Iain spent £30,000 to take him to Oldham.

An outstanding season at Boundary Park where he scored five goals in 50 appearances saw Saints shell out £250,000 11months ago, but he made just 11 appearances at St Mary’s and jumped at the chance of a reunion with the Dowies and Harbin.

HALL said: "They got my career started and took me out of non-league football. When you are playing non-league you think you are never going to get out of it, so I am lucky to have been given a chance.

"I spoke to Iain and said I wanted to come and play for him, and if he’s staying for four years, I want to."

And Dowie’s confidence in HALL’s ability was evident on Saturday when he selected him out-of-position in central midfield, for his debut just three days after joining the club.

He said: "I didn’t think I would be playing centre midfield, but I just got on with it and I enjoyed the game. I prefer to play centre half."

He is already feeling quite settled in SE25 but admits he may be a little behind the rest of the squad in terms of pre-season conditioning.

He said: "I knew Bob Dowie, Iain and John Harbin before I even came here, so it’s been easy to settle in quickly and everyone has made me feel welcome.

"I have had a pre-season with Saints, so I am in good shape, but maybe not John Harbin’s shape."

HALL’s meteoric rise through the football ranks may not have peaked yet and he would love to achieve international recognition with England.

He added: "I’d love to play for England one day, but at the moment I just want to have a good season in the Premier league with Palace."

Kick by Kick with Joseph O’Shea

Having been shunted out of the press box to make way for national journalists, we were unable to upload our internet kick by kick reports from Carrow Road on Saturday. Apologies to those who logged, but we will be back with our new Premiership format for the visit of Everton this Saturday.

For the fullest reports available anywhere on the web during the match - Log onto: Live Croydon Guardian text commentary