November 4 2004

Andy Johnson

"AJ for En-ger-land" sang the Palace faithful at St Andrews on Saturday after watching the irrepressible Palace striker increase his Premiership goal tally to 8.

Fantasy it may to be to suggest that Johnson will be anywhere near the squad that flies out to Madrid to face Spain in the a friendly on November 17th, but if Jermain Defoe can be selected on less than half the goals Johnson has scored he cannot be far off.

For any Palace fan to see “one of theirs” selected for international honours always induces a sense of pride, especially if that player happens to playing for your country.

It is reminiscent of the heady days when Ian Wright was first called up to England as an Eagle, and the subsequent selection of the likes of Geoff Thomas, John Salako and Andy Gray.

Although Iain Dowie would prefer Johnson to not be involved just yet, surely the fanciful will become the inevitable if the goals continue to flow.

When Johnson does make his debut we’ll be able to point at the screen with immense satisfaction, rather than clutching at straws claiming that the likes of Ashley Cole and Gareth Southgate learnt their trade at Selhurst Park.

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