January 4 2006

FA Cup Final

Although planned as a charity fundraising event, a reconstruction of the 1990 Cup Final is a superb jewel in our centenary crown, writes Jamesey.

"It was the time of roses,

We plucked them as we passed!"

(Thomas Hood)

Ah, the early and mid-90s. What palmy days.

We seemed to be popping up to Wembley every five minutes... the Cup Final, the Cup Final replay, the ZDS Cup, two play-off finals.

They were heady times to be an Eagles supporter and I was delighted to hear about Geoff Thomas's project to reconstruct the 1990 Cup Final with as many of the actual participants as he can get hold of.

I am sure most HOL members who, like me, were there on that wonderful May day in 1990 will number the occasion as one of the highlights of their lives, not just in the football area, but in all walks.

The Daily Telegraph (Dec 21), carried an excellent double page spread by Robert Philip, in which the life, good times and not-so-good times of Geoff Thomas were sympathetically chronicled.

Well, enough words have been written on this website, by myself and others, about the inspirational role Geoff Thomas played in the success of CPFC in the late 80s and early 90s. I need say no more.

It is now, of course, common knowledge that Geoff has won (we desperately hope) his battle with leukaemia and has been raising funds (doing the Tour de France among other things) for research into the disease.

Geoff has already had the okay from Sir Alex Ferguson and Steve Coppell for the 1990 event and the date will be Thursday April 6 2006 (7.45pm) at Selhurst Park.

Tickets, priced from £15 (£5 concessions), are available from the Crystal Palace Box Office on 08712 000071, email boxoffice@cpfc.co.uk or visit www.cpfc.co.uk

Looking at the teams who walked out 15 years ago makes interesting reading.

Man U: Leighton, Ince, Martin (Blackmore), Bruce, Phelan, Pallister (Robins), Robson, Webb, McClair, Hughes, Wallace. Manager Alex Ferguson.

C Palace: Martyn, Pemberton, Shaw, Gray (Madden), O'Reilly, Thorn, Barber (Wright), Thomas, Salako, Pardew. Manager Steve Coppell.

The most astonishing revelation, reading the above list, is that five of them are now Premiership football managers - Bruce (Birmingham), Robson (WBA), Hughes (Blackburn), Pardew (W Ham) and, of course, Ferguson still stands at the helm of Man U.

Steve Coppell, as we all know, now manages Reading in the Championship.

Of the players, Nigel Martyn is still playing Premiership football at Everton, Richard Shaw turned out for Coventry at Selhurst Park last month and Paul Ince plays for Wolves.

John Salako was certainly still playing until quite recently but I am not too sure about any of the others.

And Gary O'Reilly is now, of course, an accomplished and authoritative radio football pundit.

Well, wherever the game is held, I, for one, will be basking in my memories of that sunny day when we walked up Wembley Way to see that dramatic 3-3 draw. The occasion promises to evoke a host of magical memories.

Email Jamesey with any of your comments to Jevans3704@aol.com