December 21 2008

Neil Warnock

Jamesey relished a full-blooded game of football when Palace grabbed a point away at Bramall Lane.

It was West Ham 1, Palace 2. Hang on, there, your columnist hasn't lost his marbles and succumbed to the final stages of dementia.

I am merely referring to the number of viewers watching the two games being shown in the front and back rooms of my Wandsworth local.

As I have said before, Wandsworth is a strong Chelsea stronghold and although I have seen the odd Palace shirt in the area, for the past year or two, my charming Aussie landlord has been only too willing to show any Palace away games on one of his screens - usually to an audience of one. Me.

It could be because his Dad was a £10 Pom emigrant back in the 60s and came from Selhurst or it could even be because of the steady but not excessive, I think, amount of cash I pass over his bar during the rest of the time in exchange for delicious Young's Special Bitter.

Anyhow it was good to have doubled the viewing figures in the form of an uncommitted London football enthusiast who, when he quickly saw I was an Eagles supporter, had no hesitation in becoming an honorary Palace fan for the game.

Because of Palace manager Neil Warnock's strong Sheffield United connections, any return to Bramall Lane with another club is always going to have an extra appeal and Sky's football executives obviously weren't slow to spot that.

As for the match itself, I found it exciting and full of drama. Whether that would have been the case for a neutral, I don't really know. It was certainly a good, old-fashioned game of English football, with no room for the faint-hearted.

But even in blood-and-guts, gladiatorial confrontations, Montgomery's tackle on Jose Fonte was completely beyond the pale. Possibly the referee, didn't have time to grasp the seriousness of the lunge but the TV replays showed quite clearly that such a reckless and violent effort could easily have ended the Palace man's playing career. Definitely a red card.

As for the Sheffield United penalty? Well, we can argue about penalties till the cows come home. Personally, I didn't think it was remotely a spot kick but then, the referee did. And that was that.

Fortunately, Nicky Carle's last-ditch goal ended the game at 2-2 and I am certainly not complaining at the result. Isn't it blissful when you nick a point in the dying seconds?

We are still nicely placed for the play-offs so let's hope for three points on Boxing Day when Delia's Canaries fly in.

Email Jamesey with your comments to jevans3704@aol.com

In Depth Jamesey's Veteran View Index