August 8 2010

Selhurst Park

Palace kick-started the new season with a 3-2 win over Leicester City. But it was a close thing towards the end, reports Jamesey.

Another season, another manager and a very different team were on the menu on Saturday (Aug 7).

A crowd of 17,486 (including a large contingent of Foxes supporters) turned out on a wet afternoon but were treated to some first-rate entertainment.

Before the proceedings started we were given a red-and-blue streamer display covering the Holmesdale and the crowd were able to produce a massive ovation to CPFC2010 co-chairmen, Steve Parish and Martin Long when they appeared on the pitch.

They "saved our club" boomed the announcer and I was uncomfortably reminded of how many times that expression had been applied to the departed and unlamented Simon Jordan in the early years of his reign.

However, let's put all that behind us. As far as can be seen, we are now run by eminently sensible directors who don't have enormous egos and have great respect for the fans, unlike Mr Jordan who always claimed to care about the fans but obviously didn't. And, now, we even own our ground.

An extremely new-look Palace team ran out onto the pitch, including Burley new boys, Julian Bennett, Owen Garvan and Andy Dorman, plus Academy kids, Wilfried Zaha and Kieron Cadogan.

It would be invidious to praise any individuals because, at least in the first half, the whole team played excellently. We all enjoyed the spectacle of thoughtful passing football.

The Academy kids both did exceptionally well and it was lovely to see Wilfried bang in our first goal - that won't do his confidence any harm.

Two more followed and we ran in 3-0 up at half time. That was a slightly flattering scoreline because the Foxes looked a fine team but their chances wouldn't go in. Ours did.

My premonitions were well founded in the second period when Leicester tore into us. The manager brought on Alassane N'Diaye, Kieran Djilali and then Calvin Andrew but by the 84th minute the Foxes had grabbed two goals back.

The final minutes were "squeaky bum" time with a vengeance but with the help of Julian Speroni, who was superb throughout the game, we held on.

So it was a happy ending, the rain stopped and we started our 2010-11 campaign with three points. Let joy be unconfined.

My day was tinged with great sadness, nevertheless. My old friend and season-ticket neighbour of 25 years, Gordon Winskill, passed away during the summer.

His empty seat will soon, of course, be filled by other neighbours but his Palace credentials almost make me ashamed to call myself a "veteran".

Gordon would have been 90 this month and was still getting to some games at the beginning of last season.

To my astonishment, at the funeral the vicar mentioned that Gordon had been a World War II fighter pilot. He had never even mentioned it to me. That is modesty to the ultimate degree.

Email Jamesey with your comments to jevans3704@aol.com

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