June 13 2013

Ron Noades

Former chairman Ron Noades says it's vital Selhurst Park is redeveloped if Crystal Palace are to prosper.

Although Noades was in charge during Palace's most successful era and the increase in cash that came with it, many people feel he could have made a better job of the stadium.

The new Whitehorse Lane Stand reduced the capacity, while the Holmesdale Stand was built incomplete, with floors not ready and the basement reportedly having a flooding problem.

Simon Jordan added the Red 'n' Blue bar to the Holmesdale Stand and introduced the giant screen, but he failed to invest much more into the dilapidated ground. In his book, Jordan questioned where the money Noades raised for the Holmesdale Stand actually went.

Co-chairman Steve Parish has made it clear that a redeveloped Selhurst or move to a new stadium is crucial, however Noades has kindly offered some words of wisdom to the board.

He said: "To my mind if Palace do not do something about the ground they will forever be yo-yo-ing between the two divisions.

"No one has done anything about the ground since I left there and that only enabled us to be a good competitive Championship side. It gave us a capacity of 26,500 and in the Premier League that is no good.

"I said to Steve Parish that if you build a main stand, which I got planning consent for, you can increase income profit by £2.5million or £3million a year.

"With all of that you might have a chance of keeping the next Zaha because of your income levels.

"If they do not improve the infrastructure they will always be selling players at the age of 20 for not top money with Zaha as an exception."

Noades reckons that manager Ian Holloway is key to Palace surviving their first season back in the top flight.

He said: "The four owners have done really well, Parish has done well and you cannot fault anything they have done. Everything they have done has turned to gold.

"They are all in an absolutely brilliant position and getting Ian Holloway has proven a masterstroke. The chances of survival is down to Ian Holloway’s knowledge of players.

"He has been in for a couple of players from Blackpool that he will know inside out which obviously should be good acquisitions. I think next season is down to Ian whether they survive or not."