September 1 2025

Selhurst Park

After our phenomenal and historic exploits in the domestic 2024/25 campaign, it has become a bitter sweet summer for Crystal Palace fans, writes Peter Blake.

A first ever major trophy win as we took the FA Cup away from Manchester City, led to daft ownership questions and a demotion to the Europa Conference League when we had earned on sporting merit and integrity a place in the more lucrative Europa League.

Having dusted ourselves off from that unfairness whilst a multi club owner went the blind trust route and had no involvement in his team whatsoever. He appeared on the pitch to berate his manager when anyone else not involved with the club would have been charged for invading the pitch, we had a semi decent summer transfer window and managed to keep hold of Marc Guehi.

For fans who like a flutter and use Boylesports premier league Betting for their punts, Guehi staying would not have featured highly in their choices at one point in the window - but here we are.

I should note the 25-year-old clearly wanted away, we know he is not signing a new deal, but he conducted himself with far more of a moral compass than some of his opposition colleagues at other clubs. I do not think there is a fan at Selhurst Park who will not thank him for that, doubt his commitment for the rest of the season, and then wish him the very best for whatever his future career holds.

But after such a busy, and tumultuous summer, fans just want to focus on the campaign and our upcoming European journey. Even though the transfer window has only just shut - that Jean-Philippe Mateta is not interested in a move to Leeds United, but is interested in a move to Aston Villa, and claims that Tottenham Hotspur have just bizarrely been given a new price for him after claims of a failed attempt in August are the last thing anyone wants right now.

Add that to additional reports that midfield star Adam Wharton has now appeared on shortlists for Chelsea, Newcastle United and Liverpool, September is turning into another pretty horrible month when it comes to off pitch matters. There will certainly be those amongst the fan base who feel that this is now a more determined attempt from some quarters to derail what could be a legendary season in our long history.

We all get newspapers and online outlets need to make money to survive and continue serving their purpose, and many fans are already sick to death of clickbait attempts to draw readers in with claims that simply cannot be substantiated - and actually often are not substantiated when an article is read as opposed to a headline being believed - but this is frankly getting ridiculous.

We are a week and a half through September, and no club is finalising their potential targets for the January New Year window, or the summer just yet, and any outlet continuing to claim in this day an age that they have a fly on the wall of boardroom's around the country should hang their heads in shame and take a long hard look in the mirror.

But that is what we get day in, and day out and I am sick of it. I trust I am not alone.