The Crystal Palace Rollercoaster

Article by e-Crystal Palace Correspondent Darryl Murdoch

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As we enter the final two months of the season, Crystal Palace sit just one place and three points ahead of the relegation zone in the Barclay’s Premier League. The team who occupy the 3rd relegation zone, Gus Poyet’s Sunderland have two games in hand on the Eagles – albeit tricky away trips to the Etihad and Anfield, but games in hand nonetheless. What is crystal clear (excuse the pun) now, if it wasn’t already, is that another season at Selhurst Park is going down to the wire. Not a problem really for us Palace fans, ‘cos we’re used to it!

It’s not often, that come ‘squeaky bum time’ us Palace supporters can sit back, put our feet up and light a cigar and watch on as fans of other teams go through the wringer. I’ve been a Palace supporter all my life, with my first game coming in the late 1980’s and when discussing it recently I could really only remember a couple of seasons where there was nothing for the boys in red and blue to play for, and even if there wasn’t promotion or relegation to occupy our minds there was something else going on to keep us on the edge of our seats.

Here’s a review of the last 10 seasons as a Palace fan… No wonder we’re all mental!

2012/13 – A Kevin Phillips penalty at Wembley sends Palace to the Premier League with a 1-0 Play off final win over Watford. Dougie Freedman’s Palace (as they were then) start the season as relegation favourites and after 3 straight defeats at the start of the season look very much like them until a brilliant unbeaten run results in ‘The Doog’ being offered the job at Bolton, which he takes, and Ian Holloway’s arrival to replace him. Palace are briefly top of the Championship, but a terrible run between February and May sees them limp into the Play offs.

Holloway masterminds a 2-0 win at the Amex to beat the ‘Weed thanks to two Wilf goals and it was to be the academy graduate who won the penalty in his last appearance for the club which gave Super Kev the chance to send us up.

2011/12 – A rare end of season with nothing to play for come the end of the campaign, although the heartbreaking Carling Cup Semi Final defeat to Cardiff City on penalties was probably enough for us to cope with. Not to mention the win at Old Trafford and the famous 3-1 win at the Amex. #FFSMurray

2010/11 – Palace secured their Championship survival with a draw away at Hull thanks to Ibra Sekajja’s first professional goal in the penultimate game of the season. Dougie Freedman’s appointment to replace the sacked George Burley in January was key to the Eagles’ survival.

2009/10 – Heroes of Hillsborough. Neil Warnock’s Palace, having been as high as 6th in early January are plunged into administration and a 10 point deduction sees them needing at least a draw on a last day shoot out away at Sheffield Wednesday. If Palace win or draw they are safe and Wednesday are down. A win for the home side and The Eagles will play 3rd tier football for the first time since the mid to late 70’s.

Goals from Alan Lee and Darren Ambrose earn Paul Hart’s side (Warnock had walked out to join money bags QPR in March) a draw and salvation as ex-Eagle Alan Irvine’s side face the drop to League One.

The drama isn’t over there, as the club’s administration literally goes down to the wire as fan’s protests outside Selhurst and Lloyds Bank HQ play a pivotal role in CPFC2010’s take over which saves the club from potential liquidation.

2008/2009 – A rare season with not much to play for at Selhurst as a brief flirtation with the top 6 around Christmas fizzles out to a disappointing lower mid table finish as Neil Warnock’s side flatter to deceive.

2007/2008 – Another season on the red and blue rollercoaster as former hero Peter Taylor is sacked with Palace in the Championship’s bottom three. Neil Warnock is appointed and takes the Eagles on a magic run, akin to Dowie’s side a few years before. A 5-0 home win against Burnley secures our play off place, but two semi final defeats to Bristol City end Palace’s hopes of a Premier League return. An 81st minute Ben Watson penalty in the second leg hits the post and Palace succumb in Extra time at the Ashton Gate.

2006/20007 – Simon Jordan’s legal action against former boss Iain Dowie was the big talking point off the pitch as Palace had an up and down season which saw them eventually finish 12th in the Championship table. The loss of key players after the previous season’s failure to make an instant return to the top flight was the main reason for the inconsistency of the team during Peter Taylor’s first season in charge.

2005/2006 – Following Simon Jordan’s proclamation on the eve of the season that Palace would easily win the Championship title, Iain Dowie’s side eventually finished 6th in the table and were handed their backsides on a plate by Aidy Boothroyd’s Watford, who left Selhurst with a 3-0 play off first leg advantage that Palace were unable to overturn in a turgid second leg at Vicarage Road. Dowie soon left to return back to the north join Charlton and was replaced by Palace legend Peter Taylor.

2004/2005 – Palace’s last season before the current one in the Premier League included a home win over soon to be crowned European Champions Liverpool, a creditable draw against the ‘invincibles’ of Arsenal and 20 league goals from Andrew Johnson (second only to Thierry Henry in the race for the golden boot.) Unfortunately for Palace it also included too many 0-1 home defeats, a Danny Higginbotham goal in the 25th minute of injury time and relegation on the last day of the season at The Valley of all places. Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la and all that. Needless to say, like Alan Partridge, we had the last laugh.

2003/2004 – If one season encapsulated Crystal Palace Football club, it is this one. Top of the league after three games under club legend Steve Kember, it all started so well. Palace then went on a terrible run and contrived to lose 5-0 away to Wigan live on Sky and Kember was gone. Iain Dowie was recruited from Oldham and despite a 0-1 loss at home to Millwall on Boxing Day in his first game in charge he led us from the bottom three to the top 6 by the end of the season in what I still describe as my favourite ever time to be a Palace fan.

Defeat at Highfield Road in the last game could have cost Palace their place in the play offs, but a last minute Brian Deane goal for West Ham against Wigan meant that Palace were in, and in a twist of fate would face the Hammers in the final at the Millennium Stadium. The semi final tie with Sunderland that came before summed up the season – it truly was a rollercoaster – Palace won the first leg 3-2 with a late AJ winner before Darren Powell’s header took the game to penalties after it seemed Palace would bow out heroically. The shoot out was a harrowing affair as it seemed that no one wanted to win it, until midfield dynamo Michael Hughes fired Palace into the final.

On that day at the Millennium Stadium the self proclaimed ‘Academy of Football’ wasn’t enough for Dowie’s men and skipper Neil Shipperley’s tap in took Palace back to the promised land after the most ridiculous of seasons!

As you can see, the talk of a “Red and Blue Rollercoaster” at Selhurst Park isn’t an exaggeration. The ten seasons before this weren’t exactly quiet either!!!

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