Crystal Palace Board Building Their Legacy

Article by Dave Graham

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Last year, the day after promotion, Steve Parish gave an interview that really resonated with me. I'm sure it did with most Palace fans.

"We need to make sure there's a legacy from all this," he said. The "all this", was in reference to promotion and subsequent riches it would bring.

I remember thinking to myself, he's right, we've been here before.

The thought almost took the gloss off of things. Long-term, what was the point of being excited? We were highly likely to find ourselves back in the second tier in 12 months. And a while later in administration. And most importantly, and what Parish was getting at, with nothing to show for promotion.

I was being a bit pessimistic I know, but this is Palace and history had a habit of repeating itself.

But Parish kept saying the right things. I believed in him and the rest of the board. The gloss remained.

There was a brief period of disillusion I admit (after last summer's transfer window). Then Pulis came in and miracles happened. The belief I have in CPFC2010 (our board) is now even stronger.

This faith makes every success we have, all the more enjoyable. In the knowledge that we are focused on said "legacy".

Pulis is clearly on board, telling the South London Press recently, "You have to look at the front of the house - which is the players. But then there is the training ground and other facilities, more investment in recruitment and the academy - so all the way through it needs to filter down."

Such faith your club's hierarchy is rare nowadays and I for one am grateful. You only have to look at Newcastle and the mess at Leeds.

My contentment only grew when, over the past few days, I became probably the last remaining Palace fan to read Simon Jordan's book.

A great read. I liked the guy before, and still do. He was a fan chasing a dream. Boy did he waste some money though, and ultimately he failed in that chase.

A result of such failings is that the current board can look to the mistakes of others, as well as their own and find guidance.

I point to examples such the aforementioned transfer window. Or going way back, to Neil Ruddock - paid 10k a week, having only very recently exited the Goldberg-induced administration.

Parish this week said the club would be "driving everybody mad by making the deals that are right". He was talking about transfers. So refreshing.

The way the summer 2013 transfer window was approached smacked of short-termism, naivety and panic. We started well (Gayle), but ended in a fluster, losing focus on the task at hand. A number of average players for inflated prices. Not - the deals that were right.

This summer, we can be confident that there will be no such repeat. It will be calculated, focussed. Like January.

If you've read Jordan's book, you'll know he says that Neil Warnock was his best appointment. Unquestionably, in my opinion.

Pulis is the current regime's.

CPFC2010, have begun to do what others didn't - build a legacy, theirs, with Pulis as a partner.

One issue that lingers is the (or a new) stadium. Selhurst's cosmetic surgery since promotion and the new under-soil heating is a step forward. We all ask the same question however, long-term is the plan to stay, or start a new?

I'd wager my flat that when Parish said "legacy" an image of a shiny new Selhurst flashed before his eyes.

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