Biggest fan protest in 10 years planned for 28th November

Palace fans will sensationally march on Selhurst Park to protest at perceived heavy handed stewarding in recent games. More than 200 fans are expected to join the protest that is scheduled for the home match with Watford on 28th November.

The problem of stewarding has long been a bug bear of many of the more vocal sections of supporters who wish to be a part of the atmosphere on a match day. Not merely sit on their hands for 90 minutes and at the end, win, lose or draw applaud both teams and say a very well done to the visiting fans.

This problem came to a head when during Saturday's game with Middlesbrough their were reports of seven young fans (albeit the club claimed four) being ejected from the Holmesdale for offences ranging from 'jumping up and down', standing, making hand gestures and swearing. Now I'm sorry if this makes me a criminal but I do believe I have in the past directed hand gestures towards away fans and maybe once or twice have even sworn at the bastards; pardon my French.

People need to get it into their heads that this is how Football is and any more attempts at sanitising it further will result in the death of it and our club. Yes there are kids in the ground and some parents would prefer it if their children didn't hear such language. But if that is the case sit in the family stand or the main stand, in fact at Selhurst you can have the privilege of sitting in most areas of the ground without being subjected to these perceived atrocities.

However I don't believe these latest goings on have anything to do with this. The Police and stewarding were to blame for grossly over-estimating the number of police they needed at this 'high-risk' fixture between two clubs that hadn't played each other for years and who's fans were sharing pints in the same pubs before the game. So the Police were left with a heavy presence inside a football stadium with nothing to do; they must have been a bit worried at this point "how will we possibly explain this to the chief? He's going to have my guts for garters if we don't justify this."



Luckily some fans in block B had the temerity to swear in a singing section of a football ground and acted; one eye witness reported that a young lad was swamped by seven Policemen and was left badly bruised.

The club have released a statement regarding these events and in reply to the number of complaints they received from affected fans. In this they reiterated that it was a high-risk game although they did not care to elaborate on this.

They also regurgitated the stadium rules on standing and swearing which is relatively funny in this instance considering the Boro fans were not treated in a similar way to the youngsters at the front of block B despite standing the whole game. Moreover did anyone approach Mr Jordan who, as always was stood by the entrance to the directors box and in doing so partially blocked a fire exit, another crime committed by Palace fans on Saturday.

Fans should be free to support the team in whatever way they wish; if they prefer to observe quietly then they should be able to and if you want to make some noise then you should also be able to do that. There is enough room in the ground as maore and more fans are driven from Selhurst Park by the overbearing stewarding and continual harassment. Fair enough rules are rules but why have they not been enforced previously and why now only partially i.e. targeting the supporters groups?

We are not Millwall, we're not Cardiff infact our support could be called docile, it always has been. In my lifetime I remember only a handful of incidents actually in the ground which all involved away fans, more specifically Millwall and Bristol City.

So where are the grounds for this 'clampdown'? Hopefully we shall get some answers when the protest happens on the 28th when the organisers are hoping to be able to present their petition to Simon Jordan personally.

The reason for the malaise at Selhurst Park in recent years.

Crystal Palace face an uphill battle on Saturday as high flying Nottingham Forest visit Selhurst Park on the back of six straight victories.

Conversely the Eagles suffered their first defeat in four on Tuesday night at the Walkers. Despite making all the running in the first half as the same old problem seemed to be haunting this squad, goals. Palace have the dubious record of producing the lowest number of individual goal scorers in the league. Is their more though to worry the Selhurst faithful, with our top scorer being midfielder, Darren Ambrose?

This is a problem that has haunted us since the departure of Clinton Morrison in the summer of 2008. It can surely be said that the current crop of strikers are among the worst and least exciting I’ve seen at the club in all the time I’ve followed Palace. When you've seen the likes of Ian Wright, Mark Bright, Chris Armstrong, Dougie Freedman, Clinton Morrison and Andrew Johnson in their pomp, seeing Alan Lee ploughing a lone furrow up-front doesn't really get the juices flowing.

Indeed this isn't helped I don't think, by Warnock's persistence of with the 4-3-3 formation as this all to often reverts to a 4-5-1, leaving Victor Moses, our most naturally gifted player and a natural striker playing as a winger with either Sean Scannell or young loanie Freddie Sears. This has lead to a lack of width and delivery from wide areas which in turn negates the need to play the much maligned Alan Lee.

There is hope on the horizon mind you. In his brief cameos, summer signing Stern has impressed many and looks to be a very sharp forward who knows what areas to be in to score goals. But once again he would be more suited to 4-4-2 playing upfront with a partner, possibly Victor Moses, who with his pace and trickery would occupy defenders and leave space for the veteran forward.

Another option could be the latest group of exciting youngsters who could be set to make their impact in the coming months. The most promising of which include Nathanial Pinney and Keiran Cadogan who have struck up a great understanding for the reserve side. Palace assistant boss Mick Jones today revealed: "Cadogan and Pinney are scoring goals every time they play and are forming a terrific partnership. They are certainly another two for the future. I am sure they’ll come into the first team again this season. Kids who score goals suddenly become confident - and they can take that onto Selhurst Park."

Hopefully the pair can continue their form into the first team and cure the great Selhurst striker drought. Or should that have been put, they better continue their form and fulfil their great promise? As the academy is the only hope we Palace fans can cling to have while the transfer embargo remains well and truly in place as we struggle to pay for the mighty Alan Lee.