May 5 2005

Danny Granville

Danny Granville has admitted that nothing would please him more than helping steer Crystal Palace to safety in the Premiership - and ensure that the early season favourites for relegation had once again defied the critics, by Neil McSteen.

Granville said: "Let's be honest, a lot of people at the start of the season probably didn't think we'd still be in it at this late stage.

"It's predictable. Everyone expects a newly-promoted team to go straight back down, especially us, due to the way we finished behind the front two.

"The newly-promoted teams are obviously still down there, and that was to be expected, but it's going right to the wire. It'd be great to stay up and then take a look round."

The mere fact nothing is going to be decided until the final fixture of the season is a cause for celebration.

The taking of four points from high quality opposition in the last two games is a major factor in helping give Palace a fighting chance of avoiding a swift return to the second tier of English football.

For Granville, the point gained at St James' Park was massive and in no small part down to the overall defending Palace were able to do as a team.

Granville said: "Who would have thought we would have had two clean sheets against Liverpool and Newcastle?

"Playing away from home it's a great point. Everyone was able to help out with the defending as a team. Tony Popovic has come back in and he's done really well."

Granville added: "It's quite scary how massive Saturday's game will be. But you can't fear these games, it's just a case of trying to go out and play.

"It's hard, with what's on the line but we've been under pressure before, like last year, so we'll deal with it.

"There's a great belief throughout the squad, it's tight knit and everything is going well at the minute.

"It'll be one hell of an atmosphere against Saints and Selhurst Park will be rocking."

Live Croydon Guardian text commentary