December 2 2007

Selhurst Park

Jamesey was keenly anticipating the visit of West Bromwich Albion (Dec 1) and he definitely wasn't disappointed.

I can't remember too many occasions when I have walked back down the Holmesdale Road after a 1-1 draw with a huge smile on my face and an enormous inner glow of pride.

But circumstances change and even if we had lost, which looked a real possibility in the final quarter as WBA threw everything but the kitchen sink at us to clinch a winner, I wouldn't complain.

What an absolute delight to see a real football game at Selhurst, for the first time since the early Dowie era.

Even the often incomprehensible refereeing of Uriah Rennie couldn't spoil a magnificent game of traditional English football - passionate, fast-moving, direct, uncompromising and, for the spectators, exhilarating, exciting and sometimes heart-stopping.

Well, that's got the superlatives out of the way, now for the moan. You didn't think you'd get through this column without that did you?

I always buy the match programme although, good as it is, the current £3 price-tag is a little steep.

So to be forced to pay £4 for the programme, plus a copy of the official club magazine "SE25" which I didn't really want, rather rankles.

Anyhow, I browsed through the extremely lavishly produced journal and found it a very creditable read.

The advertising pitch quite intrigued me - retirement homes, posh hotels, luxury apartments and expensive cars. Is this really the Palace readership, apart from the first, which could be aimed at me?

I am far too satisfied with today's experience to carp too much, and a quote in the magazine from an evening with Neil Warnock caught my eye.

"...we want to get people wanting to enjoy coming. There's got to be shots, saves and crosses. I'd like to think that usually when they go home, fans think that our players gave it their best shot."

Well, Neil, that certainly all happened in the Baggies game and long may it continue.

Email Jamesey with your comments to Jevans3704@aol.com

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