If my memory serves me well (Which it sometimes doesn't !), it was a double transfer with Ian Evans also joining from QPR.

Fort me Big Mal ment bubbly and prawn sandwiches and plenty of em!.

The season Ray Bloye bullied Waite out of Selhurst and set up the import of Big Mal as an (supposed)assistant to Bert Head. Palace had bought some great players (Whittle, Rogers, Phillip) and were starting to turn the relegation tide, as per usual. Bert picked the team v Chelsea and Cannon for his debut. Jimbo scored, Palace won (the first league victory v London Clubs in the First) But still Bert felt the pressure of being told what to do by Bloye backed Mal and he quit. The rest is shame and history for The Glaziers who became the Eagles. Nicked named the team players with (I think) Blythe as Master pieces and Tony Taylor as Stroller among others. Complete crap and the wonderful gates Bert and AW had built up went on a long slow tumble.
Incidently, on the TV coverage of the World Cup Mal said Mullery should never be in the England team as he wasn't really international class. Mullery and his family were hurt and surprised by this and demanded a right of reply on ITV's football program (with Dicky Davis) where Mal repeated what he said, but also said he liked Mullery as a bloke and a pro, but not as an International Player. Pundits suggested this was a face down by Mal, but most football followers would have agreed and chided Mullery for being a bit precious.

Yes. seriously over rosed on the Mal issue are most Eagleantites. Even as it happened many fell for it hook line and sinking down the league. What did Mal do later? Don't even waste your time looking

I'm not in the best of moods right now so that might explain why instead of my usual " Well, he was a character" attitude to Big Mal, I'm going to say that I think he is one of the real villains in our history. Most of what he attempted football-wise back-fired, his handling of players was frankly appalling, his ideas on promoting the club were cheap and childish. What was wrong with our nick-name or the colours we played in? If you ask me, he was too easily impressed by American ideas of what constituted a Football club and totally seduced by media attention. "All mouth and trousers" as my granny said.
However, he was responsible for that immortal quote when asked(on returning from the States)whether he prefered grass or Astro-Turf, "I don't know, I've never smoked Astro-Turf". So not all bad!

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