what he said.
Fantastic times with big Mal.
the business.

Kids,tired of being bothered by your pesky parents?
Then leave home, get a job & pay your own bills, while you still know everything.

When I started secondary school I had a very good friend whose father was the Maitre D at a top Italian restaurant in London. Big Mal was one of his best customers whenever he was in London. At the time Mal was coach at Man City (he took over as manager a year or so later) but he effectively ran the team as Joe Mercer was increasingly shifted "upstairs" to a general manager role.
My mate's father told Mal how much his son and friends supported Palace, and as luck would have it, City were due to play Palace a week or two later. Mal gave him two directors box tickets, and said we should to get to the ground early and to ask for him at the main entrance.
On the night we duly pitched up at the ground and sure enough, we were wisked through the gates and big Mal strode up, shook our hands and showed us into the City dressing room.
City were at the peak of their powers, having won the championship the year before, and in the dressing room were Franny Lee, Colin Bell, Neil Young, Tony Book etc etc; all household names. Autographs were signed, and we sat among these great players as they prepared for the game. Big mal was larger than life, joshing with the players, keeping the atmosphere relaxed and fun, but professional at the same time.
We then took our seats in the directors box (we had never sat at a game before) next to the commentator Brian Moore and his son. I can't remember what the score was (I think City won), but it was an experience of a lifetime. Imagine how I felt when, a couple of years later, Big mal came to the Palace as manager! It was never a dull moment with Mal at the helm, Cup semi final, relegations, foreign players brought in, Fiona Richmond, playing a sweeper system etc etc., and all the while Mal in his fedora,cigar in one hand and champagne glass in the other.
He bought a pub in Brigstock Road and re-named it "The Ref and Whistle". What a man. He established a scouting network throuout the country and brought the very best youngsters to Palace,and when he brought in Terry Venables as a coach he put together the team of the eighties, but left before they came of age.
So sad to hear the news, he will definately never be forgotten.
RIP Big Mal, thanks for all the wonderful memories.

I used to be immortal

Very sad news.

He really put Palace on the map.

TV would never have got so far without him.

RIP Big Mal

A new era of total football is on the way to Selhurst Park!!

Great Character, Palace were always in the news under him. R.I.P. Big Mal.

Very sad news. He will never be forgotten. I hope the team produce a performance worthy of his memory tomorrow.

RIP Mal

Outstanding idea. Black armband would be completely inappropriate. This would be brilliant. Or have BOTH teams come out of the tunnel wearing fedoras. Mal was about football with a smile!

Edited by sydtheeagle (15 Oct 2010 1.09pm)

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.