Congrats on your 50th! I was at the Fulham game with my friends, on the grassy bank that is now under the Arthur. Seeing Mark Lazarus bang in the equaliser at the Holmesdale end was a great memory.

Unfortunately, I don't remember my first game as a 4-year-old in 1952/3. My parents took me, with my Dad lifting me over the turnstyle (a common practice in those days, apparently).

When I was a penniless 7 or 8 year old, we used to go to reserve games and watch the likes of Mike Deakin or watch snatches of first team games through holes in the corrugated fence on Park Road.

The good thing about having watched Palace from those often painful early days, is that now everything is gravy and what we have now was beyond my wildest dreams.

As a kid in the mid-1950s, seeing the old floodlights from our kitchen window in Whitworth Road, the writing was on the wall.

I went to a few as well when I lived local, proper league back then, the reserves played as many league games as the 1st team.

1973 Home v Ipswich 1-1. Don Rogers Penalty.

Stood at the front of the main stand (it was standing at the front). I remember all the kids at the front leaning over and banging the advertising hoardings when something exciting happened.

I still today, some 45 years later get the same feeling in my stomach at most matches when I enter the ground and get my first sight of the green pitch.

Edited by Spitfire (22 Feb 2019 4.44pm)

I still have a few years to go before my 50th anniversary, however, I have been a supporter for over 40 years. My first game was on Saturday 21st February 1976. We played Wrexham at home, a 1-1 draw. It was the first live professional football game that I had ever seen. I think that I was instantly hooked. At that time Palace were in League Division Three.

I went with my friend, who had been before, and his dad. I remember that seeking glory he switch to supporting Chelsea soon after… but I stuck it out. We were keen to go that day because Palace were like this year having some FA cup success, (they reached the semi final). We could not get tickets to the cup game so we went to a league game. I am not sure but I think we stood on what was then the open Holmesdale terrace.

Edited by kuge (23 Feb 2019 12.27am)

I went to the that semi-final at Stamford Bridge. I don't remember buying a ticket. I think I simply turned up.

My first match is enshrined in my signature block. 1972/3, and I've always been convinced that I put the kiss of death on the Palace for choosing them rather than my more local team (Charlton - I lived in Erith)!

A good observation by Teddy Eagle about never having seen football in colour until you went to your first live game. Very astute.

Palace since 19 August 1972. Palace 1 (Tony Taylor) Liverpool 1 (Emlyn Hughes)