I was watching some old videos of Palace games when in an away match at Newcastle in March 1998, I noticed that someone named Billio was on as a substitute for Palace. Who? Are you sure? I thought I knew the names of all players who had appeared for Palace since the early 60s, but I’d never heard of this chap.

It seems we had taken him on loan from Monza. He made just three substitute appearances for Palace – in that Newcastle game and then in the next two games at home to Spurs and Leicester. I don’t think he can have made much of an impression, but in fairness the whole team was playing poorly at the time.

After about four months with us, he spent a season with Ancona and then had three uneventful seasons in Scotland, first at Dundee then Aberdeen. Aberdeen sold him to Livorno in Italy’s Serie B, but after that it was pretty much downhill for him. He ended his playing career in 2010 seven seasons and five clubs later at Colligiana in Italy’s fourth division.

Edited by Pigglelet (06 Oct 2015 3.19pm)

"Better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt."
Mark Twain.

I remember him and saw him play. Not sure there's a lot else to add.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.