May 15 2008

Crystal Palace

Jamesey reflects on a disappointing end to a very exciting season for Crystal Palace.

Shame we couldn't have beaten Burnley 1-0 and saved the other four goals for Bristol City.

But our 2-1 defeat at Ashton Gate put the seal on any prospects of Wayne Rooney, Joe Cole or Michael Owen running out onto the Selhurst turf come August.

We must put our disappointment behind us and luxuriate in the marvellous job done by Neil Warnock - some "supporters" are still calling him "Colin". Unbelievable.

This year the play-offs have gone as per the form sheet. Hull will now meet Bristol City at Wembley. Thus, the third and fourth placed sides will joust for the right to climb into the Stacksomoulahship.

History is history but it is always fun to think about what might have been.

What if Simon Jordan had got shot of Peter Taylor during last summer and given Neil an extra two or three months to get going? Would we have gone up in one of the top two automatic slots?

What if the Ben Watson penalty had been a few millimetres further to the right of the Ashton Gate goalpost and gone in. Could we have hung on for those final minutes?

How deep is the ocean? How long is a piece of string?

Nevertheless the fact remains that we have another season in the CC Championship (or whatever silly name they decide to call it for 08-09).

Neil has built up a good, fighting unit with kids, battlers, veterans and emerging stars, all plugging away for the red-and-blue cause.

I fear we will struggle to keep Tom Soares and Ben Watson this summer. They are both in their early 20s and although we tend to still class them as "youngsters", they are not too far from their peak playing years now.

They must surely want top-tier football soon and who could blame them? Some of the smaller clubs up there will surely be sniffing around in the next few weeks?

I am sure there will be plenty to debate and discuss during the summer - the progress of England in the Euro nations finals not, of course, on the agenda.

Playing in the top tier has not been among my happiest memories on the past three occasions so I am not over-gutted, apart from missing all those potential away experiences at historic and world-famous venues.

What I was desperately hoping for was a magnificent day out at the new Wembley for myself and Mrs J... and to hell with the result...

Email Jamesey with your comments to Jevans3704@aol.com

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