December 3 2012

Brighton - the welcome reception committee

A mixed week for CPFC but climaxed with an excellent victory over a special enemy, Brighton. Jamesey reports.

A crowd of 20,000-plus turned out for a 3-0 triumph over Brighton at Selhurst Park (Dec 1) and it would have been more but for a large section of the Arfur being booted out on Met orders to create a "sterile area" next to the gentlefolk from the sourth coast.

Your humble scribe who currently sits in Block W of the Arfur elected to watch the game from the lofty grandeur of the upper Holmesdale - and a fine view of the game you get too.

Anyhow, to recap over an active week, we travelled up to Leeds (Nov 24) to play a team managed by one of our ex-managers, Neil Warnock.

Although I had always previously disliked Neil intensely, after he took over the helm at Selhurst I developed a great respect for him and his abilities. He did a fine job for us during his stay and I don't blame him one iota for getting out of SE25 when he did and hoping for what looked like a much more secure future.

As far as I have read he has only had good things to say about Crystal Palace since he went.

I reiterate at this point that I now rarely go to away fixtures north of Watford so my views are based on HOL members postings and press and internet reports.

The consensus from Elland Road was that we were the better team but lost 2-1 and so our superb undefeated run ended, as they all have to at some point.

Another tricky trip to Hull loomed on the following Tuesday (Nov 27), to play an outfit managed by another old "friend", Steve Bruce.

The view on this game was, in general, that we were extremely lucky to snatch a 0-0 draw. We could have been a hatful down in the first half so a point to bring back down south was not bad at all.

And so to Brighton and Hove Albion.

There is no doubt that we were greatly helped by the sending-off of Albion's Lewis Dunk in the eighth minute. And I say this because there have been so many occasions over the decades when Palace have never seemed able to take advantage of playing against 10 men, or even nine sometimes (stand up and be counted Trevor Francis).

As usual the returning Glenn Murray was magnificent and revelled in playing against his old team-mates with a late first half goal.

The second half put the brandy on the plum pudding with a brace of penalties from Murray and Owen Garvan, and the Seagulls fluttered lamely home southwards. The Eagles were once more top of the Championship.

There are two subjects which continually appear to occupy the thoughts of HOL members, one very relevant to the Brighton game and the other not so much but equally divisive.

Who are our biggest rivals - Millwall or Brighton?

I have noticed that in recent years, the Seagulls have been gradually overtaking the Lions as our most despised scum object.

Anyone who bothers to read this column will know that I am an old-fashioned supporter. I first came to Selhurst Park in the mid-1950s when Millwall were the ultimate enemy and, to me, they always will be.

Unlike Brighton who are 50 long miles away on the south coast, the Lions are only a few miles up the road in south-east London. Surely your hated enemy are supposed to be local? That's a basic rule of the whole matter everywhere else.

Maybe it's purely an age affair but I just don't get the Brighton rivalry at all. They will always be Johnny-scum-latelies for me.

The other subject raising its head (pardon the pun) is not so much the interminable standing-versus-sitting debate but the jumping up and down disease.

I am finding that more and more spectators in front of me seem to stand up at the slightest whim.

OK, stand and show your enthusiasm when we look like scoring a goal in the opposition box although even then fans who aren't so nimble at getting up will possibly miss a goal. But I am continually irritated by idiots who bob up and down at the slightest opportunity, gibbering with excitement when the ball crosses the half way line and trickles into the opposing half.

Don't be so rude and inconsiderate and spoil the game for people behind you who don't want to play yo-yos... that's my request to the bobbing-up-and-down brigade.

Email Jamesey with your comments to jevans3704@aol.com

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