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Chris Sparks was part of the team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1978, but I don't think he went on to play for the First Team at all. Does anyone know a bit about him? Where did he come from? Or where did he go on to play his football after leaving Palace? Thanks in advance.

Rogers only played two home matchs in 1974/75, against Tranmere and then against Swindon. Oddly, he came on as a substitute in that game. Then he left for QPR. I was going to ask what was the first game you attended, but I see there's a another thread about that. I reckon the first games...

I have to say that your first-hand memory of those days is way better than mine. I must also say that my Maths was slightly wrong. If we extrapolate their 30 points from their last 27 games to a whole season's 42 games, they would actually be two points behind Carlisle who, as you said...

That was down to the first 15 games in 1973/74 yielding 4 draws and 11 defeats. Their results in the rest of that season were actually pretty good. If they'd done as well in the first 15 games on a pro-rata basis as they did in the remaining 27 games, they'd have been promoted staright back to...

Thank you so much. That was going to be my next question as I had found the photo but not with the names.

Yeah, for a year or so. Taylor was signed in the Autumn of 1973 and Rogers had joined 12 months previously, so they both played for most of 1973-74. Rogers played a couple of games at the start of 1974/75 before moving to QPR in the deal that brought Ian Evans and Terry Venables to Palace.

This helps with 1974/75. Apparently the coach on the right of the photo is Frank Lord. And apparently the player next to Peter Taylor is an extremely young Dave Swindlehurst. Thanks everyone though.

Thank you @Jameston88 and @Willo for your suggestions. Regarding whether the player next to Peter Taylor is Jim Cannon or Martin Hinshelwood, I do know that Martin Hinshelwood didn't play any games during 1974/75 until March. Possibly injured, as he was prone? Although his younger brother did...

I did wonder about Mel as he did play in the first few games of that season. I just thought he looked a bit young in that photo, but he definitely has Mel's hair cut. And looking more closely, he doesn't actually look too young after all. I think he looks more like Mel than Jeff Johnson, who...

I've identified most of the players, but I'm not sure of the one in the back row between Paul Hammond and Stewart Jump. Maybe Jeff Johnson? Or maybe a very young David Swindlehurst? And I have no idea who the assistant coach on the right of the picture is. Any help would be gratefully...

Thanks for replying. I've been asking elsewhere too, and we reckon that the second keeper is Bobby Horn. I think he's the son of Dave Horn, who was one of the coaching staff, and Bobby went on to play for Barnsley in the 1980s. The only thing I know about Peter Caswell is that he played in...

Can anyone please help me identify all of the players in the attached photo? I'm fine with Murphy, Fenwick, Fry and Gilbert in the back row. Likewise Hilaire and Nicholas in the front row. Maybe Steve Mackenzie is second from the left in the front row? And I think Steve Lovell is next to...

Great call. I was there when he scored a hat-trick, but I can't remember the opposition right now. Yes, his leg was broken in a challenge with George Best when we played Fulham in 1977. I suppose one of the 'what ifs' is whether Billy Gilbert would have established himself in the side if...

Flanagan came to us from a stellar season in the North American Soccer League. I think he'd been top scorer in that league and been awarded Most Valuable Player. It was more down to that than his previous time at Charlton. The problem was that the First Division was a higher standard than the...

Not sure about that. I may be wrong, but I don't think his time at Chelsea went all that well. Whereas I absolutely thought the world of him when he was at Palace. Peter Nicholas, on the other hand, went on to carve out a highly successful career elsewhere. But I'd still include him in our...

As long as you don't include Mike Flanagan and Gerry Francis.

Great call. For anyone who isn't aware, Byrne was picked for England while still in the Third Division with Palace.

Mine was a 1-1 draw at home to West Ham in October 1970. Here are the highlights on The Big Match.

Ah, that's great news. It doesn't seem long since Nick published Season 2, so this a real bonus. I'll probably binge watch the lot over the weekend.

The other person I'd love to be able to contact is John Cartwright, who coached the team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1977 and again in 1978. I think he's still alive, albeit in his mid 80s nowadays.