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My grandfather's and grandmother's families all lived for many years in Norwood New Town, a polite name for what was a working class walled ghetto. I was born in 1943 and grew up in Woodland Road, Crystal Palace. My grandfather, father and uncle were all south Londoners and Palace supporters through the days of the 3rd Division South and later the Fourth Division. So it was natural that from an early age I would become a Palace supporter and so I have remained. Our spot was on the grass embankment opposite the stand. After matches we would bike, with me on my dad's crossbar, to the smoke filled Black Cat cafe for a cup of tea. Then it was pushing the bikes up Anerley Hill to get home.
My parents moved to Clapham Common in 1954 and my dad and me would have to bus it to the ground. When I got married in 1966 our first house was in Norbury and so I was able to continue going to matches.
Despite some the far flung places I have lived over the years my emotional ties to the area has remained strong and my support for Palace has never waned. So you can imagine that winning the FA Cup was a fantastic moment for me and something I thought I would never see. It brought back all my memories of my grandfather, dad and uncle. How proud they would have been.
 
Wonderful to read all these special memories. My sister introduced me to Palace. She went to Lady Edridge School that was right next door to Selhurst Park. Occasionally the school was given spare ticket and my sister claimed a couple for an evening game against Watford. Pat Jennings was in goal for Watford and even he couldn’t stop the goals in a 2-0 victory. Despite attempts by my Dad to support Fulham, Palace hooked me. My sister emigrated to the States in the seventies but I took her to a game when she was over last and in splendid synchronicity it was against Watford. Like many on here at 72 I doubted whether I would ever see us win anything. I also shed many tears of joy and perhaps relief with my son and granddaughters when the whistle blew. We finally did it!!!
 
My grandfather's and grandmother's families all lived for many years in Norwood New Town, a polite name for what was a working class walled ghetto. I was born in 1943 and grew up in Woodland Road, Crystal Palace. My grandfather, father and uncle were all south Londoners and Palace supporters through the days of the 3rd Division South and later the Fourth Division. So it was natural that from an early age I would become a Palace supporter and so I have remained. Our spot was on the grass embankment opposite the stand. After matches we would bike, with me on my dad's crossbar, to the smoke filled Black Cat cafe for a cup of tea. Then it was pushing the bikes up Anerley Hill to get home.
My parents moved to Clapham Common in 1954 and my dad and me would have to bus it to the ground. When I got married in 1966 our first house was in Norbury and so I was able to continue going to matches.
Despite some the far flung places I have lived over the years my emotional ties to the area has remained strong and my support for Palace has never waned. So you can imagine that winning the FA Cup was a fantastic moment for me and something I thought I would never see. It brought back all my memories of my grandfather, dad and uncle. How proud they would have been.
That is such a lovely story.
 
My Journey with Palace started on 10 October 1958 when as an 8 year old I was taken to Selhurst Park to see the Palace take on Barrow a game that went down in History as our record win 9 - 0 have been hooked ever since,. At the age of 15 I joined the but still visited Selhurst when I could. In 1991 I left the Army and Settled in Gosport and went to home matches when ever I could until 2010 when In retired and my wife purchased a Season ticket for me which I continues to use until two years ago when due to travel issues I had to surrender my Season ticket. I then purchased Gold Membership which allowed me to purchase match tickets when I was able to attend Matches including the Semi final and Final this year. What a journey it has been. UP THE PALACE
 
My first match was Palace v Torquay on 1 May 1957. Torquay needed to win to be promoted from the old Third Division South. Palace looked good and I remember a Torquay supporter asking if they always played as well as that. Yes, we were standing on the terraces where the Arfur is now and there was no segregation of fans. The attendance was 22,000 and the result 1-1. I felt sorry for the Torquay fans and have had a soft spot for them ever since. So many highs and lows since then, with the 4-3 FA semi victory over Liverpool a stand-out. But nothing can match the disbelief and elation of beating Citeh 1-0 at Wembley to win the cup. I waited 68 years for that moment and it was worth it!
 

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