I guess we have all been scrambling about trying to figure out what is really going on. One thing I do know is that I am 100% more knowledgeable about the inner workings of European football, and its alphabet soup of organisations, than I was on the 17 May; as it was not a subject that I had any real interest in until the moment that it was revealed that we could be banned from playing in Europe.
One thing I have just found out is that Palace were not eligible to join the ECA, even as an associate member, until after their cup victory. The ECA will soon be having their annual round of voting for associate members to be invited to join. Needless to say, that invitation will only be extended to Palace if they are actually playing in Europe. Successful clubs like Brøndby and Lyon are classified as 'ordinary members'.
I agree with mileend that I don't believe it's a coincidence that Textor was kept below the 30% threshold of voting rights: "The most expensive season ticket in the world." - you bet it was! This refers to UEFA regulation 5.01 3.4: being able to exercise, by any means, a decisive influence in the decision-making of a club.
In my opinion, the DNCG will keep Lyon in League 1 with a points deduction, starting next season. Forest will probably win the legal case, at the CAS, because all legal arguments are only valid up to the 1 March 2025. 25/6 Regulations of the UEFA Europa League - Article 5 Integrity of the competition/multi-club ownership. And I do think it was a crucial turning point against us when the CFCB refused to rule in our favour, despite the fact that we can prove we are not an incorporated MCO club.
If, however, the CAS finds in favour of Palace, it will make a mockery of UEFA's own rules, which is not too difficult to do, but that is really not the point. And as much as Marinakis is an obnoxious individual, he did comply with those rules, which will probably be the decisive legal argument. A Greek tragedy unfolding - you bet it is! Especially in light of the fact that banning us from the Conference, as well, will let Brighton profit from Biltzer's ownership of Brøndby.
However, there is divided opinion about this, and understandably so. Experts who say Palace will win the legal battle cite the broader interpretation of what is in the best interests of the game in promoting, as much as possible, the legitimate interests of every football club's right to progress towards European football, which means they don't want to be supporting the interests of just an elite few clubs. This is highly significant because football is, first and foremost, a social contract that should be protected and served by legal contracts, but also because MCO best serves the interests of a global elite, who see the parochial aspects of football, from an administrative, legal and financial perspective, as an outdated relic from a bygone era.
In this regard, the club culture, at Crystal Palace, represents everything that John Textor wants to move away from in how we think and feel about Palace being an unincorporated entity that is unique unto itself, and crucially is self-sufficient.
Defining Palace in relation to families and community isn't just a nice thing to say about a club, but with Palace it is very real expression of its South London culture and identity.
It is often said that we choose to support Palace because our fathers took us, and that was true for me; but I would be much more interested by the characters in the crowd, the banter, their wisecracks, and the constant drift of smoke from cigarettes, pipes and cigars wafting across the Holmesdale terrace than anything that happened on the pitch. My father didn't appreciate my complete lack of any interest in Palace struggling to survive, then dropping down two divisions; but for me it was all about the atmosphere and the characters I would observe and meet.
Back in 1975, I remember Roy Hodgson being introduced to us as our new PE teacher, at Monks Hill High School. The head of PE told us, in highly reverent tones: "Mr Hodgson used to play for Crystal Palace." It was like one of the gods had just descended from Mount Olympus! I remember, once, Mr Hodgson asking the head of PE: "Don't you teach them tactics?" The teacher replied: "Tactics? Hell no, we just give them a ball and let them have a kick around!"
I also remember protecting a little boy that I would stand behind the goal with, during the 1973-74 season, and we would bang away on the advertising boards every time Palace won a corner. But, because of his size, other boys would walk past and shove him in the back, which I didn't like, and would remonstrate with them. We didn't say much to each other, but I do remember him commenting about a certain player he liked; but it went right over my head what he was saying. That little boy was Steve Parish. So, all this goes very deep and lasts a lifetime.
When I visited my ninety-three year-old bed-bound father, a few days after the cup final, he was fast asleep still clutching his Palace hat. Little wonder so many of us were openly sobbing in the final moments of a match that changed our lives forever.