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Your first Palace game live?

Penge Eagle

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Location
Surrey
Country
England
Blackburn Rovers (h), April 30, 1988. Sat in the Main Stand, it was a surreal experience for a young lad.
 
1957. My older brother fell off his bike and broke his arm and was forbidden by our mother to go to the game with our father (partly punishment and partly maternal concern for his welfare). I pestered my father to take me instead from Friday onwards, got lifted over the old metal turnstile (so in for free), stood on the old Holmesdale bank, finally gathered enough courage to go down to the front and hang over the barrier and drum with my fists on the old enamel signage when we scored - and the rest, as they say, is history.

Who did we play that day? What was the score? No idea!
😕
 
I can't remember the exact game, but one of the earliest ones was Everton at home standing in the Holmesdale when Neville Southall was the goalkeeper for Everton.

Never forget the surge forward when we scored in the Holmesdale end, potentially losing shoes in the melee - great times...
 
Palace v Southampton FA Cup Jan/Feb (ish) 1974. Went to the game with some local relatives and Palace won 3-0 and looked good. Having enjoyed that, I went to the next home game (I think) which was a 2-0 win over Chelsea. Jim Cannon made his debut and scored. I was hooked - it's Palace for me. Despite Malcolm Allison becoming manager, we got relegated that season and the next. In the old Div 3 (League 1 now), even though I lived in West London, I went to virtually all home and way games. It's not often supporting Palace has felt like being a big fish in a small pond!

Perhaps, like many others, that first game started an obsession. Results still affect my mood and I get very nervous whenever we are ahead and trying to see a game out. My wish now is for us to win a cup or have at least one season in Europe. That doesn't seem too unrealistic at the moment.
 
January 1962- Palace 4 Halifax 3- probably thoughy that all games would also then be high scoring affairs. Subsequently went to the Real Madrid friendly, sending off a postal order to obtain tickets. No digital in those days!!
 
Versus Stoke City in the 1972. A young lad in the Holmesdale, there to witness poetry in motion as Don Rogers waltz his way through the Soke defense.

Never looked back with so many happy memories with friends to go with a few low points. For a club who's won very little the pleasure has far outweighed the silverware.
 
My first three games were Rotherham, Mansfield then Hereford in 1975

My first away game was the Chelsea cup game in 1976 and then my first league away trip was Millwall first game of the season in 1977
 
Versus Stoke City in the 1972. A young lad in the Holmesdale, there to witness poetry in motion as Don Rogers waltz his way through the Soke defense.

Never looked back with so many happy memories with friends to go with a few low points. For a club who's won very little the pleasure has far outweighed the silverware.
Good game to start with. The Don won the Big Match Golden Goal of the season for that one.
 
1953/54 season, Third Division South. We lived on the corner of Farnley Road and Holmesdale Road, so just a stroll up the road with my Dad. Like Becky, I can't remember the game.
Dad and my uncle Les used to watch games at the Nest when they were boys. I bet that generation wouldn't have believed Palace could rise to their current status.
 
New Year's Day 1954, v. Colchester United.

Went with a school friend, David, and his dad and uncle. 68 bus from West Norwood for David, his dad and me, and picked up the uncle on Knights Hill - he lived in Darlington Road. We two boys went right down to the front behind the Whitehorse goal - Roy Bailey (father of Gary of Manchster United) was goalkeeper. Lost 1-0.
 
Crystal Palace 0 Southampton 0 August 1977, League Cup. Standing in the Holmesdale Terrace. Age 11.
Went with my late grandad.

Was going to be the previous Saturday but it was pouring with rain. Lost 1-0 to Hull.
 
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