I've seen promotions, relegations, an FA Cup Final draw & a loss (imagine if penalties existed in 1990?), i've cried at Wembley when Steve Claridge shin rolled one past Nigel Martyn at the end of extra time, i also cried different tears there when Hopkin looked to curl one the following year, and of course I have seen administration and the club being so close to folding. I could go on.
My point is, when the club is stable, the foundations are there, our academy continues to produce incredible talent and everything is peaceful, why do Palace fans still go mad? We haven't spent 5 million on a goalscorer, so everyone thinks its disaster ahead.
When you sit back and compare the present to the bad times we have encountered, I find the normal fans amongst us will feel quite happy with the way things are.
I'd love us to spend big on a goalscorer, but when you look at last seasons league 1 top scorer being looked at by another championship club at a fee of 5-6 million, plus 35k a week, you have to be realistic.
Our stadium is not a revenue generator like many others in the league, our attendances are ok but double that number attends many other clubs in the league. People need to have a think about where the millions of pounds and 10's of thousands a week needed to sign these top players come from.
At the moment, we have to look at squeezing as much money through the turnstiles and the fantastic marketing powers of Sharon Lacey (marketing manager), and also now and then we will have to pinch a few quid off of squad players who are on decent wages and can command a fee.
Darren Ambrose, I loved him, he loved us. My heart wanted him to stay, my head told me that if your top earner is on the bench, averaging 60 minutes when he does start, and not contributing as much as he did, it makes sense to give him a fresh challenge elsewhere and free up that wage space.
Sean Scannell, he was a Palace boy, my heart wanted Scanz to fill his rassclart potential at Palace, but my head told me he never found a comfortable position in our side, and he too would benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.
These 2 players have produced some incredible moments for Palace, if it wasn't for those 2 would we have survived that final day at Hillsborough? When you see Stern John jogging about half asleep, no answer is required.
HOWEVER. Players come and go. Ask Man United fans if its possible to lose big name players and move on.
Nathaniel Clyne has been gone for 2 seasons and we wish him his deserved chance in the Premiership.
We have signed 3 good players though, Joel Ward was highly sought after and Colin Warnock, Paul Jewell and a few other managers probably thought they would be ahead of us in the queue. Joel chose us.This is a massive signing that helps deal with the real major loss for the starting 11 out of the 3 mentioned departures.
Aaron Martin has potential, I have Southampton fan mates who have confirmed this. I think he will go on to be a star in the heart of our defence as he hungrily tries to prove to Nigel Adkins that he deserves a chance at Southampton in the Premiership. I've always liked signing players on loan who are young, hungry and want to prove their worth to their parent club. Cast your thoughts back to previous scenario's of this type of signing. Didn't we help develop the worlds best left back through a loan? (Ashley Cole).
Aaron Wilbraham was a smart signing. Firstly he turned Brighton down for us so he is already a top bloke in my eyes. Aaron may not be a prolific striker but his strength, movement and hold up play will ease the burden off Murray's shoulders and create goal scoring opportunities for Zaha etc. Those who have seen Wilbrahimovic in pre season say he looks decent. His experience will also help Appiah remain #focused on his development.
Currently I agree we need to strengthen a few areas. I'd say a winger (who can switch wings), Ramage has just this minute signed a deal which gives us the cover needed at right back and centre back, so the only other area is a striker.
Dougie has tried. This is not a football league manager game where you can use cheat codes to sign the best players. We nearly got McCormack, but we didn't so we move on.
Its been mentioned that we have 40k a week space on the wage bill and a few modest bob available to pay a fee. If we blow that by panic buying, like many fans would like us to do, then we will be in trouble.
So what if we do not get that goalscorer in this window, there is still goals in this team.
So lets reflect on what we have.
The best keeper in the league. A decent backline with some great strength in depth at left back in particular, a midfield packed with options. Only us Palace fans know this, but we have the best young midfielder in the league in Jonny Williams who will be talked of across the country as Zaha was last season.
De Silva and Fenwick will be in and around the squad more, and we have solid players in O'Keefe, KG and Jedinak. We also have the left foot wand of Garvan. We also have Marrow coming back to fitness. The best player around at his age group in Allassani. Need I go on?
I think goals will come from Murray and Zaha this season. Dougie will be working on Wilfs end product and I can see him playing more up top this season as he poses a threat in the final 3rd. Murray will be more settled and less isolated so goals will come more often to a man I feel was treated harshly last season.
Sometimes signing a top striker and near on bankrupting yourself doesn't need to happen. Remember when we sold our best striker Clinton Morrison and got a certain Andrew Johnson as part of the deal?My point is that someone can step forward and deliver the goals when you least expect them to.
I think I may be correct in saying Reading sold 1 or 2 of their best players last season?
Either way my main point of this is, sit back and have a look at what we have.
Lets be thankful we haven't got to march to a banks head quarters and demand we aren't closed down, lets go to the games and continue what has been the best atmospheres i've seen at Selhurst for decades.
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