Crystal Palace Win The FA Cup For The First Time In Their History

The Eagles made it third time lucky as they were victorious over Manchester City at Wembley to win the historic FA Cup competition for the very first time, amid scenes of jubilation, tears and pure and utter joy.

MATCH INFORMATION

PLAYER RATINGS

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES – 2 Joel WARD, 17 Nathaniel CLYNE, 21 Romain ESSE, 25 Ben CHILWELL, 30 Matt TURNER, 55 Justin DEVENNY  

OPPOSITION LINE-UP

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES – 10 Jack GREALISH, 14 Nico GONZALEZ, 22 Vitor REIS, 27 Matheus NUNES, 31 EDERSON, 45 Adukodir KHUSANOV

TEB VERDICT

We always knew how to lose an FA Cup Final, but the overriding elation at the final whistle was, what do we do now?

The site of total strangers sharing moments together with no need for words showed everything about what this means to fans of Crystal Palace Football Club. It is everything, absolutely everything. We have won a major trophy and every player that wore that Palace shirt on the Wembley turf is a hero, not to mention our favourite Austrian.

The nerves are gone, the tears come and go, and the emotion is very real. This is all we have ever hoped for, and with that an appearance at the Community Sheild at the beginning of next season and a European Tour.

It is going to take a while for all of this to sink in, and just when I thought that such a victory would be easy to write about, it really is not. So, I will leave it to a few fans that we have some quotes to come below.

FAN VIEW

BOB WHITE

“A tactical masterplan devised by Oliver Glasner and delivered perfectly by the players. It was achieved in the Palace way with total team commitment and resilience combined with no shortage of individual talent.

From Grandfather to son, both as a supporter and a former coach, I have followed the club. It’s a generational passing of the baton through the many years of supporting the football club through all the good times and all the bad times. From disappointment in 1990, and 2016 to the team of 20256. It was such a special day for our supporters to celebrate a club which remains an integral part of the South London community winning our first major trophy.”

DANIEL CRAME

“What a journey we’ve been on as a club. I’m so happy for the fans but also for the club too. So much hard work has been invested since our unexpected promotion in 2013 and this is the reward. I was able to share the final with my Dad from whom I inherited my love for Palace. Neither of us will ever forget this and it will always be one of the best ever days. I’m also so please my Grandad was able to witness Palace lifting the cup, albeit from the comfort of his sofa. Like many other Palace fans, I never thought we’d lift a trophy in my lifetime. I am immensley proud to be part of the Palace family.”

CHRIS STUART

“Watching my boys eyes fill with tears of joy at full times will be something that stays with me forever.”

STEVE FOREHEAD

“The match was a blur, one of the best days ever, to share with my boys and pals. Whatever happens from now on we can say that we were there!”

JAMIE LAWRENCE

“My Dad never forced me to support Palace. When I was younger I was obsessed with David Beckham which naturally led me down the path of Manchester United. We went to Old Trafford, watched them win and it was fine. My Dad then took me to watch Palace play Wigan on a cold wet Tuesday night. It was a dreadful game, but I fell in love that day and since I was 6 years old I have been faithfully following the mighty Palace.

What makes this victory so special is the journey. From administration, and new ownership in 2010, the League Cup win against United, that 2013 season with a bunch of misfits who believed in the impossible, the heartbreak of Wembley in 2016, and everything in between. Very few clubs and even fewer fans can say they’ve been on such an incredible heartwarming and mesmerising journey as we have.

We have retained that inclusive family vibe, manifested a great team spirit driven right from the top of the club down through every staff member. I remember my Dad telling me after that first game all those years ago that it’s never easy, it’s not about success, it’s about the feeling you get when something great happens. And because that something great can often be a once in a lifetime moment, just like this has been for every Palace fan, that is what makes it extra special.

When big clubs win trophies, their fans don’t cry, they don’t turn to their father or mother and weep tears of sheer joy, they see it as just a trophy in the cabinet.

For us, this moment is the culmination of huge effort on everyone’s part, and best of all, it represents the end of one journey and the start of the next. Except this time, our journey takes us around Europe. 

When I turned to my Dad after the final whistle was blown, and hugged him and cried with him, I wasn’t thinking about the cup, I was thinking about the memories that we’ve shared together supporting our boys through happy times and sad times, and being unbelievably grateful to have had the opportunity to do it together with him.

That’s what makes this moment so special.”

ANDREW BOAKES

“It was tough missing the celebrations after watching from afar, but all that matters is that we won!”

POST GAME QUOTES

OLIVER GLASNER

“You can see what you can get when you are patient. As football players and managers, the biggest success is not lifting the trophy. It’s giving tens of thousands of our fans a moment for their life. Giving them great times.

Maybe they have some problems at home so just to make them happy… we did it for our fans.

For me, the strange thing is I feel empty. The crazy thing is on Monday we have to think about the Wolves game on Tuesday.

We said before the game that we wanted to write our own history and we have written a big chapter in our history, and next year we will do that again when we play in Europe.

We have great characters, such a togetherness, a work ethic and a strong environment and atmosphere, and this is fundamental for achieving impossible things.”

DEAN HENDERSON

“It’s incredible. We had a feeling it would be our day today. I lost my dad at the start of the season and I’ll miss him today but he was with me every kick of the ball today. I dedicate that win to him.”

EBERE EZE

“It’s a special moment. We have come here three times as a club. To show that kind of spirit and energy, only God man. I couldn’t breathe. They keep the ball so well, you have to work so hard. But we know when we get into the box we have to take the chance. It’s not easy.”

MATCH STATISTICS

UPCOMING FIXTURES