A Friday night kick-off under the lights for our first home game of the season seemed like the perfect recipe to inspire a ferocious atmosphere at Selhurst Park.
However, just a day before the game, it was announced that the Holmesdale Fanatics, who have been raucously supporting the team since December 2005 with tifo displays, pyrotechnics and organised chanting, would be no more.
Their loyal backing of the club has regularly spurred the team on both at home and away. Particular highlights include some incredible displays at Wembley and abroad, most notably in Florence and Leipzig.
The news came as a surprise ahead of the 2026/27 home opener. Yet, following the events on Friday night, it became evident that their disbanding may not be the biggest challenge we face when it comes to maintaining the superb Selhurst atmosphere that we pride ourselves on.
My Dad and I made our way to the Arthur Wait Stand following our customary drinks at the Victory Club in South Norwood. Despite the concerns currently surrounding the team regarding player sales and recent injuries, we still had that childish sense of optimism and excitement that comes with seeing the famous Holmesdale Road Stand arcing over the ground with the floodlights beaming from above.
Programme sellers could be heard ritualistically urging people to step up and buy a copy, while others shouted the customary “Matchday scarves, cash or card!” The programme itself gave me a particular source of pride, as the opening page proudly displayed our honours list, which is now far more impressive following the last year or so. Meanwhile, the retro front cover, with Pierre Sage standing defiantly, conjured a genuine feeling of belief.
Yet, the first signs of my biggest issue with the current matchday experience at Palace were about to reveal themselves as we headed to Turnstile 4. A sea of supporters clad in sky blue passed by towards the away end on the opposite side of the Arthur Wait Stand. However, it came as a great surprise to see how many people wearing half-and-half scarves did not pass us by and instead joined our queue as we waited to be patted down before entering the home end.
One young supporter standing just behind us was even wearing a Kevin De Bruyne 2021/22 shirt, accompanied by what appeared to be his father and brother. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. My biggest source of frustration came from the realisation that these people had bought tickets at the expense of genuine Palace supporters who may well have been priced out of attending the game.
The reason for this may well have been the ticket pricing. I was astounded to learn that attendance for adult Palace members cost nearly £70, while 18 to 21-year-olds still had to pay a staggering £52 for a Category A fixture. These City fans may have been taking advantage of a rare opportunity to watch their team live, but if it comes at the expense of Palace supporters, then it simply cannot continue.
Alongside this, I firmly believe that the sale of half-and-half scarves should be banned around our stadium. The sight of them immediately gives me the impression that those wearing them do not truly have the best interests of our team at heart. It may be a harsh opinion, but it cannot be denied that their presence encourages a sense of neutrality within our own end. If that mentality is transmitted onto the pitch, it can only reduce the passion and intensity of the atmosphere.
This left me slightly frustrated as we passed through the turnstiles. In truth, however, the half-and-half scarf phenomenon is one that has swept across the country and is by no means unique to Palace. Something that does appear to be specific to our club, though, is the pre-match music.
The club seemed so desperate to improve it that they even launched a poll on the Palace website asking supporters what music should be played before kick-off to energise the crowd. Personally, I miss the voice of “The Sound of Selhurst“, Mike Rankine. However, the pre-match atmosphere was never something I cared too much about unless the soundtrack began drowning out the noise created by supporters themselves, which unfortunately has become a regular occurrence in recent years.
Clearly, the much-maligned Chief Executive Officer Sharon Lacey was attempting to respond to fan feedback, and the classic “Long Good Friday” theme could be heard over the loudspeakers. Annoyingly, though, it played during the announcement of the starting line-ups, a particular frustration for my Dad and me as huge fans of Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren’s classic film.
Our view from the lower section of the Arthur Wait provides a clear sight of the entire Holmesdale. Naturally, there was no large display to mark the first home fixture of the season. The stand appeared devoid of some of its usual colour and flair. Nevertheless, “Glad All Over” was still belted out from all four corners of the ground, and the opening stages of the match featured regular backing for the team. Songs about Brighton never winning a cup and dreams of a trip to Frankfurt next May were particular favourites of mine.
Erling Haaland’s header in the 17th minute killed the momentum for a few moments, yet the support remained strong throughout the first half, with other pockets of the stadium stepping up in the Fanatics’ absence.
Half-time arrived and my frustrations grew once again. The outside section of the Arthur Wait had only one bar open, while one booth was dedicated solely to making and selling pizzas, creating a huge spiralling queue that stretched all the way to the toilets. Seriously!
This annoyance made the presence of even more City sky blue all the more noticeable. As the second half kicked off, I was pleased to see one rogue City supporter being escorted from the ground to ironic cheers from those who had actually come to support the team in red and blue.
The moment arrived shortly after Yeremy Pino’s free-kick deflected off Gianluigi Donnarumma’s back to halve the deficit following Rayan Cherki’s goal. However, the Frenchman’s second arrived soon afterwards and it quickly became clear that Palace would not be able to fight their way back into the game. Haaland then sealed the victory with City’s fourth goal in the 84th minute.
During this period, it was difficult to blame home supporters for a drop in noise levels. The team on the pitch simply could not provide the inspirational moments needed to spark the crowd into a frenzy. City controlled the contest throughout the closing stages and, consequently, the atmosphere diminished.
Nevertheless, Eagles fans should remember the support shown before City’s goals. The supporters appeared unified against the backdrop of current adversity, and if that siege mentality can be maintained, there could be many more memorable atmospheres to come this season at Selhurst Park, particularly during our Europa League fixtures against Lech Poznań, Hoffenheim, Real Sociedad and Sparta Prague.
I am hopeful that the next couple of home fixtures before the international break, in the cup against Middlesbrough and then in the league against Ipswich, will bring a significant reduction in half-and-half scarves and the passivity they seem to represent. Those in search of the Premier League’s glitz and glamour, intent on watching the world-famous, money-fuelled “big six”, will hopefully stay away so that the focus can return to properly backing the team from first whistle to last.
Matters on and off the field may be troubling right now, but one thing that must not change is the level of support from the stands. I believe Palace fans will continue to show their pride throughout both our domestic and European campaigns because we are capable of generating a unique atmosphere regardless of who the ringleaders are.
As long as the neutrals stay at home, we’ll be fine!
