The Eagles Have Landed!

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Seven days later I listened to Nick Godwin’s radio commentary as that goal went in. The grin, that grin, which no Cheshire Cat could ever compete with was accompanied by the now familiar watering of the eyes and uncontrollable laughter that a psychiatrist might have concluded were signs of a disengagement with current reality so defined that it would require medication.

Memories are powerful and, far from being alone, I was to learn that my happy abandon was the norm the world over among Crystal Palace supporters after the tectonic shift in the status quo that winning the oldest, most romantic challenge cup competition in the world for the very first time had caused. Most of us have lived through decades of disappointments, including twice having had victory snatched from us as the Cup Final approached its conclusion, adjustments made by governing bodies which were solely to our detriment while being to the benefit of more ‘popular’ clubs, and twice being threatened with existential obliteration through financial administration. So it was then, in the week following this truly heroic victory, that grown men and women struggled to do anything at all that would constitute ‘normal life’ as they relived the minutiae and finest moments of the finest day of their club’s 164 year history through whatever media content became available.

When you’re there, under the Wembley Arch in a Cup Final, you have a job to do and the community of Crystal Palace Football Club did a perfect job on Manchester City. The club has never stood so completely as one before; Chairman, Manager, Players, Backroom & Support Staff and all the way through the supporting base where the Holmesdale Fanatics – the ‘Palace Ultras’ – provide the centrepiece of a never ceasing heartbeat for an organism that, for all their wealth, trophies and expectations, City simply had no answer to. This wasn’t just a football game fought between two teams, this was a matter of pride and endeavour of a shared South London identity that was pitted against the second richest club in the world which had assembled the most expensive team in the world.

Some time before the players came out the famous Selhurst Park atmosphere was already up and running at the west end of the National Stadium. A hand-painted tifo of a father holding his two boys which has a hugely touching back-story passed above the fans as half of Wembley was decked in flags that transformed the concrete structure into an undulating sea of red and blue stripes. As the Fanatics synchronized the unfurling of a pre-game banner stretching from one side to the other behind the goal they already knew that what they had done with the £50K collected from Palace fans would perfectly reflect the prophetic words of our outstanding central defender, Maxence Lacroix. Wembley did shake and it was beautiful, oh so beautiful for anyone who witnessed the immensity of the Red & Blue ocean and the tsunami of vocal support, celebrated as one of the best atmosphere’s in British football but which has hitherto become known in foreign lands for its ceaselessness, volume and passion; FA Cup Final 2025 - CPFC Pre Match Display

Throughout, and never more so, Palace fans carried the hopes of every neutral who dreams of their club achieving this most coveted prize in football. After fifteen minutes of relentless City pressure had been rebuffed by a defence so impenetrable that it had only conceded one goal in the whole competition, it began to occur to commentators that when the inevitable lightning quick Palace attack came it might all but ensure their gargantuan opposition's downfall before the contest was over.

Commentators mused over Oliver Glasner’s strategic plan as another City attack broke down with what, even at this stage, had a growing sense of inevitability about it. Dean Henderson received the ball for a goal kick and, as if by premonition, TV's co-commentator Sean Dyche prefigured the event which would unfold just twenty seconds later. As the clock moved into the sixteenth minute, the Manchester machine pressed the Palace defence who played the ball along the back line. Maxence squared it to Chris Richards who pumped a perfect 55 yard pass to JP  ‘Boom’ Mateta on the half way line. JP’s strength, close control and perfect one-two with Daichi Kamada, the first Japanese player to play in an FA Cup Final, gouged out enough space for him to swivel and lay the ball off to our marauding wing-back, Daniel Muñoz. With the familiar increase in volume to the wall of sound akin to a rumbling Krakatoan eruption driving him on from behind, our South American Superhero sprinted down the right wing to the edge of the City box where he delivered the perfect cross to the right foot of the arriving Eberechi Eze, whose silkily skilled volley guided the ball towards the City goal and ultimately delivered the sling-shot that downed Goliath and ensured that this contest would go down in football folklore as the Cup Final where we; the collective community of club, staff and supporters, reclaimed the meaning of the game from the obscenely funded, trophy collecting ‘superclubs’; BEST COMMENTARY of Eberechi Eze's FA CUP FINAL Winner

Commentators lauded the movement and construction of the goal which was as exquisitely sculpted and executed as Michelangelo’s David while the sky-blue end could only look on in quiet recognition of the devastation that was playing out in front of their eyes. The other half of Wembley danced, hugged and shouted to the heavens with the collective voice reaching 112 decibels before it mellowed and segued into the familiar hand wave and vocal preamble to Palace’s famous post-goal celebration, We Love You. When the song eventually broke out into the chorus Wembley shook, rattled and rolled as beautifully and powerfully as an appearance of Haley’s Comet in the night sky.

Being in the middle of such a monumental torrent of joy can be a surreal experience and it was only afterwards, when watching and hearing TV and radio recordings, that I couldn't help but be astonished at just how much noise we made. Commentators and pundits remarked on it throughout as they waxed lyrical about the tactical game and sheer physical and mental discipline on the pitch, but it's even more telling that City fans commented that they had never seen or heard anything like it in their lives before and, as if that were not enough, how could any Palace fan who was there ever forget the sheer joy as we sang Glad All Over followed by Eze’s On Fire immediately the game finished; FA Cup Final 2025 - CPFC Post Match Celebrations

In the following days the Palace bulletin boards were full of comments about how people were feeling, what they were going through, and what it all meant for their lives. None of us could have anticipated any of those things prior to the event and, as we watched and re-watched, listened and re-listened, favourite moments became enshrined in the collective memory. We poured over the point in the game where 'The Famous Red & Blue' hit 114 decibels as Dean Henderson pulled off a double penalty save so colossal that, even without his undisputed talent and season long ace performances, the moment ensured that Deano carved a permanent place in every Palace fan’s heart as surely as if he was born with red and blue blood. Some reported fears which were more akin to abused spouses who break free from their abusers; that somehow their joy would be taken from them tomorrow, or next week, or whenever, just as our place in Europe was snatched from us by a change of ruling as the season closed when we had earned it for finishing third in the top flight. Nonetheless, there was always someone on hand to point out that whatever injustice we might face, it is now a matter of history that “We won the FA Cup!”

It is difficult to understand, but nothing could ever be compared to the moments we experience when our club wins its first major trophy in its history and it can’t really be adequately communicated to those who haven’t experienced it. Ten days later many older Palace fans still had difficulty believing that it had actually happened during their lifetime and although the Bank Holiday Monday Parade of team and trophy in the community was one of the most wonderful celebrations that any football fan could ever experience, it was also a reality check. We hadn’t just won any title or cup, we've won the FA Cup and there it was, standing in front of us!

We started gathering around Selhurst Park from early morning. Mr Cenz’s mural on the side wall of 233 Holmesdale Road faced the iconic mural opposite which immortalizes Wilfried Zaha’s stature and undeniably stellar contribution to our journey as part of the South London community he both grew up in and represented with pride and passion. If you’re Palace you’re proud of your roots and, as much as the slogan ‘South London and Proud’ cuts a perfect phrase, it goes deep into honouring the very heart of what a club like ours has always been about. As the song which is frequently sung in the Holmesdale says; "When I was a young boy my father said to me, listen here my son, you’re CPFC..." but, whichever way we joined the tribe, we were all there to see and celebrate our heroes on an open topped bus. “A bus, we must have a bus… I want a bus just like every other cup parade otherwise it won’t be a parade!” was the feeling behind one of the messages on the boards. That might seem a small issue to those who don’t really understand what being a true fan is about, but it’s even more important when a player from your club was a pioneer of the FA Cup itself, your original ground hosted the Final when it was situated under the shadow of the glass palace of the Great Exhibition which gave its name to the area, and when the club and all its supporters, past and present, have waited 164 years to win it. Under those circumstances tradition is simply not something that should be messed with!

A steady throng clad in just about every significant Palace shirt from the Sixties to present milled around and looked for their desired place. I sat my brother-in-law, John, down on a wall where I knew I’d have a good chance of catching decent photographs and went walkabout, not knowing that a TV crew and emergency services had positioned themselves immediately behind him. Nothing would spoil this day for us. The waiting was just a drop in the ocean of a life of longing and John’s debut on ITV News later spoke volumes for so many Palace supporters as he answered; “My first game was when I was 5 years old and I’m 75 now”. As John talked to the reporter I had slung my two Nikons around my shoulders in search of capturing as much of the spirit of the occasion as possible. By the time I came back the crowd had swelled and, with another 90 minutes to wait, I laid claim to one of the last vantage points on the wall further down Whitehorse Lane. When three police officers eventually walked up the middle of Whitehorse Lane doing checks before disappearing over the horizon at South Norwood Hill, I sensed that this probably meant that the parade was almost imminent.

I knew that photography was going to be a challenge – just how I like it – but I went straight into photographer mode when someone in front said “The bus is coming!”. I lifted my D850 and shot a test frame through the flotilla of flags to double check that I had everything set up for any eventuality I might have to respond to as the parade approached. My telephoto lens effectively takes me six times closer and I smiled when I saw that there, on the front of the bus, was the unmistakable FA Cup trophy bearing red and blue ribbons with Chris Richards’ unmistakable head of hair behind it. Richards’ personable smile remained fixed as the trophy moved around all sides of the bus but it returned to the front as the party came closer to the corner with Park Road, where I was standing. Young children sat on parents’ shoulders and older ones climbed anything they could to give them a better view. All around, outstretched hands holding mobile phones held the hopes of their owners in recording something of this historic occasion for their social-media and posterity and, as the bus slowed to take the corner, confetti rained down and mingled with the rising red and blue flares which covered the scene in a magenta mist. It may have all made it difficult for us to see our heroes but it nonetheless accentuated the gleaming trophy which, as it shone through the haze, almost seemed to be saying “I’ve been waiting all your history to find my way home to Crystal Palace and, this year, nothing was ever going to stop that from happening”.

One of the last images I captured from Whitehorse Lane was a beaming Steve Parish who was capturing the scenes down below on his mobile phone. At this time, six days shy of exactly fifteen years ago; we were all in a much polarized position when fans protested outside Lloyds Bank in London. That day, Crystal Palace Football Club was to come within one hour of disappearing altogether and the previous day Steve had put out a message on the Palace bulletin board that, if they could not come to an agreement by 3PM the following day, the administrator would sell the players and liquidate the club. “The next day…” he says, he woke up and there were three thousand fans outside the Bank’s headquarters and he very quickly received a phone call from the administrator to talk about the future of the club. Without Steve, Crystal Palace Football Club would never be in the position we are in today. His hard work, dedication, diligence and an insistence on having good people with good character in preference to mere football stars is only eclipsed by his heart for the club, the community and his vision. Always quick to give credit to others, he went on to say “It was the fans that unlocked the whole situation”, because their presence outside the Bank that day plastered the club’s plight across all the news channels and effectively forced the administrator to think about something other than mere money: How the Fans Saved Crystal Palace from Extinction! | When Eagles Dare.

As I captured the image of Steve I said a quiet “thank you” to him, not so much for the celebration of our shared dream being realized, but for how he has engendered the heart, character and togetherness that comes from good people working with a shared vision which, in this case, has ultimately lead us to our club’s finest hour. The Winners bus passed down Park Road and turned into Holmesdale Road where the urban vibrancy of the two gable end elevations formed a welcoming gate which convey every nuance of the ‘South London And Proud’ slogan that adorns the southwest turnoff into Selhurst Park. There, at that entrance, were The Holmesdale Fanatics complete with drum, banner and multiple flares which billowed red and blue smoke up into the atmosphere.

Inside the stadium the FA Cup took its centre stage place on the Winners stand as those who had got tickets for The Party on the Pitch started to fill Selhurst Park. As Kelly Somers and Doc Brown compèred, JP removed his huge 'BOOM' sunglasses to receive the Goal of the Season award while Deano, having been asked to comment on the most obvious Moment of The Season of all time, took hold of Doc’s microphone and lead the crowd into his “We won the FA Cup” version of the chorus to Shakira’s Waka Waka. Like so many of the characters in the team, their accessible, personable characters testify to them being part of the Palace family rather than merely being untouchable stars and, when the team stood up and raised the trophy, the rapturous applause was matched by explosions that deposited streamers and confetti which perfectly framed the jubilant scenes and achievement. Finally, it started to sink in.

The last two awards were player of the year awards; one voted for by their peers and the other by the fans. On field, Daniel Muñoz plays with such passion that one commentator observed it would probably make him a Homesdale Fanatic in another life but, off the pitch, it isn’t his lack of solid English which gives rise to an understated manner, it's the fact that he oozes character as a talented but humble, hard working man who has a big heart for what matters in life. Today was also our Columbian’s cumpleaños which was celebrated by us all singing Happy Birthday immediately prior to him being presented with the Player's Player of The Year award. Next, Doc called the Austrian architect of our success up to say a few words and present the fans Player of The Year award and, as he did so, the crowd broke out into spontaneous song… "We’ve got super Oli Glasner, He knows exactly what we need,  Mitchell at the Back, Mateta in Attack, Palace on the way to Wemberlee". Respect, humility and joyful togetherness within the club was plain to see long before this special occasion, at least for those of us who had eyes to see it, and it was no surprise to hear Oliver give credit to the character of this group of players and talk about how happy he is to work in a club such as Crystal Palace. After Oli presented Danny with his second award Kelly Somers asked our notable number 12 to say a few words to the fans and, as he did so, he summed up the whole culture of the club by simply looking out at us all and saying “I love you”. With very little command of English, Danny broke through all the noise of punditry, clichés and click-bait narratives so common in football journalism and demonstrated, beautifully, what Crystal Palace are all about.

Confetti and streamers rained down again and once the scene settled Doc called Steve Parish up to the stage as the person who has overseen such a turnaround in the culture and fortunes of the club, that it has actually changed people’s lives. Steve took no time to give credit to people across the whole set up but started with a simple statement that so many in front of him could reflect back to him by telling us that “this has been the best week of my life”. As usual, Steve had some wise, encouraging words before he asked the fans to oblige him in following his lead in a round of his favourite Palace song, We Love You and, with proceedings subsequently coming to and end, Doc had a sense that there was one impromptu issue which could underline what the celebrations were all about.

The story behind the Cup Final tifo is now widely known and, in the moment, Doc invited its subjects, Dominic and Nathan Wealleans, on to the stage to enjoy a close up session with that beautiful trophy, the FA Cup. Given their and Palace’s stories, it’s almost immaterial what was said because what had been so obvious throughout was that this was all about celebrating a community, a family who are South London and Proud.

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We won the FA Cup!