Love Actually

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Jag satt och rotade igenom gamla Palace-skrifter och blev då påmind om hur fantastiskt bra vanliga fans kan summera sin passion för en specifik klubb. I tider då det mesta handlar om att ”följa med i utvecklingen” och ”erbjuda den stora massan det den efterfrågar” är det skönt att bli påmind om att det finns, eller i alla fall en gång i tiden fanns, sådana som jag – människor som är stolta över att följa en klubb som ger mer än bara ära och berömmelse; en klubb som gör så man känner att man lever, en klubb som kanske bara med jämna mellanrum lyckas – sådär. Helt enkelt ett charmigare och ”personligare” alternativ till de Pop Idol- eller X-Factor-klubbar som dagens fotbollsfolk väljer att associera sig med.

Vi publicerar här förorden till en samling klipp från olika Palace-fanzine som publicerades i ett samlingsverk någon gång i början på 1990-talet. Det står Palace i texten men ni som vet vad författaren, och jag, försöker säga, kan säkert relatera till detta ändå, trots att er klubb inte är de röd-blåa örnarna från South London. Trots att orden är närmare 20 år gamla ringer de vackert i örat på mig och speglar det som är speciellt med Palace (och andra mindre framgångsrika klubbar) på ett helt fantastiskt sätt.

We could have taken the easy option and followed Arsenal, Spurs or Manchester United. As a matter of fact, many of us grew up surrounded by kids who did just that. But not for us glamour and glory – having to justify our support for Crystal Palace is a task we expect to take through life.

This book is not packed with tales of Cup Finals and internationals, although there are a couple later on. Instead it’s about blokes like Len Choules, Percy Cherrett and Alan Pardew and supporters who are regularly forced to question their own sanity. Most of it is set in Division Three (south) rather than Division One (Premier League för er som inte var med då) but that's not important either.

The history of Crystal Palace is as much about applying for re-election as it is about international footballers. It is as much about playing Accrington Stanley as it is about going to Wembley. It is about being part of shivering crowds of 4,000 but also about the comradeship of 50,000 voices. It is not only F.A. Cup glory against Liverpool that matters but League Cup defeat at Stockport. The history of Palace is a tale of genuine contrast. The only certainty is knowing nothing is inevitable.

It is hoped that we will always retain our small club attitude, and all the romance that goes with it, but we also have potential, some of it recently realised, to be a hugely successful club. We are privileged to have the best of both worlds. When something good happens to Palace it prompts celebrations that fans of big clubs will never experience. They think trophies fall off trees, but for us a piece of silverware is a fantasy. We can still live our dreams.

Crystal Palace is a real football club, supported by real people, not a corporate marketing exercise which is what many of English football's more 'glamorous' names have become. You can turn the pages of a hundred football history books and we will not be mentioned, but it is at Palace, and other clubs like us, that the real history of English football can be found. It has been ignored for too long.

The problem with football history books is that they rarely offer more than one person's view of events. But no matter how meticulously researched, we do not believe that one person can truly reflect the history of a football club simply by listing results, referring to old programmes or going through the papers in a local library. For the real stories, you need personal experience. Therefore this book is written by the people who were there - Crystal Palace supporters.

What is so special about Palace? The first thing that springs to mind is laughter. Black humour is the norm at Selhurst Park, we grew up with it. Even in our most successful spells and finest hours, the true Palace fan will always be immersed in the deepest pessimism. If things are going badly, they'll get worse, if they're going well, it can't last.

But though we laugh at them, there's nothing half hearted about supporting the Eagles. Scattered through this book, you will find the word "love" and in many ways supporting the club is like a marriage. You share the joy, the hurt, the escapades and the excitement and, better than that, divorce never comes into it - only perhaps a trial separation.

It is rare for Palace to succumb to mid-table anonymity. We're either challenging at the top or struggling at the bottom. Some teams stay in the same division for years, but we are always on the move. Last season we were relegated and many of us cried because we thought we were good enough not only to survive but to improve. But the season before was tedious and in the end many of us would prefer to lose and be entertained than discover that our beloved Palace had become stale and boring. We are as happy now as we've ever been. No Palace fan wants to lose, but if you never taste defeat, how can you appreciate victory?