Frank de Boer and Tony Pulis may think differently, but we have an urgent advice: go to Crystal Palace. An authentic football atmosphere in the Premier League and Selhurst Park is one of the nicer stadiums in London.
Not so long ago, this club was on the brink of death and Crystal Palace had to be rescued from the abyss, but we can safely say they are now more than on top of it. Crystal Palace is a stable mid table club in the Premier League today, and is in many ways, an odd one out. A London club that doesn't feel like London, and where you have to go once as an ultra.
When you get off the train at Norwood Junction station, you don't really feel like you're still in London as it feels a lot less metropolitan. Crystal Palace likes to present itself as the club of South London for lack of competition, and is also more like a neighbourhood club than a multi-million dollar Premier League company.
Much of that image is determined by Selhurst Park, the ancient stadium of The Eagles, located against a hill. At the intersection between Park Road and Holmesdale Road, you're on top of that hill and basically above the stands, except for the most eye-catching double-decker stand on Holmesdale Road. From a distance it looks like the main stand, but it is the stand behind one of the two goals, where the fanatical Palace fans are standing.
Those fanatics deviate considerably from the image you may have of English fans: Atmospheric actions, drums and melodies taken from Southern Europe are a rarity in England, but not at Palace. You have to love it, but the noise makes it.
Perhaps Crystal Palace have the most beautiful name in the Premier League, who knows. In any case, it is a unique name, which has its origins in the 19th century. Elsewhere in South London – in what is now called Crystal Palace Park – stood a large glass exhibition building over 500 meters wide and 40 meters high, called 'The Crystal Palace'. The cricket club of the same name played in the park in front of the building, and a football club was added over the years. Although football has been played under the banner of the Crystal Palace for over 160 years, the building itself unfortunately disappeared after a devastating fire in 1936. The terraces of the palace are still there and give an indication of how huge it was.
Also within the park is the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, with an eye-catching athletics stadium. Now that stadium is not very special, the ground on which it is located is: Crystal Palace played its matches here very early and between 1895 and 1914. Even the FA Cup Final was played.
Oddly enough, Crystal Palace was only an extra in the most famous event at Selhurst Park, when the lead was taken by someone who embodies the title 'crazy genius' more than anyone else: Éric Cantona. In January 1995, the Manchester United Frenchman flew a karate kick into section G of the Main Stand after being provoked by a Palace supporter. The images went around the world, Cantona barely escaped prison and was not allowed to go on the pitch for nine months after. Not that he regretted it by the way: “I should have hit him harder”
That nearly hundred-year-old Main Stand (with an old-fashioned kink in the roof) is more than worth a visit, but you have to be quick, because in 2022 be replaced by a brand new one.
There is surprisingly little to do around Selhurst Park for London standards, the stadium is located in a bit of a boring residential area in South London. In front of the Main Stand you do have a 'fan zone' where you can drink a beer, but that is not our preference. We'd rather stay in the area around Norwood Junction station, where there are a number of pubs where Crystal Palace supporters gather before and after the games. The Albion (ironic considering their rival is Brighton and Hove Albion) is located on 26 High Street, was painted red and blue in the club colours until a few years ago. The facade has since taken on a more neutral appearance, but on match days red and blue is still the norm here.
To get tickets at Crystal Palace you usually need a membership, £45 for international fans. You can also wait for The Eagles to draw a small lower division club into the FA Cup, then you can easily sit in the main stand for £20.
From central London, take the Thameslink or Overground trains to Norwood Junction station. From here it is about a ten minute walk to Selhurst Park. Don't be distracted by Crystal Palace station, this is a park, not the football club.
Images: Shutterstock, BSR Agency
