A bit about you:
Name: Pete Gee
Current home town: Great Glen, Leicestershire
Birthplace: Sutton, Surrey
How long have you supported your team? Since 1969
Overview of your club:
Favourite thing about your home ground: The fact that it is not a "Lego" ground and has plenty of "unique" features. It needs plenty of TLC but that only adds to the attraction! "Sideburns" the legendary programme seller is part of the furniture, the bars constantly run out, the loo's overflow and the gutters leak! All part of a normal day at San Selhurst. Palace fans are always amused by the fact that the ground is, supposedly, so hard to locate. The fact that it has been in the same place since the 1920's and has 3 main line railways stations within a half mile walk seems by escape the media. Public transport facilities at the other London grounds are much worse….
Favourite match played by your team & why: April 8th 1990; Palace 4 Liverpool 3 FA Cup Semi Final. Every footballing emotion in the space of 120 minutes. Fortunately my Mum was there to see her beloved Palace get to Wembley before she passed away some 15 months later. Also "up there" are our 5-0 Don Rogers inspired demolition of Man Utd in December 1972 and our 2-0 win over Burnley in May 1979 which clinched the Division 2 Championship in front of 51,000 at Selhurst. All 10 of the outfield players had come through our youth team. Can't see that happening again.
This May's Survival Sunday draw at Hillsborough is also memorable, if only for my son thinking that I was having a heart attack half way through the first half!
Favourite player of all time who played for your club: Don Rogers, Oct 1972 to Oct 1974. Signed from Swindon for £150k. A quick two footted winger, wonderful player. Kenny Sansom was brilliant before joining Arsenal and having the flair coached out of him and, believe it or not, Peter Taylor was also superb. Unfortunately we have both experienced his "management" skills!
About our forthcoming match against you:
Your favourite current player in your squad and why? Shaun Derry & Clint Hill were my favourite players last season but they have joined Warnock at the Hoopies! 5 more of last seasons squad have also gone and taken a lot of experience with them. I like Alan Lee. He's a bit of a carthorse but an honest pro who is appreciated by his teamates. Sometimes he is so bad it is hilarious.
Player in your squad we should most fear and why? Darren Ambrose is the obvious answer. Nobody else seems capable of scoring unfortunately. For my liking he sometimes goes missing too often.
Player in our squad you most fear and why? Young King looks a good player and, similar to Alan Lee, I have always liked Steve Howard. He was excellent when at Luton and, if you are thinking of getting rid of him, send him in our direction. Another good pro.
Up and coming prospect s in your squad? Sean Scannel (injured for the next 6 months), Lee Hills (injured for the next 3 months) and Nathanyal Clynne. We still have good kids coming through and they will be needed this season.
Where do you think you’ll finish this season? In view of what has happened at the club we can only pray for 50 points and a 4th bottom finish. The club needs long term rebuilding but, at least, we now have local ownership again AND the club now owns the ground again which is a big bonus. This season will be a big struggle.
How do you think you’ll do against us? Cant see Palace scoring. Suspect a City 2-0 win and the usual over reaction in The Mercury and the Monday phone in.
Any other comments? After Claridge, Richard Smith and Muzzy Izzett a last minute deflected Palace winner against you lot is well overdue!