First of all well done on coming out of administration, that is never a nice thing hanging over your head, second well done on getting Davids! What a player he could be for you.

Also I wonder what the odds are on Davids being the first yellow card in the game when he makes his debut for you? Odds on surley??

What. A. Day.

Counago, Obika, Davids! Bloody Davids!

Can't wait 'til tomorrow. Never have I been so excited about a game vs Ipswich.

Two words "Tomas Brolin".

think his first game will be at Scunthorpe. i bet he never expected that! i give him 5 minutes before he's in the book!


amazingly he was only 29 when we signed him. but he was woefully unfit and overweight and the only reason Coppell offered him a contract was because we had a major player shortage at the time.

Davids is a risk but one worth taking. on a pay as you play deal we have nothing to lose and everything to gain if it works out. even if he doesn't play all the time his knowledge and experience will be great for our young players of which we have quite a few. plus if it helps get more bums on seats then even better.

I remember that, he made Itzik Zohar look good that season. I think Davids has a better natural fitness and also mentality for this. I don't know why he would waste his time coming to Palace if he didn't plan on being good enough for the team.

Nah, Coppell didn't make many mistakes at Palace but he did with Brolin. He only got a 6-month contract but even that shouldn't have happened. His desire for the game ended long before he came to Selhurst and I think Coppell panicked because we had so many long term injuries at the time and from what I remember only one fit striker. The only hunger Brolin still had was for pies!

Davids obviously has a passion and desire to play again otherwise why bother? He certainly doesn't need the money. If he can prove his fitness and put in the performances he will be immense at this level of the game. And as it's only pay-as-you play it's a deal suited to all parties.

thing is, there is always a risk element with any transfer or signing regardless of who they are.

things may work out with davids or they may not. he could be blinding for us all season or he may find out his legs aren't up to the job and he retires by november. but i suppose that's why a pay as you play deal was agreed to cover that possibility.

either way it will be great to see a legend of the modern game playing for our club.

todays line-up:

1. Julian Speroni; 2. Nathaniel Clyne; 4. Claude Davis; 5. Paddy McCarthy; 8. Neil Danns; 9. Alan Lee; 10. Owen Garvan; 11. Andy Dorman; 15. Kieron Cadogan; 16. Wilfried Zaha; 19. Julian Bennett

Subs: 6. Adam Barrett; 12. Calvin Andrews; 13. Lewis Price; 21. Kieran Djilali; 28. Stuart O'Keefe; 29. Jon Obika; 30. Alex Marrow

half-time it's 0-0.

another signing...

Palace have signed Alex Marrow from Blackburn Rovers on a six month loan deal.

The 20-year-old midfielder signed terms early enough to be included in the squad for this afternoon's match against Ipswich Town.

The deal for the Blackburn Rovers trainee will last until 3rd January 2011.

Marrow made 33 appearances whilst on loan at Oldham last season, and scored one goal during his time there.

I last watched the Palace at Selhurst Park on Boxing Day in 1949. I think they were in the Third Division (South) in those days. My big brother took me and he was a Palace supporter until his dying day. Crystal Palace shirts were worn at his funeral!

wow 1949! i bet your brother saw all sorts at Selhurst over the years and had some cool stories.

welcome to the forum by the way.


edit: we've just gone 1-0 down to a penalty and Claude Davies
has been sent off.

double-edit: it's now 2-0 to Ipswich.

final score -- Palace 1 Ipswich 2

Danns got a late consolation for us but it's our second defeat in a row.
brought back down to earth after all the good news yesterday.

Encouraged by the way we played.

The new players are still settling in. We'll get there.

Bloody ref.

you're being way too polite! he was total crap.

i liked the way we played at times. but we faffed about too much.
claude davis can be such a liability. surely we can find someone better to partner paddy. definitely missed ambrose. i'm still a bit worried about our ability to score goals.

>gack<

That penalty miss. Muppet.

Obviously disappointed with the result itself but it's still early doors and it's basically a new team that has to gel together and with a few more new names joining this past week things definitely look brighter long term.
Claude Davis does do my head in, though. I've never felt secure with him at the back, half the time he doesn't look like he knows what he's doing!

makes you wish that we still had fonte.

Definitely.

A bit of good news - Sean Scannell may be back sooner than expected.

Link

looks like we may be losing Alan Lee to Huddersfield.

link.

That would be a blow to see him go. I had my doubts when he first joined us but last season he proved what an integral part of the team he was. I hope he rejects the offer to stay.

davids makes his debut tonight. no lee, not even on the bench.

Speroni, Clyne, McCarthy, Barrett, Garvan, Dorman, Zaha, Davids, Djilali, Marrow, Counago.

Subs: Price, Andrew, Cadogan, Holland, Parsons, O'Keefe, Obika.

Certainly looks like he is off, then.

Half-time: 0-0. We sound like we're playing much better tonight than we did on Saturday. Just lacking that goal.

1-0 down. nugent for pompey against the run-of-play.

More and more missed chances again tonight. Oh, for a striker that can actually score goals.

1-1. sonko own goal levels it up.

but zaha has been sent off with a straight red!!