Steve Parish

As 2025 comes to a close, it’s difficult not to look back and feel emotional about what we as Palace fans experienced as a collective when winning the FA Cup at Wembley back in May. For multiple generations of our supporters, the idea of winning a major piece of silverware was a far off daydream; the sort of rarified air that is roped off to supporters of clubs like ours. We’d been to two finals before, in 1990 and 2016 but both times, we went into the showpiece occasion simply feeling lucky to be there, this time it was different. To those of you who don’t follow our club, it’s bordering on impossible to explain the change in mindset which was brought about by Oliver Glasner and his coaching staff upon their arrival in SE25. After decades of being told to be careful what we wished for, to be happy with our lot and keep on plodding along, the Austrian arrived and showed us that beyond the cloud cover that engulfed our minds, there was a clear blue brilliant sky and what’s more, he’d brought a ladder with him tall enough for us all to climb up and admire the view. The run to the final and indeed the day itself was akin to a fever dream, we were fantastic at Fulham in the quarters, simply sensational against Villa in the semi at Wembley and on that day in May against Manchester City, it felt, from the first kick until the last, as if this was simply our time to bask in the glow of the sun. I desperately hope we go on to win many more major honours throughout the rest of my time on this earth, not least so that my little boy can experience it alongside me as he grows ever more cognisant of what this game and club means to so many of us but if this is to be it for major honours, I can die a happy man knowing I saw it all with my own two eyes. The beauty really is in the journey. Happy New Year everyone. ❤️💙