Wednesday 15 June 2011

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace play in the NPower Championship, which is the 'second division', in 'old money'. It's a stadium they talk about relocating from every few years, the most recent being earlier this year, with another 'plan' to move to the National Sports Centre.

I took this set of photos in January 2010, at an FA Youth Cup tie against Derby County. Unfortunately they were taken on an older camera of mine, which doesn't take the best of night time shots, so are somewhat blurred for a number of them. I hope this doesn't detract from them, but as someone who is particularly a fan of Crystal Palace to say the least, it may just be a case of crap club, crap photos! ;-)

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THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO IAN WRIGHT, A SUPPORTER OF DULWICH HAMLET, WHO WAS FIRST & FOREMOST A CRYSTAL PALACE FAN, WHO SADLY COLLAPSED & DIED AT WHILE AT WORK ON MONDAY 13th JUNE 2011. REST IN PEACE.

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This first picture in the ground is from the main stand, looking over to the Arthur Wait Stand, on the other side.



There was only about half of the main stand open, here we look right along it, toward the Holmesdale Road end.



Here we see the lower tier of the Holmesdale.



To the left is the Croydon Advertiser Family Stand.



Turning back the other way we get both tiers of the Holmesdale in shot.



Toward the front of the main stand we look up at the mix of seating.



To the Family Stand again, behind the dugouts, in front of the main stand.



Directly over the pitch, to the Arthur Wait.



Some of the 'posh seats', in the centre of the main stand.



Boxes at the back of the main stand.



Wooden steps show how dated this ground is.



More of the seats toward the back.



Another view of the Holmesdale Road End, from the corner of the main stand, with the visitors flag on display.



From the same spot another look over to the Arthur Wait Stand.



Toward the back of the main stand, facing the other way.



This side amused me...Palace always run! ;-)



And this one reminded me of the cult eighties Australian 'soap'!



The Derby County flag again.



Looking across the main stand, from the front seats.



And over the pitch from the same area.



With the Holmesdale once more, the other way.



And the Arthur Wait another time.



At half time there was an executive bar area open beneath the stand, it had a number of old photos on the wall...








Back up into the main stand, for the second half.



The view over the pitch once more.



The main stand, taken from just behind the goal in the corner, at the final whistle.



A corner flag shot from the same spot.



And looking up to the Holmesdale again.



Back to the front of the main stand, glancing up at a section of the seats.



And looking across more of them as we leave.



As Selhurst Park is fairly local, & I was not working the next day, I went back to get some daylight exterior shots of the ground. This cirner has the outside of the Holmesdale Road Stand on the right, the Arthur Wait would be on the right.



The arrow marks the above spot.



Long list of ground regulations on display.



An abbreviated, picture version, for the many illiterate Palace fans! ;-)



This is the area behind the main stand. note the gap between the portakabin offices & the main stand, in blue. We will come back there later.



Above the players entrance is a mural, to celebrate the club centenary in 2005.



Created in partnership with their local council & artists.



One of the turnstile blocks.



The newer buildings, behind the main stand.



With the 'Legends Centenary Wall' built into it.



Lots of inscribed bricks on it.



With centenary banners fluttering above.



Another section of the wall, but not the 'Legends' part.



The main entrance.



Looking toward the main stand, from beyond it, up toward the main road.



The Adjacent Sainsbury's, that helped fund the redevelopment of part of the ground, in the eighties, built on the large open terrace that was the White Horse Road end, with the much smaller family stand in its place.



In front of Sainsbury's, on White Horse Road, is the club shop. This would conclude our tour of Selhurst Park, but remember that gap i mentioned earlier between the portakabins & the main stand...



There was a gate open into the ground, so I dived in quickly to take a few daylight snaps...bonus!
This is the Holmesdale end, lower tier...minus Derby flag!



At the other corner of it, inbetween these seats & the Arthur Wait Stand, is the club crest, with some sort of stand alone sponsors area above it.



Looking along the Arthur Wait Stand.



Similar picture, but a little closer to the bottom corner.



From this corner we look up the pitch, to the Sainsburys end, oops, I mean Family Stand!



Turning back left, to the main stand, which is where we were the previous night.



Directly at the Family Stand.



Round the main stand side now, a close up of the dugouts at the front.



Over the halfway line, to the Arthur Wait.



Holmesdale, to the right, both tiers.



Seeing up into a section of the main stand.



One more, a last look at the main stand, and the ground.



Part of a sign for the fans. No tools? Well that's most of the home support not allowed in then! ;-)



And back outside the ground, on the main road, somebody has left a reminder in some tarmac on the pavement who the top South London professional side is!



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