Steve Coppell's message to Palace fans
posted by Alan Palmer on Tuesday 02nd of February 2010 01:39:18 PM
The Trust spoke to Steve Coppell this weekend to hear his views on the current crisis facing Crystal Palace, his memories of the previous administration, and what he hopes for the future.
Is there a positive side to administration? That’s the question I’m sure many Crystal Palace fans will have been asking themselves over the last few days and, while I know it might not seem like it right now, there can be a strangely galvanising effect to the kind of situation Palace find themselves in. After all, we know from our own, all too recent, experiences how clubs can gel when placed in extreme circumstances.
Being placed in administration in 1999 was a deeply traumatic time for so many people, and I still shudder at the memory of the day the administrator came to the training ground to tell me that 46 members of staff had been sacked. These were honest, hard-working employees who had probably been working for less money than they deserved, simply because they loved Crystal Palace and wanted to be a part of the fabric of the club. That they should have suffered so much was very cruel.
Yet, despite that, I can rarely recall a time at Palace when the players, management and supporters felt so closely knitted together than during that season-and-a-half we spent in administration. Call it a siege mentality, Dunkirk spirit or whatever, but there was a real connection there and it undoubtedly sustained us during a very trying spell on and off the field.
The club now needs that same spirit to be generated among fans and the current squad and management team. A 10-point deduction is a huge blow, of course, and it will be difficult for the squad to accept the fact they are now in a relegation battle but, with the kind of support we had at Norwich and in the home game against Blackburn 10 years ago, that is surmountable.
To me, there are two things that seem crucial in terms of the clubs future. The first is safeguarding the academy: the young players were a real crutch for the club when I was in charge 10 years ago, when Clinton Morrison, Hayden Mullins and others performed above themselves, and some of Palaces short-term money problems have already been lightened by selling Victor Moses.
Obviously everything is about the bottom line where administration is concerned, but if at all possible it’s crucial that the academy, which has been churning out so many talented youngsters recently, is sustained during this period. For clubs like Palace, that rely on finding local talent, it really is their life-blood.
The second and this really goes without saying is that Palace must be reunited with Selhurst Park under any deal struck with a potential new owner. The day Palace were detached from Selhurst was the day they became vulnerable. I just hope a real fan can take charge and buy the stadium because, ultimately, it’s the ground which makes the club what it is.
I wish I could guarantee that everything will work out and there will be a bright future, but nobody can. Administration brings uncertainty. But one thing is certain: with the kind of support I know Palace fans can provide and a strong approach from the players, Neil Warnock and his coaches, there is still plenty of reason for optimism.
Steve Coppell
The Trust would like to thank Steve for his time, and Andy Fifield for his assistance.
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