CRYSTAL PALACE FC: 2001-02

By RetroRob1978 – @robperoni1978

With the immense relief and euphoria of survival still lingering happily over SE25, Simon Jordan set about laying the foundations for the forthcoming campaign, desperate to avoid any kind of repeat of the many trials and tribulations of 2000-01.

Top of the owner in-tray would be the appointment of a new first team manager.

Wigan Athletic’s Steve Bruce would be Jordan’s choice of leader, and after a very brief spell at the DW Stadium, the 41 year old ventured south, putting pen to paper on a three year deal to take the reins at Selhurst Park. Club saviour and legend Steve Kember was appointed as Bruce’s assistant, with the duo given the brief of a play off place achieved at least in year one.

Bruce began his stewardship by releasing the out of contract pair Craig Foster and Kenny Verhoenen, and the on-loan Tivoli Gardens forward, Ricardo Fuller. Midfielder Stephen Hunt was also let go, joining Brentford on a free, whilst goalkeeper Fraser Digby signed for Queens Park Rangers.

The first incoming under our new manager was to be the United States’ international forward, Jovan Kirovski. The 25 year old was a former Manchester United academy player and Champions League winner with Borussia Dortmund, who was a free agent, having recently left Portuguese giants, Sporting Lisbon. Kirovski was a very clever player, a modern day number 10, always able to link up play effectively between midfield and attack with a cute little pass.

Starting off very well with two wins yet no clean sheets from the first three First Division clashes, Bruce set about bolstering the back line. Joining the Eagles on a free transfer was the 28 year old Australian international centre half, Tony Popovic. At 6 foot 4, Popovic was a brilliant stopper, not the quickest but a real solid, whole hearted defender that always gave his all and left some more too.

A very high quality goalkeeper was next secured in the form of Bradford City’s Matt Clarke. Palace parted with £1.35 million for the 27 year old Yorkshireman, who was a fine shot stopper and a commanding ‘keeper too. Signed to rival current custodian Aleksandrs Kolinko, it was hoped that Clarke’s reliability over Kolinko’s eccentricity would win the day, in the battle to be Palace’s number one.

34 year old defender Steve Vickers joined CPFC on a one month loan deal from Middlesbrough.

Four league wins from six league outings in September had most Eagles’ fans dreaming of what could possibly lie in store – Bruce had Palace playing some fantastic football at times, and even when we lost, we still played quite well. Optimism remained high.

Three more players left SE25 in October, 2001. Young striker Chris Sharpling departed for Woking on a free transfer, having never really been able to follow up on early promise. Reserve ‘keeper Matt Gregg was also released, joining Irish outfit Bray Wanderers. Yet the biggest departure would be that of our great Chinaman, Fan Zhiyi, who signed for Scottish side Dundee in a £300,000 transaction. ‘Fan’ had been a very good and loyal servant to the Palace, so it was a shame to see him leave.

On the pitch, the Eagles were flying high, hitting the top of the table after enjoying a super seven game winning streak which saw us beat Grimsby, Barnsley, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Wimbledon, Bradford and Wolves.

This incredible run was only interrupted by an agonising penalty shoot out defeat to Wednesday in the League Cup.

The team had rhythm, pace and was exceptionally pleasing on the eye too. In Clinton Morrison and Dougie Freedman, we had the best two strikers in the league and the partnership they enjoyed was wonderful to watch and admire from a fan point. Bruce was rightly gaining many plaudits for this quick turnaround at Palace, in both results and playing style also. He was also gaining admirers from other clubs too, and the writing was sadly on the wall for us when his former club Birmingham City parted company with their own club legend, Trevor Francis.

Never refusing to rule himself out of the running to replace Francis at St Andrews, Bruce was playing with fire, and Jordan’s patience was wearing very thin with his manager.

So, at the beginning of November, Bruce resigned and was placed on gardening leave by Jordan, before he would be free to join the Blues as their new manager. To say us fans were angry, gutted and outright bemused at Bruce’s decision to leave a well drilled, table topping, electric team constructed in his own image for a struggling, out of form mid table club would be an understatement and it certainly created a lot of waves, particularly from Jordan’s side. Very public slurs were made from both camps and it was clear that there was now a hell of a lot of bad feeling between the two clubs.

Bruce’s number two, Steve Kember would once again take the caretaker reins, and drafted in central defender, Christian Edwards, from Nottingham Forest on a two month loan. Form had dipped off and although we were still in a healthy spot, the understandable effects of Bruce’s departure weighed heavily on the squad and we sometimes looked a complete shadow of the dominant team of just a few weeks’ prior.

So, to try and arrest the slump and reinvigorate a promotion push, CPFC did something I have never seen done before, or since, and effectively swapped managers with Birmingham, by appointing Francis to the Palace dugout as Bruce’s replacement. Francis had a decent track record in both the Premiership and First Division, and was viewed by most as a decent appointment, although the news of his appointment didn’t get as much excitement as it may have done, thanks to the shit way Bruce had left us.

Francis, a genuine football man, a nice man, this country’s first £1 million footballer, deserved more respect and love upon entering our fabulous football club. But arriving under the ‘Bruce cloud’, sadly never really afforded him the genuine Palace welcome he should have rightly had.

Like any new manager, Francis wanted to shuffle his pack and add and subtract where he imagined necessary.

Kit Symons, 30, arrived from Fulham in a £400,000 deal. An experienced Welsh international centre half, Symons added calmness and authority, whilst also offering a set piece threat too.

To provide very good competition to the goalkeeping ranks, Marseille stopper Cedric Carrasso joined Palace on a six month loan.

22 year old Leicester City striker, Trevor Benjamin, dropped down from the Premier League for game time, in a one month loan deal.

Danny Granville arrived from Manchester City, signing for Palace in a £400,000 move. The 26 year old ex-Chelsea left back was a solid performer, a ‘steady Eddie’ but a very intelligent defender too.

Concluding transfer business for the calendar year of 2001, was the capture of Middlesbrough right back Curtis Fleming, who CPFC paid £100,000 for. The 33 year old Republic Of Ireland international added bite, skill and experience to the defensive unit.

Saying goodbye to the Eagles were Sean Hankin and James Hibburt. The duo joined Torquay United and Woking, respectively.

As a CPFC fan, I can never tire of seeing this clip, which summed up Aleksandrs Kolinko to a tee. We at Palace have had our share of erratic goalies, but I don’t ever remember anybody as mad cap as our Latvian stopper, this save is pure crazy but actually superb too.

A very good January, apart from the Coventry City loss had us all believing again, and a play off push would at least be on the cards.

To further bolster the squad numbers, Shaun Murphy was recruited on a two month loan agreement. The 31 year old Sheffield United central defender was also a full Australian international, so this move made perfect sense.

Also coming to SE25 in February, 2002 was Leicester City’s powerful striker, Ade Akinbiyi. Unable to wear the number ‘10’ shirt for Palace, already occupied by Morrison, Akinbiyi elected to go for ‘55’, or, 5 plus 5. The forwards’ drop down from the Premiership was well documented at the time as Akinbiyi had struggled for form for the Foxes. Hopes were very high that he could rediscover his golden touch for the Eagles. At £2.2 million, the 27 year old hitman was expected to deliver, and quick too.

At just 28 years of age, midfielder Jamie Pollock retired from all football, following a loan spell at our good old friends, Birmingham.

Form and results dipped up and down, as the only real consistent ingredient to Francis’ Palace side was its’ inconsistency. Yet, the very worst result and performance of the season was on its’ way, a 5-2 thrashing at Blundell Park against Grimsby Town was indicative of the below surface problems at the club.

The top six dream was over and the best really that the Eagles could now hope for was a mid table finish, a huge improvement on the previous campaign but equally a massive come down from the giddy days of the early Autumn when CPFC were on fire and looked certain to be in the promotion mix too.

Rumours began to grow of strong interest in our best players from Bruce and Birmingham. They had both really taken a massive dump on our season.

Top of Bruce’s list was of course the ‘jewel in the Palace crown’, Clinton Morrison. Kirovski was also said to be a target of the promotion chasing Blues.

Clearing the decks for the next year, Francis released homegrown players Andy Martin, David Woozley, Wayne Carlisle, Stephen Evans and Richard Harris. Martin and Woozley linked up with Torquay United, whilst a once great hope, Carlisle, signed for Bristol Rovers. Evans joined Brentford, whilst Harris went to Wycombe Wanderers.

Fizzling out with some limp performances, including watching West Bromwich Albion get promoted on the final day, the season hadn’t been a total disaster but it certainly felt like a ‘what could have been’ kind of year for most Palace fans. We had also gained a brand new, bitter rival – Birmingham, Bruce and their owners. Fortunately for Bruce, the Blues went up through the play offs so he wouldn’t have to feel the heat at Selhurst for at least a season.

Palace squad 2001-02

Goalkeepers: 1. Aleksandrs Kolinko, 13. Lance Cronin, 21. Cedric Carrasso, 21. Matt Gregg, 31. Matt Clarke, 41. Gary Hateley.

Defenders: 2. Jamie Smith, 3. Craig Harrison, 4. Dean Austin, 5. Christian Edwards, 5. Fan Zhiyi, 12. Gregg Berhalter, 16. Andy Frampton, 19. David Woozley, 26. Shaun Murphy, 28. Tony Popovic, 30. Danny Granville, 33. Scott Gooding, 35. Ryan Williams, 36. Kit Symons, 36. Steve Vickers, 37. Richard Howell, 38. Curtis Fleming.

Midfielders: 6. David Hopkin, 7. Hayden Mullins, 8. Simon Rodger, 11. Tommy Black, 14. Steven Thomson, 15. Aki Riihilahti, 18. Wayne Carlisle, 23. Stephen Evans, 24. Julian Gray, 25. Jovan Kirovski, 26. Sean Hankin, 32. Jamie Pollock, 34. Robert Kember, 40. Wayne Routledge.

Forwards: 9. Dougie Freedman, 10. Clinton Morrison, 17. Andrejs Rubins, 20. Richard Harris, 22. Andy Martin, 26. Trevor Benjamin, 27. Steve Kabba, 30. Chris Sharpling, 39. Gareth Williams, 55. Ade Akinbiyi.

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