Palace v Hereford 1962/63 FA Cup, were you there?

[SIMON OF SELHURST]

November 3rd 1962, Palace played Hereford in the first round of the FA cup at home and won 2-0, it was my first ever game as an eight year old (I have been coming back ever since). Back in those days our regular kit was the white tops with the claret and blue hoop and black shorts. But something that sticks out in my mind is that for that one FA cup game we played in white shirts with a thin claret and blue regular vertical stripe, not like the Don Rogers kit but regular stripes all the way round the shirts. I know that in the 60s Palace often played in a different kit for cup games, hence the amber in the mid-sixties. But after the Hereford game we played Mansfield in the hoops (we lost the replay 7-2 and I had the mizzogs for a week!) I wrote to Palace news a few years ago and got a letter from someone who sent me an old black and white Adder cutting that just about showed vertical stripes, a few others reckon that the stripes were Claret and blue with no white.
I have also looked at the brilliant kit list on Palace Echo, there is nothing there. Does anyone remember that game, does anyone have a decent photograph?

[SteveB]

I was at the Hereford game in 1962/63, but it doesn't stand out as the highlight of my Palace-watching career, and I have no recollection of what kit they were wearing. The only thing that remains in my memory is that I handled the ball when it went out of play, something I didn't repeat until Palace v Derby in 1990/91.

The second round match against Mansfield was more memorable. The referee gave Palace a dodgy penalty in the last minute, which gave as a draw and a replay. The Mansfield players were so upset that they all, except the goalkeeper, slow-handclapped the referee off the pitch. He responded by taking all 10 of their names (long before yellow cards). I believe that that number was a record at the time.

[tamlamotowner]

I was at this game, a right old rough and tumble it was.

[tony 1947]

I was also at that game. I have a report and a not very clear picture, it looks like Palace played in the strip they used v Real Madrid which was claret and blue stripes.

[old git]

I was born 4 months later .I am sure my dad was there though.:p

[ian king]

But something that sticks out in my mind is that for that one FA cup game we played in white shirts with a thin claret and blue regular vertical stripe, not like the Don Rogers kit but regular stripes all the way round the shirts. Does anyone have a decent photograph?

Yes played in what looks like light blue with thin claret stripe shirts. Attached is one of two pics I have from the game. This is the better one showing Andy Smillie and a good view of the Whitehorse Lane/Park Road corner of the ground. The programme for the game says Palace in claret and blue stripes with white shorts and this is also stated in the home programme for the next ten or so games but my pic collection shows a reversion to the usual kit until the last few games of the (extended) 62-63 season when white shirts with white, red or blue shorts were worn.

[DocSavage]

Yes played in what looks like light blue with thin claret stripe shirts. Attached is one of two pics I have from the game. This is the better one showing Andy Smillie and a good view of the Whitehorse Lane/Park Road corner of the ground. The programme for the game says Palace in claret and blue stripes with white shorts and this is also stated in the home programme for the next ten or so games but my pic collection shows a reversion to the usual kit until the last few games of the (extended) 62-63 season when white shirts with white, red or blue shorts were worn.

good god those boys were tubby