1969 Promotion run in from 22nd feb 1969

[Granada allover]

Originally Posted by Mick

goal average then presumably.

[Percy Dalton]

Originally Posted by Mick

goal average then presumably.

Indeed a typo well it was early in the morning ! Now if I recall correctly goal average was calculated by dividing goals scored by goals conceded.

So roughly going Into the Fulham game our goal average was 1.477 and the clowns 1.22 and of course even if we had lost to Fulham and Charlton had beaten Boro by enough to shift the goal difference in their favour a point at Blackburn would have been enough, but it could be tight.

[big bad John]

Wonder if it's worth mentioning to Budgie in the pub the night before, to remember who gave him his big break. I'm sure he'd be happy to take his foot off the pedal a bit.

[Percy Dalton]

Originally Posted by big bad John

Wonder if it's worth mentioning to Budgie in the pub the night before, to remember who gave him his big break. I'm sure he'd be happy to take his foot off the pedal a bit.

Sadly my all time Palace hero has suffered from too much beer since leaving us. He was never a slim lad, but had ballooned somewhat

[Granada allover]

Originally Posted by Percy Dalton

Sadly my all time Palace hero has suffered from too much beer since leaving us. He was never a slim lad, but had ballooned somewhat

Yep, we were lucky to get £25,000 for him.

[Carlise Few]

Originally Posted by Granada allover

Percy, you are right - there was just enough 'Oldham' in that Charlton result to make us a tad uncertain going into the game against Fulham. And going two down by half-time.... well, I'm getting ahead of history here. That must wait for a few days.

Incidentally, there is one anachronism in your last post. I wonder if anyone else can spot it?

What do you speak of sir?

[Carlise Few]

Do you think we would all be more relaxed every season without having lived through that experience?

[Percy Dalton]

Originally Posted by Carlise Few

Do you think we would all be more relaxed every season without having lived through that experience?

Without doubt, it was a living nightmare.

[Hal Low]

Originally Posted by Robin

Having been to Preston, I had to miss the Fulham game (can’t remember why now). One of the biggest regrets of my Palace supporting life. Didn’t Johnny Byrne set up both Fulham goals in the first half?

I don't know. But I know that a wild kick of the ball broke the guttering in the stand (back then it was the one and only stand)

[tony 1947]

Originally Posted by Hal Low

I don't know. But I know that a wild kick of the ball broke the guttering in the stand (back then it was the one and only stand)

Yes Johnny played well first half played number 6 . Remember that guttering being hit was at Whitehorse Road end funny how things like that stick in the mind. I was in the new stand enclosure wonderful that it was more or less finished for the start of our first season in Division one. Many supporters helped get it ready.

[Percy Dalton]

April 19th 1969 Crystal Palace 3 Fulham 2 (Kember, Lazarus, Jackson C)

On a warm sunny South London April afternoon in front of 36000 nervous fans finally Palace became a top flight club. A little after 4.40pm (only 10 mins half time in those days therefore games finished a little earlier) promotion to Division one was secured after a fight back from 0-2 down at half time.

During half time after a nervous and frankly poor performance that had seen Fulham who were already relegated go two goals up, Palace had fought back with three quick goals. The rumour mill during the half time break was suggesting a big Charlton lead at home, results/latest scores from other games were hard to come by in 1969 and panic was all around at the thought that we were going to blow our promotion especially after a huge effort to put together a run of up to that point 14 unbeaten games over a very short and hectic period.

However George Petchey Bert Heads right hand man had obviously "gently persuaded" the boys to up their game in the second 45 mins and promotion was secured. As it happened Charlton had in fact lost at home (never having been ahead in their game) and a draw would he been enough, but to go up after turning a 0-2 deficit into a 3-2 victory (although Fulham had a late 3rd goal disallowed) made the day more special.

Bert Head was not at the game he was off already scouting in Scotland to strengthen for the first division debut. Although many felt he wanted to leave the players to enjoy the spotlight and celebrations, he was a humble gentleman.

So many memories that day. Fans on the pitch before the game offering players a slug of champagne (you could take a bottle of fizz into the ground in those days!) The piece of roof from the main stand falling off into the Main Stand enclosure injuring some fans after a wildly hit ball struck the roof. The crush of the crowd as the final whistle approached and the rush onto the pitch. In the last moments of the game thousands were already over the perimeter fence and standing on cinder track that ran around the pitch in those days. The final whistle and the charge across the pitch to celebrate in front of the main stand as the players did a strip in celebration throwing their kit into the cheering crowd.

The journey home via a pub or two dreaming of next seasons fixtures, Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, etc etc.

I had been watching Palace for 9 years and 7 months and had seen us rise from Division four to the very top. From Barrow at home, my first game to soon Manchester United at home. Pinch me. Palace were in wonderland....

[Duffle Coat]

This whole thread is a work of art. I started following Palace in this promotion year. I truly enjoyed reading the posts, newspaper articles and memories not to mention looking at the photos. That’s some journey Mr Dalton. From Barrow to Man U. And people wonder why Palace are an obsession? Thanks to all of you for bringing this time back to life

[Percy Dalton]

Originally Posted by Duffle Coat

This whole thread is a work of art. I started following Palace in this promotion year. I truly enjoyed reading the posts, newspaper articles and memories not to mention looking at the photos. That’s some journey Mr Dalton. From Barrow to Man U. And people wonder why Palace are an obsession? Thanks to all of you for bringing this time back to life

Its been a pleasure. Just a few interesting facts to add.

Steve Kember, John Jackson and Big John McCormick played in all 42 league games.

Cliff Jackson was top scorer with 14 out of the 70 we scored. A lot of goals were spread around the midfield (please note current midfield) Bobby Woodruff managed double figures although his season was disrupted by illness and injury.

With the Fulham game providing us with our 15th game unbeaten we extended the run past the win at Blackburn in the final game and into the next season with the draw at home to Manchester Utd in the fantastic opener to our top flight adventure and then the home game a few days later v Sunderland a 2-0 victory. Finally ended with a 2-1 defeat at Everton despite us being a goal up at one stage. That game marked the opening of Everton's new stand which took away our record of having the largest stand in the football league (in terms or area) which the Arthur Wait stand had briefly

Palace finished 6 points behind Champions Derby County. Charlton finished
3rd 6 points adrift of Palace.

Palace and Charlton replaced QPR (on a massive 18 points ) and Leicester City in Div 1. Leicester were beaten FA Cup Finalists losing 1-0 to Big Mal's Manchester City. Leicester partly due to their FA cup run and the bad weather that winter had like Palace a lot of games in hand, but failed to take advantage unlike Palace of games in hand and were relegated after the FA cup final.

Bury and Fulham (suffering back to back relegations) dropped out of the second division.

For me the game of the season was the 4-2 home win over Millwall, but there were a lot of Palace performances to be proud of not least the 1-0 win at Derby.

Goal of the season I think was Steve Kember's v Portsmouth on Easter Saturday to put us 2-0 up.

And not to forget while we celebrate the 50th anniversary of promotion to div 1 for the first time. We should not forget the 1979 Champions and the 1989 Play off winners. All three were great seasons. 50, 40 and 30 years ago.

[Percy Dalton]

Originally Posted by Duffle Coat

From Barrow to Man U. And people wonder why Palace are an obsession? :

Some might say its all been down hill since Barrow in 1959, after all we scored 9 that day

[tony 1947]

That was a great season. I also saw my first Palace game in 1959. I agree that the best game was the Millwall home although I did not see the Derby away one. To me the goal of the season was Roger Hoy at Charlton in the league. Save of the season was John Jackson's penalty save at Millwall. Surprise of the season was Cliff Jackson at centre forward he only played in the first game at Cardiff because Bobby Woodruff had a stomach bug. Our worst display was at Fulham how we only lost one nil I will never know! All of the players were heroes and John Sewell was a great captain. He even scored our only penalty of the season after other players missed theirs.

[Percy Dalton]

indeed Jacko's penalty save at the Den was magic. First penalty Keith Weller failed to score

[Ockleywood]

Fans on the pitch after the game, anybody recognise themselves?

[Ockleywood]

Palace players in the Directors Box before they throw their shirts into the crowd

[tony 1947]

Bert Head's signings mainly through the Alan Stephenson transfer certainly paid dividends! Mel Blyth and Colin Taylor who were signed close season both were good buys. Who could forget Colin Taylor's powerful shot especially v Leeds and Millwall and Mel became a top class defender. Roger Hoy and John Loughlan were signed the same day and Tony Taylor a bit later all along with the others played their part. Before he was transfered to Luton Town Jack Bannister scored a splendid goal at Aston Villa. Again for those interested here are some details of the Fulham game as an attachment.

[grays_eagle]

My Dad and I used to catch the train up from Brighton for home games in the 1960s. Semi-fast train to East Croydon, then change to Norwood Junction - fun fact in those days, if you were on a train that arrived on platform 3 and there was a train on platform 1, you could go through that train to get to the exit as they had slam doors on both sides!

On the way back, we would get to East Croydon station to catch the semi-fast train back to Brighton, which left about 5.45pm. This train brought the classified Evening News and Standard on it. The train was held long enough at East Croydon to be able to buy the classified papers at the top of the slope and then run back down to get on the train. We often saw John Jackson at East Croydon catching the train back to Hove where he lived.

In the mid 1970s, I was at university at Sheffield, where the Saturday evening paper was printed on green paper (the Green 'Un). If I went to see Sheffield United play on a Saturday at Bramall Lane, it was possible to leave the game just before the final whistle at 4.40 and get to the main shopping street (The Moor) where there was a TV rental shop which had TVs in the window showing either Grandstand or World of Sport which showed the results at about 4.50.