Palace Blog Extract One 22/8/11

Burchy’s Blog – A Lighthearted View Of Being A Crystal Palace Fan From A Wheelchair.

Blog Extract One.

22/8/11.

This is my first extract of what I hope to be a regular blog looking at life as a disabled Crystal Palace fan and the exciting adventures I sometimes have Following Palace around the country. This extract is made up of my audio script used on the FYP Podcast at the start of this season.

Significance of numbers;

1990 – First year as Palace fan after beating Liverpool in FA Cup Semi Final to reach Wembley for Cup Final 1st and only time in history 8yrs old.

1991 – Palace finish 3rd in top flight best ever league position Coppell’s finest spell as manager 8yrs old very impressionable age.

2000 – First period of Administration very insecure times combined with very difficult period in my own life serious illness where I am in a Psychosis and am Catatonic in hospital.

2001 – Recovery both in terms of Administration and my illness as I leave hospital for the last time in time to witness Portsmouth and Stockport and Palace’s survival Freedman’s last minute goal great moment of symbiosis with club.

2010 – Second period of administration great uncertainty 10pt deduction survival at Hillsborough and then brinkmanship over existence of club and very survival that July in City at Lloyds, relief at survival, honour at winning Fan of year, and thanking many of the players at Player of Year Awards. Gaining personal inspiration to fight on and pass my Masters.

2011 – Survival at Hull. Hope for future, end of administration uncertainty new start; Dougie Freedman’s role as club legend and figurehead there to save us when we the supporters really need him.

Why Crystal Palace? The above dates are clearly significant in the love of my club, the significance of 0 and 1 to mine and Palace's history is uncanny. Everyone knows you can easily get a divorce but you cannot ever change your football club allegiance so when your sneered your sneered, and to be honest I feel honoured Palace had me after the Liverpool semi in 1990. So big thanks should go to my Uncle and Auntie, David and Dorothy for coming over and supporting palace on tv that April Sunday. It could have been different of course everyone knows Steve Coppell managed Palace in arguably the most successful period in our history, taking us to Wembley thanks to that goal from ‘Super Al(an Pardew) and it was these two individuals who also had a remarkable influence on the history of my home town club Reading at the turn of the Millennium. Who knows had I been eight in 2000 and not eighteen it would have been Reading! Thankfully I was an 80’s baby, cracking music too.

Travel Stories:
Wigan 2003; 0 – 5 Kembers last stand, a depressing comedic value in defeat leading to arrival of Iain Dowie, frustration of smashing phone into brick wall of disabled section and wondering if I wanted to jump off. Total lack of interest in Wigan, expecting stick from locals all we got on way back to station was, ‘ where is the bowling alley?’

Sunderland Playoff Semi Final 2003/4 4 – 4 Palace win 4 – 3 on pens;
A memorable match was doing a photographic project showing access to football grounds with photographer and Palace fan Phil Colvin who was based in Sunderland. The photos were later exhibited in Croydon as part of Palaces centenary and are archived at the National Football Museum at Preston/Manchester. As Palace equalised Darren Powell Jumped into crowd and I got knocked out of my wheelchair and while caught in melee I copped an eyeful of policewoman’s arse. Club put out press release the next day to find out who I was and if I was ok, I got lots of phone calls and received a signed shirt from Shipperley and Powell v Everton at start of next season.

Stoke 2003; Memorable for my disorganisation missed last train to Nottingham after match stayed at Britannia Stadium Hotel being entertained in bar by other Palace fans AJ got winner

Blackpool 2003; Midweek carling cup game at Blackpool torrential rain had driven from Nottingham AJ won it memorable because my mate had not wanted to come, but I got tapped on the shoulder by a middle aged man who said; ‘...hello my name is John I believe you’re at university with my son Owen.’ First time I met friend John Walker long way from where I was meant to be.

Walsall 2003; Day England won Rugby World Cup 0 – 0 Uneventful game but for the unsettling tones of rugby songs at football and the fun that was had at The Bescott Station as we were arriving. Was going upstairs to get across to the stadium when there was a most amusing tanoy announcement; ‘Could someone please help the invalid (me) across the platforms stair bridge’. When over the shock what was funny was a septanogerian came running along looking like Ivor the engine driver, even more of an invalid then me. Haha.

Sweden Preseason 2007; Long Weekend to Gothenburg see Odevold v Palace in Oddesvala Unique experience of seeing Palace in Europe. Help of friend Richard Bamber, first foreign football trip. Arriving at airport expecting rental car to be Ford Focus – upgraded to Volvo next person expected car to be a Mercedes, downgraded to Volvo. Comedy value in realising every car at the airport rental car garage was a Volvo. Joking around on autobahn ‘get out of the way Magnus, get out of the way Helgar’ – first people we then meet in bar called Magnus and Helgar, they wondered why we laughed. Swedish TV following us in bar Swedish kids singing palace songs, being left on tram tracks a great trip.

Barnsley 2007; Travelled from Southampton on train with middle aged female carer from Eastern Europe. Did not have ticket as coach hadn’t arrived with returns needed loo and Barnsley kind enough to let me use facilities in their Disabled Supporters room and then they would not let me leave without sharing their Christmas Buffet. Extreme act of kindness rewarded by football gods as Barnsley played at Wembley that year in FA Cup Semi Final. Interestingly this trip for me was also memorable despite its goaless nature for the willingness of my Eastern European carer Georgia who despite being out of her comfort zone was so keen to enjoy a new experience she threw herself into enjoying a Palace northern away day like a regular. In fact despite driving rain she pushed me up and down a Yorkshire hill to get to the ground despite being well into her fifties. Never complaining her only comment was that in a good way Barnsley resembled Communist bloc Hungary. Truthfully one of my more enjoyable away days, Barnsley fans were great and I look forward to returning to Oakwell under lights on a Tuesday later this season.

USA Preseason 2009; Trip of lifetime played Palace USA and Harrisburg Islanders at Waldorf and Rochester Pennsylvania. Spent time in Baltimore and Philadelphia fantastic access to players and management spent 2hrs after Harrisburg match with Warnock, Fonte, Butterfield, Danns Derry, Hill, Carle, and rest of squad including youngsters like N’Daie. Warnock was nice guy clearly impressed by effort of fans. Met local press, surprised disabled had travelled misreported everything I said, (be wary of media) Said Richard was travel agent for entire group when in fact he only organised our trip, said I had cystic Fibrosis when I told them I had Cerebral Palsy. Richard was annoyed but we find it funny now. Story of Wanda Washington, carer in Philadelphia – turned up in nurses uniform slightly overdressed for football tour interacted really well with rest of group.
Superb!!
I will return to some funny moments from my Palace trip to the States in future blogs. S B