8 Seconds.

9/12/11;

8 Seconds. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. The time it took to be bought back down to earth after the magnificent night at Old Trafford that will live in my memory forever. There can be no doubt that league form has suffered since been drawn against United at the end of October. Since then we have not won in seven matches, drawing 0 – 0 with Reading, Portsmouth, and Millwall, 1 – 1 with Derby County, and losing 3 – 0 to Leicester, 2 – 0 to League Cup rivals Cardiff, with the latest defeat coming at Oakwell on Tuesday against Barnsley. In terms of the league Palace may be levelling out though. Last season we avoided relegation by a fortnight, this season a lot more consistancy has been shown on the road illustrated most clearly by the result at Old Trafford against Manchester United. Yet the reality is promotion is unrealistic and being mid table and in with a shot of Wembley reflects progress with performances from O’ Keefe, Wright, Zaha, Williams, Easter and Price all impressing. And of course who could forget Murray!

Tuesday was cold and the journey home took ages mainly because every time we tried to get off the motorway the exit was blocked. Trying to get across to the M40 from the M1, whether it was being diverted back to the M1 from the M69 or staying on to the M25 because the A43 was closed, even the entrance to the M25 from the M1 was closed. Point being it took ages because of diversions caused by road works so credit to my carer Maureen for eventually getting us home. Credit too to the 226 who made the trip to Oakwell after Old Trafford, despite the defeat and the early goal the good feelings from Manchester overflowed manifesting itself via comical chanting. Barnsley fans cries for ridiculous hand balls were mimicked by the Palace Oakwell 226 for most of the second half. Easter’s goal was the highlight and although Barnsley won and were impressive the fact is the time to recover the result will be later in the season at Selhurst Park on a reciprical Tuesday night.

The highlight of the week remains Old Trafford then, and indeed it is up there rather obviously as one of my best memories of an away day since I started supporting the club at the age of 8yrs old in 1990 and that includes my trips to Sweden and America with Palace. League form needs to improve or remain consistent thirteenth place is acceptable but thanks to Dougie, Glenn, Paddy, Darren and Wilf a dream is emerging onto the horizon and that could be the greatest memory of this truly unexpectedly remarkable season. Massive credit and a deserved reward for the board of Palace 2010 who have turned Palace’s fortunes around since taking over the club.

On Saturday we play Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in a match important to stabilising our dip in league form. Hopefully the dip in form is only temporary and after freshening up the squad for Derby County and Barnsley Dougie will get things back on track.

A lot has happened to Crystal Palace FC over the last fortnight, not so much in the league but a historic result against current Champions of England, Manchester United at Old Trafford gives us an historic opportunity to play at Wembley as a club in a cup final. The opportunity is there to possibly write a new and positive chapter in the Palace history books but more importantly it presents Dougie Freedman and the Palace class of 2011/12 the chance to write their names into the fabric of the club forever with this unexpected shot at Palace folklore.