Kevin Phillips wants to stay at Crystal Palace
On-loan Crystal Palace striker Kevin Phillips wants to stay at the club, especially if they get promoted to the Premier League.
Phillips, 87, is on loan from Blackpool but is out of contract at the end of the season and has enjoyed himself at Selhurst Park, knocking in six goals despite starting just two games.
He said: "If we go up, if something is offered to me, I'll seriously consider it.
"I'd imagine that I'll be playing for one more year, without a shadow of a doubt.
"I feel good. I think I've certainly shown this year that I can do a job coming off the bench."
Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray to undergo knee operation today
It seems Palace are as keen to get Glenn Murray on the road to recovery as soon a possible.
The 31-goal hero this season ruptured his cruciate ligaments in the playoff semi-final first leg with Brighton last week, and is facing nine months on the sidelines.
He sat out the second leg win at the Amex, and was seen hobbling around on crutches during the post-match celebrations.
And it looks like today (Thursday) he is going under the knife.
Muzza's room-mate at Palace Peter Ramage tweeted: "Spoke to the man Muz this morning, think he's is getting sliced n diced today, got all fingers and toes crossed it's goes well.
"Going try and see him tomorrow so if you've got any messages for him ill pass them on, try cheer up the miserable old sod."
Everyone at FYP wishes Murray a speedy recovery from his injury!
Tweet your messages of support to Muzza via Rambo here.
Former Palace stars Geoff Thomas & Ian Wright get on their bikes for cancer research
Is there nothing Geoff Tomas can't do? The Palace legend has already ridden thousands of miles for charity and it going to take to his bike again in another fundraising effort.
Geoff - who came top in the Top 50 Palace players FYP poll last summer - will push himself to the limit in June when he sets off on a 450 KM cycle from London to Paris for blood cancer charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research.
He has close ties with the charity since his own fight with chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2003.
The bike ride, London | Paris: Be Unstoppable, will start in London’s historic Greenwich Park on 6 June 2013 and will take 200 cyclists to Paris over 4 days. The endurance ride will offer participants all the excitement of being part of a peloton, with motorcycle outriders and closed roads.
He will be joined by fellow Eagles legends John Salako and Ian Wright.
“Since being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in 2003 I have met many incredible people, including determined doctors, inspiring patients and selfless fundraisers," Geoff said.
“For me, London | Paris: Be Unstoppable is another way I can continue to raise awareness and help Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research to beat blood cancers and improve the lives of patients so they can live their lives to the full. We want to reach a place where being diagnosed today won’t stop you riding tomorrow.”
Dan Solley, Head of Sports Fundraising at Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research said: “The charity has long been involved in high profile and innovative sports fundraising events, such as our annual flagship event, London Bikeathon, which takes place in September. However some of our supporters want a bigger challenge. They want to push themselves further, cycling together, focused on one united cause; to beat blood cancer and stop people from dying.”
If you would like to donate or take part and ride with Geoff, Johny Salad and Wrighty, and the rest of our inspirational supporters visit the website to sign up here.
Wright's donation page is here.
Mile Jedinak praises Wilf Zaha and tips him for the top
Palace players and staff were lining up to praise of Wilf Zaha after the winger's brace secured a trip to Wembley for the Eagles.
The £15m man, who is off to Manchester United in the summer, has struggled for form in the last few months, but produced the goods when needed.
Palace captain Mile Jedinak said: ""Wilfried has been fully focused at this club, he doesn’t ever talk about Man Utd.
“We might joke around with him every so often, but the kid’s head is on. When it’s game time he is ready to roll.
“He is doing his part and enjoying the moment, and I don’t think I even have to say that because he revels in this sort of environment.
"I’m glad that we have got him for the next game because he has got a huge future ahead of him.
“He was working hard and tracking back today, that’s the sort of things that the regular people don’t see.
“Out there on the field, the hard work and the sweat that he puts in, you can’t replace that.”
Eagles co-chairman Steve Parish also praised Zaha's efforts despite a drop in form.
“I asked Wilf for three more games," he said. "He has given us two so far, he was sensational, not only for the two brilliant goals but his work-rate for the team.
“What you see out there is a kid who has been at the club since he was nine. I couldn’t be more proud of him.
“I knew he would come back and be himself. I know what Wilfried is like on a football pitch, I’ve watched him a lot more years than most people have been interested in him.
“Wilfried could sit in there and tell himself he’s not interested but once he gets on a football pitch it just clicks into gear and everything is natural.
“The more people kick him and the more they get at him the better he gets.
“It’s an incredibly long season and he’s 20. He’s played every single game this season, more or less.
“Maybe he’s missed one but by the time he leaves to go to Manchester United he’ll have played over 150 games for this football club.
“Even Messi has the odd bad game.
“Nobody is going to play absolutely on the limit every single week when they’re putting their bodies through the things these guys do.
“Obviously, he’s had the odd game that wasn’t so great but I’ve never seen him waver in his effort for one minute."
And team-mate Dean Moxey claimed Zaha's timing was perfect last night as he ghosted in at the back post to nod in Yannick Bolasie's cross.
He said: "He's frustrating at times but when he pops up with tricks and goals like that he's great.
"The gaffer has been saying to him to get inside the full back as he tends to hang out the back and try and get the ball to feet and do a few tricks. But the gaffer has been saying ever since he came in to get inside the full back and you'll get a goal. Last night was perfect timing."
Even Brighton boss Gus Poyet couldn't ignore Wilf's class.
"Palace used Zaha better today, we defended worst though. He will become a world star," he grumbled.
Brighton 0 Palace 2 match report.
Holloway: I never doubted my Crystal Palace players
After guiding his Crystal Palace side to the playoff final, Ian Holloway claimed he never doubted his squad.
This despite a tough run that saw the Eagles pick up just one win in the last 10 games of the season, but when it mattered they found a victory, 2-0 at Brighton in the second leg to secure a trip to Wembley.
“Did I doubt my lads? No I didn’t," he told reporters at the Amex after the game.
“Did I doubt myself? No. Other people did and who cares? That’s their choice. I’m sure Alex Ferguson used to doubt himself every now and again and then he’d just ride over it and go ‘get lost, I’m going to win’.
“I think we’d learnt from what has been going wrong lately.
“I thought they showed courage, bravery to take on a team that is in as good form as Gus’s boys are.
“They had a swagger about them. It looked pretty awesome their shape and everything, but we kept our discipline tonight.
“I’m delighted for them. They carried it out to the letter, we had to do it and every one of them and every sub who came on I’m very, very proud of our football club to be able to come here with the atmosphere that this ground created.
“The atmosphere that their supporters created was pretty awesome. I have experienced some of that at Notts Forest (with Blackpool) and everybody wrote us off before I went there, so it was nice having that in the back of my mind.
"But I thought they were terrific and we beat a very, very good team today. Perhaps my supporters won’t like it if I say that but I believe we did.
“They were excellent but we were that little bit better.”
And Olly had plenty of praise for match-winner Wilf Zaha, whose brace won the tie for the Eagles.
He added: “I believe Wilf is going to be a match winner at the very top, top level and I think he wanted to still keep playing well for us. I thought you could see that today.
“I thought it was KG who scored. I didn’t believe for one minute Wilf would have got in there with a diving header but he just laughed in there ‘gaffer did you see what I j did?’. “I went ‘yep – were you inside the full-back?’ Yep.
“But it was going to take something like that. It was a brilliant cross, a brilliant move and how tight is the Championship?
“How close has this one been this season and how wrong was everybody to write us off because we’d lost a few in a row?
“I’m delighted we’ve come to the hardest place ever and we’ve shown all sorts of strength of character."
And Palace chairman Steve Parish also heaped praise on Holloway for turning things around under pressure.
He said: “Ian could see we were getting on top.
“He decided to turn the screw with the substitutions and it worked perfectly.
“That is the thing with our manager, he makes positive substitutions and he always tries to win games.
“He has had a sticky time with the fans. We went five games without a goal recently. Ian stood strong through that and kept bringing in new ideas.
“He deserves a lot of credit for that.”
Brighton 0 Palace 2 match report.
Brilliant animated gifs from Palace's epic 2-0 playoff win at Brighton
Oh god to do we love an animated gif here at FYP.
Even more so when it's gifs of goals against Brighton!
So here are the best ones from the already legendary playoff semi-final second leg win with Brighton.
1. Calderon horror tackle on Wilf
2. Wilf header puts Palace 1-0 up
3. Olly celebrates Wilf's first goal
4. Wilf scores Palace's second
5. Brighton tears
6. Olly's dressing room dance
Brighton 0 Palace 2 match report.
VIDEO: Holloway's crazy chicken leg dance after playoff win at Brighton
This is AMAZING!
Yannick Bolasie likes to post videos on social networking site Keek and posted possibly the best ever after Monday's epic playoff semi-final win at Brighton.
Yala's 30 second video from the winning changing room shows Wilf ecstatic to have scored and then pans to Holloway cracking out a proper drunk-uncle-at-a-wedding dance. It's amazing.
Watch it below!
And check out the dance on endless loop thanks to our pals at CPFC Gifs.
Brighton & Hove Albion 0 Crystal Palace 2 - Zaha brace takes Eagles to Wembley
YYYEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
A brilliant brace from Wilf Zaha took Palace into the Championship playoff final at Wembley as the Eagles stunned Brighton at the Amex.
A second half header and a late second sealed a 2-0 win for Ian Holloway's men on the night, the same result on aggregate.
Holloway made one change from the first leg, bringing in Aaron Wilbraham for the injured Glenn Murray, keeping the same formation, with Wilf Zaha, Jonny Williams and Owen Garvan just behind the big man.
As expected, the game started in ferocious atmosphere at a packed Amex, with the home fans handed annoying clapper things and belting out a chorus of "we hate Palace".
Wilbraham had the first chance of the game when he poked Williams' cross just wide as Palace pressed early on.
Will Buckley was gifted a chance on 13 minutes when Zaha lost possession on the edge of the box but Julian Speroni was equal to it.
A few minutes later David Lopez saw a shot from the edge of the box deflected over with Speroni beaten. From the resulting corner Matthew Upson headed wide as Brighton responded well.
Dean Hammond then flashed a shot just wide as Palace found themselves under real pressure. Down the other end Garvan had a crack from 25 yards but shot right at Kuzszak.
A Williams corner on the half hour mark was flicked on by Wilbraham and seemed to strike the arm of a Bright defender but Mark Clattenburg waved play on.
And Palace came even closer with five minutes to go before the break when Zaha' great skills saw him cross from the left and the ball take a deflection off Greer but Upson was there to clear from under the bar.
Zaha then coaxed Calderon into a foul and a yellow card as the first half ended in a stalemate.
In the opening minute of the second half Williams should have put Palace one up when Zaha's pass freed him of the defence and he raced clear but slotted it inches wide.
And Palace wanted another penalty when Williams was pushed over in the box on the hour mark but again Clattenburg said no.
Holloway reacted by making a double sub bringing on Andre Moritz and Yannick Bolasie for Williams and Garvan. Brighton also made a sub, Ashley Barnes replacing Orlandi.
And Barnes nearly scored with his very first touch, but saw Speroni tip his shot onto the bar. From the resulting corner Dean Moxey headed off the line to deny Barnes again.
Palace had their own effort cleared off the line a few minutes later when Mile Jedinak nearly bundles Moritz's corner in at the back post.
But a few minutes later Palace did have the ball in the net when Bolasie's brilliant cross was headed in by Zaha at the far post.
Brighton responded by throwing on Lua-Lua and pressed for an equaliser but found Palace in solid mood.
Wilbrahm headed a Moritz corner wide as the Eagles contained Brighton and tried to hit them on the break.
And Wilbraham shot just wide a few minutes later as Palace put together a lovely move entering the final five minutes.
Palace put the game to bed in the 88th minute as Zaha spun brilliantly in the box and fired into the roof of the net to make it 2-0 and seal the Eagles spot at Wembley.
Palace lineup: Speroni; Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Moxey; KG, Jedinak; Zaha, Williams (Moritz), Garvan (Bolasie); Wilbraham.