Five Year Plan

Selhurst Park, April 29, 2000

This game is memorable for a number of reasons; former Palace hero Matt Jansen netting for Rovers and refusing to celebrate, future England left-back Ashley Cole scoring a belter, but most memorably for a jubilant Eagles manager Steve Coppell chucking his jacket into the Holmesdale after full time. A rare show of emotion from the stoic Scouser.

There were reports Coppell asked for the jacket back but if not then there is a Palace fan walking around in Sir Steve's jacket - and that make me smile very much.

I don't need to remind you that 1999/2000 had been a very trying year; Palace had been in administration for the entirety of the season and were battling against the drop. With a combination of loan signings and youngsters Coppell had managed to mould something of a squad together.

Central to that was young Ashley Cole who had come in on a six month loan from Arsenal and shone at left-back.Then a shy, friendly 18-year-old, few would have imagined he'd grow up to be the arrogant schmuck he is today, but less of that and more of 2000.

Palace went into their final two games knowing that a win in either would secure safety. First Blackburn travelled to Selhurst before a trip to Tranmere on the final day of the season. Rovers had just come down from the Premier League but were struggling to bounce back. Even so with an array of stars, few Palace fans expected much from the game.

Well, we expected one thing. I was clear that former Eagles star Matt Jansen was going to score against his former team, and true to form 20 minutes in the former Carlisle striker smashed one past Matt Gregg. Super Matt showed his true class by refusing to celebrate his goal; knowing it could well be the strike that sends Palace down.

As it was, Palace got back into it thanks to Cole's little bit of magic. The full-back spun on the egde of the area and send a left-foot rocket into the top corner mid way through the second half. Minutes later Clinton Morrison converted Jamie Smith's cross and Palace somehow managed a 2-1 win.

It meant Coppell's men could relax up in the Wirrall - and they even won that one too. Cole went back to Arsenal that summer, Simon Jordan bought Palace and the rest has been an eventful history.

By way of an aside, I took two of my friends to the Blackburn game who were football fans but didn't follow a team. Selhurst was so noisy that day, that they have been Eagles fans ever since.