1987/88 season - game by game

[bubbs11]

Originally Posted by David of Kent

He certainly didn't get protected by our attacking style or defence early that season. I thought he'd be able to fight it out, but the Derby and Millwall games he was poor in (not the only one).

Nigel was a brilliant buy, even at the large price. Perry would have doubtless been better if he'd have stayed with Thorn coming in to organise the defence, but we had a chance to get a player in who would improve us and we took it.

Despite spending a record breaking fee for a third division keeper, Coppell said he had absolutely no concerns at all that Nige wouldn’t be up to top level football. Him and Thorn transformed our season.

Remember feeling a bit nervy that we’d spent that much on a keeper, but that didn’t last long. Just had an air of calm about him didn’t he. Had he played today he would’ve been England’s no.1, no doubt about that.

[Bipe]

For someone who was really only a first team player for 18 months or so Perry Suckling made a big impression in the Palace history books. A popular character and an athletic keeper who was a key piece of Coppell's promotion puzzle, everyone really liked him from day one.

Real shame how things turned out for him. People often talk about his save from Simon Garner in the play off final second leg vs Blackburn. But there was a save he made in one of his final appearances for us, home to West Ham in the 91/92 season when I think Nigel Martyn was suspended. Point blank downward header from Trevor Morley in front of the Holmesdale which he somehow shovelled away, it was genuinely Gordon Banks-esque in my mind's eye.

Looking at that line up for the Huddersfield game it was still very workmanlike if we're being generous, very surprising in hindsight that we managed to stay so close to the top of the table for so long into the season. Particularly at the back where none of that line up made it when we got back to the top division a year later. Cannon had obviously been a stalwart for us but was by now rapidly approaching the end, even if he didn't know it at the time.

New entries into the top ten for week ending 16 January 1988:

All Day And All Of The Night by The Stranglers - faithful cover of the Kinks' second hit, which in itself was pretty much the same song as their breakthrough debut You Really Got Me.

Sign Your Name by Terence Trent D'arby - this ballad was his biggest hit, peaking at number two. He seemed destined for a long and successful career given the phenomenal reception to his first album, but in fact it was a rapid decline from here.

Come Into My Life by Joyce Sims - great track, remember seeing her perform this on TOTP sat at the piano.

Rise To The Occasion by Climie Fisher - I never warmed to this lot, the singer (Climie or Fisher, who knows) always seemed a bit too pleased with himself in a Marti Pellow kind of way and he had an annoying voice.

[Dario_G]

Perry was great for us and a real upgrade on Wood. He was never the same after the 9-0 and his confidence just went. When we signed Martyn it was clear he was on another level and was a great bit of business by the club as we would have gone straight back down otherwise.

[Sydenham Eagle]

Originally Posted by Dario_G

Perry was great for us and a real upgrade on Wood. He was never the same after the 9-0 and his confidence just went. When we signed Martyn it was clear he was on another level and was a great bit of business by the club as we would have gone straight back down otherwise.

The signing of Andy Thorn around the same time was equally important

[bubbs11]

MIDDLESBROUGH 2 Mowbray Glover
PALACE 1 Wright

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[bubbs11]

Here are the highlights. Reveals an absolute travesty of justice that somehow both match reports failed to mention.

Their first goal never looks over the line and their second was never a penalty. Stebbing clearly gets a foot to the ball and the forward dives.

Is it too late to appeal?

[stevek]

Not sure anyone would have predicted when they lined up on either side for that match, that two years later Wright would be leaving Pallister flat on his arse at Wembley!

[David Giles]

Never went to Ayresome Park and I’ve always wished I had. The 3-2 win in the ZDS a year later seemed a bit of a cult classic match and then had a Sunday league final on the day we won the league in 1994.

[TenEmBee]

Remember getting to Middlesbrough for this game. Not many of us on the train as usual, Old bill put us on a double decker bus down to the ground. Two or three of them laughing as we boarded, so my mate asks why. You will soon find out said one. Anyway we pull up outside the away turnstiles, this being 2:15. We were then told the referee was doing a pitch inspection. Hence why local plod were laughing at us. Thankfully he passed the pitch playable and in we went. As you can see in the you tube clip the pitch was somewhat challenging.