Crystal Palace fans finally experienced a moment decades in the making as the club celebrated its first major trophy with a jubilant FA Cup winners parade through south London. Despite the damp weather, thousands lined the streets around Selhurst Park, waving flags and lighting red and blue smoke flares in a vivid display of loyalty and passion.
The mood was electric as two buses carrying the players and staff, led by manager Oliver Glasner, made their way through the packed crowd. Tears mixed with cheers as supporters relived the thrilling final moments when Eberechi Eze scored the winning goal against Manchester City, securing Palace’s historic triumph and a much-anticipated place in European competition next season.
“This has been the best week of my life to share this with all these guys,” said an emotional Steve Parish, Crystal Palace’s chairman. “Our fans are our superpower – that is what we’ve got that drives us forward.” His words resonated deeply with the supporters, many of whom had waited a lifetime to witness this achievement.
The parade route, which usually takes about five minutes to walk, stretched into nearly an hour as the players and staff stopped repeatedly to soak up the adoration of the crowd. Originally, the club had hoped to host the celebrations in Crystal Palace Park a historic location where the FA Cup final was played between 1895 and 1914 but plans were scaled back following concerns raised by local authorities. Despite these setbacks, the shortened route did nothing to diminish the atmosphere.
Even a sudden downpour failed to dampen spirits. As the buses passed along Whitehorse Lane, fans sang and cheered, their excitement undiminished by the rain. Once the parade reached Selhurst Park, around 7,000 fans flooded onto the pitch to continue the festivities. The celebration included a DJ set from Sister Bliss of Faithless, a nod to the band’s late frontman Maxi Jazz, who was a vice-president of the club before his passing in 2022.
French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, awarded the club’s goal of the season for his exquisite lob against Arsenal, was among those called on stage. “I’ve been dancing all day,” he said with a broad smile, donning quirky sunglasses amid the party atmosphere on the pitch.
Looking ahead, the club faces challenges despite the euphoria. Work on a new stand at Selhurst Park, which would increase capacity to 34,000, has been delayed due to rising costs, now estimated to reach £240 million. Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounds the club’s ownership, which chairman Parish is determined to resolve swiftly.
Retaining manager Oliver Glasner, whose contract expires after next season, remains a top priority. Glasner has made an impressive start since replacing Roy Hodgson in February, instilling a winning mentality and a hunger for more success. His reputation for winning trophies precedes him, and the club hopes he can continue this trend.
Several key players who contributed to the cup win, including Marc Guéhi, Mateta, and of course Eze, are attracting attention from bigger clubs. Parish acknowledged the importance of holding on to this core group. “We couldn’t hope for a better group,” he said. “To smash through the glass ceiling for this club and finally win something their names will go down in history. They will always be loved here.”
Glasner himself was in a reflective but optimistic mood. “Oliver doesn’t like coming second. Winning is a drug and I don’t see any reason at all why we can’t go and do it again,” Parish added, emphasizing the club’s ambition to build on this success.
The manager’s competitive edge was clear in the final game of the season, where he made a tough call by substituting young talent Romain Esse and later publicly addressing his attitude. Yet, on the day of the celebrations, Glasner was all smiles and focus, stressing the importance of continuing the club’s progress.
“Today is a good moment to talk about what we’ve achieved,” Glasner said. “I couldn’t be more pleased to work with a group of players. Not just because of their talent, they are great talents, but especially what great characters they are.”
He concluded with a rallying cry for the season ahead: “It’s very exciting, and we all will enjoy this journey playing the Premier League, playing the Carabao Cup, playing the FA Cup, and playing the Europa League. Four competitions, four titles to win, let’s go for every single one.”
For Crystal Palace, this victory was not just a trophy; it was the beginning of a new chapter full of hope, ambition, and the promise of more historic moments to come.
