7 Times Being A Crystal Palace Fan Was Too Stressful

7. 1996 Play Off Final

In 1996, Crystal Palace booked their place at Wembley in the Play-Off final after comfortably beating local rivals Charlton 3-1 over two legs; setting up a meeting with Leicester who had dispatched of Stoke. Palace had finished third in the old Division One, four points behind second placed Derby and four ahead of fifth placed Leicester so were considered slight favourites. The game started off as a pretty cagey affair that eventually came to life in the 15th minute when Andy Roberts drilled a low effort into the bottom corner past Kevin Poole. However, instead of galvanising Palace, the goal had the opposite effect and in a mixed metaphor kind of way, the Eagles went into their shells. The relentless pressure eventually told when Muzzy Izzet was brought down by a clumsy Marc Edworthy challenge in the box. The spot kick was duly slotted away by Garry Parker and the game headed into extra-time. A cagey extra period will be remembered for two things - the first involving Leicester stopper Poole, who would suffer the ignominy of being subbed in the 119th minute with penalties looming, for penalty specialist Zeljko Kalas, a full 18 years before Louis van Gaal came up with the idea for the first time ever. The second was the heartbreaking moment for Palace when, in the last seconds of added-time-in-extra-time, the ball bounced loose outside the area and future pundit Steve Claridge was on hand to shin the ball into the back of the net from 20 yards with the last shin of the game, sending the Leicester fans into raptures and the Palace faithful home to cry. To this day, I've never forgiven Claridge and his right shin. I hate his shin.