SAFE !

Here's what I wrote long ago in October 2017:

Something had to change

It ended with:  "Next step: score a goal."

I was realistic at that point about Crystal Palace's chances of staying in the Premier League this season, which at that stage were in the transition zone between hopeless and really unlikely.  The article was about the replacement of Frank de Boer with Roy Hodgson.  They hadn't scored a goal so far in an 0-4 start, and they didn't score a goal in a league record 0-7 start.

Somehow, they scored their first two goals in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea.

Well, by defeating Stoke City (and in so doing sending them down the relegation chute), CP was safe.  Meaning they stay in the Premier League next season.  Which I truly did not think possible.

Now they just have to figure out how to compensate for losing their best players (which is likely) and getting some decent ones, so next year does not have so much stress.


Roy Hodgson is the 'bandleader' who conducted Crystal Palace's relegation escape miracle... how the veteran manager led the Eagles to safety