Arya News - Palace followed up their famous FA Cup triumph with the perfect Selhurst Park homecoming
Inside a packed-out fanzone, supporters were sinking pints in the late-Spring sunshine - likely an extended hair of the dog for some. Over the speakers blared Shakira"s Waka Waka , which has been adopted by Palace in light of their Wembley heroics. "Twelfth again, who gives a f***. We"ve won the FA Cup ." It would not be the last time the 2010 World Cup anthem would be heard that evening.
There was no focus on the Wolves challenge that lay ahead. All those in red and blue were rightfully still in reflection mode as they tried to accept that the seemingly impossible dream had become a reality.
"I was still anxious that Kevin De Bruyne was going to equalise like 20 minutes after the final had ended," Byfield added. "I still had the feeling that it was all going go tragically wrong. But as the hangovers subsided and with every day that has passed, I have realised that it"s real, it"s actually happening. And it"s absurd." Mick Lenz, 50, simply said: "It"s just unbelievable."
Crystal Palace fans were still in disbelief at their FA Cup success (Getty Images)
For others, ending their Wembley hoodoo was so unthinkable, so beyond the imagination, that it became a cause for concern. "I"ve always wanted Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup I die," one fan joked. "Now I"m expecting the grim reaper to come and collect my soul, so I"ve got mixed feelings about it."
The supporters made sure to flood into the stadium with time to spare as they prepared to give their players the hero"s welcome they deserved. First out of the tunnel came the substitutes, among them Jean-Philippe Mateta, who received WWE-style solo entrance to the sound of his now-synonymous Vengaboys anthem.
The chaotic Frenchman might not have been starting, but a certain club icon was. Joel Ward , Mr Crystal Palace, led his team of champions out on his final ever home appearance, welcomed by a raucous ovation. A tearful ceremony for his 13 years of service would come later in the evening.
Joel Ward led his team out on his final Crystal Palace home appearance (Getty Images)
A deafening rendition of Glad All Over ensued. And then it was game time.
Selhurst Park maintained its voice from the first whistle to the last, with it clear that no result could put a dampener on this celebration. Wolves did try and play the role of party-pooper, first through Emmanuel Agbadou on 24 minutes and later Jorgen Strand Larsen after 62. But on both occasions, the cheers of visiting fans were drowned out in a split second by the Holmesdale end, who like clockwork broke into Waka Waka .
Eddie Nketiah"s five-minute first half double acted to buoy the home fans even more, but their joy was hardly reliant on the Englishman"s flurry. Goals from Ben Chilwell and sole final scorer Eberechi Eze were the icing on the cake as Glasner"s men broke their Premier League points tally record, three days on from that other piece of history .
Eddie Nketiah"s brace put Palace on course to break their Premier League points record (Getty Images)
However, such a heady occasion was not without a moment of solace. Ward"s 364th Palace appearance came to an end in the 71st minute, and tears quickly followed - from the fans, from him, and from Steve Parish. He returned to the pitch after full-time, holding their precious FA Cup, as Selhurst Park honoured his legendary tenure.
While the Wolves end had emptied out, not a single home fan had left their seats as "there"s only one Joel Ward" echoed around the ground. “I couldn"t have written a better story and a better ending,” he said.
An emotional farewell closed out an otherwise overtly jubilant evening in SE25. Palace have major silverware for the first time ever and will sign off from 2024/25 with a boosted sense of ambition. "This is the consequence of what we"re talking about and to always keep our standards high and not be satisfied and take the next step. That"s what this group is trying," Glasner reiterated post-match.
Joel Ward and his children with the FA Cup after his final home game for Crystal Palace (PA Wire)
Holding on to this gem-laden squad for next season may prove difficult, with the likes of Eze, Marc Guehi and Ismaila Sarr among those touted for moves away. Glasner’s summer objective is optimistic but simple: “My wish is to keep this squad and add maybe one or two players, but maybe that’s a wish to Santa Claus.”
With the promise of continental football lying in wait, Glasner will hope his ranks avoid a gutting. Fans, meanwhile, will pray their super tactician isn’t enticed away, because if this Crystal Palace team - statistically their best ever - stays in this mould, a golden era could be on the horizon in Croydon.