Unlikely Superhero – Crystal Palace’s very own Rambo!

When Peter Iain Ramage signed for Crystal Palace on a one-year contract in August 2012, even as a Crystal Palace fan I have to say I was left feeling somewhat uninspired!


I had witnessed the Whitley Bay born defender in action for ‘The Eagles’ during his five month loan spell with us during the 2011/12 season. To be fair to Ramage  during that time (which included 17 league appearances) he tended to be used by the then manager Dougie Freedman as a ‘utility’ player, and he flitted between the full-back and centre-half positions.

Ramage - In the form of his life!

As a result the 29 year-old had little opportunity to put a marker down, and establish himself in an ever changing back-four. In the first-half of the 2011/12 season Palace were in a defensive mess as they juggled numerous players in an attempt to find a settled back-four. By the time Ramage’s loan period had come to an end on the 15th January 2012, he had played with 11 different defensive partners in McCarthy, Davies, Tunchev, McGivern, Gardner, Clyne, Keinan, Eagan, Parsons, Moxey and Parr.

However Freedman had no hesitation in re-signing the Geordie lad for the start of the 2012/13 campaign. The signing of Ramage may have been initially as cover following the loss of Club captain Paddy McCarthy. McCarthy sustained a groin injury in the summer, and as I write is still sidelined and has yet to feature in a first-team game this season.
However it has proved to be an inspired signing as the player affectionately known as ‘Rambo’ has played a pivitol role in a wonderful season so far for the boys from SE25.

Rambo has established a solid, no nonsense central defensive partnership with Irishman Damien Delaney (right) this season, and his passion and desire is written all over his face during the heat of battle! Ramage has started 31 of 33 league games this season, come on as a substitute in another and since our opening day defeat to Watford at Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace are unbeaten at home this season, a run of 16 games at ‘Fortress Selhurst.’

It must be said that several of the reasons for the success on the pitch this season can be attributed to confidence, attitude, belief and fitness. But unlike last season stability in defence in terms of personnel has been crucial.

Before Palace signed Delaney from Ipswich on the 31st August, Ramage was paired at the heart of the defence with Aaron Martin a loanee from Southampton, but Palace lost their opening three league games of the season conceding nine goals in the process. Upon his arrival Delaney was immediately paired with Ramage and the two have been inseparable ever since, other than a three game suspension handed to the Irishman for seeing red at Huddersfield just before Christmas.

Despite the upheaval with the departure of the rather flaccid Dougie (the grass is not always greener on the other side) Freedman and the backroom staff to Bolton in late October, and the subsequent arrival of the flamboyant Ian Holloway as his replacement in the managerial hot seat, Rambo has rolled with it all, without flinching or suffering any long term heartbreak! In fact Holloway’s arrival has probably seen Ramage develop as a player due to the Bristolian’s style of play, which allows players to express themselves a lot more by playing a fluid passing game with the emphasis on getting forward more often, rather than strangling the life out of a 1-0 lead!

    Ramage (wearing 28) shows what it means to him after scoring against Watford this month!

Ramage has even contributed with some rare but vital goals this season. He has in fact scored twice as many goals for Crystal Palace this season than he has over his entire professional career, having made his first-team debut for Newcastle United as a substitute in a UEFA Cup tie on the 16th March 2005.

His first goal in the red and blue of Palace came at The Walkers Stadium in October, as the Londoner's turned over the then league leaders Leicester City 2-1. Ramage then bagged a consolation goal in a 2-1 defeat at Leeds in November, before netting a vital goal at Watford this month, followed by a second goal in consecutive games as Palace thrashed Middlesbrough at Selhurst Park last week. His smart turn and shot against Boro’ was a goal that any striker would have been proud of, and it was also his first goal for the club at Selhurst Park.

On the pitch Rambo is the consummate professional, whilst off the pitch he comes across as a great lad, a family man who will always takes time out to chat to the fans and someone who loves a bit of banter with his team-mates. I imagine he is an inspirational, yet calming figure in the dressing room and someone that all the lads, particularly the youngster’s look up to!

He is also becoming somewhat of an unlikely favourite among the fans. You cannot as a football fan fail to revere a man who gives everything, a player who wears his heart on his sleeve and plays for the badge on his chest.......and who always goes to, and applauds the fans at the end of every match!


Rambo you are a credit to yourself and Crystal Palace Football Club and you won’t be far off winning this season’s Palace ‘Player of the Year’ award as voted for by us, the fans!

You can follow Peter Ramage on twitter or find him after training at most good coffee outlets, with Damien Delaney and Andre Moritz!


Pictures courtesy of: FiveYearPlanFanzine.co.uk and RednBlueArmy.co.uk

You can’t buy experience! - Why ‘Super Kev’ can shoot Crystal Palace to the promise land!

Kevin Mark Phillips, may be diminutive in height but he has a presence and aura that is both dynamic and effective, and Ian Holloway’s capture of ‘Super Kev’ on a transfer deadline day loan to Crystal Palace may be pivotal in ‘The Eagles’ attempt to successfully secure promotion to the Premier League this season.

Kevin Phillips comes off the bench to equalize for Crystal Palace at Watford last week

As numerous names and potential Palace targets such as George Boyd, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Albert Adomah and DJ Campbell were banded about during the hectic January transfer window, many Palace fans were bemoaning the fact that Kevin Phillips was even in the frame!
There were still a lot of furrowed brows when he signed for the South London Club on loan until the end of the current season. Phillips was seen by many as a footballing veteran at 39 years young, with over 450 senior starts spread over a career spanning nearly 20 years. Numerous fans questioned the signing of Phillips and the ambition of the club, in what many saw as a gamble on a player who was surely over the hill!

On his move to Palace Phillips was the ‘ultimate pro’ saying exactly what the Club and fans alike wanted to hear: "Every time I pull on a Palace shirt or a training kit I will give 100 per cent and I thoroughly look forward to it. Palace are an exciting team, I enjoyed working under Ian Holloway at Blackpool and I really look forward to working with him from now until the end of the season."

Since joining Palace, Phillips had made two substitute appearances and on both occasions he has been instrumental in a change in fortune on the pitch. Less than two weeks ago the Crystal Palace team trudged off the Selhurst Park pitch at half-time looking crestfallen, after a woeful first-half performance against London rivals Charlton. The visitors had dominated the first 45 minutes and deservedly led at the break. Palace were lacklustre and void of ideas. Holloway took immediate action and the former England striker was handed his debut as a half-time substitute.

Murray and Phillips (right) celebrate!

This change in personnel clearly had the desired affect as Phillips helped spark a dramatic turnaround. Two goals from the Championship’s top scorer Glenn Murray secured a dramatic 2-1 victory for Palace, with Phillip’s orchestrating a calm, creative and significant influence on the game.

The Palace manager was naturally delighted by Phillip’s debut and the social message boards were awash with praise for the Hitchin born striker. Sentences containing adjectives such as classy, sublime, nippy, polished and impressive were used to describe the impact Phillips had on the match. As a result many fans were forced to eat at least a little piece of humble pie.

A week later and he was at it again, as Palace rescued a point at high flying Watford, despite going into the break two goals down.

Phillips’ introduction at Vicarage Road 10 minutes after half-time culminated in a non-stop second-half onslaught by a rejuvenated Palace team with Phillips and teenage sensation Jonny Williams playing a father and son age defining double act, culminating in Palace coming away with a well deserved point. Phillips firstly providing a good foil for fellow striker Murray, and secondly getting the all important equalizing goal, as he made a wonderfully timed run into the penalty box to expertly dispatch Jazz Richards’ low cross at the far post - his 243rd career league goal!

I don’t think the first 80 minutes of football played by Phillips in the red and blue shirt should be underestimated, as his introduction on both occasions has been quite simply ‘game changing.’ Most players take a while to settle in at a new club, but not ‘Super Kev.’ He signs for Palace, moves down to the South of England, meets up with his old manager, his new team-mates, has a training session or two, and on match day he puts in a couple of performances that make him look like he has been at the club since the year dot!

Not only is a Phillips a class act on match day, but I am sure his experience and knowledge will rub off on the youth in a Palace squad with some outstanding young talent at its disposal.

Throughout his professional career Kevin Phillips has averaged nearly a goal every other club game and commanded transfer fees with a cumulative total in excess of £5million. Palace are his eighth club since he turned professional in December 1994, and he represented England on eight occasions making his debut against Malta in Ta’Qali in June 2000 under the stewardship of Kevin Keegan, before bowing out of the England set-up, against Holland in the Amsterdam Arena in February 2002 under Sven-Göran Eriksson.

In 1999-2000 Phillips was the Premier League Player of the Season, the Premier League top scorer with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him both the Premiership Golden Boot and the European Golden Boot. He remains the only Englishman to win the European Golden Boot.

Phillips was a Football League Championship winner and the Football League Championship Player of the Year with West Brom in 2007-08, and a Football League Cup winner with Birmingham City in 2011.

Last season at the tender age of 38, Phillips helped Blackpool reach the Championship play-off final at Wembley, and finished as the club’s leading scorer with 16 Championship goals in 41 appearances.

When speaking on his arrival at Palace, Phillips was visibly grateful to Ian Holloway for bringing him to the club and giving him one final hurrah. He said: "I don't want to let him down (Ian Holloway). He's brought me here and I want to repay the faith he has shown in me".............and believe me, he has already started to repay the belief Holloway showed in him!

Could Mr P be the transfer coup of the season for Crystal Palace? That one individual that brings a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to the table every day he is at the Club, whether it be on the training ground, in team meetings or on match day?

Time will tell, but for now it looks like a very shrewd bit of business on the part of Ian Holloway and the owners of Crystal Palace Football Club.

You cannot buy experience, so Mr Kevin Phillips welcome aboard the Crystal Palace rollercoaster! It’s never dull, so hold on tight and enjoy the ride!

# Photos courtesy of the BBC and The Sun Newspaper Group.

Crystal Palace Football Club Squad List - 2012/13

Goalkeepers:

#1.Julian Speroni - Age 33 - Date Signed: 12 Jul, 2004.
#34.Lewis Price - Age 28 - Date Signed: 29 Jul, 2010.
#40.Ross Fitzimons - Age 18 - Date Signed: 01 Jun, 2011.

Defenders:

#2.Joel Ward - Age 22 - Date Signed: 30 May, 2012.
#3.Ashley Jazz Richards - Age 21 - Date Signed: 25 Jan, 2013 (Loan deal).
#5.Patrick McCarthy (Capt) - Age 29 - Date Signed: 12 Jun, 2008.
#6. Jacob Butterfield - Age 22 - Date Signed: 16 Jan, 2016 (Loan deal).
#12.Danny Gabbidon - Age 33 - Date Signed 16 Sep, 2012.
#14.Darcy Blake - Age 23 - Date Signed: 24 Aug, 2012.
#21.Dean Moxey - Age 26 - Date Signed: 31 Jan, 2011.
#22.Alex Wynter - Age 18 - Date Signed: 01 Jan, 2010.
#27.Damien Delaney - Age 31 - date Signed: 31 Aug, 2012.
#26.Mathew Parsons - Age 21 - Date Signed: 01 Jul, 2010.
#28.Peter Ramage - Age 28 - Date Signed 08 Aug, 2012.
#39.Quade Taylor - Age 18 - Date Signed: 05 Mar, 2011.
#42.Ryan Innis - Age 17 - Date Signed: 01 Jan, 2012.
#45.Kadell Daniel - Age 18 - Date Signed: 01 Jun, 2011.
#TBC Michael Chambers - Age 18 - Date Signed: 30 Jan, 2012.

Midfielders:

#4.Jonathan Parr - Age 23 - Date Signed: 16 Jul, 2011.
#7.Yannick Bolasie - Age 23 - Date Signed: 24 Aug, 2012.
#8.Kagisho Dikachoi - Age 27 - Date Signed: 04 Jul, 2011.
#10.Owen Garvan - Age 24 - Date Signed: 04 Aug, 2010.
#12.Alex Marrow - Age 22 - Date Signed: 06 Jan, 2011 (On loan at Fleetwood Town since 17 Aug 2012).
#15.Mile Jedinak - Age 28 - Date Signed: 11 Jul, 2011.
#20.Jonathan Williams - Age 18 - Date Signed: 01 Jul, 2011.
#22.Stuart O'Keefe - Age 21 - Date Signed: 18 Aug, 2010.
#23.Andy Dorman - Age 30 - Date Signed: 06 Jul, 2010 (Contract terminated on 31 Aug 2012).
#24.Jack Holland - Age 20 - Date Signed 01 Jul, 2009.
#25.Kyle De Silva - Age 18 - Date Signed: 01 Jan, 2012.
#30.André Moritz - Age 26 - Date Signed: 24 Aug, 2012,
#35.Bayan Fenwick - Age 18 - Date Signed: 02 Mar, 2012.

Strikers:

#9. Kevin Phillips - Age 39 - Date Signed: 31 Jan, 2013 (Half-season loan from Blackpool).
#11. Stephen Dobbie - Age 30 - Date Signed: 31 Jan, 2013 (Half-season loan from Brighton).
#16.Wilf Zaha - Age 19 - Date Signed; 01 Jul, 2009.
#17.Glen Murray - Age 28 - Date Signed: 31 May, 2011.
#18.Aaron Wilbraham - Age 32 - Date Signed: 04 Jul, 2012.
#19.Jermaine Easter - Age 30 - Date Signed: 14 Jan, 2011.
#23.Alex Nimley - Age 21 - Date Signed: 10 Jan, 2013 (Half-season loan from Manchester City).
#24.Kwesi Appiah - Age 22 - Date Signed: 31 Jan, 2012.
#27.Ibra Sekajja - Age 19 - Date Signed: 01 Jul, 2010 (One-month loan to Barnet from 10 Jan 2012).
#TBC Reise Allassani - Age 16 - Date Signed: 17 Feb, 2012.

Management Team:

Manager: Ian Holloway
Assistant Manager: Keith Millen
Goalkeeping Coach: George Wood
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Scott Guyett
Chief Scout: Steve Kember
Head Physio: Alex Manos
Assistant Physio: John Stannard
Kit Manager: Brian Rogers

Blackpool have hardest task on epic final day - Betting News with Betfred

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It has been a massive season for Blackpool and they now have to do things the hard way as they travel to Manchester United on the final day of the season.

Ian Holloway's side have been the entertainers of the Premier League since their promotion last year, and have received rave reviews from the football world for their adventurous, attacking style of play.
However things have been tough for the Tangerines since the turn of the year, and they are 9/2 with Betfred to record a shock victory at United on Sunday.

They now sit in the bottom three on goal difference, knowing a win is vital if they wish to retain their Premier League status, but United are unbeaten at home this season, dropping just two points out of a possible 54 at home, and will be keen to give the Old Trafford faithful a tremendous send-off as they celebrate winning their record 19th league title.

There are numerous permutations surrounding the final weekend of the season and any two teams from five could be relegated depending on results elsewhere.

A point could be enough for Blackpool (and it is 10/3 the draw at fortress Old Trafford), if Birmingham lose at Tottenham, and/or Wolves lose at home to Blackburn by two goals or more. Should Wolves beat Blackburn then only an 'unexpected' Blackpool victory would see them overtake Rovers.

The Premier League betting odds understandably favour Blackpool to be relegated as have the toughest final game against United, and Betfred go 4/11 that they will be plying their trade in The Championship next season.

What must worry fans of the Seasiders is they have a notoriously leaky defence and travel to a United side capable of scoring a hat-ful, even if Sir Alex Ferguson decides to put out a weakened side with one eye on the Champions League final next week.

Even if Ferguson leaves out some of his star names then those that take to the field will be out to impress the Scotsman, and show him why they deserve a place in the Champions League final squad - so it could be a long old afternoon for Blackpool.

Alex McLeish's Birmingham side are 5/1 to win at White Hart Lane and 8/13 to be relegated in the Premier League betting, but The Blues have been on a shocking run of form of late, recording just two wins in their last twelve league games!

The other team in the relegation mix that we have not yet mentioned are Wigan, who travel to Stoke in their final fixture of the campaign. The Latics have the same number of points as Blackpool but an inferior goal difference than all of their relegation rivals, albeit a marginal one.

It would be close to a a miracle if Blackpool survive – but Ian Holloway is without doubt the man you would most want in charge of a team in a relegation dogfight on the last day of the season.

It has been a breath of fresh air having the Seasiders in the Premier League, but they look set to be one-season wonders but their fans will have been left with some unforgettable memories.

My Tip of the Weekend:

Expect wins for United (4/7), Spurs (4/7), Wigan (17/10) and Wolves (6/5) in the vital games, which would see Birmingham and Blackpool join West Ham in dropping down to the Championship.

Sunday 22nd May:

Manchester Utd v Blackpool, kick-off 4pm, live on Sky Sports 1.
Tottenham v Birmingham City, kick-off 4pm, live on Sky Sports 2.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)