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Crystal Palace announce return of its famous atmosphere and it can't come quick enough

Palace fans are missing this big time this season
Palace fans are missing this big time this season

Crystal Palace’s famous atmosphere will be returning to Selhurst Park, but potentially not for another year.

The club have confirmed they are working with prominent fans to give them an entire section for leading singing on match-days after a dispute that threatened to ruin the Eagles’ reputation.

Palace have routinely been voted the best atmosphere in the Premier League since their return to the top flight in 2013 and it’s no surprise, given the colourful displays and continuing chanting that emerges from the Holmesdale Road end.

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Especially compared to the sterile atmosphere at most other Premier League grounds these days. In fact many have been moved to introduce ‘singing sections’ after visiting Selhurst.

But at the start of the 2018/19 season things went quite in that part of the South London ground after a dispute between the Eagles and their most vocal group of supporters.

The Holmesdale Fanatics, a European Ultras style band of black-clad supporters who lead the singing at Selhurst, wave pop-art style banners each game and raise funds and design the giant, entire stand displays that often welcome the team, have disappeared.

The reason being they wanted to move from their corner in Block B of the Holmesdale Road end to the more central Block E, sitting behind the goal like many of their European inspirations in Germany and Greece often do.

Palace fans want a return to this sharpish
Palace fans want a return to this sharpish

According to the HF, Palace said yes and then re-negged on their promise, forcing the group to disband and get season tickets in other areas of the ground, leaving that previously raucous block in the corner empty and quiet. The club have since announced that when the plans were leaked many fans who already sit in Block E complained about the prospect of being forced out of their seats, some have sat in for decades.

Either way, the atmosphere at Selhurst – and arguably the team as well – has suffered. The ground has been deathly quiet and Palace are yet to score a goal or get all three points at home this season.

“Obviously it’s not as loud,” said Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey after a 2-0 home defeat by Southampton earlier this month. “It’s disappointing they’re not there because they would’ve given us a good lift, a good boost even when we were losing and especially when we were shooting towards that end.

“I know they’re not there anymore and there is conflict – but we won’t go into that. They are a miss at the moment.”

The good news is that after reported meetings between the HF and the club and a petition – backed by all the club’s most recognised fan groups – that garnered more than 10,000 signatures from supporters calling for the vocal ground to return, a peace deal has been struck.

A statement on Palace’s website on Wednesday read: “Much has been said and written in recent weeks about the prospect of an enhanced and expanded “singing section” in the Lower Holmesdale Stand, to further build upon the reputation that our fans inside Selhurst Park have created as one of, if not, the best atmospheres in the Premier League.

“Recognising this will cause some initial disruption but weighing up all the views and opinions there appears to be overwhelming support from the supporter base for this to become a reality.

“We are therefore committed to facilitating a larger and dedicated “singing section” next season, where our most vocal fans will thrive and act as a catalyst to make the Holmesdale Stand into an even greater wall of noise and supportive force behind the team.

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“It’s unavoidable that this will result in some of our most valued, longstanding season ticket holders being displaced, we have worked hard to keep this to a relatively small amount and we will of course work hard to make the best alternatives available to them.

“Please do not call the box office at this time. We will be contacting all supporters within the next few weeks who will be directly affected and discussing this with them individually. ”

The HF are yet to comment on the news and it’s unclear if they will return this season or have to wait a year meaning they and the club need to find a way to bring some of that atmosphere back this season.

With no home goals at Selhurst and just one point so far, Palace’s top flight status may rely on it.