CRYSTAL PALACE
Premier League, Saturday 29 April 2023, 12.30pm BST
West Ham United cross the River Thames and head to south London to face a Crystal Palace side being managed for the second time by the vastly experienced Roy Hodgson.
At 75, Hodgson is the Premier League’s oldest manager by 15 years, with his opposite number David Moyes the next most senior, as he celebrated his 60th birthday on Tuesday.
Both men have managed in the lower divisions, overseas and in the Premier League, while Hodgson has also coached four national teams, including England from 2012-16.
Hodgson also managed Crystal Palace from 2017-21 and returned to Selhurst Park as a replacement for Patrick Vieira in March this year, having had a short spell at Watford in between.
His impact was immediate, as the Eagles defeated Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton to end a long winless run and ease relegation concerns.
The 2,687 West Ham fans who head to Selhurst Park will be situated in the Arthur Wait Stand, which is accessible from Park Road.
How to get there…
Take public transport!
South London is a nightmare to drive around and parking in the vicinity of Selhurst Park is also extremely limited, so let the train take the strain.
The nearest stations are Selhurst, Thornton Heath or Norwood Junction, all of which are served by London Victoria services and are within 10-15 minutes’ walk of the ground. Both Thornton Heath and Norwood Junction are also served by trains from London Bridge.
London Overground services, which interchange with London Underground Jubilee line services at Canada Water and Elizabeth, District and Hammersmith and City line services at Whitechapel, also serve Norwood Junction.
Where to stay…
It is highly unlikely you will be staying overnight in south London, but seeing as this is a lunchtime kick-off, you may opt to spend Friday night in the vicinity of Selhurst Park.
While the area around the ground itself is a bit short of accommodation options, Croydon has a number of larger hotels, while central London is only a shortish train ride away.
What to do…
Boasting sweeping views of London from its high vantage point, Crystal Palace is home to antique shops, hip cafes and a park filled with the world’s oldest dinosaur sculptures in Crystal Palace Park.
If you fancy a pre-match pint, the most popular spot for away fans the Prince George, which is a ten-minute walk from the stadium on the corner between High Street and White Horse Lane. An alternative is The Railway Telegraph near to Thornton Heath station.
Obviously, central London and its myriad of attractions are near enough to visit, but the lunchtime kick-off means fitting them in might prove difficult.
What’s happened there before…
West Ham United have enjoyed our trips to Selhurst Park in recent seasons.
In fact, we have tasted defeat at Crystal Palace just once in our last eight visits, winning five and drawing two.
The Hammers have won 3-2 at Selhurst Park in each of the previous two seasons, with Manuel Lanzini scoring twice last season, including the Club’s Goal of the Season, and Tomáš Souček netting twice in 2020/21.
We also scored Premier League wins at Selhurst Park in October 2016, when Lanzini netted the only goal, October 2015, when Dimitri Payet was at his brilliant best in a 3-1 victory, and August 2014, when Carlton Cole was among the scorers in a 3-1 success.
Our biggest-ever League win at Selhurst Park was the 3-0 victory we achieved in October 1971, when debutant Ade Coker was on the scoresheet alongside Clyde Best and Billy Bonds.
