To Jewish Palace Fans, Wayne Hennessey's Ignorance of Nazism and Fascism is Far from Blissful

Written by Matt Davis

Yesterday, the FA found that the charge against Wayne Hennessey of making a Nazi salute was not proven. The news has left Palace fan Matt Davis asking whether the club will commit to educating the goalkeeper, who in his defence claimed he didn't know what a nazi salute was. 

Fans wet

Having two identities is something that’s always been ingrained in me. 

I’m Jewish and a Crystal Palace fan. 

The similarities are, maybe surprisingly, many. Values, honesty, hope, humour, loyalty, enthusiasm, community, empathy, family, being outsiders - to name but a few.

When I was a young boy, my father said to me, “let’s stand on the Arthur - if you sit down and work hard for your Bar Mitzvah too” (doesn’t scan brilliantly but hey). 1985 was a monster year - Ball boy at Selhurst and Bar Mitzvah boy in Bromley. Palace paraphernalia the presents I most coveted.

Whichever way you look at it, I was always a minority in a minority. Palace, we all know, were never the most fashionable, a yo-yo team until these golden days (they are, enjoy them!)

And a very small number of Jews live in South London. Spectacularly-failed chairman, Mark Goldberg, was one of them (gently confronting him outside synagogue on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, was a little awkward). His sorry ownership did elicit some lazy trope based antisemitism in a long defunct fanzine (not the brilliant Palace Echo) but it was swiftly stamped out and a grovelling apology followed.

And apart from some Y word nonsense at Spurs a few years ago by a number of idiots I can count on one hand, Palace fans have a more than decent record on inclusivity regards this most tiny of minorities.

Our admittedly low profile American owners are proud Jews, but I’ve witnessed nothing negative. My fellow fans find antisemitism abhorrent, and welcome my views on it, the misdirected Spurs Y word use included.

So this Wayne Hennessey debacle has been a punch as powerful as a Luka kick to our great club - one that I feel in the pit of my stomach.

Hennessey walk

From his beyond laughable excuse to tumbleweed waves of nothingness, I felt there was a drift, the issue sinking in the FA’s in tray of shame. But I couldn’t have predicted this sorry, sorry conclusion.

The FA have acted appallingly, blaming ignorance for lack of action. So it’s left to the club to act now.

I love this club. I’m so proud of everything they do, have done, will do in the future. Their record on diversity, race, gender, outreach, you name it, is exemplary. And I’m sure they’ll be hatching a plan.

But please let it be swift, robust and unambiguous. Let’s duck his dire “didn’t do it” denial. Perhaps we begin with a very public expression of shock that Hennessey hadn’t heard of the Nazi salute. This will facilitate a commitment that he will be receiving holocaust education. 

Organising a visit from the The Holocaust Educational Trust will be a quick and effective win.

Antisemitism is in the news a lot, we could actually turn this into opportunity to make a stance. One that would be authentic for a club like ours, known for our openness and honesty. Wheel Wayne out to talk to camera. He must be ashamed anyway?

In truth, as a club we can’t do enough. Express through every channel possible how distraught that this has happened. Learn from it. An ethos of zero tolerance baked into every nook and cranny of this club we love.

Then I can tell my kids wholeheartedly, “listen here, you’re CPFC, Jewish and proud.”

Palace legend Clinton Morrison joins the FYP Podcast Extra for Brighton post-match pod

Written by FYP Fanzine

It was a poor result against rivals Brighton at Selhurst Park but the good news is that Palace legend Clinton Morrison joined the FYP Podcast Extraaa to discuss the game.

Clinton, who scored 142 goals for the Eagles in two spells and is a bonafide club legend, is now back at Selhurst as a club ambassador working in the executive boxes on match-days, alongside his media work.

He was at Selhurst for the derby game with Brighton doing punditry for Sky Sports but after the game joined JD and Sellsy to discuss the 2-1 defeat, where he thought referee Craig Pawson got a ot of big decisions wrong.

He said: "I don't think he was good enough today. I shouldn't say the game was too big fo him, he's an exprience Premier League ref, but he got a lot of the major incidents wrong. If I was out there playing I think I'd have probably lost my head with him and got sent off, the things I'd have said wouldn't have been nice!

"But we can't blame the referee, we should have been better in the final third today."

There was also discussion on the pod on the starting 11 with Chiekhou Kouyate and Max Meyer dropped from the midfield three and Clinton had some opinions on that too.

He said: "When it's congested in the midfield there is no space and I do believe we miss a creative player in that midfield. I think the midfield is a likeness and we need someone like a Max Meyer to come in there, I think that is the key position we are missing."

Loads more things from the game were covered on the pod, including that Anthony Knockaert challenge on Luka in the opening minute.

You can listen to loads more from Clinton (And JD and Sellsy) with our 30 minute post-match podcast available via Patreon.com here.


FYP Issue 51 still available to download for just £1

Written by FYP Fanzine

Like Connor Wickham the FYP Fanzine has been away for a while but also like Connor Wickham we are back!

It's been over a year since our last issue but after making some changes behind the scenes we have returned with our latest issue which is on sale against Fulham this Saturday (February 2nd, 2019)

And folks, it's a hell on an issue. Packed full of lots of lovely Palace content, this 48-page issue considers:

  • Whether Wilf's time may be up at Palace,
  • Whether Dougie is still a Palace hero
  • Considers the benefits of young players moving abroad to develop their games - think Mandela Egbo.
  • Also inside is a cracking review of our 1989 promotion season written by the founders of the original CPFC fanzine, Eagle Eye.
  • An interview with Dominic Fifield - the media man Palace fans can trust.
  • And the first in a series of columns written by our former manager, Alan Smith.

Phew! 

Paper copies of FYP 51 sold out against Fulham but you can buy and download an electronic copy for just £1 here.


 

Subscribe to the FYP Extraaa Podcasts now on Patreon

Written by FYP Fanzine

Sit yourself down, mummy and daddy have some news.

We want to stress from the start that we still love you very much and that will never change, but this is something we just have to do.

From right now, our post-match extraaa podcasts will be Patreon-only, meaning you will have to be part of the FYP Patreon team to get them.

But the good news is it's just £2.65 a month to be able to do so, that's half the price of a match-day programme at Selhurst!

To sign up simply go here.

This will be effective from the Watford away game on Sunday August 26th so to make sure you get that pod and all future extraaa pods in your inbox sign up now!

By signing up you don't just get the extraa pods but access to exclusive giveaways and breaking FYP news regarding future pod guests and live shows before anyone else.

The main weekly, full-length, hour long podcasts will be remaining free though! 

We look forward to having you on board!

Team FYP


 

Re-live Jason Puncheon on the FYP Podcast as he leaves for Huddersfield

Written by FYP Fanzine

Jason Puncheon has left Palace for Huddersfield on loan until the end of the season.

It looks very much like he won't be coming back to the Eagles as his contract runs out at the end of the season, meaning his four year spell at Palace has come to an end.

Back in May 2017, shortly after he was made club captain, Punch appeared on the FYP podcast, alongside Steve Browett, and chatted about a range of subjects, including...

  • Puncheon being made captain and how he is handling it
  • The importance of Wilf, Mama and Townsend
  • His thoughts on referees and video assistance
  • Being dropped for the FA Cup final and that goal
  • An apology for THAT hat-trick for Millwall back in 2011
  • And lots more...

He also answered your questions and has a special message for Palace fans.

Listen to a very special episide of the FYP Podcast as Punch ends his spell at Palace...

The best way is to subscribe on iTunes here

And if you enjoy the pod please leave a review on iTunes as it helps us jump further up the ol' iTunes charts!

You can stream the pod right now here 

You can download the pod directly via this link.

You can also visit our AudioBoom page here to see more episodes

Android users can use this feed to download and listen

You can listen on Acast here, should you be that way inclined

Check out the exclusive FYP and Vektor with a K t-shirts here.


Vote for FYP in the Football Supporters' Federation awards!

Written by FYP Fanzine

Get the tuxedo our, we've been nominated for an award!

FYP is up for 'Best Fan Media' is the prestigeous Football Supporters' Federation annual awards and you can vote for us to win!

We're up against some pretty big names including, The Anfield Wrap and Arseblog, but your votes could help us upset the big boys and take home the award.

Go to www.fsf.org.uk/vote to vote for us please!

There are also some pretty big names attending on the night in terms of players. 

In the Men’s Player of the Year category, there are two nominees apiece for Pep Guardiola's table-topping Manchester City and Champions League finalists Liverpool, with Raheem Sterling and 2014 Player of the Year winner Sergio Agüero representing the Sky Blues, and Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk for Jürgen Klopp's Reds. Battling it out with them for top honours are Chelsea's Eden Hazard and Leicester's Harry Maguire.

This is the third year that the FSF are celebrating the Women’s Player of the Year. The shortlist was compiled after bringing together the FAWSL Supporters' Player of the Year Award winners for 2017/18, with a panel convened by leading women's football magazine She Kicks picking their top six performers from that selection.

WSL1 Spring Series champions Chelsea are represented by Fran Kirby, alongside Keira Walsh from runners-up Manchester City. WSL1's top goalscorer Ellen White makes the cut for Birmingham City, with Arsenal's Beth Mead, Reading's Remi Allen and Sunderland's Lucy Staniforth rounding out the shortlist.

Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters’ Federation, said: “Fans are a huge part of the game at all levels, and the FSF Awards in partnership with Virgin Media give the fans the chance to have their say on the very best in all aspects of the game.

“We’re delighted that once again Virgin Media are showing their support for football supporters. Having backed our work on Twenty's Plenty, they’ve once again supported fans in backing our awards.”

Go to www.fsf.org.uk/vote to vote for us please!