Save Our Club!

On 27th January 2010, Crystal Palace Football Club went into administration, incurring a 10 point deduction and months of money problems. The fight and determination of the club meant that, eventhough they went from play-off contenders to a relegation fight overnight, they retained their championship status on the last day of the season. A consortium has been in contact with the administrator and creditors, however, unless a deal can be made by 3pm today, the club, which has been in existance for 105 years and was a founder member of the FA, will be liquidated.

The Club was placed into administration under previous owner Simon Jordan when the company 'Agilo', which was owed £4.5 million, called in the administrators. Being placed in administration due to £4.5million is incredible when considering that Manchester United (as of January 2010) has debts of...wait for it...£716.5million!

Although the consortium has agreed to settle Agilo's debt, they cannot do so without buying the ground which is currently owned by Lloyds Bank (government owned). Lloyds are only allowed to sell the ground as a football stadium since another buyer would never be granted clause of use (planning permission) by Croydon council. However, they have imposed several confusing clauses which mean that Crystal Palace Football Club would have to pay them considerable amounts in the future if Selhurst Park (CPFC's home ground) was sold to developers or the ground itself was improved. This is currently stopping the deal and may result in a deal never being done.

Yesterday, outside and inside Selhurst Park, protests were help by supporters showing their passion and that they would not let their football club go out of existance. There are more protests planned today as well as e-mails being sent to the Prime Minsiter, Deputy Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Minister for Sport, appealing to them to step in.

As long as a deal is done today, along with the club being saved, there is a good chance that the club's top goalscorer for last season, Darren Ambrose, will stay after talks with Queens Park Rangers over a possible transfer. So, today is judgement day for the eagles? Who knows what it holds...

Darren Ambrose keeping Crystal Palace in the Championship, but will we still be a football club next season?