Selhurst Park, December 16, 1972

By Mike Meech

It is good to reflect that during Palace’s four year residency of Division one from 1969 – 1973 we played Manchester United 8 times and our record was not at all bad P8 W2 D2 L4. Even within the four defeats one fantastic game at Selhurst which we lost 3-5 could and perhaps should have been a victory.

When we first faced United on that never to be forgotten sunny August Saturday in August 1969 making our first every appearance at the top table of English football, we faced a team that only a year previously had been the first English side to win the European Cup. Bursting with internationals and famous names in the world of football, we secured a very creditable 2-2 draw in front of our biggest league gate at that time. This match set the tone for the four seasons ahead of us. Indeed it may well have been the vital point United gifted us in the return fixture the following February that was the vital point that secured our tenure in Division One for a second season. Yes that first season was the warm up for the many battles I am proud to say we have had in the seasons since with one of, if not the world’s biggest football club.

December never seems to be an easy month for Palace, of indeed for me. My birthday is in early December and I always look at the fixtures when they appear in early summer hoping for a Birthday victory, which over the years often seems to turn into a defeat! The previous December we had trounced high flying (well they were for half that season) Sheffield United 5-1. However I think few of us thought that misty December day that we would achieve another five goals and what was and is our highest ever top division victory and we achieved it against against United!

We have to be honest though, this United team was a poor shadow of the team that had won the European Cup just four years previously. Many of that team had retired or moved on and the replacements were not of the same quality. George Best was still with them, but more often than not he was on walkabout with some model or pub chain! However they were still a formidable club and any win against United is to be enjoyed.
What of Palace in late 1972? In some respects although we did not know it, we were in the middle of, if not off field turmoil, then a period of great change. The legend that is Arthur Wait had moved upstairs and a new face wore the Chairman’s hat, Ray Bloye who at that time was seen as a bit of a hero due to the transfer pot he had seemed to find for Bert Head.

Both teams were among the strugglers in the division when we meet that last home game before Christmas. Bert was in the process of what had almost been a regular feature of our previous season in Division One, the team transplant. We were used to seeing sweeping changes as one set of players were moved on and a new set of Bert’s Bargains were transplanted into the side, often from north of the border as Bert shaped and re-shaped teams to help us establish ourselves in the top flight.

There had been steady progress since that first season and we were growing experienced in the ways of the division. Our biggest problem was as the same as it is today for teams in the premier league who are trying to establish themselves, lack of depth in the squad.

However the recent transplant operation undertaken by Bert, was a little different than in previous seasons. With the purse strings open a little wider, Bert had secured a player of true flair “The Don” from Swindon Town, where Bert had previously been manager and had developed a number of players who went on to be familiar faces of the 60’s and early 70’s football. Don Rogers joined up with his old boss, although some will say that Don had left his move into the top division perhaps too late, he was still one of the best flair players in the English game.

Alan Whittle joined us from Everton, 5ft 2in eyes of blue, a striker who despite his lack of inches had been very successful at Everton. A bit fiery true, those who had witnessed the previous seasons FA Cup third round battle (battle in the true sense)with Everton, will testify to Alan’s shall we say physical style. Paddy Mulligan joined us from Chelsea a very classy full back and Ian Philip who was from North of the Border of whom big things were predicted. To this day Palace fans who remember Ian are split as to his quality.

John Yogi Hughes and Willie Wallace the previous season’s captures from that other European Cup Winners of the 60’s Celtic were still with us. On paper at least, this was far and away the strongest squad we had seen in this period of First Division life for Palace.

The game is etched on the memory of every Palace fan at Selhurst that day and even many of our young fans today have heard the tales and indeed thanks to the Internet will no doubt have seen the goals as described by the late great Brian Moore from the Big Match coverage.

A very green Selhurst Park surprisingly for that time of year (pitch technology was not as advanced as it is today) saw a fantastic attacking performance from a Palace side that was full of confidence and swagger. The marauding Mulligan was set free with a wonderful pass from the feet of Rogers and smashed the ball past Alex Stepney.

Chances came with almost every attack and only the class of Stepney kept the score down. Hughes, Whittle, Rogers and others all went close. Then another quality pass from Rogers set the captain Mulligan free yet again to make it 2-0. How we were only 2-0 up at half time is still a mystery today!

You always worry if the half time break will spoil the rhythm and the game would as often happen become a “game of two halves” ? Well we did not have to worry, yes United did up their game, but Palace also went into an even higher gear! Rogers scored the goal that even Pele had failed to convert in the 1970 World Cup, pushing the ball one side of Stepney and running around the other side to put the ball into the empty net. Pele had managed the first part, but missed the goal.

Then my favourite of the game. Before Hopkins at Wembley in 1997, Alan Whittle had looked to curl one, after some fine passing play and from the edge of the box, curled the ball into the top right hand corner of the Holmesdale goal. Just fantastic!

Rogers then picked the ball up on the edge of our box and ran the length of the pitch, leaving Utd players in his wake, only for Stepney to save the day. However the Don was not to be denied and after a mazy run and with a number of United players looking confused, lost and bemused in their six yard box, slid in number five and Selhurst erupted!

It was a day of pure joy, one which every Palace fan there that day will always treasure the memory of one of our finest victories in the top division. Yes United were a long way short of today’s or even the 68’ United. However to beat any team by five clear goals and dominate a game so much with style and panache is something that we do not see from a Palace side too often. United still had quality players and should have been able to set us a stern test that day. The fact that they did not was nothing to do with their poor form, but everything to do with a display of attacking football, with flair and cheek flowing through the whole side. It truly was a vintage performance and one that all Palace fans should and can celebrate, time and time again.

You can watch every goal again and again below!