Fans Survey (Part 3) - Supporters Reaction to Academy Players in the First Team

With Crystal Palace known for producing a number of academy players who go onto play for the first team, the fans are the first people after the management team to watch and assess them. Support for any football team is vitally important throughout a season but how do Crystal Palace fans feel other supporters at the club react to seeing new home grown players in the team?

Here is a selection of Crystal Palace fans opinions on the reaction given to new young players in the first team: (Quotes used with prior permission)

John Burgess – “The lads get huge support. Everybody loves to see home grown players breaking into the first XI.”

Jamie Gibson – “With pride, as the academy is now one of the best in the country.”

Graham McKay – “Palace fans are supportive of home-grown talent. They recognise them as ‘one of their own’.”

Stefan Hagan – “Palace fans love to see a local kid develop in to a top player. We probably feel as if they are living the dream of a more talented version of ourselves when younger.”

Greg Lea – “The fans are always very supportive of young players from the academy, who often have a unique bond with the supporters; many Palace fans look to these players as one of their own.”

Andy Macfarlane – “Place fans are very supportive and patient with our young players from the academy. They are regarded as 'our' lads and our future. We want them to succeed.”

Craig Skinner – “The fans welcome young players coming through the academy and it further strengthens the close ties between the club and the local community. If a youngster tries hard when playing then the fans will back him in his progression.”

Rick Wilmot – “I believe the fans really get behind any youngster 'making the grade' to 1st team football. We feel they have learned their trade (& still learning) through the grades at the club and have an affinity with the club.”

Michael Blount – “Fans are always excited to see academy graduates in and around the first team. Many fans take an active interest in the academy to look at potential future first-teamers as we have such a history and tradition of producing our own talent.”

Crystal Palace Fans

In summary, there was an overwhelmingly positive response to the fans survey regarding fans reaction to youngsters playing for the club. This is due to the academy having such a high reputation that the fans see it as exciting when new players develop and make their debuts. There was a general consensus that fans see young players as ‘one of their own’ who they can relate to as supporters who would love to play for Crystal Palace, therefore offering them more support and forming a unique bond between player and fans.

This support means that fans want to see new young players being successful with the club as it is the result of a lot of hard work put in by both the players and the management team. Due to coming through the academy, young players are seen as having a connection with the club as they have learnt their trade there and many fans follow particular youngster’s progressions from an early age.

Overall, Crystal Palace fans believe that they offer academy players huge support when they play for the first team because they have grown-up at the club and developed under the guidance of the current management team as well as maybe those in the past. This progression can form a unique relationship with academy players as they are seen as players living the dream of the majority of fans, by playing for their favourite football club. The relationship formed is different to that of players who are signed from other clubs and can see an instant backing from the fans as soon as a new young player makes their debut.