Selhurst Park isn’t just a Premier League football ground, but the heart of a vibrant and diverse community, stretching back a century since Palace’s arrival in 1924. Find out more about the incredible history of Selhurst Park.

100 Years of Selhurst Park

## Isaiah 40:31

> Centre-back Maxence Lacroix joined Palace on transfer deadline day in August 2024, signing a five-year deal.

The 24-year-old central defender becomes our fourth signing of the transfer window, and heads to the Premier League after four seasons in the German top-flight. He will wear the No. 5 shirt for Palace.

Lacroix made his professional debut with French side Sochaux, before moving to Wolfsburg to work under Oliver Glasner, where he helped the club to qualify for the UEFA Champions League in his first campaign.

He made a total of 130 appearances for Die Wölfe, playing in both the Champions League and the Europa League, and scored seven times – including four last season. Now, he reunites with Glasner in South London.

Palace Chairman Steve Parish said: “We have watched Maxence play at the very highest level of European football and we are delighted to be able to welcome him to Selhurst Park.

“He is another young, talented player to add to the club, and I am sure he will prove himself to be a valuable asset for Oliver and the squad.”

Lacroix said: “It’s like a dream for a young football player. I’m really happy to be here and arrive at this good team.

“I watched Palace’s last games and I was really happy for the coach, because I’d played under him before. I think it’s the right moment to move to the Premier League.”

Lacroix made his debut for Palace against Leicester City at Selhurst Park in September 2024.

October 2024

Crystal Palace Player of the Month

Lacroix

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Appearances

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Lacroix wins October Player of the Month

Access All Over: Wolves (A)

Max Lacroix thrilled after home win 

Players visit school for black history month

Maxence Lacroix's First Day | Behind the scenes

Maxence Lacroix's First Interview

Maxence Lacroix Signs

Goals Inside Box

Goals Outside Box

Right Foot

Left Foot

Shots

Shots on target

Hit woodwork

Penalties taken

Penalties scored

Touches

Touches in opposition box

Aerial duels

Aerial duels won

Interceptions

Blocks

Recoveries

Tackles won

Duels won

Clearances

Minutes

Attempted passes

Successful passes

Chances created

Crosses

Yellow cards

Red cards

Fouls won

Fouls Conceded

Season

Games

The two sides have met on 53 post-War occasions, with 24 of those fixtures coming in the Premier League action, both teams winning nine times apiece.

Here, we take a look at just seven players – who have all made recent senior appearances for both clubs – of the many whom have sported both red and blue, and claret and blue…

### 

### **Christian Benteke**

#### (Villa 2012-2015, Palace 2016-2022)

A fans’ favourite with both clubs, Benteke was another player whose breakthrough into English football came in the claret and blue of Villa, a debut goal against Swansea heralding a sign of things to come. 

Nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year and scoring 49 times in 101 appearances, after arriving at Palace – following a challenging year at Liverpool – those instincts came to the fore once again, Benteke scoring 37 times in six years in south London, including that famous stoppage-time winner against Brighton.

### **Mile Jedinak**

#### (Palace 2011-2016, Villa 2016-2019)

The tough-tackling Australian, whose arrival at Selhurst provided so much of the heart behind Palace’s promotion push, also went on to work at Villa – the final club of his celebrated playing career – as Loan Player Development Coach, but joined Tottenham a year ago under Ange Postecoglou.

Jedinak captained Palace between 2011 and 2016, sensationally scoring an 89th-minute winner against Peterborough United on the final day of the 12/13 season to secure an eventually-profitable Championship play-off place.

He continued to serve the club with distinction in the Premier League – leading the Eagles out at Wembley in the 2016 FA Cup final – before moving to Villa in August of that year, where he played 80 times during three seasons in the Championship as the West Midlands side also won promotion via the play-offs.

### **Yannick Bolasie**

### (Palace 2012-2016, Villa 2018-2019 (loan))

A player who perhaps enjoyed his time in SE25 more than he did in the West Midlands, Bolasie’s creativity, pace and free-spirited attacking threat made him the perfect foil for Wilfried Zaha on the opposite flank, and an immediate fans’ favourite at Selhurst Park. 

Bolasie contributed an impressive 13 goals and 30 assists during 144 games at Palace, also helping the side to the Premier League and featuring in the 2016 FA Cup final, but moved to Everton in 2016 from where he was subsequently loaned out – for half a season – to Villa in their eventually-successful 18/19 promotion push, contributing to seven goals in 21 games.

### **Sam Johnstone**

#### (Villa 2015-2017, Palace 2019-2024)

Goalkeeper Johnstone made 70 appearances for the Villans over the course of two loan spells in the Championship, keeping more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the division during his first stay.

He kept 11 clean sheets in 34 appearances with Palace, earning a recall to the England squad, before departing for Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this year.

### **Jordan Ayew**

#### (Villa 2015-2017, Palace 2019-2024)

Another recent Palace star who once plied his trade in the West Midlands, Aston Villa was Ayew’s first English club, having moved there after breaking through at senior level in Ligue 1.

The Ghanaian forward scored his first Villa goal against a Swansea City side featuring elder brother Andre and finished as Villa’s top Premier League goalscorer in his debut season, before his eventual switch to SE25 – also via Swansea.

Ayew was a hit in South London, departing the club this summer for Leicester City with 212 appearances, 23 goals and 22 assists to his name.

### **Gary Cahill**

### (Villa 2004-2008, Palace 2019-2021)

One whose greatest glories perhaps came betwixt his spells at both clubs, yet solid centre-back Cahill’s earnest defending was appreciated by both Villa and Palace fans alike at either end of his career.

A Villa academy graduate who scored a remarkable overhead kick on only his fourth senior appearance – against Birmingham City, no less – England international Cahill would represent Burnley, Sheffield United, Bolton and Chelsea – where he won a spate of trophies – before playing at Palace for two seasons, playing 47 times. He retired in November 2022.

### **Gareth Southgate**

#### (Palace 1988-1995, Villa 1995-2001)

The most successful England manager of modern times, Southgate graduated from Palace’s youth system in 1990, having joined the club aged 16. He would later return to formally open Palace’s new Academy facilities after having made 191 appearances for the club, including captaining the club to the First Division title. 

Defensive stalwart Southgate was equally celebrated at Villa, lifting the League Cup in his first season in the West Midlands, reaching the 99/00 FA Cup Final and playing 243 times over six seasons before departing to Middlesbrough.

### **Further connections:**

While the list above (and indeed below) is by no means exhaustive, other players to have represented both clubs include:

- **Barry Bannan**
- **Joe Bulcock**
- **George Clarke**
- **Stan Collymore**
- **Rob Edwards**
- **John Fashanu**
- **Lewis Grabban**
- **George Graham**
- **Andy Gray**
- **Ray Houghton**
- **Paul Mortimer**
- **Jack Palethorpe**
- **Kevin Phillips**
- **Wayne Routledge**
- **Scott Sinclair**
- **Steve Staunton**
- **Stuart Taylor**

Further individuals to have represented both clubs include Palace's first-ever and longest-serving manager, **Edmund Goodman**, for whom injury at Villa prompted a move into football administration and, subsequently, management;  and former Villa player **Terry Bullivant**, who coached at Palace and briefly took the reins as caretaker manager alongside Steve Kember after Steve Bruce's resignation.

It is over 100 miles which separate Selhurst Park and Villa Park, as the crow flies – and yet links between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa, historical kit colours aside, abound in football.

Played For Both: Palace & Aston Villa

Aston Villa v Crystal Palace (2024-11-23)

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### **Sweden**

**My Cato**

In October, Cato captained Sweden U23's for their friendly against the Netherlands where she set up Sweden's only goal of the game in a 1-1 draw.

She then provided the assist for Indiah-Paige Riley's opener against Everton in the Barclays Women's Super League before scoring the first goal in Palace's 3-2 defeat at Villa Park.

Her stellar performances for Palace have earned her a second call-up to the Sweden senior team, and an opportunity to make her debut for the Blågult (The Blue-Yellow).

Speaking to Palace TV after she heard the news, Cato said: “It feels really good, it’s an honour and I’m really grateful for the opportunity.”

Sweden's path to Euro 2025 hinges on a crucial play-off against Serbia, with the first leg being held in Serbia on Thursday 28th November.

### **England**

**Brooke Aspin (Under-23)**

Brooke Aspin has been called up for England U23's upcoming games against Norway and Sweden, having featured in both of England's recent U23 friendly games against the Netherlands and Portugal. 

The Chelsea loanee has played twice so far for Palace in November, playing 90 minutes at centre-back against title chasing Manchester City before coming on at half-time against Aston Villa.

Aspin will first travel to the Fredrikstad Stadion in Norway on Thursday 28th November before England host Sweden in Doncaster on Monday 2nd December.

### **England**

**Lexi Potter (England Under-19s)**

Palace's Player of the Month Lexi Potter retained her spot in Lauren Smith's WU19 squad, as they begin their Euro 2025 qualification campaign against Turkey on Wednesday 27th November. 

England are in group A4, along with hosts Poland, Turkey and Italy.

Potter has had another strong month with Palace, playing 90 minutes against Manchester City, Everton and Aston Villa. She has played the most out of all the youngsters in the WSL this season.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Lexi Potter has played the most out of the youngsters in the WSL this season 👶 Five players have appeared in all 7 matches so far 🌟<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BarclaysWSL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BarclaysWSL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CPFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CPFC</a> <a href="https://t.co/2QHo4pGz6N">pic.twitter.com/2QHo4pGz6N</a>&mdash; Sam Biccarino (@stattorino) <a href="https://twitter.com/stattorino/status/1857394688048685562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### **Denmark**

**Katrine Veje & Mille Gejl**

Palace's Danish duo have been called up to the senior squad ahead of their friendly against Iceland on Monday 2nd December.

Denmark have already qualified for Euro 2025 after they finished 2nd in their A-tier qualification group.

During the last international break in October, Denmark faced South Africa and the Netherlands in friendly matches, with Veje and Gejl featuring in both games.

### **Wales**

**Josie Green & Lily Woodham**

Josie Green and Lily Woodham have been ever-present for Laura Kaminski's side this season, and both have been selected in Rhian Wilkinson's squad ahead of their Euro 2025 play-off against Ireland.

During the October international break, both Green and Woodham featured for Wales as they knocked out Slovakia in dramatic fashion to keep their Euro 2025 dreams alive. 

Wales will face the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday 27th November in the Euro 2025 play-off final.

### **Ireland**

**Izzy Atkinson & Abbie Larkin**

Abbie Larkin and Izzy Atkinson have been called up by Ireland manager Eileen Gleeson for their huge two-legged play-off against Wales. 

Larkin and Atkinson both featured for the Republic of Ireland in the previous round of Euro 2025 qualifiers, as Ireland breezed past Georgia to progress to the final round of play-offs.

They will face Palace teammates Josie Green and Lily Woodham on Friday 29th November, as Ireland travel to the Cardiff City stadium in Wales for the first leg.

As the last international break of 2024 approaches, several Palace players have been called up to represent their nations in crucial games across Europe. 

November internationals: My Cato earns second senior Sweden call-up

Danny Butterfield Recalls Fondest Palace Moments

<html><head></head><body>The former Eagle is fondly remembered by fans in London for his eight-year service to the club and iconic perfect hat-trick against recent opposition Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2010, which was netted in just six minutes and 48 seconds.
Looking back on a lengthy, successful career in red and blue, Butterfield reflected on where it all began: a move from Grimsby Town.
&#34;I was with Grimsby at the time and we played Palace right at the end of the season. I remember playing right midfield in that and I think I created three of the four goals we scored. That stoked some interest. I was out of contract at the time so I was entitled to leave on a free. I had a phone call from Terry Bullivant in the summer asking what my situation was and before I knew it, I was on my way to Selhurst.&#34;
<img alt="" src="https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f6514a85-428c-4d18-9554-67af11227426.jpg" height="810" width="1440"/>
That moment ultimately led to a career that witnessed perhaps Palace&#39;s highest and lowest points from the new millennium up until their Premier League return, with both the 2004 promotion in Cardiff and 2010 dive towards administration experienced by Butterfield. 
Looking back on the brighter of these two chapters, Butterfield recalled playing against West Ham United in the 2004 First Division Play-Off Final, but it was a somewhat unique thought in particular which stood out to him.
&#34;I remember walking out of the tunnel, [and] West Ham had this pristine white tracksuit top. We had this mucky yellow kit that we’d worn in the semi-finals and Brian the kit man wasn’t quite able to get the stains out from the celebrations at Sunderland. At the same time, that was us, that was our identity and nothing was going to stand in our way.
&#34;You looked across the line and saw them and we were hearing stories that they’d got celebration parties lined up back at Upton Park, flights back for all the players and wives. When you hear those sort of stories, you know it’s going to be your day. I remember it being quite tense, I remember it being ridiculously hot. The application and desire from everyone meant it was always only going to be our day.&#34;
<img alt="" src="https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a8e65f0e-2bd1-42e0-bf09-6fa81f083614.jpg" height="810" width="1440"/>
Ultimately, it was a solitary, scruffy goal that decided the fate of that day, scored by Palace&#39;s Neil Shipperley just as the match entered its final half hour.
Looking back, Butterfield remarked, &#34;It was inevitable that Ships [Shipperley] was going to get the goal because AJ [Andy Johnson] had been the one banging in the goals all season and Ships was the one who was doing unbelievably hard work off the ball for AJ to benefit. So it was right he was the one to get the tap in from AJ’s work. Then we just hung on in there.
&#34;For celebrations afterwards, we just tootled off to our little hotel where we stayed before with our families and that just felt even more us, in it being a small celebration but such a massive thing for the football club.&#34;
The team that earned promotion that year became well known, in part, for its grit and unity and at its heart were three players that stood out: Butterfield, Johnson and future captain Shaun Derry.
<img alt="" src="https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/af81ddd8-c539-446d-a1a2-4e7517e3d3a9.jpg" height="810" width="1440"/>
The trio formed a likeable and close-knit core and Butterfield remembers them together with very fond memories, though it doesn&#39;t all seem to have been an easy-going relationship.
&#34;We all signed within the first sort of week or 10 days or so, therefore we were all in the hotel together. For sort of three or four years, we were like brothers, we were inseparable. Our girlfriends were sort of pushed to the side, with us going out as lads. I’m not saying nightclubbing, just even to the coffee shops.
&#34;I think our camaraderie around the place was perhaps infectious for everyone. When it was time to be serious, we were serious; we trained hard. But at the same time, we had a lightheartedness of enjoying what we were doing along the way.
&#34;Us three started like a clothes-based banter for a while and it got to the point where the girlfriends intervened. I turned up one day in a new pair of jeans and by the time I finished training, they were jean shorts! I remember Shaun got a tracksuit and he had to go to a meeting with his girlfriend about a mortgage and he didn’t have time to go home and change, so I wrote ‘Juicy’ across the arse. AJ would have t-shirts turned into vests. After a while, we had to cut a truce on that one.&#34;
Fortunately for Palace, though, Butterfield and co.&#39;s regularly damaged clothing didn&#39;t affect their careers on the pitch with the Eagles and the hat-trick hero will be fondly regarded in SE25 for years to come.
For more insight into life at Palace from Danny Butterfield, watch the below video, where you&#39;ll see his full interview from 2019.
Happy birthday, Danny!

Danny Butterfield – who celebrates his 45th birthday today (21st November, 2024) – featured a total of 269 times for Crystal Palace, etching himself into the annals of the club.

Club

Club

Played For Both: Palace & Aston Villa

November internationals: My Cato earns second senior Sweden call-up

Danny Butterfield recalls fondest Palace moments

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Latest Videos

WSL Highlights: Aston Villa 3 - 2 Crystal Palace

My Cato on first goal for the club against Villa

Kaminski reflects on late defeat at Villa Park

JP Mateta | My Photo Album

Access All Over: Everton (H)

Pre-match Press Conference Aston Villa (A)

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Lacroix

Club

Club

Played For Both: Palace & Aston Villa

November internationals: My Cato earns second senior Sweden call-up

Danny Butterfield recalls fondest Palace moments

Shop 24/25 Eagle Yellow

Latest Videos

WSL Highlights: Aston Villa 3 - 2 Crystal Palace

My Cato on first goal for the club against Villa

Kaminski reflects on late defeat at Villa Park

JP Mateta | My Photo Album

Access All Over: Everton (H)

Pre-match Press Conference Aston Villa (A)

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Lacroix