Crystal Palace are back in action on Boxing Day - making the trip down to the south coast to face Bournemouth in the Premier League.
The Eagles didn’t play on December 26th last season, with our first game after Christmas Day a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on the 27th, which sadly ended in a 2-1 defeat following a decisive late goal.
While the traditional festive fixture has not been a particularly happy hunting ground in recent years, a look at the archives reveals some classic Palace performances and memorable moments.
Here’s how the Boxing Day numbers stack up…
2019
The year of our most recent Boxing Day win – when goals from Cheikhou Kouyate and Jordan Ayew completed a 2-1 comeback win over West Ham.
90
Minutes were on the clock when Ayew struck his wondergoal winner that day, after beating three defenders with a stunning piece of skill, before a perfectly dinked finish to send Selhurst Park wild. One of the very best Premier League Boxing Day goals.
1984
The year Wham released 'Last Christmas' - coincidentally this year’s Christmas number one - saw Palace record a victory – a 2-1 win at Selhurst over fellow South Londoners, Charlton Athletic.
2-2
The scoreline when we faced Portsmouth on Boxing Day 1967. Back when festive double headers were often customary, the two teams met again only four days later.
How did that one finish? 2-2 again!
8
Palace have scored eight goals in the Premier League era on Boxing Day, from eight different goalscorers.
2015
The year of our last visit to Bournemouth on Boxing Day. The game finished 0-0, but hopefully we’ll see some goals this time around! It did at least form part of a seven-game unbeaten run to end the calendar year on a high...
303
Miles Sunderland fans had to travel to reach Selhurst Park on Boxing Day 1990. The Black Cats were only promoted to the top-flight at the last minute after Swindon Town were stripped of promotion, taking over their fixtures.
The away fans were close to celebrating an away win, before two late goals from John Salako and Mark Bright earned a dramatic win for Palace.
3
The amount of games Crystal Palace played between Boxing Day 1962 and March 1963. The Big Freeze of that winter disrupting much of the season.
Palace at least did get the game on Boxing Day on despite the freezing temperatures, picking up a 3-0 win over London rivals Millwall.
1986
The year of, what could be, Palace’s best ever Boxing Day win – a 2-0 success over rivals Brighton & Hove Albion with Alan Irvine and Phil Barber getting the goals.
31,000
The attendance for a 3-0 thrashing of Southampton in a Division One fixture on Boxing Day 1972, tremendous support.
3-2
The scoreline in a Boxing Day classic with Palace edging out Exeter City in atrocious conditions. The two sides drew 0-0 a few days later in a rematch at Selhurst Park, as part of an unbeaten December for Palace that laid the groundwork for promotion.
1992
The year of our maiden Premier League Boxing Day fixture, where the Eagles saw off (at the time) fellow Selhurst residents Wimbledon, 2-0. Goals came from Chris Coleman and Geoff Thomas.
