Away day Eagles: Your stories from Lublin to Liverpool

A 2-0 victory over Dynamo Kyiv ensured the return journey was a celebratory one, even if this was always going to be a historic away day, regardless of the result.

The Eagles were back in action only three days later for another momentous away fixture, our first ever trip to Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Although on that occasion the team didn’t get the desired result on the pitch, the travelling support was once again magnificent.

All in all, it was another week that made you proud to be Palace. Here are a few stories from a busy few days following Palace from Poland to Merseyside – as ever with thanks to you all for your submissions.

Brian

My first game at Selhurst was back in 1968 aged just 11.

So 57 years later how could we miss this trip? Me and my two Manchester-born sons made the trip to Lublin, via a stopover in Warsaw.

Fantastic three days and a great result. Living the dream at last!

Mark

Wow! What a great start to our European Tour.

Lublin was amazing. Fans? Amazing. Team? Amazing.

Living the dream. I live in Slovakia, so told the boys to fly to Warsaw and I would pick them up. It was a seven-hour drive for me from Slovakia to Warsaw. Then another one hour 45 minutes or so mini-road trip with boys all the way to Lublin. We arrived around 10pm, dumped the bags and went straight to Lublin Square. Late finish!

Matchday amazing. From breakfast to early hours drinks in square. It really was living the dream. Thank you, Palace. Oh and 19 Unbeaten!

Cheers. With thanks to Mark, Drew, Jake & Budge (And Petra for looking after us)

Lui

I've been a Palace fan for the last 10 years where I spent a year away in Madrid.

I moved back to the UK in December last year where I had the opportunity to go to all the games in our historic FA Cup run.

Having never done a solo travel trip before, I thought the best way to get started was with a European away game with Palace.

I travelled to Warsaw on the Wednesday morning where I spent time round the old town. I travelled to Lublin on the Thursday morning on a FlixBus where I met a few fellow Palace fans, who were travelling to the game and who ended up staying in the same hotel as me.

Getting into Lublin, me and a few Palace fans I just met ended up drinking together in a pub in the square before the game. I travelled with a bloke who before getting to Warsaw, had never thought about watching a game in Poland let alone travelling to Lublin with us.

I eventually ended up flying back the Saturday night for a night bus to Liverpool for the Everton game.

For me, the undoubted highlight of the trip was the atmosphere in Lublin and the noise us Palace fans made on our first Conference League away game.

Robert, courtesy of his friend David

Robert attended the game in Fredrikstad and followed this up with the Lublin trip. Robert left his home in San Diego on Sunday, 28th September.

He took the train to Los Angeles before flying to London Gatwick – spending a day recovering before heading to Luton and taking the flight to Lublin. It was a very enjoyable stay in Lublin. Robert returned to England on Friday after the game - giving him enough time to hire a car and make the drive north for the Everton game.

Robert returns to San Diego on Friday, but already has his travel arrangements booked for the Strasbourg trip. He first watched Palace in 1967 - he moved to the US in 1992 but returns regularly to follow his team.

The photo shows Robert standing behind the Lublin Stadium prior to the Dynamo Kyiv game with some of his mates

Ian

I travelled to Poland and Everton via plane from London Stanstead to Rzeszow, then hired a car and drove to Lublin [a two hour drive]. Drove back to Rzeszow on Friday and flew back later that night. Caught the Palace Coach at 5:30am on Sunday morning to get to Everton, where we met with friends from Poland.

My friend Phil Moore flew from Heathrow to Warsaw, then took a train to to Lublin, by flying back on Saturday and catching the train to Liverpool for Everton.

David

Born in Croydon and 62 years old. I started going to Selhurst in 1983 and was a regular until 1991. I flew out to Asia for work on the day Palace were winning the Zenith Data Systems cup at Wembley in April 1991, ironically beating Everton 4-1.

I have lived in Hong Kong since then, so it is difficult to attend more than a handful of matches.

I was determined to make sure that I came for an European adventure and, when the fixture list arrived, Dynamo Kiev away was the standout fixture for me.

I managed to get a ticket from the incremental ticket allocation at Arena Lublin and I flew with my wife from Hong Kong to Heathrow, which takes close to 14 hours now as Russian and Ukrainian airspace is closed. I then headed to Luton for a flight to Lublin on 30th September.

We stayed 4 nights in Lublin leaving on the 4th October back to Luton, after taking in a wonderful foodie tour of Warsaw the day after the game.

Palace fans were brilliant, noisy but well behaved and even the Polish riot police were smiling and have selfies with the fans!

I decided the only sensible way to get to Liverpool on the Saturday from Luton was a taxi, though a tad extravagant and we stayed at the Titanic hotel where I could not help but notice a large team bus outside…no prizes for guessing who was staying there too.

Though the result on Sunday was frustrating the fans made a huge noise again and overwhelmed Everton in continuous singing.

In my 1990 Palace shirt, I chatted to several Evertonians at the hotel bar after the games and all were in disbelief at how we had not won and indeed at what a terrific team we have. It is a great tribute to everyone at the club.

See you guys in Hong Kong one day!

Max, courtesy of his Dad Nicholas

Here is a picture of my son Max who has been following Palace for the last couple of years.

He has a season ticket in the Whitehorse Lane End and went to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, via the Palace coach.

He loved every moment……apart from the last minute goals. Up the Palace!

Paul

As a child growing up in Gipsy Hill to a Polish father, my first game came a few years before our first ever promotion to the top-flight.

Being able to see Poland and my Polish family after the fall of Soviet Communism was a dream come true,  but when I was finally able to see Palace lift the FA Cup at Wembley – after 60 years of supporting them – another dream achieved.

It has been beyond my wildest dreams to watch us play our first European cup  competition game in our history and to witness the record breaking win in Lublin last Thursday night.

The team and support were outstanding! I'm so happy for all Palace supporters that they were also able to experience beautiful Poland (and the fantastic food and beer!) as part of our collective journey.

Well done to Oliver and the boys and as much as we all deserve these times, maybe nobody has worked harder than our own Steve Parish to make them possible.

I've spoken to many Palace fans who have loved being in Poland so it's been a brilliant experience for me to know that Crystal Palace and their supporters have left such a positive impression on Poland, and that Poland has left such a positive impression on Palace fans.

Dalej, Orły! (Go, Eagles!)