Argentine stopper Julian was signed from Dundee in the summer of 2004 to compete for the goalkeeping spot at Selhurst Park and made the first team berth his own following the departure of Gabor Kiraly.
An untimely injury in December of 2006 perhaps robbed him of the number one jersey earlier than planned as, after breaking into the team and putting in some assured displays, he picked up a thigh strain in training and then had to wait until the final weeks of the season before getting another chance in the team.
The committed Christian first came to the attention in the UK when he played over 100 games for Dundee after joining them as a 22-year-old from Platense in his homeland. During his time in the SPL, he was recognised as one of the best keepers in Scotland and it was reported that he was close to receiving a call-up to the Argentina national team.
His first season at Selhurst Park saw him largely play understudy to Kiraly, but in the few games he did play, he showed his shot stopping abilities and agility.
The 2005/06 campaign saw Julian play back-up to Kiraly again, but he did impress during Palace's run in the Carling Cup where he put in some memorable performances, particularly in the win over Liverpool at Selhurst Park.
Following Kiraly's move away from Selhurst in 2007, Speroni stepped into the vacant goalkeeping role and never looked back.
His form over the past four seasons has been nothing short of exceptional and, with his natural shot stopping ability and incredible knack of being able to pull off seemingly impossible saves, he has successfully positioned himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Crystal Palace's history. This outstanding form also saw him named Crystal Palace Player of the Year three seasons in a row, from 2007/08 to 2009/10.
Julian committed his future to the club by signing a new three-and-a-half year contract in December 2010. For that reason, among many others, he is adored by the Eagles supporters.
The past few seasons have seen Speroni become a virtual ever present at SE25, missing just one league game in each season from 2008-11. Having racked up the appearances, Julian firmly cemented his place in Palace folklore last season as the trip to Coventry City on Tuesday March 6th marked the shot-stoppers 250th game between the sticks.