As the boys made the familiar journey from the station – boots in hand – to the Dome for what we call IDP (Individual Development Performance), a handful were stopped in their tracks and asked to finish the festive sentence. No pressure… just Christmas wishes on camera.
"All I Want for Christmas Is…” Festive Wishes from Palace Under-18s
With the countdown to Christmas officially underway, we put a simple but all-important question to our Under-18s: “All I want for Christmas is…”
Proceedings got underway with ‘keeper Jack Mason, who paused, looked straight down the lens and, in full Mariah Carey fashion, belted out an impressively high-octave “youuuuu!”. Festive. Confident. Strong opening act.
Next up was marauding long-throw specialist centre-back Charlie Walker-Smith. The Wales U19 international had only one thing on his Christmas list – lifting the FA Youth Cup. With the Eagles having already dispatched Bradford City 3-0 at Selhurst Park and a fourth-round trip to Newcastle United awaiting at Whitley Park, it’s fair to say Charlie’s got his sights firmly set on silverware.
Mason’s fellow ‘keeper – and proud member of the GK Union – Harry Whitworth opted for something a little different, asking Father Christmas for a set of golf clubs, while attacker Stuart Oduro kept things refreshingly simple with a request for footballs.
Winger Makai Bernard-Ferguson, caught mid-run to the Dome, went for white Nike socks – music to the ears of the kit staff, perhaps. Euan Danaher matched Stuart’s answer with footballs, while David Angibeaud wasted no time at all before declaring “cash, cash, cash.”
Sean Somade, meanwhile, was battling with his GPS tracker and initially followed Mason down the Mariah route with another passionate “youuu!”. After a quick explanation of the assignment, he reassessed and settled on new shoes.
Fresh from his senior debut against Shelbourne FC in the UEFA Conference League, Benji Casey pointed down at his feet and asked for new boots. Given his recent goalscoring form and rapid rise, there’s a strong suspicion he might already be on Father Christmas’ nice list.
Khyan Frazer-Williams followed suit with new boots, while Chuks kept it wholesome, simply asking for “some good food.” Dots needed a moment to think, paused thoughtfully… then concluded with “gifts.”
We wrapped things up with Joel Drakes-Thomas – like Casey, recently included in Oliver Glasner’s European matchday squads – who pointed to the camera and delivered his Christmas wish loud and clear: “some Jamaican food.”