Chairman Steve Parish reflects on Conference League Final victory
In the aftermath of Crystal Palace’s UEFA Conference League victory in Leipzig, Chairman Steve Parish spoke to Sky Sports about the monumental scale of the club’s achievement.
On another special moment for the club…
It was incredible. You saw it yourself – the fans, the joy...
It's just a special, special time for the club.
On whether he ever thought a European trophy would be possible when he took over in 2010…
I always think anything's possible, but at the time we were in the Championship. We needed to get out of that, and a lot of people didn't believe we would get out of there.
We keep doing things that people don't expect us to do. That's what football's all about: defying the odds.
It's just special for the club. Three trophies in 13 months – let's hope we can keep on doing it.
On how much it means to be connected to Crystal Palace…
It’s everything. It's my area, where I came from. About 10 minutes from where the training ground is, I was born.
I know so many of the fans – I feel like I know all of the fans, whenever I see one that I don't recognise, I think how do I not know them?
It was such a massive turnout last night. Also, credit to the Vallecano fans who stayed past the end. Their team put up a great show.
It was good for football. Another club who haven't won a European trophy winning something, I think it's excellent.
On his highlight from the celebrations…
I think the slide, Oliver's slide, that was special, wasn't it? You know, recreating his slide from his Frankfurt days!
Two European trophies for him. Incredible, incredible achievements, so honouring him and seeing the boys wanting to do that was really special.
On Oliver Glasner’s final game in charge…
I think from the beginning we always knew the journey would be a limited time. Oliver has things that he wants to do and we're lucky that he came to our club for the time that he did.
We've got to look forward and so does Oliver. He'll always have a special place in the heart of all the Crystal Palace fans.
I hope we remain friends. We get on really well. I think you can't do these things unless everything functions together, and let's hope we can put that around the new guy that comes in.
On the bond between the current playing group…
In the 16 years I've been here, we've always had a good core of players. I think if you get good people involved in your football club – Oliver said it last night – then special things can happen.
It is a team game and the group is so important, the mentality of the group, the culture of the group, and they are great.
We've always had one or two that carry that through and bring people in and make them understand what being a Palace player is all about, what's expected of you, and I think that will continue.
We'll make sure when we're picking the squad that we get the right blend of talent and of characters, and bring the right people in.
On whether he enjoyed the FA Cup or Conference League more…
That's a tough one, isn't it? Because the FA Cup is the FA Cup. I've dreamt about it since I was a kid.
But equally, going to Europe, going to all these places, seeing the fans out in the towns, just having the best time of their life, experiencing things they never thought they'd experience, kind of elevating the club...
They could talk to their friends whose teams perhaps play in Europe about their European days – so this is very special.
I would say they were equal, honestly.