2012/13 - Part Six: New Year, new arrivals

Over the course of this week, you can follow the account of Club Historian Ian King on cpfc.co.uk, telling the story of a dramatic campaign – with a little help from the stars of When Eagles Dare, now available to watch on Palace TV+.

• Part One: A challenging start
• Part Two: Transfers, fortunes and breakthroughs
• Part Three: Comebacks, changes and derbies
• Part Four: Ian Holloway's arrival
• Part Five: Magical Murray, difficult December

Read Part Six below...

1st January: Palace 3-1 Wolves

Palace took full advantage of a Wolves side lacking in confidence and dominated the first-half after an early scare when the visitors hit the crossbar.

Glenn Murray, Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie had opportunities to open the scoring, but the eventual breakthrough came near the half-hour mark as Andre Moritz stepped up to curl a sumptuous free kick into the top corner.

10 minutes later Bolasie found an unmarked Zaha in the middle and he toe-poked past the ‘keeper to double the advantage.

At the start of the second-half loanee Aaron Martin replaced Danny Gabbidon. Moritz repeated his dead-ball feat, curling a glorious free-kick into the back of the net to make it three – and give Palace a deserved reward for their dominance.

The Brazilian nearly completed a hattrick with an attempted bicycle kick before Wolves pulled one back with 15 minutes to go, and the home side held on comfortably.

Defeat for Middlesbrough allowed the Eagles to climb back to third above them.

5th January: Palace 0-0 Stoke (FA Cup)

Illness prevented Murray featuring in this FA Cup third round clash against a Premier League side, so Jermaine Easter led the attack while Lewis Price replaced Julian Speroni in goal.

Easter nearly opened the scoring after two minutes, while Stoke's Michael Owen set up an opportunity for Peter Crouch 10 minutes later. Profligacy seemed to blight both sides with chances created but not taken, and Zaha saw his powerful effort tipped over just before half-time.

Midway through the second-half Holloway sent on Jonny Williams, Kwesi Appiah and, for his debut, Jason Banton and the latter was set up by Moritz but fired narrowly wide.

The final 10 minutes saw the Eagles try to claim a winning goal but it was not forthcoming, and a draw meant a trip to the Britannia Stadium 10 days later.

12th January: Burnley 1-0 Palace

Both Murray and Speroni returned to the side for this trip to Turf Moor to face mid-table Burnley but Owen Garvan’s injury would keep him out until April. With the Clarets on a bad run of form at home, Palace fans were hopeful of obtaining only the club’s third victory in 19 previous visits to the Lancashire town.

The Eagles nearly went ahead when breaking away from a corner but Murray’s effort was inches wide; Grant then saved well from Zaha and reacted brilliantly to turn away a goal bound deflection from his own defender.

Palace started brightly in the second-half, but nine minutes from time Danny Ings set up Stanislas who curled his effort into the top corner. In the final minutes Alex Nimely came on for his Palace debut.

It was getting tight in the fight for second place with Palace and two others all on 47 points, just three away from the second automatic promotion place.

15th January: Stoke 4-1 Palace (FA Cup - a.e.t.)

It took 120 minutes for Premier League Stoke City to overcome the Eagles in their FA Cup replay.

It was certainly not Zaha’s evening as he was booked for diving after a fantastic piece of skill that led to what seemed a definite trip in the box; Yannick Bolasie replaced Palace’s talisman at half-time.

The Potters opened the scoring 20 minutes from time via a header from Kenwyne Jones – but with the clock ticking down, Jonny Williams was felled in the penalty area and substitute Glenn Murray made no mistake from the spot to take the tie into extra-time.

Stoke scored a second five minutes after the restart and added further goals in the final 10 minutes – the last of which came from future Palace player Cameron Jerome – to give the score an unfairly comprehensive look.

19th January: Palace 0-0 Bolton

It was a bitterly cold afternoon when former manager Dougie Freedman returned to Selhurst Park with Bolton, but the reception was fittingly warm.

Palace manager Ian Holloway gave a debut to loanee Jacob Butterfield, who had arrived on a one-month deal, while the Trotters had Chung-Yong Lee among their ranks.

In wintry conditions, neither side was able to take control of a tight first-half but towards the break Murray saw what he thought was the opener ruled out for offside. It took the introduction of Andre Moritz early in the second-half to improve the balance in the Palace side, but he was unable to convert when an effort from Zaha rebounded off a post.

The best chance came late on, as Zaha laid on a perfect pass for Murray only for the top scorer to side-foot the ball wide.

The point gained kept Palace in fourth place on 48, still within two points of the automatic promotion places.

26th January: Huddersfield 1-0 Palace

It proved to be a feisty encounter on a bumpy pitch in Yorkshire with the midtable Terriers, who were winless in 12, and the game lacked any real quality.

Jazz Richards made his debut at right-back giving an assured performance and providing a teasing cross that was not turned home.

There were some familiar faces in the home team’s matchday squad in Sean Scannell, Alan Lee, James Vaughan and Neil Danns, with the former testing Speroni early on. There were some firm challenges flying in around the hour, but after a Palace penalty appeal was turned down Vaughan netted the winner.

Towards the final few moments, Mile Jedinak was floored by an elbow to his eye and full-time saw tensions boil over in the tunnel and dressing rooms

Watford moved above Palace but the Eagles were still six points clear inside the play-off positions. Cardiff had a 10-point advantage at the top of the table.

2nd February: Palace 2-1 Charlton

Palace were on a run of only one victory in 11 matches and had failed to score in four of their last five – and were missing captain Mile Jedinak against Charlton after an eye injury sustained during the fracas at Huddersfield, with Alex Marrow taking his place.

New signings Kevin Phillips and Stephen Dobbie - signed on loan on the final day of the January transfer window - were on the bench, while the Addicks had recently missed out on the loan signing of Jeffrey Schlupp from Leicester.

The encounter was a game of two halves as Charlton took control from the kick-off and should have had more to show for their dominance than former Palace player Ricardo Fuller’s 15th minute opening goal.

Holloway introduced Phillips for the second-half and the wily old campaigner now provided a partner for the isolated Glenn Murray. Soon Dobbie was also introduced and opportunities appeared, with Murray drawing the Eagles level with fifteen minutes left.

Four minutes later the comeback was complete when a slip by the Charlton ‘keeper left the Palace centre-forward with a straightforward finish.

Three points kept the Eagles in the play-off places and still in with a chance of automatic promotion.

You can watch Murray's brace at 2:44 in the video below.

8th February: Watford 2-2 Palace

It was a disastrous start at promotion rivals Watford as the home team caused havoc in the first 25 minutes, scoring two goals through defensive errors. It could have been worse had Matej Vydra’s free header found the target.

As he did against Charlton, Holloway changed things for the second-half with Jonny Williams and Phillips coming into the fray, and the his side looked immeasurably better.

Just after the hour mark the Eagles were on the offensive, and Peter Ramage was on hand to thump home the loose ball after his defensive partner Damien Delaney had seen his header blocked.

Four minutes later Phillips opened his Palace account with an assured finish from Jazz Richards’ pass, and looked more likely to go on and win the game, but had to be satisfied with a point after Ramage headed straight at the keeper.

In the end it was a good point for both clubs as the other three outfits involved in the battle for play-off places all lost the following day.

16th February: Palace 4-1 Middlesbrough

On paper this was an important game against fellow play-off contenders, and Jedinak returned to the side.

The first-half failures of the previous two games were soon forgotten as Zaha crossed the ball for poacher Murray to score after just nine minutes. Further chances came Palace’s way but they were thankful for Ramage heading off the line as the first 45 minutes drew to a close.

After the break it got better for the home team when Ramage swivelled from a corner and shot home to double the Eagles advantage. More came in the 57th minute as Murray whipped the ball into the top corner from 25 yards.

The Teesside club netted with 10 minutes to go, but substitute Phillips, latching on to Zaha’s through ball, drilled his shot into the net to complete an emphatic result.

Cardiff remained favourites for the title with Hull City looking good in second. Watford and Palace were well placed in third and fourth, but Leicester and Middlesbrough were now looking over their shoulders.

Relive the full story of Palace's incredible 12/13 season through When Eagles Dare, now available to watch on Palace TV+.

The series was made in-house by Palace TV and first shown on Amazon Prime Video. You’ll hear the inside story of how Steve Parish and the 2010 consortium won tense negotiations with the fans’ support, how Dougie Freedman set the team up for success and the way Ian Holloway guided them forward.

There are exclusive interviews with all the key figures – including Parish, Freedman, Holloway, Wilfried Zaha, Damien Delaney, Yannick Bolasie, Jonny Williams, Mile Jedinak and many others – and previously unseen footage from behind the scenes.

Palace fanzine Five Year Plan wrote of the series: "This documentary is a love letter. Not just to the Palace team of 2012/2013, but to the people and the moments that make these stories so compelling. To the fans, the players and the club that sits at the heart of a South London community. Our community. Our Palace."