‘You realise you’re part of history’ – Voices of Wembley: Geoff Thomas

Today, we hear from former Palace captain Geoff Thomas – the man who led the Eagles out at Wembley for our first-ever FA Cup final, which took place on this day 35 years ago…

“It was like going into Gladiators, really – it felt that way with the walk..."

Although we're speaking over the phone, you can hear, from the intonation of his voice, the twinkle in Geoff Thomas’ eye – the memory of leading Crystal Palace out for their first-ever FA Cup Final burns brightly.

“I think as a player, that’s when you realise you're a part of history,” he continues, describing the feeling of the long walk from the old Wembley dressing room, along the concrete paved tunnel floor – matchball and furled-up pennant in hand.

Steve Coppell strides ahead of Thomas; Nigel Martyn walks behind, also with matchball in hand. The trio walk out to a fever pitch of noise and anticipation alongside Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and skipper Bryan Robson.

Thomas attempts a few basketball-style spins with the ball on the end of his finger, walking with confidence – no nerves on show.

Crystal Palace very much entered the 1990 FA Cup Final as underdogs – but they knew they deserved to be there, the biggest stage in English football.

“The stadium was absolutely different when we were walking out from behind the goal,” Thomas recalls. “It’s a place which holds so many different memories: England winning in 1966, and all the players who have played on that pitch…

"You know, at that point, you’ve got a chance of being a name that's going to be associated with a fantastic game or a fantastic goal.

“That's what you've got to look forward to. You can have a chance to do something amazing. That's what the Final is about.

“It's one of the biggest showcase, TV-covered games in the world. That’s why I’d say to the players: just enjoy it. It's a magical occasion which you're just blessed to be a part of.”

Magical indeed – watch back the opening scenes of that Final day, and you’ll hear BBC Sport commentator John Motson declare it “the finest day in Crystal Palace history” before the match had even kicked off.

Just nine years earlier, Thomas had been working as an apprentice electrician preparing to take a gamble with fourth-tier Rochdale.

Six years later, he was recruited by a cash-trapped Palace and – under the astute guidance of Coppell – became a fulcrum of the side which granted Eagles supporters some of their headiest days: promotion to the top tier in 1989; a run to the 1990 Final, our first-ever major such occasion; and, the following year, our ZDS Cup Final triumph on the same ground, underneath the famous Wembley twin towers.

But in so many ways, as captain, it was Thomas’ journey which typified Palace’s own at the time: rapid progress, built upon hard work to maximise natural ability, and upon resilience to come through any challenges encountered along the way.

Reminiscent of Oliver Glasner’s current crop of 2024/25, we ask Thomas?: “I think this team… it stays together. I can see this side being just as good.

“It's a fantastic occasion. I'm so keen for this squad to actually go one step further and just get that first piece of major silverware. It would be fantastic for everybody involved.

“You can see the connection between the players as well – it's a real togetherness. You don't see that often.

"It's a special time for these players. I look back on my career, and it's not often you get that real connection between everybody. You can see everybody working 100% for each other with this squad. And the enjoyment that they're getting from it as well…

“Ebs [Eze] is such a class player – but he's playing with a smile on his face. He's enjoying doing what he's doing. [JP] Mateta up front, his form has been fantastic… it looks like they're really enjoying it all, playing free of any nerves.

“That's the way a good team is built: by having a good squad who really enjoy what they're doing. That's credit to the manager, Oliver [Glasner], and the coaching staff. We’ve got a depth in the squad now that hopefully will improve as the next couple of seasons go forward.”

A fellow midfielder also catches the eye: “Adam in midfield is at such a young age, and he has got such a good head on him – his future's going to be massive.

“If we can keep hold of him and keep players like the international players around him for at least two, three years, then I think Palace will grow.”

Underpinning the talent which Thomas speaks of in this squad is its connection with our supporters.

It's something the former midfielder, having won Supporters’ Player of the Season in his first campaign with the club after arriving in 1987, would appreciate more than most.

“Palace have been great to me since day one,” Thomas recalls. “I mean, as soon as I arrived at Palace, it felt like my club, and that's continued. The support I've received after football has been amazing.

“I know Steve Parish really well and Mark Bright is still heavily involved with the club, so I'm always keeping a close eye on the club! It's been great to watch them get to Wembley again, and hopefully this time they can make history and lift the trophy.

“I think everybody enjoys playing for Crystal Palace. I’ve spoken to players who just love the atmosphere down there – and I think the Final will be an occasion where the fans, like with the semi-final, should just enjoy it.

"The noise that they create is amazing, so they should just carry on doing what they’re doing. I've been down to Selhurst a number of times and even on occasions the game’s been dull – and there have been a few over the years – the fans just keep behind them.

“That’s not stopped for many, many a year.”

Nor should it. Over three decades since his last appearance in a Palace shirt, Thomas remains an iconic figure in South London – both for what he achieved on the pitch, but also off it.

In 2022, Thomas received an MBE for his charitable work in raising millions for Cure Leukaemia, following his own diagnosis with blood cancer in 2003 – a year after retiring from the game.

Thomas was given just three months to live at the time but – after a stem cell transplant from his sister Kay, and treatment from Professor Charlie Craddock CBE, the co-founder of blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia – Geoff entered remission from the disease in January 2005. He went on to set up the Geoff Thomas Foundation.

“Ever since then I've been working with Charlie Craddock  – the guy who saved my life – and I've been cycling to raise money," Thomas explains.

"This year, again, we'll be doing London to Paris, and then the big one, which is 21 days on a bike, going up the Alps and the Pyrenees – more or less mirroring what the professionals do, but a little slower!

“Just a week before the pros, we’ve got about 20 riders taking part in it, and we're hoping to raise a million pounds. It’s a big ask – a big challenge – but everybody’s up for it!”

It will amount, remarkably, to Thomas’ seventh Tour de France, the gruelling 2,200-mile route being tackled across 21 days in June and July – you can support his efforts by clicking here.

Before then, Thomas will be in attendance at Wembley to witness Palace’s own mountain to conquer: an FA Cup Final against his boyhood club Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

He reflects: “If you would have asked me a couple of seasons ago, I would have said it's going to be tough, really tough. Everybody knows Man City are just not playing their best at the moment – but they've also hit a little bit of form again.

“If you go back to the Etihad, not too long ago [for Palace’s 5-2 defeat last month], in the first-half, Palace were so dominant. It just shows that they're vulnerable, Man City, at the moment. Their defence isn't anywhere near as solid as it used to be.

“I think we've got a great opportunity of doing really, really well. I just hope it's a great game – I think it will be. I don't think anybody's going to sit back. I think with the quality of City's forward line in midfield and Crystal Palace's as well, I think it will be backwards and forwards – and may the best team win.

“I'm a Manchester lad and I was brought up as a Man City fan. We weren't allowed to look at the red side of Manchester!

"But I'm totally behind Crystal Palace. I'm just desperate for Crystal Palace and everybody associated with the club to enjoy something special: lifting the FA Cup.”

Thomas is taking part in The Tour 21, which will see a team of amateur cyclists take on all 21 stages of the 2025 Tour de France route, one week ahead of the professional race - with the aim of raising over £1million for Cure Leukaemia. Click here to find out more and donate.

Match Details

Crystal Palace v Manchester City

• Saturday, 17th May
• 16:30 BST
• FA Cup Final
• Wembley Stadium
• Live audio commentary on Palace TV+