14th February 2005
Hi all,
Two and a half years ago Palace fans were depressed. Our former manager, Steve Bruce, had gone and taken our beloved Clinton Morrison from us. In return we got ?3.5M and a player valued at ?750,000. That player was Andy Johnson.
(Yes, Valentine's Day is looming large and I'm talking about Andy Johnson. Lucky for me that Lorraine is a fan of him too.)
Here it is necessary to remember just how popular Clinton Morrison was. He came through the Palace youth team, he scored 72 goals over four seasons (although he lost half of one to a shoulder injury). He was a clinical finisher, someone compared favourably with Ian Wright and Mark Bright. He was a jewel we managed to keep despite being in administration. We loved Clinton, whoever filled his boots would have a hard job to follow. Being fair we didn't know much about Andy Johnson.
You could say that Andy Johnson didn't have the best of starts at Palace. I was recently reminded of his debut at Preston, where he ended up leaving the game on a stretcher while wearing a neck brace.
Andy's first moment of glory came in the Brighton game in October 2002. The first meeting between us and our rivals at Selhurst in thirteen years. Andy scored twice in the first half to put us 2-0 up, the second a wonderful diving header. Brighton started the second half brightly, but once Andy got the ball the game was over. Firstly his feet were too quick for the Brighton defenders and earned a penalty. Dougie Freedman converted to make it 3-0. Then Andy used his pace to get behind the Brigton defence. Paul Brooker brought him down inside the penalty area, earning himself a red card and allowing Andy to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot.
From that point Andy became a goal machine. Later the same week he grabbed another hat-trick in a madcap 4-3 win at Walsall. The goals continued to flow, at one point Andy had a ridiculous ratio like ten goals in eleven games. It couldn't last and it didn't. The season fizzled out, Andy was sidelined by injury, and if anything Tommy Black seemed to be the young striker with the brightest future at Palace.
So what changed? Well for a start Andy stayed fit, carried on his form throughout a whole season, and the team (now managed by Iain Dowie) began to play better, giving him more chances. But enough of what anyone else could tell you, let's discuss the interesting stuff.
While Andy was on course for a 32-goal season he was still going about his everyday business. The only thing was that some Palace fans happened to report back if they spotted him out anywhere. On one occasion someone spotted him with his wife and son in McDonalds, sparking a debate about how players look after themselves. After that Andy celebrated his goals with a burger munching routine, apparently a tribute to a coach who likes burgers from the team's canteen. It seemed like too much of a coincidence for most fans, and brought a smile to most of us.
The trademark celebration is just to run with his head down and his arms outstretched behind his back, his hands clenched. I'd say this has almost become an iconic in Palace circles. At times I slip into this pose at home, at which point Lorraine tells me off.
There is a time and a place for everything though. When Andy scored the winning goal on his return to Birmingham last October his celebration was muted. He had no desire to rub his former team's supporters up the wrong way. Tony Humphreys summarised my own feelings on the matter perfectly in Palace Echo number 65, "The more I see of AJ, the more I like him."
Needless to say that Andy's call-up into the England squad was seen as well deserved among Palace fans, and we were craving all the attention his selection would attract. Personally I wanted to see photos of him in training. I listened to every time he said "err" and "like" in his interview on Sky Sports News. I was happy to learn that barring an injury crisis he would make his England debut as a substitute against Holland.
9.03pm on Wednesday 9th February 2005. It is an hour into a dull friendly, but Andy is about to come on with fellow debutant Stewart Downing. Andy replaces Wayne Rooney, and on orders from Sven Goran Eriksson heads for the right-hand side of midfield. What? Why not play him in his usual position? This isn't a fair chance.
The game peters out into a dull 0-0 draw and I'm not happy. Palace fans as a whole aren't happy. Even the media aren't happy, correctly pointing out how badly Andy and Stewart Downing are used. Hopefully they get another chance.
Hopefully.
(Crosses fingers, stretches arms behind his back and then imitates someone eating a burger.)
Have a good week!
Tony
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