Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish led a dressing down of the Palace players at Selhurst Park on Saturday, following an embarrassing performance against fellow struggling side Sunderland.
According to the Telegraph, he took the unusual step of heading to the dressing room after the game and made it clear how he felt about the performance and how it hurts the supporters of the club, up and down the country.
The game saw a large number of fans, vocally or visually, unhappy about the way in which Palace collapsed towards the end of the first half against the Black Cats, who scored three goals within the space of six minutes, bringing anger to Selhurst Park.
Chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” surrounded the players after Jermain Defoe’s second goal of the afternoon and Sunderland’s fourth, in added time of the first half.
It was at half-time as well that the players went off to a chorus of boos and the continued chant, although at this point, one fan decided to take it into his own hands and stormed the pitch to approach Damien Delaney, having a few words with the defender whilst pointing to the badge. He was later arrested.
Sam Allardyce called the first-team squad into training yesterday morning at 7am for them all to have a look at the defeat to Sunderland and look for a way forward out of the current run of form which is seeing them flirt with the bottom of the Premier League table.
The Palace boss apologised to the fans after the game on Saturday, admitting that the players deserved to be booed for their performance on the pitch against Sunderland.
“I saw fear strike the players,” said Allardyce. “It was a huge shock for me what I saw. The lads find it difficult to play here at the moment.”
“It is not often the players get much stick but they deserved the booing. I have to apologise for the first half.
“Fear gripped the players and it hasn’t allowed them to express their ability. I cant think it can be anything other than that.
“It is a difficult one because the fans are so good here. They come to support the club. It was a sell-out today. They are desperate for the club to do well.”
