Palace’s returning heroes eye a European adventure

Will Castle joined fans as the Eagles followed up their FA Cup triumph with a perfect Selhurst Park homecoming

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Wembley shook and it was beautiful. Now, Crystal Palace are excited for a European tour.

The details of Tuesday’s Premier League visit of Wolves were insignificant to the home fans inside Selhurst Park. For them, it was party time, a homecoming for their FA Cup heroes. And it’s a celebration that will last long into next season, when Palace hit the continent for the first time in their history.

After achieving what many assumed was out of reach, Eagles fans may now be forced to alter their psyche, now with reason to dream big. “This isn’t supposed to happen to Palace,” Chris Byfield, a Selhurst Park regular since the age of six, told The Independent before the Wolves match. “We are not supposed to have glory. We’re supposed to have bitter disappointment and that’s just kind of our identity. I feel amazing and I don’t really know how to feel about that. It’s not an emotion I’m used to.”

They’ll look to the likes of West Ham for proof that the lesserresourced can succeed in Europe. But how Oliver Glasner’s men build on Saturday’s seismic triumph is not currently the concern of the fans. The club had gone their 164-year history without a major trophy – they’ve earned the right to bask in their glory.

As supporters began to congregate around Selhurst Park, a feeling of delight mixed with disbelief was immediately palpable. Matchgoers, whether friends or strangers, were embracing each other as FA Cup champions. “I still can’t believe it” was a common phrase among Eagles. “My throat is still gone” was another.