FA Cup final glory reward for Crystal Palace fans’ patience – Oliver Glasner
LONDON — Oliver Glasner said Crystal Palace’s FA Cup glory against Manchester City was a reward for “patience” after the club’s supporters “hugged” him and his team rather than “kick” them following a nightmare start to this season.
Eberechi Eze’s 16-minute goal was enough to seal a 1-0 win against City at Wembley and clinch Palace’s first major trophy in the club’s 120-year history.
Glasner, who guided Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League success in 2022, steered Palace to Premier League safety last season after replacing Roy Hodgson as manager in February 2024, but the team failed to a win a league game this season until late-October.
Despite the slow start to the campaign, though, Glasner said Palace’s eventual success at Wembley was rooted in the support displayed by the club’s fans during their early season difficulties.
“Nobody expected Frankfurt to win the Europa League or Palace to win FA Cup, but you can see what you get when you are patient as a club,” Glasner told reporters. “We had a very bad start, three points after eight games, and usually fans are impatient and are complaining, but our fans were very good with us.
“Even when we were 5-0 down at Newcastle last month, the fans were supporting our team. This is our special connection.
“In difficult moments, you need support. Not somebody who kicks you, but somebody who hugs you. It’s a special win for our fans.”
Palace’s FA Cup win came after twice being losing finalists, against Manchester United in 1990 and again in 2016, and the victory against City also secures a place in next season’s Europa League — a first European appearance — for the club.
And Glasner said he started to believe his team could achieve big things following their tough start.
“I have a feeling about players and I got a feeling during this season that we can achieve incredible things,” he said. “We have great characters, such a togetherness and work ethic, and that is fundamental to achieving maybe impossible things.
“That feeling started in the winter because we all stayed together after the difficult start.
“We did it for our fans, for very many people. When I was in Austria, we won a cup after 25 years and the connection stays with you forever.
“It will be the same for these players. It is massive for everyone and it was a special motivation to write history for the club.”