“That was the night I fell in love with Crystal Palace,” says James Vaughan, looking back at 15 years of professional football and eight successful months with the Eagles.
It was a balmy but torrential Tuesday evening at Selhurst Park, with rain driving down across south London - and in particular through the Holmesdale’s roof. Palace were hosting bottom of the table Portsmouth and Everton-loanee Vaughan was taking his first steps onto the turf in SE25.
“It was perfect conditions for football,” says Vaughan, in a somewhat old fashioned style - reminiscent of the nostalgic fan turning up their collar while rushing to the stadium.