The sound of Wembley stadium was deafening around 5:30pm on 27th May, 2013. Amongst the streaming colour and the buzzing din of jubilant fans, Jonny Williams sought out Wilfried Zaha, his friend of over 10 years, through the throng of players and staff, through the noise and the chaos.
They came together and, over the drums and music and chants of 35,000 roaring south Londoners, Williams called out: “Thank you for what you’ve done. Go and enjoy playing for Manchester United, you deserve it.”
READ: Portrait of an Icon: The making of Wilfried Zaha
Seven years later, when Williams looks back at his framed squad photos from the Crystal Palace Academy, he can see two constants: him and Zaha.