Happy new year to everyone here at Selhurst Park today, and welcome to the supporters, staff and players of Grimsby Town – it’s great to host you for this FA Cup match in south London.
It’s nice to switch our attention to this special competition where we’ve enjoyed some of our finest moments as a club. We have of course reached the final on two occasions only to finish runners-up both times, so the memories I have, and I’m sure you share, are somewhat bittersweet.
The original final against Manchester United in 1990 along with the amazing 4-3 semi-final success against Liverpool were two of the most exciting games in the history of the famous competition.