Be Careful What You Wish For (48 page)

Manager number 2: Alan Smith.

Nearly relegated at Stockport County. I likened it to 90 minutes in the dentist’s chair, much to my own dentist’s chagrin.

Clinton Morrison celebrating with Dougie Freedman after surviving relegation at Stockport County. Freedman’s goal was enough to secure our safety.

My dream team: Bruce, Kember and Bullivant who started so brightly but ended so disappointingly.

Steve Bruce leaving the High Court in London after the club won a temporary injunction preventing Bruce from quitting the club without serving nine months notice.

Manager number 4: Trevor Francis.

Manager number 5: Steve Kember.

Manager number 6: Iain Dowie.

The dream achieved: Neil Shipperley scores the £50 million pound goal in the 2004 play-off final against West Ham. Cue celebrations.

One of my favourite players, Andy Johnson, celebrates scoring in yet another win against the soon-to-be champions of Europe, Liverpool.

Winning promotion in 2004 meant that I had delivered on my promise to bring Premier League football to Selhurst Park a year ahead of schedule.

Consoling Iain Dowie on the pitch at Charlton after being relegated from the Premier League. With what was to come later, perhaps my grip on his neck should have been slightly tighter.

Playing in the Geoff Thomas testimonial game against a Manchester United XI in a reprise of the 1990 FA Cup final. Who says Chairmen can’t play football?