During the 2004–05 English football season, Crystal Palace competed in the FA Premier League, following promotion from the First Division (renamed the Championship) the previous season.
Season summary Despite the 21 league goals of striker Andy Johnson, and being just ahead of the relegation zone for most of the season, Palace were unable to remain in the top flight and were relegated on the last day of the season, following a 2–2 draw with fellow south-east London rivals Charlton Athletic at The Valley, combined with West Bromwich Albion's 2–0 win over Portsmouth. With relegation, speculation reigned over Johnson's future; Johnson even handed in a transfer request, but ultimately the striker would sign a five-year contract with the club with an improved wage, pledging to help the club regain top-flight status.
Young winger Wayne Routledge also impressed with 10 assists in the Premier League, making him more productive than the likes of Arjen Robben and Steven Gerrard in terms of creativity, but he was snapped up by Tottenham Hotspur following Palace's relegation.
Final league table
Kit Italian company Diadora became Palace's new kit manufacturers, and introduced a new home kit for the season. The home kit featured red shorts and socks (dispensing with the navy attire of the previous two seasons) and predominantly red shirts with blue stripes. The away kit featured white shirts with blue arms.
Churchill Insurance remained kit sponsors for the fifth consecutive season.
Staff Manager: Iain Dowie Player-coach: Kit Symons
Players First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Reserve squad Squad at end of season
Statistics
Player statistics as 16 May 2005 Source:
No.Pos.NamePremier LeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Julián Speroni60002080002DF Danny Butterfield701020100203DF Danny Granville3531010373704MF Shaun Derry1 (6)000304 (6)0105DF Mark Hudson71002091206DF Tony Popovic21 (2)0000021 (2)0407MF Wayne Routledge3801010400108FW Andy Johnson372111003822509FW Dougie Freedman10 (10)1003213 (10)30010FW Sandor Torghelle3 (9)000316 (9)11111FW Neil Shipperley0 (1)00 (1)00 (1)00 (3)00012MF Mikele Leigertwood16 (4)1102019 (4)14013GK Cedric Berthelin000000000014MF Ben Watson16 (5)0102019 (5)03015MF Aki Riihilahti28 (4)4000028 (4)43016MF Tommy Black000000000017MF Michael Hughes34 (2)2100035 (2)210018DF Gary Borrowdale2 (5)0002 (1)04 (6)00019MF Tom Soares16 (6)00 (1)02 (1)118 (8)14020DF Darren Powell4 (2)1102 (1)07 (3)10021DF Emmerson Boyce26 (1)0001027 (1)02022MF Joonas Kolkka20 (3)3001021 (3)32023FW Wayne Andrews0 (9)000000 (9)01024FW Ivan Kaviedes1 (3)0000 (2)01 (5)00025DF Fitz Hall36210003723026DF Gonzalo Sorondo16 (4)0002018 (4)05227FW Nicola Ventola0 (3)100000 (3)11028GK Gabor Kiraly32010103403029MF Sam Togwell000000000030GK Lance Cronin000000000031FW Tyrone Berry000000000032MF Vasilios Lakis6 (12)0100 (1)07 (13)001*33DF Kit Symons000000000034MF Anthony Danze0000101000 *= Second yellow card.
Transfers
In Mark Hudson - Fulham, 11 July, £550,000 Emmerson Boyce - Luton Town, 12 July, free transfer Julián Speroni - Dundee, 13 July, £750,000 Joonas Kolkka - Borussia Mönchengladbach, 22 July, undisclosed Sándor Torghelle - MTK Hungaria, 3 August, undisclosed Fitz Hall - Southampton, 12 August, £1,500,000 Wayne Andrews - Colchester United, 1 September, six-figure fee Gonzalo Sorondo - Inter Milan, 31 August, season loan Nicola Ventola - Inter Milan, 31 August, season loan Vasilios Lakis - AEK Athens, unknown date, unknown fee Anthony Danze - Inglewood United, unknown date, unknown fee
Out Julian Gray - Birmingham City, 23 June, free Curtis Fleming - Darlington, 31 July, undisclosed Shaun Derry - Leeds United, 23 November, £250,000 Jamie Smith - Bristol City, August, free Ben Surey - Ebbsfleet United Gavin Heeroo - Billericay Town Tariq Nabil Cédric Berthelin - RAEC Mons Gareth Williams - Colchester United Iván Kaviedes - Barcelona Sporting Club, loan ended
Results
Premiership Results per matchday
League Cup
FA Cup
Awards Andy Johnson: Premier League Player of the Month, October Club Goal of the Season: Joonas Kolkka (vs. Liverpool, at Anfield, Premiership)
Notes
References