Steve Parish currently finds himself firmly in the spotlight at Crystal Palace as John Textor grows frustrated at Selhurst Park.
A story – covered on We Are Palace earlier this week – from the Independent claimed that the American is looking to sell his 45% stake in Crystal Palace, after growing annoyed at the club’s direction and a lack of control.
Ed Aarons of the Guardian wrote: “Understand Textor has been growing increasingly frustrated at lack of control at Palace and the club’s direction under Parish. Eagle Football Holdings also planning to float on stock exchange in coming months.”
Now, a comment from Steve Parish uttered back in 2018 makes for very interesting reading as John Textor aims to sell his stake…
What Steve Parish said in 2018
This does not reflect well on the 58-year-old whatsoever.
Back in May 2018, Parish told the South London Press: “Everybody who knows me, knows I don’t run away from anything… I tweeted at the end of last season that the plan was to break into the top ten – I want to do better every year.
“If you stand still you go backwards it’s as simple as that – so we won’t be standing still.”
But yet, Crystal Palace have done exactly that.
Since these comments were made at the end of the 2017/18 campaign, Crystal Palace have failed to record a single top ten finish – which is damning in every sense of the word.
Crystal Palace fans deserve answers
In regards to Parish adding that he does not “run away from anything” in his role at Selhurst Park, the radio silence from the Forest Hill-born businessman is also quite telling.
For a self professed fan of Crystal Palace, it has been hugely disappointing to hear nothing from Parish amid such uncertainty in the boardroom at Selhurst Park, and also amidst such numbing stagnation on the pitch.
Worse still, he has shown no hesitation in sitting down with the likes of Gary Neville and Jake Humphrey to discuss fluffy topics, which hardly scratch beneath the surface of what supporters truly want to know.
Of course, there will always be that everlasting section of the fanbase who consistently exempt Parish from any criticism, often hailing him for saving Crystal Palace from administration back in 2010.
While we are – obviously – grateful for that as well, it is hardly relevant almost 15 years on from that incredibly tense day outside of Lloyds Bank HQ in central London.
All we want is a bit of communication – it is the very least Parish can do for one of the most passionate fanbases in European football.
