Crystal Palace’s co-owner, Steve Parish, has been in the firing line of late amid pressures surrounding the club, although journalist Henry Winter has shown his support for the businessman.
There are growing pressures covering an array of areas at Crystal Palace at the moment, from fan concern over the running of the club, to the form on the pitch, to the immediate future of Roy Hodgson.
With only four wins in their previous 17 Premier League games, the manager’s position appears to be under immediate threat, as well as the lack of fan backing for the club’s ownership.
As reported by The Guardian, Steve Parish is struggling to find a successor to the 76-year-old manager due to the magnitude of the project in hand at Selhurst Park.
Tensions between supporters and the board peaked at the Emirates Stadium last month, as fans organised a protest against the hierarchy of their club, displaying a banner that read: ‘Wasted potential on and off the pitch. Weak decisions taking us backwards.’
It’s certainly a difficult time for Palace, and a point in time that both the fans and the club as a whole will hope to ease past swiftly, but not everyone shares the opinion of those unhappy with Parish.
Henry Winter shows his support for Steve Parish
Speaking on talkSPORT following the Eagles’ 4-1 defeat to Brighton, renowned journalist, Henry Winter, pointed the finger away from Parish and urged others to follow suit.
“Palace are a well-run club, Steve Parish is a very good leader of clubs. He’s a fan, he’s a businessman, he’s got the balance right. I can understand the frustration of the fans, but actually have a little think, because Parish cannot be the problem at the club.”
There is certainly a split opinion regarding feelings towards the businessman, who saved Palace back in 2010 and has powered the club to reinstate themselves as a stable side in the top-flight.
Unfortunately, change must be made at Selhurst to enable a balance to happen, as a stalemate of lack of progression and a subtle acceptance of mediocrity continues to set around the club.
Winter went on to conclude that Palace are in fact fortunate to have Parish involved at the helm, with the journalist claiming that other clubs simply have it worse in that department.
“I can actually take a step back and look at 19 other clubs and see six or seven owners who you certainly wouldn’t want owning your club and Parish, from our experience, is a decent guy to run a club.”
The Sun’s Shaun Custis stepped in to remind Winter that he is “not a Palace fan”, suggesting that his thoughts regarding the matter are somewhat inept, leaving the debate there to be perceived on the basis of individual opinion.
