ITN News, May 11 1979 - Crystal Palace v Burnley

On May 11, 1979, Palace played their final game of the Season against Burnley, in front of a record crowd of 51,482 (with thousands of fans locked outside).
Ths is, I believe, the only video from that game. It was recorded on a Sony Betamax VCR. A clip from this tape was used by Palace in their official Centenary DVD, and I produced a number of copies on DVD (and VCD) in the late 1990s, some of which are still circulating.
As the commentator says on the clip, the game remained goalless until about 15 minutes from the end, when Ian Walsh headed a Vince Hillaire cross into the Burnley goal to send me, and over 50k other Palace fans into a state of delirium.
The second goal, from Dave Swindlehurst, came near the end. With this victory, Palace won promotion - and the Divisional Championship.
Teams:
Palace: Burridge, Hinshelwood, Sansom, Kember, Cannon, Gilbert, Nicholas, Murphy, Swindlehurst, Walsh, Hilaire.
Burnley: Stevenson, Scott, Brennan, Noble, Thomson, Rodway, Hall, Inram, Morley, Kindon, James.

[@davewilliams515]

Stood on the Holmesdale terracing from 1970. Witnessed Don Rogers and Paddy Mulligan destroy Man U 5-0, Jeff Bourne's goals get us back into 2nd Division against Lincoln (memory serves it was 4-1 and he got a hat-trick?) and then there was this night. There is something special about a night game at Selhurst and it doesn't get better than this (Cardiff SF 2012 was closest since). It was a privilege to be part of a 50,000+ crowd to witness us become champions. We may have been yo-yoing before and ever since but this is the life of a Palace fan and apart from a longer stay in the premiership this time, I would not change a thing. Palace til I die

[@jammyjolly1401]

overcrowded? Biggest crowd attendance.

[@donovanblair1677]

I too was there on that fantastic night. Gates were locked at 6.45 as I recall and the place was filled with dread nervous tension until we scored, deep in the second half. Invaded the pitch in sheer joy afterwards before going out to party all night long in Fort'n'Eve. Superb memories :)

[@ianholloway9555]

Yeah same here I was 14, travelled on the train from Milton Keynes where we'd moved to. Superb memories indeed.

[@ewhurst]

One of the best night's of my life!

[@CantankerousTwat]

Incredible night....They reckon there ere over 23,000 in the Holmesdale Rd end alone, now the whole ground barely holds that many :-(

[@GrahamPinnegar]

I was 9, 2nd game I ever watched, somethings stay with you forever

[@pauloliver6813]

I have to confess...I don't remember much about the evening...which is strange because I was 8; and it was a special, special evening in our history. I was with my Dad in the main Stand. I could lie to you all and tell you this that and the other, but all I remember was the noise and staying up late. The idea that there were 50k at Selhurst seems amazing now.

[@nigelpittman1104]

One for which I am proud to say I was there with my dad. We both went on the pitch for the second time in two seasons as we were also present at the final reserves match the year before waiting to see if Wrexham had got a point. The pint of Young's bitter afterwards at the Fountain Head was worth queuing for.

[@mikehowell9650]

I will never ever forget that memorable night at Selhurst.

[@royhayward4867]

The good old days!

[@ianmacrae7727]

The first time I ever saw palace win anything. They locked the turnstile I came through in the holmesdale just after I went in at 6.45 . It was rammed . 51.000 there that night, and about 6.000 locked out . Must have been 20.000 in the holmesdale alone . Had to drive back to Sussex that night as well, it took an hour just to get to Croydon , there were people everywhere ..Brilliant night , one of my happiest memories ever as a palace fan, not quite as good as the play off win against Brighton , but it's up there .

[@mcduff9864]

I was there, it was my 19th birthday, seems like yesterday. What great days .

[@ezpzw1]

thanks for that brother, I was there 32 years ago tonight, what a night that was

[@alasdairmurray6524]

Was proud to be there for probably at the time, Palace's second biggest occasion (promotion in 1969 being the first)

[@chollis54]

I was stood on the Holmesdale proud as punch!

[@SimonNoDigNeale]

What a night. We'd managed to sneak a few quid on the Mighty Eagles to win the league at 25-1. Crazy celebrations afterwards. What shame the man that built it also tore it down. I've hated Venables ever since.

[@jezzasmezza2]

Happy days.

[@geelong1961]

i was there,as a burnley fan,in the wrong end,night before the classic arse v man ure cup final

[@TheSupplementWarehouseLondon]

Rip terry venables

[@donovanblair1677]

I was there on that fav

[@peterhewitt4056]

Yes I