Crystal Palace Chairman Regrets Listening to Former Managers When Deciding to Sell Star Striker

Crystal Palace Chairman has said that selling striker Glenn Murray was a 'massive regret' with the former Eagles forward set to face his old club next week.

Murray was a fans’ favourite in the SE25 after his great run of form helped the Eagles back to promotion, via the play-offs. His success was much sweeter considering he had been taken from rivals Brighton on a free-transfer.

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But the 34-year-old striker was sold to Bournemouth in 2015 under former Palace boss Alan Pardew, and he has now returned to Brighton.

Palace travel to the Amex stadium on next Tuesday and Glen Murray has scored four goals in his last four games since his brace against West Ham in October.

Parish, speaking to London News Online, said: “The fact Glenn is not at this club is a massive regret for me. We made a mistake, simple as that.

“He did have a cruciate [knee injury] and I was told by managers he wasn’t good enough and that he wouldn’t make it. In the Premier League he didn’t do this, and he didn’t do that.

“It’s difficult. They are your football experts. I don’t think they were doing it out of spite, that they didn’t like Glenn – that’s what they actually believed at the time.

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“Maybe they hadn’t watched him enough. Sometimes you don’t realise people are good enough until they are given the opportunity.”

Another striker Palace let go was Dwight Gayle, now at Newcastle, who scored 23 goals under Rafa Benitez in the Championship. He scored his first league goal this season last Saturday against Manchester United.

Palace have had a heap of trouble with strikers recently, with the club left with only one registered striker for several games this season due to injuries to Connor Wickham and Christian Benteke.