Sam wants locals who pack punch
SAM ALLARDYCE made Jason Puncheon his Crystal Palace skipper because the boy born around the corner from Selhurst Park knows what it means to be rescued from the streets by football.
Puncheon, alongside another local lad Wilfried Zaha, has been the lynchpin as Palace have hauled themselves away from the relegation zone with five wins in six, including Monday’s remarkable win over Arsenal.
Now Palace are trying to make sure other local kids get a chance through their new Palace for Life Foundation.
Puncheon grew up nearby but joined Wimbledon and dropped out of football for a while before he ended up back at Palace 20 years later via stints at Barnet, Plymouth and Southampton.
Palace chairman Steve Parish said: “People like Wilfried and Jason, that are born and brought up around here, are from the same streets with the same problems and the same backgrounds as the kids they’re inspiring.
“Look at Jason. Sam has made him captain and he has grown.
“The first thing he did when we signed him from Southampton was buy a box for his family to watch from.
“I thought that was good because no one wants their family to watch them and be bad!
“When we played Norwich last year and we needed a win to stay up, you saw and how much that win meant to him. If you have a core of a team that has a connection to the community, it makes a big difference.”
The Foundation will work with the club to use the name of Palace to help local kids through programmes involving physical and mental health, early intervention and mentoring, and to help them make the transition from education to employment.
But Allardyce also wants to make sure local youngsters like Puncheon and Zaha, who do make it through, are not tempted away by bigger clubs.
He said: “There has to be a change of direction that doesn’t allow any club to nick our best 14-year-old when they feel like it.
“A 14-year-old shouldn’t be bought from Crystal Palace by Manchester City or Chelsea, because they’re just overloading. Chelsea have more than 30 players out on loan this year.
“Leave them where they are and let them play and develop in their own club. If the time comes when the big club comes along and takes him away, fine, but take him when he’s ready.
“If they stay in the club, they’ll get in the first team quicker and get to the top if they’re good enough. That’s a much better way.
“My grandson Sam just got released from Manchester United, which was disappointing for him, but he has signed for Bury, so great. If he’s good enough he’ll be in Bury’s first team before he would be in United’s.”