'Kick-off's at 1:30am' – Voices of South London: CPFC Australia

Features

14 May 2025

Crystal Palace’s third-ever FA Cup Final is now just days away – and ahead of the match, we’re delighted to share a range of our favourite CPFC voices, looking forward to our return to English football’s greatest stage…

While kick-off time for many of us will be at a palatable time of 16:30 BST this coming Saturday, tonight we hear from four Crystal Palace supporters clubs based on the other side of the world who'll be cheering us on deep, deep into the night...

CPFC Sydney (above)

How are you feeling ahead of the Final?

Lewis Dew: Very excited, nervous, and anxious – and at the same time, confident. If we put the same kind of performance as we did against Villa, we can lift the FA Cup.

What are your thoughts on this Palace team?

They're the best team/squad and manager our club has ever had! We play some very exciting football now, and it always feels like we are going to score.

I love seeing Muñoz & Mitchell running down the wing and getting the attackers in or around the opponent's box. It’s also good to see some goals coming from corners, which we have struggled with in the past.

As a group, did you watch the semi-final and if so, how?

We didn’t have a get together for the semi. It fell over back-to-back public holiday weekends and a lot of people were away, myself included!

I went away with my wife and two dogs, Del Boy & Rodney, to a place called Dungog. I got up early hours in the morning to watch the gam,e and got told off a number of times by my wife for shouting at the TV...

What was your favourite moment from that day?

Eze’s wondergoal! We celebrated the win with a few beers at a brewery local to where we were staying, and with a BBQ!

How will you be watching the Final?

We've hired out a Sports Bar at a pub called The Madison Hotel, Surrey Hills, from 9pm, with kick-off at 1:30am. We've arranged for two of our supporters to DJ during the build-up, along with a raffle and some old clips being played on the screens from past Palace games.

We've also been in contact with a former Palace player who is an Aussie and lives in Sydney. He has said that he will try and get down there to show his face!

How many of you do you anticipate will be watching?

60+!

What would be your message to the Palace players?

Please make it worth it for us staying up until silly o’clock in the morning!

Go out there, soak up the atmosphere, and let the Palace fans in the stadium carry you over the line with the atmosphere we know they will produce. Make us proud!

Finally... pre-match prediction?

2-2 full-time – and Palace win in extra-time!

Click here to join the CPFC Sydney supporters' Facebook group.

CPFC Perth

How are you feeling ahead of the Final?

Frank Dickenson: Obviously very excited. CPFC Cup final appearances don't come around too often, so we all have our fingers crossed that this time, we can go one step further than on the previous occasions.

What are your thoughts on this Palace team?

We are all so proud of everyone's efforts this year. After a worrying start to the season, I really feel that Oliver Glasner has turned the team into something special, and making the FA Cup Final is an amazing achievement.

As a group, did you watch the semi-final and if so, how?

The semi-final was a 12:15am kick off for us in Perth, so there were a small-ish number of supporters who managed to make it to the 24-hour casino to watch on the big screen!

The quarter-final was actually a more friendly kick-off time of 7.30pm for us, so we had a much larger turnout, and actually managed to take over a small sports bar in Perth's Northern suburbs.

What was your favourite moment from that day?

From the semi-final, it had to be that opening goal from Eze – that really was something special.

How will you be watching the Final?

The final is an 11.30pm kick off for us, so we have arranged to watch the match at the Inglewood Hotel in Perth. They have a large sports bar with a big screen.

How many of you do you anticipate will be watching?

We are hoping to get between 20 and 30 people – and quite a few members have flown back to the UK.

What would be your message to the players?

The team have played so well this year and the form since Christmas has been incredible – just keep doing what you're doing, and be assured you have our full support from Down Under. COYP!!!!

Finally... pre-match prediction?

Obviously Man City are a strong team, but Cup Finals are a real leveller. I think it will be a tight game and might even go to extra time or penalties.

Click here to join the CPFC Perth supporters' Facebook group.

CPFC Brisbane

How are you feeling ahead of the Final?

Mark Werner: Feeling very excited for the pending Final! A few nerves and trepidation given our last crack at it... but quietly confident.

What are your thoughts on this Palace team?

This team is very dynamic and play as a cohesive unit when all fit and firing. Squad depth is increasing, which is fantastic, coupled with being under the tutelage of a young yet experienced manager in Ollie. He knows how to win a European trophy too!

As a group, did you watch the semi-final and if so, how?

With the semi-final starting at 2:15am and myself on the tools that day, I watched the replay in my ute before work, coffee in hand!

What was your favourite moment from that day?

My favourite moment was the motif reveal at Wembley, and seeing the sea of Red n Blue! It made me so proud to be a Palace supporter and gave me goosebumps, reminiscent of the Final which I attended in 2016.

How will you be watching the Final?

We shall be watching at our spiritual home here in Brisbane, The Pig'n'Whistle Riverside! On the big screen, out in the beer garden – lovely!

How many of you do you anticipate will be watching?

I'm guessing roughly 40-60 of us supporters shall be in attendance, a few hundred in total. It's funny how many come out of the woodwork for a Final or promotion match!

What would be your message to the players?

My (our) message for the squad would simply be to enjoy your day out at Wembley! Have every faith in yourselves, your abilities and trust the process that got you there.

We are unequivocally behind you and you have our full support, trust and admiration from Down Under!

Finally... pre-match prediction?

My prediction is we win it 2-1! Late winner from Muñoz! There – I said it!

Click here to join the CPFC Brisbane supporters' Facebook group.

CPFC Adelaide

How are you feeling ahead of the Final?

Pat Wedge: I feel very excited and very nervous! Such a great chance for us to get a major trophy and qualify for Europe.

It's tinged with some sadness that I can't be there with my sons – the cost and difficulties getting tickets were prohibitive for us unfortunately. But it's just brilliant that we're in the Final. A good time to be a Palace fan.

What are your thoughts on this Palace team?

There seems to be the most wonderful connectedness through this team, squad, manager, right through to the fans. All of those factions clearly have brilliant relationships in themselves and with each other.

Even from over here, I feel a buzz right through the club, with everyone working to support each other. So many big characters in the team – Mateta, Muñoz, Guéhi, Lacroix, Deano – makes me think of the Survival Sunday squad, just so many leaders.

And Glasner has been a revelation. His calmness is inspiring and I think he will become a model for other managers – it seems so obvious to me now: in moments of pressure, you don't want your manager losing their head on the sideline. Great stuff, very exciting.

As a group, did you watch the semi-final and if so, how?

The semi-final didn't quite come together for us as a group, we're a bit disparate at the moment.

But I have been greatly enjoying watching games with my 15 year-old son at home so we were up together with the living room decorated, excitedly exchanging messages with friends and family in the UK.

My son has lived in Australia since he was two, but he's Palace through and through, and I have to say a great time in my life to enjoy it with him – although he likes to watch all the games live in the middle of the night, so I'm a bit tired!

What was your favourite moment from that day?

So many iconic moments, but for me when Sarr scored our second and ran to celebrate with the fans, the passion was just exploding off him and returned by the fans.

I always watch the fans' reactions and think of what it would be like to be there. It was beautiful, I'm getting tingles up my spine right now thinking about it – the same as whenever I re-watch Freedman score against Stockport in 2001, or "Hopkin Looking to Curl One".

How will you be watching the Final?

We have a friendly bar owner who is making his venue exclusively available to us.

How many of you do you anticipate will be watching?

I expect there will be around 15 of us. Although I am hoping to connect with other Palace fans around the city – so anyone reading this, please make yourselves known through the Facebook page!

What would be your message to the players?

From the other side of the world, all around it and across multiple generations of Palace fans, we're proud of you.

You have inspired us, brought us so much joy, you have made us believe that anything is possible.

Being a Palace fan is not just an activity, it is an identity from which we draw strength and contentment. When you live so far away, this part of our identities is amplified in importance.

My son goes to school as a lone Palace fan but with his head up, with pride, in no small part because of what you've achieved. You have every ounce of support we can muster over here for you in the Final.

If you can win there'll be a 15 year-old in Southern Adelaide with a grin as wide as the city for months to come.

Finally... pre-match prediction?

I'm sorry – my one football superstition is that I don't make pre-match predictions! I predict a good game though – haha!

Click here to join the CPFC Adelaide supporters' Facebook group.

CPFC Melbourne

How are you feeling ahead of the Final?

Ned Rocke: Excited and nervous. I was able to get back for the United final a few years ago, but simply can't afford it this year as I'm getting married in November. Hoping to include a CPFC European tour on my honeymoon!

What are your thoughts on this Palace team?

Oli has fostered an incredible togetherness within the group and has them playing some incredible football. Everyone seems to know their role and everyone who comes in seems to improve almost instantly. Long may it continue.

As a group, did you watch the semi-final and if so, how?

We were at the Charles Dickens Tavern in the City as usual. The Villa supporters group operate out of the same pub, so it was a great atmosphere at the start...

One side of the pub was a bit quieter at the end, but our side more than made up for it!