Not only had we managed to secure an absolutely massive three points at home to Middlesborough, but every one of our relegation threatened rivals had lost their respective games.
It was a set of results which has seldom come our way this year, and believe me; it felt all the sweeter for the wait.
Rather than making this post solely about the game in question, as I am sure anyone reading this will already have formed their own detailed opinions, I am instead going to focus on the transformation of the squad, from what has appeared in recent weeks to be a team of nervous, scared individuals, into a hard working unit giving their all for each other until the final whistle sounded at the weekend.
The high point of my despair came after our 3 - 0 defeat at the hands of Swansea in what was Dougie's first game in charge of the team on a full time basis. Previous results under Burley had been extremely poor but a renewed sense of hope appeared to have filled Palace fans minds with the appointment of our favourite Scot. Sadly though, the game in question showed us looking more devoid of confidence then at any point in the previous weeks, and the fear that not even Dougie could save us was really beginning to take hold in my mind.
Fast forward three weeks and we have gone four unbeaten, only conceding one goal in the process. There could be a number of reasons for this but I believe it to be no small coincidence that Lennie Lawrence's arrival has coincided with our upturn in fortunes, Dougie has been quoted as saying his a great person to have around and his vast experience will no doubt be helping our young gaffer get to grips with the role far more smoothly than if he was left competely to his own devices.
This alone though, would not have been enough to get us out of the slump we have been in, I feel there is something far deeper rooted which, under Burley was distinctly missing from all of our performances this season, that vital ingredient is team spirit.
To a lot of other teams and their fans, it seems to be something that matters very little. Most discussions about their team’s success or failure centre completely on the strength of playing squad, tactics, transfers etc, and whilst all of these things are vitally important to our club there is also a lot of pride taken in knowing that the players and supporters share a bond in which both parties feel extremely close, I have heard ex-players Derry, Butterfield, Morrison and Johnson amongst countless others talking about a "special relationship" with the Palace faithful and until people have experienced it, it proves to be something very difficult to put into words.
Whatever it is, the team of last season bought into the Palace way of doing things in more ways than one. Whether it was the epic away victory at Watford which saw Paddy and Matt Lawrence embrace in a man hug of pure exuberance at the joy of blocking a certain goal, Danny Butterfield's perfect hat-trick at home to Wolves in the FA Cup, or that beautiful day at Hillsborough in May when the culmination of 9 months blood, sweat and tears resulted in the most fantastic emotion I have ever experienced, and reduced the Northern hard man that is Shaun Derry to tears of joy in his post match interview.
One person who knows exactly what that Palace spirit is all about is Dougie Freedman, he was there at Stockport, Cardiff and Hillsborough and, consequently knows that all we supporters ask is that the team who represent us give each game everything they have. The football under Burley was pleasing on the eye at times, but was sorely missing the backbone and spirit that we fans have become so accustomed to.
Saturday felt like the first time this season that we as supporters had the team that we know and love playing for the pride of the shirt again, it wasn't the greatest footballing performance and we did have to grind the win out in the end but that is what has endeared this team's players to the fans for years, and unfortunately it was an aspect of the club which George Burley didn't discover.
The fans responded to the team as they always will when the desire is there on the pitch, the last 20 minutes saw the whole of Block B and a large proportion of the other areas of the ground sing the team home. It was once again noted by Jermaine Easter and Steve Parish on Twitter how great the fans were and long may it continue.
You often hear fans saying that they support the best club in the world, and I suppose beauty is firmly in the eye of the beholder, but knowing that the team now has someone in charge again, who understands exactly what it is that the fans want I could not be happier.
The spirit of Hillsborough is back...
