During the 2000–01 English football season, Crystal Palace F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

Season summary Singapore financer Jerry Lim purchased an almost bankrupt Crystal Palace in July 2000, and immediately sold the club to mobile phone tycoon and lifelong fan Simon Jordan who, following defeats to non-league sides in pre-season, replaced Coppell with Alan Smith – who had previously been manager from 1993 to 1995. The takeover solved Palace's financial problems, but their on-the-field form slumped and despite reaching the League Cup semi-finals, Smith was sacked in April 2001 with relegation to Division Two looking imminent. With two away games remaining, at Portsmouth and Stockport County, Palace were in 22nd place, three points behind Portsmouth (with an inferior goal difference and had played the same number of games), and five points behind Huddersfield (who had a superior goal difference but played a game more). Long serving coach Steve Kember was put in temporary charge of the first team alongside Terry Bullivant, and after making changes to the playing side, Palace travelled to Portsmouth and came away with a much needed 4–2 victory. When the last day of the season arrived, Palace were in 21st place, one goal better off than Portsmouth. With 87 minutes of the game at Stockport gone, the score was 0–0, a result that would have resulted in Palace's relegation, but Dougie Freedman burst into the Stockport County penalty area and lashed a shot past Stockport 'keeper Lee Jones into the back of the net, triggering the relegation of Huddersfield Town and saving Palace. The goal was controversial, as there had been a clear handball by Palace midfielder David Hopkin just moments before, which the referee had not awarded a free-kick for. Still, the Palace fans didn't care, and many of the 3,000 who had travelled poured onto Stockport's Edgeley Park pitch, celebrating with the players.

Final league table

Results Crystal Palace's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League First Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 12 August 2000 Blackburn RoversA0–218,733 20 August 2000 Queens Park RangersH1–119,020Forssell 26 August 2000 Huddersfield TownA2–110,670Gray, Ruddock 28 August 2000 Nottingham ForestH2–318,865Black, Fan 3 September 2000 West Bromwich AlbionA0–113,980 9 September 2000 BurnleyH0–118,531 12 September 2000 BarnsleyH1–016,297Morrison 16 September 2000 Norwich CityA0–016,828 23 September 2000 Sheffield UnitedH0–117,521 30 September 2000 Preston North EndA0–213,028 14 October 2000 Birmingham CityA1–217,191Morrison 18 October 2000 FulhamA1–316,040Ruddock 21 October 2000 PortsmouthH2–315,693Black (2) 24 October 2000 Grimsby TownH0–116,685 28 October 2000 Bolton WanderersA3–312,879Freedman (2), Morrison 4 November 2000 Sheffield WednesdayH4–115,333Freedman, Morrison, Pollock (2) 11 November 2000 Wolverhampton WanderersA3–117,658Freedman, Morrison (2) 18 November 2000 Tranmere RoversH3–214,221Staunton, Pollock, Morrison 25 November 2000 Stockport CountyH2–218,819Forssell (2) 2 December 2000 Grimsby TownA2–25,802Forssell, Morrison 5 December 2000 WimbledonH3–116,699Forssell, Morrison (2) 9 December 2000 WatfordH1–016,049Morrison 16 December 2000 Crewe AlexandraA1–15,752Freedman 22 December 2000 Blackburn RoversH2–315,010Forssell, Mullins 26 December 2000 GillinghamA1–410,518Freedman (pen) 30 December 2000 Queens Park RangersH1–114,439Morrison 14 January 2001 Nottingham ForestA3–021,198Forssell (2), Freedman 20 January 2001 GillinghamH2–218,823Freedman, Forssell 3 February 2001 West Bromwich AlbionH2–216,692Forssell, Pollock 10 February 2001 BurnleyA2–114,973Forssell, Morrison 17 February 2001 Norwich CityH1–116,417Forssell 20 February 2001 BarnsleyA0–112,909 24 February 2001 Sheffield UnitedA0–118,924 3 March 2001 Preston North EndH0–215,160 6 March 2001 Birmingham CityH1–213,987Austin 10 March 2001 WimbledonA0–113,167 17 March 2001 FulhamH0–221,133 31 March 2001 Crewe AlexandraH1–020,872Austin 3 April 2001 Huddersfield TownH0–015,324 7 April 2001 WatfordA2–215,598Austin (pen), Black 14 April 2001 Sheffield WednesdayA1–419,877Morrison 16 April 2001 Bolton WanderersH0–216,842 21 April 2001 Tranmere RoversA1–18,119Hopkin 28 April 2001 Wolverhampton WanderersH0–218,993 2 May 2001 PortsmouthA4–219,013Forssell, Riihilahti, Freedman (2) 6 May 2001 Stockport CountyA1–09,782Freedman

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR36 January 2001 SunderlandA0–030,908R3R17 January 2001 SunderlandH2–4 15,454Morrison, Thomson

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR1 1st Leg23 August 2000 Cardiff CityH2–15,983Morrison, RuddockR1 2nd Leg5 September 2000 Cardiff CityA0–04,904R2 1st Leg19 September 2000 BurnleyA2–25,889Forssell, BlackR2 2nd Leg26 September 2000 BurnleyH1–1 (won on away goals)5,720LinighanR31 November 2000 Leicester CityA3–012,965Morrison, Thomson, RubinsR428 November 2000 Tranmere RoversH0–0 10,271R519 December 2000 SunderlandH2–115,945Forssell, MorrisonSF 1st Leg10 January 2001 LiverpoolH2–125,933Rubins, MorrisonSF 2nd Leg24 January 2001 LiverpoolA0–541,854

Players First-team squad Squad at end of season

Left club during season

References

Notes