A visibly emotional Roy Hodgson took the microphone on the turf he has venerated since childhood, said his thank yous and farewells, and a pin could be heard dropping high in one of the Selhurst Park stands. The stars could hardly have aligned any better in every aspect bar the result that had just passed: the long-awaited return of 6,500 supporters had coincided with a poignant departure and any sadness was offset by pleasure at the fact so many were there to herald Crystal Palace’s storied manager.
“It’s been a real privilege to come back and work here for the last four years,” Hodgson told the assembly. His sincerity was unquestionable and, no doubt, understated: the dream of managing his boyhood club came true late in life and the satisfaction of maintaining them among bigger names, budgets and reputations in the Premier League’s mid-table is so much more than a footnote to a 45-year career.
