Home » Top 10 Best Crystal Palace Players of All Time

Top 10 Best Crystal Palace Players of All Time

Crystal Palace is a soccer club based in Selhurst of South London, England. Founded in 1905, the club has enjoyed numerous periods of success but has never won the grand prize of champions in the Premier League, which is the current top division in English competition. Read on to find out about some of the greatest talents and biggest contributors to the club’s success in its long history.

Who Are the Best Crystal Palace Soccer Players of All Time?

Wilfred Zaha
Ian Wright
Geoff Thomas
Jim Cannon
Andy Johnson
Attilio Lombardo
Nigel Martyn
Julian Speroni
Kenny Sansom
Mark Bright

1. Wilfred Zaha

90 career goals for Crystal Palace
Three-time Crystal Palace Player of the Year
2013 EFL Championship Young Player of the Year

Wilfried Zaha’s career with Crystal Palace spans as far back as 2004, when he enrolled in the Crystal Palace academy at just the young age of 12. He has spent his entire professional career with the club, outside of a brief two-year stint at Manchester United.

Debuting for the Eagles in 2010 for the EFL Championship, Zaha would first play a critical role in getting the club promoted to the Premier League in 2013 and then later carrying the load of keeping them in the PL every single season. Incredibly, Crystal Palace have never been relegated since their 2013 promotion, largely due to Zaha’s contributions.

Zaha usually plays the position of winger or center-forward for the team, often on the left side, to utilize his talent for cutting inside with his right foot. His speed, athleticism, and dribbling skills are a nightmare for defenders to handle, as many resort to fouling as the only way to stop him from getting into dangerous positions. He has induced the most red cards for opponents in Premier League history, with six.

Despite there arguably being more skilled players in Crystal Palace’s history, as well as those who have reached greater team achievements at the top level, Wilfried holds his spot as the greatest Crystal Palace player of all time due to his immense contributions towards getting Palace into the Premier League in 2013 and keeping them in the competition every single year.

2. Ian Wright

118 career goals for Crystal Palace
1991 Full Members Cup
2022 Premier League Hall of Fame inductee

Ian Wright’s career with the Eagles began in August of 1985 after he impressed at a trial with then Crystal Palace manager Steve Coppell. It was an emotional moment for Wright, as he had spent years playing for amateur Sunday league clubs and failing to attract interest from the pros to the point where he had almost given up on a career in soccer.

Wright would immediately establish himself as one of the best players in the club, as he finished as their second highest scorer in just his first season. One of his most prolific seasons would come in 1989, where he would score 33 goals in all competitions and lead Crystal Palace into the First Division for the first time in eight years. Another season would be in 1991, in which Ian would be Palace’s top goalscorer en route to their highest finish in club history at third place. He would even help the Eagles win their first-ever top-flight domestic trophy that season, scoring twice against Everton in the final to win the Full Members Cup.

While Ian Wright would go on to find bigger success at Arsenal, his contributions to Crystal Palace remain some of the greatest in club history. He was named the club’s “Player of the Century” in 2005 and was also recently inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022 for his contributions towards the top level of English soccer.

3. Geoff Thomas

1991 Full Members Cup
Two-time Supporters’ Player of the Season
Crystal Palace Centenary XI

In June of 1987, Geoff Thomas transferred out of Fourth Division club Crewe Alexandra, immediately upgrading two divisions of competition level to Crystal Palace, who were in the Second Division. The increase in competition level proved to be no difficulty for Thomas, though, as he would hit the ground running for Palace and immediately become a fan favorite. He would even win the Supporters’ Player-of-the-Season in just his first year with the club.

The following year, Thomas was named team captain and would remain as captain for six seasons through arguably the most successful period in the club’s history. The Eagles would gain promotion into the First Division in 1989, reach the FA Cup final in 1990, and win the Full Members Cup in 1991 while also placing third in the First Division, which is the highest the club has ever finished in top-flight competition. Geoff Thomas would spend seven total seasons with the Eagles before he would depart and play for numerous other British clubs throughout the rest of his career. He was named into Crystal Palace’s Centenary XI in 2005.

But for as much as Thomas is known for his contributions on the field, he is perhaps even more known for his work since retiring in 2002, raising millions of pounds for leukemia research charity by riding in cycling events that spanned thousands of miles. In 2021, Thomas was awarded an MBE for his efforts towards cancer charity fundraising, a distinguished honor.

4. Jim Cannon

Most starts and appearances in Crystal Palace history
Club captain for 10 straight seasons
Crystal Palace Centenary XI

Jim Cannon is Mr. Crystal Palace. His roots with the club would begin in 1970, as he was signed to their youth system by then-manager Bert Head. His first of 660 total appearances for the club would then come in March of 1973, where he would score a goal in his debut against Chelsea at just 19 years of age.

Cannon was a reliable defender throughout his career for Palace, as he usually played center back but could shift to left back or defensive midfield for the team if needed. He was a commanding, dominant presence that held the Eagles’ defensive structure together in every single game. And the experience that he gained throughout his years with the club led to him being named captain at the start of the 1977 season, where he remained until his eventual departure in 1987.

Cannon would spend 13 total years on Crystal Palace’s senior team, as he would stay through the highs and lows of the club as they were promoted and relegated through three separate divisions in his career. He would define an era of Crystal Palace’s history, symbolizing stability in a period that was otherwise quite turbulent.

5. Andy Johnson

2004-05 Premier League PFA Team of the Year
Two-time Crystal Palace Player of the Year
Crystal Palace Centenary XI

Andy Johnson transferred to Crystal Palace from Birmingham City in 2002. His debut game was arguably the most memorable in club history, as he scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 blowout win over rivals Brighton and Hove Albion. He quickly established himself as a fan favorite, earning the nickname “AJ” and becoming one of the most prolific goalscorers in club history.

AJ played the striker position for his entire career at Crystal Palace. His great talent for scoring the ball, along with an incredible burst of pace in his prime, allowed him to be a constant attacking threat for the Eagles regardless of whether his competition was the Premier League or Championship. He led Crystal Palace in goals scored every single year he was with the club, finishing with an incredible tally of 85 goals in just 160 appearances before he was sold to Everton for what was then a club record of £8.6 million.

Johnson was named to Crystal Palace’s Centenary XI in 2005 while still being an active player for the Eagles. He is remembered as one of Palace’s most loved players despite only being with the club for four years and currently works as an ambassador for Crystal Palace since his retirement in 2016.

6. Attilio Lombardo

Player-manager in 1998-99 season
Crystal Palace Centenary XI

Considered by many to be the most talented player to ever put on a Crystal Palace kit, Attilio Lombardo signed for Crystal Palace in the summer of 1997 out of top Italian club Juventus. Palace had hopes of contending in the Premier League that they were just promoted into. Unfortunately, that would not happen, as the Eagles finished last in the league and were demoted back to the Championship again. Lombardo would be the last to blame for those struggles, however, as he dazzled fans with great skill and did his best to elevate teammates that were simply outmatched in most of the games they played.

Due in large part to Crystal Palace’s failure the season before, the club was sold to a new owner, Mark Goldberg, who, for some reason, decided to appoint Lombardo as player-manager of Crystal Palace despite the fact that he could not speak English. An interpreter was hired to assist him, and Lombardo would play in games while also managing the club for half a season until a financial crisis forced Palace to trade him back to Italy to help cover his wage.

All in all, Attilio Lombardo would play a total of only 49 games for Crystal Palace. Even considering this, he would leave a legacy as one of their most memorable players during that time due to his great touch and skill of controlling the ball in midfield while also being one of the only player-managers in the club’s history. He was named into Crystal Palace’s Centenary XI in 2005, by far the shortest-tenured Eagle to be given that honor.

7. Nigel Martyn

1993-94 EFL First Division champion
1991 Full Members Cup
Crystal Palace Centenary XI

Nigel Martyn transferred to Crystal Palace from Bristol Rovers in the summer of 1989. It was considered a big move at the time, marking the first time a goalkeeper was sold to an English club for a fee of £1 million or more. Martyn would immediately plug in as the Eagles’ starting keeper for just about all of their games, as he would go on to play 349 total games over seven seasons.

Martyn would guard the net throughout the greatest period of success in Crystal Palace’s history. During his tenure, they finished third in the league in 1990 while also reaching an FA Cup final, won the Full Members Cup in 1991, and even won the First Division in 1994 after relegation from the Premier League just the year before. His consistent, top-class performances allowed for stability behind the goal during this golden period for the Eagles, as he would arguably save entire games with some of his performances.

Martyn would break the record for goalie transfer fee again through his departure from Crystal Palace in 1996, as he would depart for a staggering £2.25 million. He would be named into Crystal Palace’s Centenary XI in 2005, cementing his status as the finest keeper in club history.

8. Julian Speroni

405 total appearances for Crystal Palace
Four-time Crystal Palace Player of the Year
2013 EFL champion

In July of 2004, Julian Speroni transferred to a Crystal Palace side that was just promoted to the Premier League, looking for a new challenge in his young career. Unfortunately, his Palace tenure got off to a rocky start, with him conceding 16 goals in his first six games, leading to him being benched for the rest of the season and most of the next two years as well. However, flashes of great play showed up in a handful of games that he started toward the end of the 2006-07 season, leading Palace to drop their previous first-team keeper in favor of Speroni for the next season.

With the new opportunity, Julian would begin his journey towards becoming a Crystal Palace legend in 2007 by delivering great performances between the sticks and saving precious points for Palace in the Championship division. He would remain the Eagles first-team keeper for eight seasons, winning Crystal Palace Player of the Year four times, including three in a row from 2007-2010. Speroni played a massive role in the club’s promotion into the Premier League for the 2013 season, as he maintained clean sheets in both the semis and final of the EFL Championship playoffs to seal the victory for the Eagles.

While Speroni continued to stay at the club until 2019, he would play sparingly from 2015 on due to injuries and age. He remains one of the most beloved players in club history and even returned to the club in 2022 as a coach for the academy system.

9. Kenny Sansom

1978-79 EFL Second Division champion
Two-Time Crystal Palace Player of the Year
1979-80 PFA First Division Team of the Year

As a highly touted talent in his youth years, Sansom was scouted by several English clubs but chose to sign with Crystal Palace in 1975 at just the age of 17. He would begin on the Eagles’ youth team, going as far as captaining that squad to FA Youth Cup success in 1977 and quickly becoming recognized as one of the bright young talents in English soccer. Despite not even playing for the club’s senior team, he was voted as Crystal Palace Player of the Year in 1977 for his accomplishments.

Sansom joined the senior team in 1978, providing an instant upgrade for the squad at the left-back position. He was blessed with great athletic ability as well as a very good skill for crossing the ball and used those talents to contribute greatly to winning the club’s only Second Division Championship in 1979, securing promotion.

While Sansom went on to have another stellar season for the Eagles in the First Division, he departed for Arsenal during the summer of 1980 in a trade deal and found greater success with the Gunners. Even with Sansom’s short, two-year tenure on Palace’s senior team, fans voted him into the club’s Centenary XI in 2005 as the greatest left-back in club history.

10. Mark Bright

114 career goals for Crystal Palace
1991 Full Members Cup
1990 Crystal Palace Player of the Year

Mark Bright was signed to Crystal Palace from Leicester City in November of 1986. The contract was originally a three-month deal due to concerns about Bright’s medical history, but he quickly put to bed any worries about health with his performances and earned a permanent deal. Mark would quickly establish one of the best striker partnerships in the Second Division with teammate Ian Wright, and the deadly duo would lead the Eagles to victory in the Second Division playoffs, earning promotion.

Mark Bright’s abilities would translate well into the First Division, as he was a reliable option at the striker position both in terms of goalscoring proficiency and linking up with Ian Wright. He would even be voted as Crystal Palace Player of the Year in 1990, a year when the team made it to the FA Cup final for the first and only time. Bright would also contribute to winning the club’s first trophy in 1991 with the Full Members Cup.

Even after teammate Wright’s departure in 1991, Mark still held things down well for Palace by scoring 22 times in the 1991-92 season. However, Bright himself was also transferred to Sheffield Wednesday just a year later, in 1993, ending his career with the Eagles and being remembered as one of their great players.