Sam Allardyce: the formidable firefighter cursed by unrealistic expectations | Paul Wilson


The Palace manager usually promises solidity and some clubs set their sights higher but that snooty attitude can spell trouble

Queuing up for some liquid refreshment at one of the country’s overcrowded beauty spots at the weekend, it was impossible not to overhear the excitable football chatter of a couple of Crystal Palace supporters nearing the bar.

This was a day before the prodigious result against Arsenal, so the Palace pair were not enthusing about their best performance of the season, they were simply reassuring themselves that other results in the relegation zone were going their way and thanking their lucky stars they had Sam Allardyce piloting them up the table.

Related: Arsenal’s latest bruising beating leaves Arsène Wenger at point of no return | David Hytner

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