John Solako

[Grassman]

His brother went to my secondary school in TW. John went to one in Sevenoaks and was the same age as me - we often crossed swords playing cricket. As I always say, if I'd known he was gonna become a P*lace legend I would have bowled a few more bouncers at him.

 

[Lord Bamber]

I agree with you Bamber. He was nearly wetting himself when Ipswich beat us. f***ing cock of the highest order.

No you were spot on he's always had an air of anti Brighton when he reports. It has been a bug bear of mine for ages. Saturday was no different. It cheeses me off that he seems to be the regular Sky reporter for home games. If he was honest about it it would at least become quite entertaining .....maybe it could become the future of live reporting!

Maybe I was correct to start with then.

 

[Lord Bamber]

Now I never watch the Sky programmes that he's on, so I can't pass judgement on his commentating, but I will say that my seat at the Amex is directly behind the camera gantry, so I get to see all the match summarisers close up when they're sat there for the games. Salako has been down at least twice this season, and in spite of more than once being on the receiving end of "Palace reject" songs when he tries to do his piece to camera, he's never come across to me as anything less than a gentleman and a very decent chap. I can't remember which was the first game he did, but I do know that there was a fairly concerted effort to drown out his broadcast with anti Palace songs (quite right too, your slightly intoxicated correspondent may have been guilty of participating ). More than once he looked up at us and grinned, and he was happy to pose for photos and chat with people. He was also very complimentary about the stadium. And he gave my Dad his match programme both times

There are undoubtedly some tools associated with CPFC, but I feel obliged to defend Salako on this one. God that makes me feel dirty

And here come's a female to give a balance to the debate.

 

[JetsetJimbo]

Given his close association with our bitterest rivals, I think Salako's as fair to us as I'd expect him to be. He's not under an oath of impartiality, and it'd be weird if Palace weren't very important to him. Bearing that in mind, I have to say the only problem I've got with him is that I don't like Palace and he does.