Andros Townsend posts emotional response to Crystal Palace fans after exit
2 min read
Having been a key part of the clubs Premier League stay, Andros Townsend will be missed by Crystal Palace fans. Whether Eagles fans want to remember some of his key goals, including his stunner against Manchester City, or various other attacking contributions over the years, Townsend was a fans favourite. His exit this summer is a blow for the club, losing a talented international player on a free transfer. Having agreed a long-term deal with Everton, though, Townsend moves on to a club with European aspirations as Palace themselves go about a mini-rebuild this summer.
However, Townsend was quick to turn to social media to post a message to Palace fans. Having become a mainstay during his time at the club, his exit was seen as a blow for a club that had become accustomed to Townsend on one wing, and Wilf Zaha on the other. Now, though, things will change pretty drastically for both player and club.
Having made a big name for himself as a Palace player, though, Townsend – who has been noted as a player with his ear to the ground regarding fan interaction – was quick to turn to social media to praise his former fans.
What did Andros Townsend say about leaving Crystal Palace?
Via a message that was shared on his official Twitter account, Townsend said: “I’d like to say particular thank yous to the Chairman for bringing me to Selhurst and giving me the opportunity to wear the red and blue,
“To the Palace fans. The beating heart of the club. To each and every one of you… Thank you. Thank you for all of your support, it’s that support which makes the club and Selhurst Park so special.
“It’s a shame we didn’t get to say goodbye properly, but we’ll be seeing each other soon enough and I’m already looking forward to returning to Selhurst when we meet again.”
He even made a quick reference to his beloved fan chant from the fans, built around the famous David Bowie lyrics. In 185 appearances, Townsend managed just 16 goals – but many of them were showpiece, highlight reel finishes. Though he was never blessed with seasonal consistency, Townsend was often a key performer for Palace when they needed someone to step up and do a job for the club at their moment of need.
He will be missed heavily by Palace fans, who have grown accustomed to his place within the matchday squad. For Palace, then, the discussion now turns around to finding a replacement given that the player, who signed for around £14m in 2016, has left on a free transfer. This leaves the Eagles trying to find a replacement for a quality player without having any funds to actually make a signing themselves with the free recuperated.
For Palace fans, then, this might be the first of many heartfelt exits this summer as the club goes through a pretty drastic rebrand under Patrick Vieira.