Highlights

It makes a pleasant change to scan the league table from the top when looking at our position, rather than from the bottom. It's early days and all that, but it's good to be at the top rather than the bottom. It bothers me that the club is advertising our games as promotion clashes and us as title contenders. Of course we want that to be the case, but I just fear this could be setting us up as a fall. We mustn't regard ourselves as a premier league team waiting to get back where we belong. Other clubs and their supporters have been that arrogant in the past and fell on their arse. Nottingham Forest in particular spring to mind.

This season we have a team of new players many haven't played in the premier league, and most weren't with us last season. These players may have the ability but it is gratifying that they realise they have to work hard to impose themselves. After the first few games I think they started to realise this and by and large the results have come. And none better than result at Palace.

We travelled in from Essex and met up at London Bridge for that game. A few beers later and we crammed onto the fast train to Selhurst. The tardis-type toilet proved popular on the 15 minute journey. Why are they so big on trains these days? It's always entertaining to see how many people fail to understand the instructions to lock the door. Not always pleasant, but entertaining.

Walking up from Norwood Junction I remembered how much I really hate everything about the place. The area, their fans, the ground, the Arthur Waite stand, and their chairman. I had to remind myself that, a bit like the sorting hat in Harry Potter, the club chooses you - you don't choose your club. These Palace fans can't help it.

The ground hasn't changed since I was last there. It's still dangerously cramped behind the stand. The view is dreadful and there's no way you're able to sit and watch the game even if you wanted to. You're on your feet the whole time. Apart from our exile years, I always remember the FA Cup replay back in 1970 when we beat them 2-0 and Charlie Wright was chaired off the pitch by Charlton supporters. It was quite a memorable first experience of Selhurst Park.

And this game provided another highlight. Without ever hitting the heights, the team worked hard for the result and we need that level of effort for the rest of the season. Some teams in this league may have limited ability, but we're still going to have to work hard to overcome them. So it was with Palace. The first away win I have seen in two years couldn't have come at a better time or place.

The euphoric celebrations were tempered slightly as we made our way back to the station. Two sets of supporters mixed in a tense atmosphere outside the ground. It wouldn't have taken much for it all to kick off and I'm not sure the police were that well organised to contain it. Fotunately there were no serious incidents on the way back to the station, but it seems there werer elsewhere.

Back home via London Bridge and a few more beers and it was a quite satisfying three points. Lets hope we have a few more such highlights over the rest of the season.