Two and a half years ago, a young, unheard of 24 centre back from Benfica called Jose Fonte arrived at Crystal Palace, to a mixed reception. One portion of the fans didn't like his attitude one bit, after he reportedly said that he could have easily played Champions League football at Benfica, so Palace was a step down, implying that he felt he was better than other Palace defenders. In some respect he was right. The other half of the CPFC faithful felt that the kid had potential and to give it time.
I was lucky enough to meet him, as was Matt Woosnam who also rights a football blog, before an Palace v Everton game, to celebrate the return to Selhurst Park, if for one night only, of Andy Johnson, but that night a virtual Palace ever-present for the next two and a half years made his
first appearance at Selhurst Park, and I was one of many other to get his autograph and wish our newest signing the best of luck.
Following a season of being in and out of the team, when Neil Warnock began his first full season at Palace, he saw potential and activated a clause in the contract saying that if we wanted, we could buy him for £400k. So that is what we did, and neither Palace, nor Fonte for that matter, have ever looked back. He played consistently well, pushing himself into the team and keeping his place, and things just got better.
He made 92 appearances for Palace, and chipped in with 6 goals, the last of those being against Ipswich Town, in what was the last game I saw him don a Palace shirt. He was one of my favourite players, probably in fact my favourite. The phrase "you don't know what you've got until it's gone" is fitting in this instance. I will confess I never saw Fonte as one of our best players, along with the likes of Victor Moses and Julian Speroni. I never felt he was one of my favourite players, like I did with Neil Danns, and again, Julian Speroni. However now he has left, I really feel a huge hole has been made in the CPFC squad. Maybe it is because I see this as the beginning of the end for CPFC as I have known it all my life, since I can only remember in 100% detail seasons since 2002. But I think it is something more than that. Since that first autograph, I collected several more, and Fonte was and still is, one of the keenest people to meet fans I have met, ahead of my favourite of the past Andy Johnson. He was the only player to have a drink with the Holmesdale Fanatics last year, and for that I see him as a great.
He may have only been here 2 and a half years, but Jose Fonte will stay in the hearts of Palace fans forever, and I really would love to see him back at the Palace someday.
Southampton have themselves a bargain, £1.2 million including add-ons I have heard rumoured, and if that is true then they have done very well to get a talented defender who is capable with the ball at his feet as well as in the air for that price.
Thanks for the memories Jose, and good luck at you next club.
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