Good hello to you all. Another week, another trip to Eagle town to catch up with the BeefCo. Statistically, this save has not caught the imagination but I’m still hopeful we can make it a memorable one. I mean, Palace winning the league in Season 2 is one of my greatest CM achievements, so hopefully we can build something. We rejoin midway through season 3, with something to play for across England, Holland and France.

A great start to the update for Palace, sweeping Arsenal aside with that wily veteran Vialli opening the scoring. Ledezma is showing signs of developing into the top class striker we know he can become. Lee Dixon sent off for commentating.

The fun continues with a Len Goodman at Portman Road. The FA Cup hasn’t been a happy competition for us in the previous two seasons but this is promising to say the least.

We complete this portion of the Palace update with five more on the road at Barnsley. Ledezma gets 4 of them, backing up my statement from about 50 words ago. We’re coming into form at a great time.

Nice continue to struggle. Here we suffer a loss at Rennes to exit the French cup early on.

Thankfully we are back in form four days later in the league as Guingamp are battered by Zamorano and co.

More Cup thrills for Palace as we take a giant leap towards the League cup final. It is a pointless cup but I would like to win it.

The FA Cup remains a fine institution and we might win that too. We face Forest in the quarters, which is very winnable.

Over to Holland and a truly remarkable score line sees us win at the Amsterdam Arena. We lead 3-0 and were pegged back to 3-2 but Mainwaring says don’t panic and we end up winning 4-3. If only we could do that sort of thing consistently.

Confirmation that Palace are on their way to Wembley.

Another big lead is nearly chucked away, this time in France. Nice are 3-0 up but threaten to blow it however a nervy 10 minutes is negotiated by the Mayor and co and a priceless away win is secured.

Frankly ridiculous scenes in Holland as that win over Ajax is followed up by a home win over Feyenoord. Big game players you see, just so few games are big enough.

Stimpy are absolutely battered by the French eagles. I’ve started playing the Icelandic regen up front with Zamorano and it’s starting to look like a smart move. He’s been utterly rubbish in every other position which is not like him.

How’s this for a result? Trailing in the San Siro, Palace would probably have taken a 1-0 deficit back to London but Bakayoko and Ledezma score two of the most important goals in the clubs history to secure an away win which we can defend in two weeks time.

That’s followed up by a comeback win in the FA Cup Quarters against Forest. 2-0 down after half an hour it looks pretty bleak but the lads hit the turbo and are soon 5-2 up.

Hull or Blackburn seems by far the more preferable semi final but I guess those could be famous last words.

The goals keep flowing, a further 9 in 3 days underlining our claim to be the most entertaining team in Europe.

That is except for, maybe, Go Ahead Eagles. Unfortunately we fall on the wrong side of this 5 goal thriller which would have put us in the top 6.

Nice…I am growing to hate. I’ll get into it later but this was another meek surrender.

All the goals for Palace but none here when it could have really mattered. We get away with it and advance on away goals.

Once again, the draw is kind, or at least kinder that it might have been.

Dortmund still have some of the classic original squad but looks like some big contracts are due to be renewed.

Let’s draw a line under this week. I know I’d normally finish the season but there’s loads still to play and time is beating me. Plus I have a holiday soon and I’ll finish the season before having a week or two off. Palace sit third in the table with a game in hand on 2nd and two games in hand on Man Utd. It’s unlikely we’ll win the league but if we continue our domestic form, you never know. Our biggest issue might be the schedule – we’re still in all four competitions.

The squad is carrying a few injuries. Edworthy is out for 2 months and Lombardo still has 5 months to mend his pelvis. Still, the squad is young and has achieved incredible things.

Over in Holland, GAE have an outside chance with 7 games left of getting in the top 6. That should be a European place although admittedly, that might not be true. We’ll do what we can.

The squad is still a total mix and match of randomness. I wish we could attract any players from Nice or Palace as it would help on a number of levels.

Nice though, I really hate this team. We get so many injuries, nobody performs particularly consistently, and every season I just think I want to release the whole squad and start again. But nobody wants to join. A totally pointless existence at present.

10th, scored 44, conceded 44. Sums it all up. Massive work to be done to get either GAE or Nice to the Champions League to complete the purpose of this save.

That’s us for another week. All being well, I’ll be back next Sunday with the end of this season and then a short break whilst I go on my holibobs. Whether I am still Nice manager after that remains to be seen…ciao for now.