AARON WILBRAHAM has hailed the Palace fans as "the best I've played for" after his release from the club.

The veteran forward departed Selhurst Park alongside the likes of Jonathan Parr, Dean Moxey and Neil Alexander at the end of May, but he has thanked the Eagles faithful for sticking by him despite only scoring twice in 33 appearances.

Wilbraham may not have been the most prolific striker, but his work rate in attack, especially on his own, could not be questioned during his two seasons in SE25.

Indeed, Wilbraham's performance in the Championship play-off semi-final against Brighton and then against Watford in the final a year ago is probably what Palace fans will remember him the most for.

"The Palace fans are the best fans I've played for, definitely," he said.

"The home support, especially, was great. Usually when you go to away grounds, the first thing you say in the dressing room is 'we'll quieten the crowd down'.

"But there is no doing that at Selhurst Park, and I think that's the best thing, really. The fans just sing from start to finish and I think that does shock the opposition when they turn up.

"It gets the Palace lads up for it, and I'm not just saying it because a lot of players just say, 'oh, the fans are brilliant', but I actually mean that.

"The way the fans are at Selhurst, and the ones in that corner of the Holmesdale, they are unbelievable.

"I've got loads of friends at the club so I'll definitely be keeping in touch with them and looking out for the results every week.

"Palace will be the first one I look for, definitely."

Meanwhile, Wilbraham insists he isn't "worried" about being a free agent and is currently interesting a number of Championship and League One sides after a season in the top tier and second tier of English football with the Eagles.

But he isn't going to rush a decision and says he has a few options on the table.

"I would like to get it sorted as soon as possible so you're settled and know where you're going to be, but I have been lucky to not be in this position before so I am quite relaxed about it," said Wilbraham.

"I have known players who have been every year, getting year deals and being out of contract.

"I am not too worried about it, I'm just going to weigh up my options."

Recalling his time at the club, Wilbraham says the "team spirit and character" was a big advantage for him, comparing it with the previous squads he has been a part of throughout his career.

And in those play-off games for Palace last year in May, Wilbraham thrived on the opportunity given to him and hopes the Eagles fans know he gave it his best shot whenever called upon in his two years.

"When I joined Palace, Dougie Freedman was trying to assemble a good group to take the team forward," he said.

"I think I said when I signed on that the previous three promotions I'd had, it had not necessarily been the most talented group of lads, but a great team spirit and character.

"That's what got me through it with MK Dons, Hull City and Norwich City. I think the same kind of thing happened with Palace.

"That is what got us through those play-offs and the season.

"The play-off games where I got more involved, it gave me a chance to show the fans I had been keeping myself ticking over and keeping myself fit when Glenn Murray was scoring all those goals.

"It gave me a chance to come in and play up top on my own, and even this season when I was used by Ian Holloway and Tony Pulis in the Premier League, I always gave it my all."

CROYDON Harriers' junior team consolidated their position in the UK Youth Development League, thanks to a fourth-place finish at Stevenage.

The juniors were just edged outside of the top three in the six-club Southern Premier Two fixture.

Omar Reid had a successful afternoon, picking up three victories in throws, winning the U20 men's discus, 45.51metre, hammer, 39.20m, and shot put, 10.82m. Giacomo Spagnoli provided solid support in the B events of the hammer, 22.73m, and shot, 8.99m, to ensure event maximums.

There were also wins for English Schools hopefuls Damien Powell in the U20 men's 200m, 22.5secs, and Patrick Lucas in the U20 men's 800m, 1.59.1.

Emma Fossett grabbed one of three women's victories of the day, winning the U17 women's javelin in 37.61m. Saskia Navratnum, U20 women's discus, 34.46m, and Anieshka Mido, U20 women's hammer, 36.56m, were also victorious.

Croydon now lie third overall, with the top two to be promoted to the league's top tier and the bottom two to be relegated.

Team Result: Enfield & Haringey (700), Stevenage and North Herts (657), Harrow (458), Croydon (455), Basildon Beagles (447), Chelmsford (390).

The boys' team took runners-up spot at the Ebbisham League at Walton on Sunday. There were seven A event wins in total thanks to Ugo Ajeh, U13 boys' high jump, 1.44m, Ange Gbeyo, U13 boys' discus, 19.97m, Charles Hagan, U13 boys' 200m and long jump, Chuks Ajeh, U15 boys' 100m, 11.8, Leon Blatch, U15 boys' discus, 27.71m, and Verter Oppong-Kyei, U15 boys' long jump, 5.80m.

In parkrun action David Chambers picked up his third win in as many weeks at Banstead Woods in 17.28. He was also named runner of the month at the event. His younger brother Peter also triumphed on Saturday morning at the Highbury Fields event, while Jake English was first home at Crystal Palace.

This weekend the Harriers are in action for their respective Borough teams at the Surrey Schools Championships in Kingston. The outstanding performers will be selected to represent the County Schools squad at the English Schools Championships next month.

At the Southern Counties Masters, Mandy Rowley-Jones scooped double W50 gold in the long jump, 4.11m, and triple jump, 9.34m. Colin Oxlade also won gold in M50 5000m in 19.45.

CRYSTAL Palace striker Dwight Gayle has thanked former manager John Still for taking a chance on him, following his first season in the Premier League with the Eagles.

The 23-year-old was turning out for Dagenham & Redbridge just two years ago, but after scoring seven goals in his debut season in the top flight, Gayle has looked back on a remarkable few years in his footballing career, during which he played for non-league Stansted before moving to the Daggers in 2011.

After impressing in east London via a loan switch to Bishop's Stortford, Peterborough United came calling in 2012, also initially on loan, before making it permanent at the start of last year.

After a big-money move to Palace last summer, he has ended the season on a high with four goals in the final two games of the season.

"It's very surreal to rise up the leagues," said Gayle.

"It's just fantastic, I am just pleased. John Still took a chance on me at Dagenham & Redbridge and I am just happy with that.

"He helped to improve my game and luckily I can thank him and prove myself in the Premier League.

"I still look out for Dagenham's results and I talk to all the boys there.

"I really want them to do well, they've had a good season and next season they can push on and get into the play-offs and get promoted."

Gayle has also praised the current manager at the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham Stadium, Wayne Burnett.

Gayle said: "I haven't been able to speak to Wayne as much as I have wanted to, he's been very busy becoming the manager but he's done a very good first season. He's a good coach."

INSPIRED by his time in a wheelchair, Roderick 'Roger' Lynch set up an accessible transport company which helped thousands of special needs children and vulnerable adults across London.

In February, that business – Ruskin Private Hire – went into administration following a bitter dispute with Croydon Council. Now Mr Lynch, 49, is being pursued through the courts by his bank, which wants £1.2 million and is trying to seize his home.

This week, the self-made millionaire spoke for the first time about the collapse of his company and who he deems responsible.

"There was absolutely nothing wrong with my business before I became involved with Croydon Council," he said.

"They are the major cause of what happened. We were one of the biggest special needs providers in the UK with a turnover of £13 million.

"We were profitable and provided a quality service for 28 boroughs. Unfortunately, one of them brought us down."

Before the Southwark-based company went into administration, Ruskin had a high court claim against the council for £2.5 million.

Mr Lynch's case was based on an indemnity clause in its deal to take hundreds of Croydon children to and from school, which he believes entitled his company to compensation when the council terminated its original contract following a scandal in 2010.

When the council re-tendered, Ruskin lost the majority of its routes to other firms, meaning the investment it had made in a new depot, vehicles, staff and training had been wasted.

Mr Lynch says the council initially seemed willing to help. "They said they wanted to sort it out amicably, without lawyers or the press getting involved, so I stayed quiet and tried to negotiate behind the scenes," he said.

"After a few months of no progress we tried to set up a meeting with the council. When it finally happened, I arrived to find a high-powered lawyer. It was then clear the council was trying to wriggle out of its responsibilities."

Ruskin's bank, Aldermore, had grown increasingly concerned. Stuck with the liabilities of its original contract but little of its income, by last summer the award-winning company had four mortgage charges and five county court judgements against its name.

Last August, HMRC agreed to postpone a winding-up petition while Ruskin's dispute was resolved but, despite handing the council extensive evidence to support his claims, the authority steadfastly refused to compensate Mr Lynch. Frustrated with this lack of cooperation, Mr Lynch lodged a claim with the High Court.

In February, the bank's patience ran out and administrators FRP Advisory were sent in. Around 300 people lost their jobs when a deal to save the company fell through.

The council's position is that Mr Lynch's case has no merit and is instead an attempt to pass on the blame for his own business failings.

"This is not a fishing mission," the businessman replied. "The money we are claiming is actual money we spent on the contract that need not have been spent.

"If we get got the money we were owed by Croydon we would still be in business. We asked for an indemnity agreement in the contract, which they agreed to, because I knew what could happen if it went wrong and, by Christ, it went wrong.

"So I'm not coming forward to claim money I'm not entitled to. I've come forward to claim what is due."

As an asset of the company, Mr Lynch's £2.5 million claim passed to FRP Advisory.

However, his initial fears that the administrator would strike a quick deal have not been realised. In fact, it has met with a familiar response from the council, which has already spent in excess of £35,000 fighting the case.

Aldermore has instead turned to Mr Lynch to recover the £1.2 million it believes it is owed.

"They have come after me to seize my house and assets because Croydon has refused to enter into dialogue," he said.

"I've told the administrator it will have to wait until the council pays up in court, but it says Croydon is putting up obstacles. It's a worry.

"It hasn't got anything from Croydon so it is coming after me, but I'm going to fight it."

The case is next up in court at the end of July, a couple of days after the High Court claim, which has since been moved to Croydon County Court, is next due to be considered.

The collapse of Ruskin cost Mr Lynch personally around £11 million. While he deeply regrets becoming involved with the council, he remains proud of his company's record and that he refused to become involved in the shadier dealing he believes are rife in the industry.

"I don't give brown envelopes and I don't get involved in skulduggery," he said.

"All my work was won on merit. We worked with 28 London boroughs on merit. We won award after award.

"There was no way you could have a business that turned over £13 million and see this coming.

"But this is what can happen when you do business with a council that starves you out, administrators who think they can see a quick buck, and a bank who view the whole thing as an opportunity."

A FORMER lorry driver who had heart bypass surgery and suffers from emphysema should not have been ordered back to work, an independent tribunal ruled.

Roy Antill, of Fairchildes Avenue, was deemed fit for work in a controversial assessment by government contractor Atos and told his benefits would be stripped.

But the 62-year-old appealed and the tribunal in Sutton agreed that the original decision posed a "substantial risk to his physical and mental health".

Mr Antill, now battling another reduction to his monthly employment and support allowance (ESA), said: "It has been a lot of stress and a lot of time.

"I knew how to appeal but what about somebody else who does not know anything about the process? They would be hanging themselves by now."

Married Mr Antill was among more than one million people ordered for reassessment when incapacity benefit was replaced with employment and support allowance as part of a government drive to reduce claimants.

He had worked for more than 20 years as a lorry driver, from which he has a small private pension, before quitting because of health problems.

"I had to give it up as there is no law of the land that will allow you to drive with a heart bypass," he said.

After answering questions and attending a medical in August last year, he was told he had not scored enough points in the assessment to continue getting the financial help.

"I was kind of shocked," he said. " I mean I have got a line down my chest where they opened up my chest and took a chunk out of my heart. My breathing is not what it should be; I struggle sometimes just to go up my staircase."

After he represented himself at the social entitlement chamber in Sutton in March, the panel agreed he "suffers from a number of medical conditions which limit his ability to function".

Its decision added: "Taken in combination, the tribunal concluded that there would be a substantial risk to his physical and/or mental health if he were not to be found to have a limited capacity for work."

Mr Antill is now fuming after receiving a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) saying he owed £405.90 – which he disputes – and would be clawing it back by docking his benefit.

The reduction of about £47 a month means he currently gets just £96 a month in ESA, alongside his private pension of £258.

He is trying to fight the overpayment claims, but says he has been frustrated by a lack of communication from the DWP.

The DWP had not responded to a request for comment as the Advertiser went to press.

CROYDON has all the ingredients to become an international tech hub, Councillor Toni Letts, the council's new cabinet member for economic development, has said.

The council would also work, she said, to act as a "facilitator and enabler" to support businesses choosing Croydon as their home for new tech companies.

Cllr Letts was speaking at the first Croydon Tech City Summit held at Croydon College on Friday.

The summit was organised by Croydon Tech City and Develop Croydon, the business group working to support the town's regeneration.

Jonny Rose, one of the founders of Croydon Tech City, told delegates that since the organisation started around 18 months ago it had grown from an idea to having a membership of more than 1,000 tech-based companies.

He said it was aiming to provide support for these companies and encourage those thinking to move into Croydon, as perceptions of the town improved.

The changing face of Croydon as it emerged from the aftermath of the riots and began to lose its "concrete jungle" image was taken up by Cllr Letts.

She said: "When I first arrived in Croydon in the 1970s it was a happening place. It was known as Little Manhattan and it was groovy.

"I'm feeling that buzz again and it is people like Croydon Tech City who are part of that buzz.

"A successful economic climate and a mixed economy is a key ambition for this vibrant part of London because it benefits the whole borough."

Cllr Letts said it was important the council did not try to take over the role of people like Croydon Tech City but it could play its part in helping businesses thrive.

She said: "We need to help remove the barriers to growth and we need to find out what conditions are needed if we are to have successful growing businesses.

"We need to understand their challenges and help find effective solutions."

She also assured delegates the council would work with service providers to make Croydon a fully wifi-enabled borough and ensure children were equipped with the skills to meet the needs of the tech age.

Cllr Letts said: "I want to see Croydon Tech City as a hub in a European city and as a hub that is known throughout Europe."

Jo Negrini, the council's director of development and environment, said the council also had a role to play in finding space for start-up tech companies to ensure they were not priced out of the market as land values increased in the wake of regeneration.

She said: "We need to work together around the whole question of space because we have all of the other ingredients here.

"But we need that space so that those businesses can thrive."

A POLITICIAN has paid tribute to his "inspirational" father who died at the height of last month's election campaign.

Ukip candidate Winston McKenzie's father Dudley McKenzie died on May 21 at the age of 83.

The father-of-seven had lived in Birchanger Road, South Norwood, for much of his life, having moved here from Jamaica in the early 1950s.

It was there he and his first wife Daphne McKenzie raised their six boys and one daughter, encouraging many of the sons into boxing, one of Mr McKenzie's favourite sports.

Winston, his second-eldest son, said: "My dad was a great inspiration to us all.

"He was a very popular man and immensely proud of his sons.

"He was never a boxer himself but he just loved boxing. He used to talk to us about some of the great fights.

"He liked the discipline. You had to come home on time in our household.

"He was caring, he was thoughtful, and strict in his attitude towards his children."

Four of the six McKenzie boys took up boxing, including former three-weight world champion Duke McKenzie and former British and European champion Clinton McKenzie.

Mr McKenzie was born in Jamaica and moved to England in his twenties, later sending for his family.

Winston told: "When he came to this country he found what jobs he could in factories and worked his way up, and went to work for Ford in Dagenham.

"He used to cycle from South Norwood to Dagenham every morning, and leave home at about 4am.

"My dad travelled here first and found a job, and got himself a mortgage and a nice big house, and then he sent for us.

"I remember seeing my dad at the airport. I had not seen him for ages. I wondered, who was this strange man who came to pick me up?"

Winston says his father "absolutely adored" his political ambitions – but told him to make up his mind after he left the Tory party in 2008, having previously been a member of Labour and Veritas and also standing as an independent candidate.

His father supported his decision to join Ukip, Winston said, explaining: "They are the only party coming up with any policies for the Commonwealth countries.

"He said to stick with them and try to maintain British sovereignty.

"He believed implicitly that we should not ban immigration but we should control immigration, and believed that we should have a system like Australia."

Mr McKenzie was divorced from Daphne, and later in life married his second wife, Pearl. His funeral will be held on June 18 in Birmingham, where he lived at the end of his life.

He is survived by six of his children: Clinton, Winston, Ray, Michael, Beverley and Duke. His son Dudley predeceased him, some ten years ago.

FOR infantryman Edward Roberts, returning to Normandy last week for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings was of particular significance as he was presented by the French government with the Legion d'honneur.

Mr Roberts, who lives in Bromley and celebrated his 89th birthday on June 5 is one of the last surviving members of the Croydon branch of the Normandy Veterans Association. He was accompanied on last week's visit by sons David, who flew in from Australia, and Stephen.

Mr Roberts served with the 15th Scottish Division and landed in Normandy on the day after his 19th birthday.

He was involved in the famous battle for Hill 112 outside Caen and was later wounded – the bullet just missing his heart – and hospitalised in Bayeux before returning to the UK.

This year he and his sons went to the commemoration services in Bayeux, attended by the Queen, and the veterans' service at Arromanches, attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Mr Roberts has been making the trip to Normandy with Stephen for the past 10 years and always includes a trip to the 15th Scottish Division memorial near Caen.

Stephen said: "We hold our own small family service there and my father reads the salutation. It was a particularly poignant occasion for him this year and was very moving for all of us.

"I think the whole trip was very special for him and many other veterans as it may be last time they will be able to go to a major commemoration."

Veterans of airborne landings also made the trip to Normandy for the anniversary, including Johnny Johnson, who in 1944 landed by glider, and Parachute Regiment member Frank Prendergast.

The visit was organised by Croydon branch of the Parachute Regimental Association. President Colonel John Power said: "The 70th was recognised as the last big commemoration where we are likely to have significant numbers of Normandy veterans.

"It was a touching and poignant experience to walk along the gravestones at Herouvillette with Johnny, who remembered his individual comrades and how they died."

The visit also included attending the unveiling, in Ranville, of a bust to Major Jack Watson, a Normandy veteran of 13 Para, by the Prince of Wales.

Col Power also attended the unveiling of a memorial at Merville Gun Battery which was captured at great cost by a small group from the 9th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment.

Col Power has played a significant role in getting the memorial erected just a year after it was discovered there were still British and German dead on the Merville site.

CROYDON College has "improved rapidly" since its last assessment, Ofsted has said.

The education watchdog has rated the college "good" overall, its second highest rating and one up from its "requires improvement" of January last year.

Inspectors who visited the college two months ago praised the teachers' "high aspirations" for their students, and said leaders had "transformed the learning environment within the college".

But inspectors said outcomes for learners were not yet good enough, noting that too few students got their qualifications.

The college, in Park Lane, has 3,459 full-time students and 7,505 part-time students, studying for a huge range of vocational and academic qualifications.

Lead inspector Richard Moore said: "Croydon College is a good college which makes a substantial difference to the lives of students of all ages within its local community. Students leave the college with a wide range of skills that enhance their personal lives and work readiness.

"However, although success rates have improved very significantly over the last two years, too few students to date achieve the qualifications for which they have studied.

"As a result, students' outcomes overall require improvement."

He added: "The college is very confident that its good teaching and learning, highly effective leadership and management and much improved in-year retention will lead to another significant increase in success rates at the end of the 2013/14 academic year."

Mr Moore said much of the improvement in performance over the previous two years was due to vocational courses, particularly health and social care and public services. He said success rates were low in A levels, a "much smaller" part of the curriculum, but changes this year were having a good effect.

Attendance rates were "satisfactory", he added, but the college recognised they were variable and needed improving.

He praised the college for its success in reducing the gap between students with learning needs and their peers, and for recruiting and keeping students previously getting free-school meals or looked-after children.

Mr Moore gave a "good" rating to all curriculum areas, but said more students needed to take part in external work placements, particularly those on business management and administration.

Praising "rapid and extensive improvements" in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, he added: "Leaders and managers have focused relentlessly on supporting staff to develop their teaching skills and to improve lessons.

"The proportion of good lessons has increased significantly since the last inspection, so much so that inadequate teaching and learning are now rare.

"Outstanding teaching and learning are now much more prevalent across the college, although the college recognises the need to increase the proportion of outstanding lessons."

The college's principal and CEO, Frances Wadsworth, said she was pleased with the report, adding: "Every curriculum area inspected is judged to be 'good'.

"Ofsted has rightly reported that we have many outstanding teachers and high aspirations for our learners."

THE importance of supporting the work of Croydon's army of carers was stressed as Carers' Week was launched on Monday.

The message came from Croydon South MP, Sir Richard Ottaway at the launch event held at the Carer to Carer's centre in Katharine Street in central Croydon.

The centre offers advice and a wide range of support to carers for anything from helping with benefits to one-to-one counselling.

Last year the centre dealt with 15,500 requests for advice and according to centre manager Tina Stracey since January this year the number has already reached half that total.

She said: "It is hard to say why more people are coming to us but it seems as if carers are becoming more aware of what we can offer.

"We are also getting a lot of referrals from the benefits people and the council."

The centre costs around £36,000 a year to run and Carer to Carer relies entirely on its own fundraising efforts and donations from supporters to keep the operation going.

But Sir Richard told the launch meeting, which was attended by the Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Manju Shahul-Hameed, carers and centre volunteers, the work the centre is doing is vital.

He said: "There are 35,000 carers in Croydon which means that around 12 per cent of people in the borough are involved in caring in one way or another.

"Caring can be tough; you can't just take time off when you want to and that is where a centre like this is so important in giving carers the support they need whether it is benefits advice, counselling, support groups or day trips away."

The work the centre did, Sir Richard said, put it at the heart of the community.

Sir Richard added the Government's new care legislation required local authorities, for the first time, to provide structured support for carers and was going to do a lot to improve their lives.

He hoped Croydon Council would continue its support for carers.

The launch of Carers' Week was the first official event for the new Mayor.

She said she had been a carer for her mother in India, before coming to the UK. Cllr Shahul-Hameed said: "We don't see ourselves as carers, we see ourselves as daughters, wives or friends.

"That is why events like this are vital to recognise the fantastic support carers give and the work they do."

During this week more than 20 activities are being arranged for carers by Carer to Carer, including healing and pampering sessions and a trip to Bruges in Belgium.