THE teenage girl and man killed in a Boxing Day crash on the Purley Way were Enya and John Maguire.

Enya, 15, and John, 53, were pronounced dead at the scene of the two-car crash, which happened on Friday at around 3pm.

It is understood the pair were father and daughter.

A tribute site to the teenager has been set up on Facebook, with many friends leaving heartfelt messages and memories of the schoolgirl.

The lead-in post on the RIP Enya Maguire page describes her as a 'smart, clever, funny young lady'.

The pair were travelling in a Renault Megane which was in collision with a Kia on the busy A23.

The driver of the Kia, who stopped at the scene, was unhurt. No arrests have been made.

YANNICK Bolasie has admitted that the latest managerial saga at Crystal Palace has become something "normal" during his time at the club.

After Neil Warnock, the next manager will be Bolasie's sixth he's worked under, including Keith Millen, in just over two-and-a-half years.

Bolasie described Warnock as "all right" but doesn't know what type of boss the players need following the 66-year-old's departure.

"It's a bit strange, to be honest," he told the Advertiser.

"It's not a situation we haven't been before either, though. I guess in a way it feels a bit normal.

"I found out on Saturday when I got into training and then Keith Millen came in and told us the gaffer had cleared his office.

"For me, he was all right, to be honest. I can't speak for everyone else, but he was all right.

"I don't know what sort of manager we need, we haven't really spoken about that. We'll just have to wait and see, of course.

"I think if we play like we did at QPR, getting back to basics, we'll start getting results.

"Obviously, we may have a couple of players coming to the club and we still have Glenn Murray to come back from his loan, plus Marouane Chamakh.

"It will be interesting. I would like to think Palace will be busy (in the transfer market)."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

MILE Jedinak says whoever replaces Neil Warnock as manager needs to retain Keith Millen on their backroom staff.

Millen is currently experiencing his third spell as caretaker boss and is set to take the team to Aston Villa on New Year's Day.

Alan Pardew looks set to be the man who steps into the hotseat, and he may want to bring in his own people to Selhurst Park.

Skipper Jedinak, though, is hoping Millen stays.

"There is no doubt - he is respected by the players," the 30-year-old told the Advertiser.

"Will he get the job full-time? I'm not sure. He has full respect from us, we saw that against QPR.

"A lot of that is down to what he said to us and he didn't stray away from things we're not used to.

"We all knew our roles and responsibilities."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

APRIL in Croydon saw a much-vaunted outlet store go bust, and a prolific conwoman brought to book after an Advertiser investigation...

EIGHT months after claims it would be the town's answer to Harrods, we reported how Croydon Village Outlet went into administration, amid claims it owed at least £500,000 to creditors.

The outlet opened at the iconic Allders site in September 2013, with bombastic owner Marco Cash grandly promising it'd be around for longer than Westfield. But the store was beset by problems from day one, with suggestions staff were not being paid on time and customer dissatisfaction about the lack of much-promised designer labels.

Martin Brand, director of debt collector Outstanding Results, told how Cash was conspicuous by his absence as the outlet's struggles deepened. "To start off he was very keen to talk to us... but as time has gone on he has been more difficult to get hold of than Osama Bin Laden, and he's been dead a few years," he said. At the end of November, the store was taken over by businessman Clive Coombes and is to be re-branded as 'Zervo'.

AN ADVERTISER investigation helped to expose a prolific conwoman. Neelam Desai, from Selhurst, used a dating site to snare vulnerable men before conning them out of thousands of pounds, in a well-worn method of honeytrapping.

Desai concocted various stories, including made-up claims about sick children, to aid her deceit, but she was exposed after several of her victims contacted the Advertiser, following a court appearance earlier in the year.

Our chief reporter Gareth Davies was issued with an harassment notice by the Met Police, after Desai made spurious and untrue claims about his attempts to contact her but, undeterred, Gareth continued to expose her shocking crimes – with police eventually admitting she may have "hundreds" of victims. In May Desai, then 34, was jailed for 30 months, for frauds totalling £230,790.

THE Advertiser revealed the scale of Croydon's house price boom – which led to buyers paying up to £50,000 above asking prices for some properties.

Local estate agents told us the huge spike in demand – and therefore prices – was being driven in large part by Westfield/Hammerson's planned £1 billion town centre development. Helen Fitzgerald, a negotiator at Mark Youll estate agents in Purley, said the market had gone "mental" in recent weeks. She said: "Recently we had a property where we had 20-plus viewings [at a weekend open house] and then five or six offers on the Monday."

A HUGE housing development at the site of the former Cane Hill asylum was finally given the go-ahead this month.

Developers Barratt Homes and Ward Homes were given permission to build 677 homes, due to be constructed in various phases over the next decade. But some residents remained concerned about the potential impacts on Coulsdon – demanding an extra access road to and from the development to ease the potential congestion it could cause.

But Councillor Lynne Hale, on Croydon Council's planning committee, said: "This proposal offers significant regeneration for Coulsdon as well as a large number of much-needed homes and in particular family homes that we really are crying out for."

A CULT nightclub opened again – for one night only. Blue Orchid, which was arguably Croydon's most popular and iconic night-time venue before its closed in 2004, was revived by promoter Lewis Rooney for a night of nostalgia on April 20.

However, Mr Rooney was forced to hold the night elsewhere, at nearby club The Granaries, after his bid to open up the old Park Lane building was blocked by long-term leaseholder Minerva because of health and safety concerns.

He said: "We really wanted to have it in the old building but it just wasn't going to happen. They (Minerva) didn't seem interested in opening it up. We had people ready to come in and do the maintenance work to make it safe but they wouldn't even discuss it."

COULSDON Sixth Form College was celebrating after being rated "good" by the education watchdog – just 15 months after it was put into special measures. Ofsted inspectors praised major improvements at the college, which had previously been rated "inadequate" twice in a row. 

QUOTES OF THE MONTH:

"He has been more difficult to get hold of than Osama Bin Laden, and he's been dead a few years." 

Debt collector Martin Brand on Croydon Village Outlet owner Marco Cash, after the store went bust in April

"He was all right but I am not sure about the lipstick. But each to his own, I suppose." 

Thornton Heath resident Joyce Hastings on meeting comedian Eddie Izzard on the election campaign trail in Surrey Street

"She sleeps through the night and is always, always smiling. It melts my heart because she has been through so much... I am welling up just talking to you." 

Amy Smith after her baby daughter Maisie Smith, aged 18 weeks, survived a life-saving operation to help her breath

"At the end of the day, I'm a criminal, so no matter what I say it's not going to help. If the police are investigating then I am sure they will find out." 

Conwoman Neelam Desai, after being exposed by our reporter Gareth Davies

POLICE are concerned about a missing 79-year-old woman who suffers from dementia and has not been seen since yesterday morning.

Yianni Stella went missing at 11am yesterday in Thornton Heath, where she is from.

Ms Stella, who also suffers from shortness of breath, is a white woman of Greek heritage. She is 5ft tall, slim and has short dark grey hair. Ms Stella was wearing a black skirt and coat when she went missing.

She is known to travel on buses and go to Lambeth and central London.

A police spokesman said officers are becoming increasingly concerned for Ms Stella's wellbeing. They urge anyone with information on her whereabouts to call police on 101 or Missing People on 116000 quoting reference: 14MIS046686.

A BLOCK of flats was evacuated on Boxing Day evening after a feared carbon monoxide leak which transpired to be a false alarm.

Police, fire crews and the ambulance hazardous area response team all went to the scene on Pawsons Road, Thornton Heath at 6.15pm on December 26 after reports of a high reading from a carbon monoxide detector.

A London Fire Brigade spokeswoman said all twelve flats in the block were evacuated, with twelve adults and seven children out of their homes for two hours.

But when fire crews checked the building they did not find any elevated readings.

The suspected leak was thought to have started in the flat of a 75-year-old woman, who London Ambulance Service (LAS) said was taken to St George's hospital with a head injury.

Paramedics checked the other residents but they did not need to go to hospital.

Chris Hawkswell, an LAS tactical advisor, paid tribute to his colleagues at the scene on Twitter: "A shout out to @LondonFire & @MPSCroydon for a joint effort to deal with the incident quickly."

CRYSTAL Palace winger Jerome Thomas has admitted he didn't have much of a working relationship under Neil Warnock but has wished him well since his sacking.

Thomas has been included in the matchday squad in recent games and is hoping to get more of a chance under the new manager, which looked increasingly likely to be Alan Pardew on Monday.

The former Charlton and West Brom man believes the new boss needs to come in with their own ideas and plan – and stick to it instead of panicking when things could go wrong.

"We need to get a manager in as quickly as possible, get settled, get suited to a style of play and start winning games," Thomas said following the goalless draw at Queens Park Rangers.

"Of course the right appointment is the most important thing but that's down to the chairman. He obviously has a reason why he got rid of Neil and he obviously has a plan.

"It's his club so we have to trust him. I didn't really have a relationship (with Warnock), so good luck to him in the future.

"We obviously know who is available so we know what the options are but what direction the chairman is going to go is his decision.

"It's part and parcel of the game, the most important thing is to stick together as players, and start winning games. I don't think draws will be good enough.

"We need a manager that's going to be ambitious and be positive, we need more of that.

"They need to come in with a plan and stick to it. A lot of managers have a plan in their head and when things don't go well they change or they panic and revert to certain things.

"He needs to come in with a plan how he wants to play implement it, get players behind him and stick with it and I think with the players we have here, the ability, we've got everything.

"We've got players who can defend, wingers who can set up goals, strikers who can score, midfielders who work hard, we've got the perfect balance.

"It's not an outlandish job for a manager to come in and take. There's definitely something there just a bit of tweaking."

MORE than six million people visited the Advertiser's website in 2014, drawn by stories about day-to-day life in Croydon as well as major incidents such as the East Croydon illegal rave, a family's fight to receive "justice" for a critically ill 22-year-old and a double-stabbing at the Whitgift Centre. 

As the list at the bottom of this page shows, the big issues of the year attracted tens of thousands of visitors to the site, but what many of those who read the initial reports do not always follow is what happened next. Here we look at some of those stories and how they developed after first making the headlines. 

Police launch crack down on people who 'commit' rough sleeping (January 30)

Tackling crime and antisocial behaviour in Croydon town centre has long been a police priority. In recent years those efforts have focused on the borough's homeless community (including Operation 'Loch Derg' which led to 47 arrests and 1,250 alcohol seizures in 2013) particularly since the announcement of Westfield/Hammerson £1 billion regeneration of the Whitgift Centre. The scheme has put the Met under commercial and political pressure to tidy up the town's image, leading to an aborted attempt to shut down the soup kitchen in Queen's Gardens (an equally well-read story in December 2013).

In January this year the police announced a new operation targeting beggars and people who "commit" rough sleeping. They warned anyone with the temerity to be caught sleeping on the streets (which was, as it happened, an increasing number of people) could be given an Asbo. Some 20,000 people read the Advertiser's report, some of whom accused the police and local authorities of trying to criminalise homelessness.

In August, the Met resumed what it called efforts to "target those responsible" for rough sleeping and begging in hot spots across London. A day-long operation led to the sum total of zero arrests in Croydon (figures for the number of banker and politicians questioned or detained were not available) though officers did conduct eight alcohol confiscations; a far cry from the source of major disorder and antisocial behaviour the street community were made out to be by Croydon's - now former - borough commander.

Illegal rave in former Royal Mail delivery depot in East Croydon (June 15)

The illegal rave at the Royal Mail delivery depot in Cherry Orchard Road features three times in the Advertiser's top ten most-read stories of 2014. It developed rapidly throughout the evening as crowds of party goers attacked the police when officers tried to close the event down. After being pelted with missiles, including masonry, furniture and fire extinguishers, police decided to form a cordon around the building and let the event continue. The scene the following morning was one of widescale damage to the building and disruption to public transport. More importantly, eight people had been taken to hospital, including 15-year-old Rio Andrew who had fallen ill at the party and collapsed. Tragically, the schoolboy, from west London, died two days later in hospital.

The Advertiser revealed at the time that the police had been aware of the rave before it happened. After an internal investigation the Met announced in September that it would not be taking any disciplinary action against the intelligence officer who failed to act on the information.

The police have so far arrested 28 people on suspicion of committing various offences during the rave, including being involved in organising it. Some were charged with violent disorder and are currently going through the court system. Others were given cautions for possession of Class A or B drugs and criminal damage, while 12 were released without charge.

No one has been arrested for supplying the drugs police suspect killed Rio Andrew. His post mortem was inconclusive and the police have yet to release details of the subsequent toxicology report.

The events were painfully similar to the death of 16-year-old Daniel Spargo-Mabbs, the Archbishop Tenison's pupil who collapsed after taking ecstasy on the way to an illegal rave in Hayes, west London, on January 17.

The dealer who supplied the drugs was jailed for five years in August. Daniel's parents, Fiona and Tim, have since set up the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation to raise awareness among young people of the danger of drugs. In October its "youth ambassadors", all friends of the schoolboy, took part in their first public event at the Whitgift Centre. After Rio's death, Fiona called on the police to do more to tackle illegal raves.

Family to stage protest after Croydon hospital refuses to resuscitate seriously ill young father(October 22)

Our report on a family's plans to protest outside Croydon University Hospital after it refused to treat critically ill father-of-two Marcus Campbell was the most read story on our website in 2014.

They accused doctors of "giving up" on the 22-year-old after he developed a rare inflammation of his brain stem. The hospital said it would not resuscitate him or treat infections he had developed, but added that "reasonable" steps were being taken to care for the former Stanley Technical High pupil in order to "make him as comfortable as possible".

More than 100 people took part in the protest outside the hospital later that evening. Police officers blocked the main entrance to the building as the crowd chanted "Justice for Marcus". The demonstration was organised through the social media campaign set up by the family. The demonstration led the hospital to seek an urgent second opinion from an independent clinician.

A second night of protests followed, and then a march through the town centre to the hospital. The family's concerns were echoed by Steve Reed, MP for Croydon North who said the trust appeared "more concerned about bad publicity than the need for good care".

The case went to the High Court, where a judge upheld the hospital's decision not to resuscitate Marcus if his heart were to stop. The judge did, however, rule that he should be treated for infections and be moved to a specialist facility.

To date the family's petition has been signed by nearly 60,000 people. Marcus remains in a critical condition at Croydon University Hospital which says it is actively trying to find him an alternative place to be treated.

Two teenage boys stabbed in Croydon's Whitgift Centre (January 15) 

The stabbing of two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, in the Whitgift Centre, the town's most well-known shopping precinct, was one of the most shocking stories of the year, more so because they were attacked by two brothers aged just 14 and 15 -years-old. 

Mohammed and Abdul Walker, now 16 and 14 respectively, were part of a group of five or six youths who, totally without provocation, attacked Glodi Mobwano and his 16-year-old friend outside sports nutrition store GNC on January 15.

Glodi, now 18, suffered a punctured kidney after being stabbed in the back and his friend, who cannot be named because of his age, was slashed across the face and knifed in the arm. 

Mohammed and Abdul were caught on CCTV running from the scene with their accomplices and getting on a bus and were later arrested.

They stood trial at Croydon Crown Court in November when a jury found both of them guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one of violent disorder. 

Judge Kenneth Hamer said they had committed a "serious and wicked act" and jailed each of them for five years in December.  He also decided to lift restrictions banning the press from naming them, automatically put in place to protect young defendants, such was the gravity of the offences. 

The Advertiser's 15 most-read news stories of 2014 (unique visitors) 

• PLEASE SAVE MARCUS: Family to stage protest after Croydon hospital refuses to resuscitate seriously ill young father – 78,649
• Boy, 15, dies after drinking beer laced with ketamine at illegal Croydon rave – 53,538
• Two teenage boys stabbed in Croydon's Whitgift Centre – 45,070
• Illegal rave in former Royal Mail delivery depot in East Croydon – 43,570
• Flood update: Purley Cross underpass to be turned into a pond to keep water away from homes – 33,395
• Croydon gang member and the girl who tried to hide his gun and crack cocaine jailed - 25,699
• Woman dies after falling from Central Shopping Centre in Croydon – 25,090
• Exclusive: Race-hate group's vile Facebook missing child hoax – 25,039
• Former Royal Mail delivery office smashed up during illegal rave – 24,924
• Man and teenager killed in Purley Way boxing day crash horror - 21,969
• First picture of 14-year-old found dead in Thornton Heath - 20,738
• Boy, 16, becomes fifth youth stabbed in Croydon in eight days - 20,361
• Police launch crackdown on people who 'commit' rough sleeping – 20,114
• MP dubbed 'a bit cowardly' after calling police on petitioners - 18,230
• Police search for missing Croydon 12-year-old Chika Anuonye - 17,784

Figures accurate as of December 30, 2014

A NEW broom swept into the town hall and Crystal Palace celebrated their most successful ever Premier League season. A look at the stories making the news in May...

LABOUR stormed to victory in the elections and took control of Croydon Council.

Tony Newman and his party defeated the Conservatives, who had run the council since 2006, with gains in New Addington and Ashburton proving vital. Mr Newman pledged to make cleaning up the borough his main priority and also promised to run a "council for everyone".

He said: "Croydon still has huge untapped potential and I believe it has been punching beneath its weight up to now.

"I am proud of what we achieved in the election campaign.

"It was a genuine doorstep campaign and our ambitions clearly resonated with voters."

Defeated Tory leader Mike Fisher decided to continue in opposition, saying: "Our biggest job is to hold the new administration to account and make sure they deliver on behalf of the people of Croydon."

THE lead-up to the election took a farcical turn when Ukip's attempts to hold a "carnival of colour" in the town centre went horribly wrong.

The plan was to hold a carnival attended by leader Nigel Farage to show that Ukip were a party which welcomed people from all cultures and backgrounds.

But soon, in the less-than-capable hands of South Norwood's Winston McKenzie, the carnival descended into chaos, as a steel band he'd booked refused to play, on the grounds they didn't know about the political nature of the event.

Mr McKenzie then got drawn into various rows with protesters', hollering such claims as "I have nothing against gay people," through a loudspeaker, with shoppers in North End looking on in bemusement.

And, to hammer the final nail into the coffin, Mr Farage didn't turn up. Oh, and Mr Mckenzie called Croydon "a dump".

NO CRYSTAL Palace fan will ever forget the events of Monday, May 5.

Or, as it has been christened by many, 'Crystanbul'.

The Eagles came from 3-0 down with less than 12 minutes to go to earn a 3-3 draw with Liverpool at a rocking Selhurst Park.

Dwight Gayle's brace ruined the visitors' title chances and ended a wonderful season for Tony Pulis's men.

Palace finished 11th – their highest league position for 24 years and the first time the club had ever successfully retained their Premier League status after promotion.

And how the fans loved it, adopting the #crystanbul hashtag on Twitter – with reference to Liverpool's own famous comeback from 3-0 down to win the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul.

Manager Tony Pulis said: "When we got the first goal I thought we'd have a squeak, then the support was amazing. When the second went in it was only a matter of time before we got a third."

TEENAGER Uriah Gardner was convicted of the murder of 17-year-old Fico Dougan, following a trial at The Old Bailey.

Jurors took under four hours to reach their verdict, having heard how Gardner grabbed a knife from the kitchen to repeatedly stab Fico as he watched TV on the sofa in Ockley Road, where each was visiting mutual friends.

The 17-year-old, who fled the house after the unprovoked attack on September 25, 2013, was jailed for a minimum of 14 years.

But Fico's parents, Ernest Dougan and Sandra Opoku, told the Advertiser how they feared their son's killer could re-offend.

Sandra said: "This boy started his criminal record from the age of 12 and there were so many chances to stop this boy but the help was not there. It makes us upset that his past gave every opportunity to put this boy away, but the system did not deal with it and it has been so painful."

A TODDLER with leukaemia who received his older brother's bone marrow defied doctors' predictions and made a "miracle" recovery – after three weeks on life support.

Two-year-old J'Ssiah Brown, from Kenley, was given a life-saving bone marrow donation by his six-year-old brother but fell seriously ill after his transplant at the start of May.

But the toddler, diagnosed with myeliod leukaemia in June 2013, underwent several rounds of gruelling chemotherapy and began to make a recovery – being moved out of intensive care by the end of May. "I am so, so proud of him, he is such a little fighter," his mum Jeanene Walters said.

FORMER Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock has revealed he told hot-favourite for his old job, Alan Pardew, that the Toon manager would be the next at the helm at Selhurst Park back in August.

Speaking to talkSPORT this morning (Tuesday), Warnock said: "You'll laugh at this but when we were at Newcastle, Alan was getting so much stick there.

"I remember pulling him after the game and said, 'This is the club for you, your next club."

Speaking of his exit from Selhurst Park, Warnock added that he knew his tenancy was temporary, but he was still shcoked. 

He added: "It was really sudden on Sunday morning, a phone call late on before I was leaving to go to QPR. The chairman just said it and it came as a shock. As things have panned out [with Pardew], it's not as much of a shock now."

Columnist and Palace fan Rob Sutherland has given his view on Alan Pardew's imminent appointment as the club's new manager...

My last column focused on the brilliance of Palace's tumultuous ways and the love I have of them - and as per expectations, the news which broke in the last 48 hours didn't disappoint - Alan Pardew is to leave his job at Newcastle United to become Crystal Palace's new boss. Quite the surprise.

Or was it? There had been previous occasions where Pardew's appointment had been mooted. Steve Parish is reported to be a close friend of Pardew's and, had it not been for the Newcastle manager's impressive run of results a little more than a year ago, he might have turned up at Selhurst Park sooner than expected.

Alas, the timing now suggests that Palace weren't willing to wait any longer - taking an unusual step in the club's recent history by offering to pay a reported £2m for his services.

Pardew's move comes with a lot of lines in national newspapers suggesting that he was a Palace favourite, a supporter's hero. They remember the 'Super Al' chants and suggest it's the perfect move as most fans will be happy to have him back.

From what I understand, however, Pardew's time at Palace is remembered similarly to that of someone like David Hopkin's second spell - for a remarkable, memorable moment amid much mediocrity (for Hopkin's second spell, I mean the handball which led to Dougie Freedman's late winner against Stockport County!).

Pardew's time at Palace will forever be remembered as a result of that goal in the FA Cup semi-final, but also for hard graft and little else.

That's not to say that Pardew's appointment is an unwelcome one. Here we have a manager who worked under a strict regime of selling the best talent once it finally started producing; a club whose owner is happy to see it not compete for titles or cups so long as his club keeps turning a profit.

Much maligned by the club's supporters up north, at Palace he'll have a grateful audience, ready to see and appreciate what he brings to the fold.

Newcastle had a strong scouting system which brought in a succession of talent for Pardew to choose from.

At Palace, where the infrastructure has taken time to build, the scouting network is likely to have a list of players that Pardew will want to choose from.

He may also have his own ideas - ones which, at Palace, he's more likely to be allowed to implement.

For many football fans, a move to Palace is considered a step down. For Pardew, choked out by derision from supporters and an undermining chairman on Tyneside, the move back south will be a breath of fresh air.

Meanwhile, for Palace fans, the entertainment keeps on coming. I'm not complaining.

Rob Sutherland is the editor of Five Year Plan fanzine and Palace columnist for the Croydon Advertiser.

A TEENAGER from Thornton Heath has been jailed for two years after robbing a man in Camberwell.

Jasiha Williams, 18, jumped on his victim - a 31-year-old man - from behind as he made his way up the stairs in his block of flats in Domett Close after an evening out on June 15.

Williams, of Norwich Road, Thornton Heath, wrestled the man to the floor and then rifled through his pockets and stole his mobile phone and wallet before running off.

Police linked Williams to the robbery and he was arrested on August 16 in Swindon.

He pleaded guilty to robbery at Woolwich Crown Court on December 19 and was jailed for two years. 

POLICE investigating a hit and run in London Road in which a motorcyclist was killed have made a second arrest. 

A 24-year-old man handed himself in to police in Croydon this morning (Tuesday) and is currently being questioned.

A 23-year-old motorcyclist was killed when he was struck by a black Lexus car in London Road at 1am on Monday (December 29). 

The driver failed to stop at the scene and the vehicle was later found abandoned in St James's Road at the junction of Windmill Road. 

The motorcyclist was treated by paramedics but was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.45am. 

His family have been informed, with a post mortem and formal identification due to take place tomorrow at Croydon Mortuary. 

A 23-year-old woman at an address in Croydon on Monday and was later bailed pending further investigation until early February. 

Officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit based at Merton are investigating the collision and have appealed for information. 

Anyone who can help is asked to call 020 8543 5157 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

PALACE legend Geoff Thomas has hailed the imminent appointment of his former team-mate Alan Pardew as the club's new manager.

Thomas, who has kept in regular contact with Pardew, says he can't see any negativity surrounding the move from Newcastle United among the Eagles faithful.

And Thomas believes the chance to come back to Selhurst Park is ideal with the experience gained during Pardew's managerial years so far.

"I think it's a really good fit, I really do," he told the Advertiser.

"It's like he's done his apprenticeship and a lot more, winning the Manager of the Year award in 2012, and he's been through a lot of pain with Newcastle this year but has turned that around.

"Alan has proven what sort of character he is, and in some ways I think it's great he's been given this opportunity for himself to go somewhere fresh after doing that.

"It is all positive for Palace. They are getting a good manager. As a footballer, most of his career was at Palace and obviously he's in the folklore of the club for getting that goal in the FA Cup semi-final.

"He will always be remembered for that in 1990. It's Super Al on his return, and I can see the fans being positive about it."

For the full interview with Geoff Thomas, do not miss Friday's Croydon Advertiser.

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

OUR review of 2014 in Croydon continues with a look at what was making the headlines in June...

A TEENAGE boy died after taking drugs at a rave held next to East Croydon Station.

Rio Andrew, 15, a talented young athlete, was believed to have drank from a bottle containing the party drug ketamine.

He became the second Croydon teenager to die this year from taking drugs at a rave, after Daniel Spargo-Mabbs' death in January.

Fourteen people were arrested in the aftermath of the illegal rave on June 14, which was held in the disused Royal Mail building.

A YOUNG mother told the Advertiser of her distress at being called a "slut" while breast-feeding her infant son in a cafe.

Rhea Holley, 27, said she was in "floods of tears" after the verbal abuse from a couple sitting nearby in Costa Coffee in Purley High Street, Purley.

She said: "A couple were on a table that was facing in such a way that they did not have to look at me. I heard one of them say 'it is disgusting', that I know what time babies should be fed and should stay at home then, and that I was a 'slut'."

A PUB company apologised after one of its staff refused to serve a group of elderly Ukip members and branded them "disgusting".

Six campaigners – including five pensioners – hoped for a spot of refreshment at The Rectory in Brighton Road, Purley, after a hard day canvassing. But instead of winding down, the group were wound up by a member of bar staff, who refused to serve them because of their affiliation to Nigel Farage's party.

The angry barman did not stop there – going on to tell the campaigners they were "disgusting". Kathleen Garner, the party's Croham candidate who was among the group, said the treatment was "discriminatory" and compared it to the "thought police".

A PUB in Addiscombe which has served more than a million pints of the same bitter was voted Croydon real ale drinkers' boozer of the year.

The Claret Free House, in Lower Addiscombe Road, was named the 2014 Croydon Camra Pub of the Year – its sixth time of holding the title.

General manager Don Burton put the success down to a simple formula – cheap, tasty beer.

He added: "We try and keep our customers happy by keeping the price down and by keeping everything in good condition."

CAMPAIGNERS celebrated after unpopular plans for a Lidl supermarket were rejected by the Government planning inspector following a two-year battle. 

The German chain's appeal to develop the site of the former Good Companions pub in Limpsfield Road, Sanderstead, was thrown out, amid fears about traffic and congestion. Campaigner Paul Redington said: "It's an astounding result given we were up against the financial might of Lidl, their planning experts, and even a QC."

A WOMAN died after being hit by a car in Sutton on Boxing Day.

The pedestrian, in her early 30s, was taken to St George's Hospital after she was in collision with a blue BMW just before 8.30pm in Middleton Road.

She was pronounced two days later on Sunday (December 28).

The victim's next of kin had been informed though her identity had not been made public as the Advertiser went to press.

Detectives from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit at Merton are investigating.

Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to call 020 8543 5157.

The male driver of the BMW was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He has since been bailed, pending further enquiries.

FORMER editor of The Northern Echo and lifelong Newcastle fan PETER SANDS says Alan Pardew's reign on Tyneside was always destined to end in tears...

ALAN Pardew never stood much of a chance at Newcastle. The Toon Army, who believe their rightful position is top tier, were stunned when a man who had been sacked by West Ham and Southampton shipped up at St James's Park. 

He had no track record, was a southerner and rumours bounced around Tyneside about why he was appointed. He was seen as a puppet, an apologist for the hated Mike Ashley regime. And so it proved. 

Ashley does not speak. So it was left to Pardew to justify the unjustifiable - why Andy Carroll or Yohan Cabaye were sold, why the temple of St James's had become the Sport Direct Arena, why the club had got into bed with Wonga or why no players were bought during for the 2013/14 season.

The only way Pardew could have won us over was on the pitch. To be fair, he did better than expected. In his second season we finished fifth and marched into Europe. But instead of a springboard this led to a relegation battle in 2012/13, and we eventually finished 16th. 

There were some memorable victories along the way - at Old Trafford for the first time in 41 years, the only side to beat Chelsea so far this season - but then we would lay down and die. Twice in the last two seasons we have endured six defeats in a row and, crucially, Pardew was the first Newcastle manager to lose four consecutive matches against Sunderland. We see ourselves as the top North-East club and losing to 'the Mackems' is as bad as it gets.

Pardew's tactics were also often unfathomable - we did not score from a corner for more than 100 games, we remain the only Premier League team not to have scored in the first 30 minutes and we would often capitulate after going behind. Fourteen times in the last two seasons we have conceded three goals or more. 

The fans also believed Pardew regularly played players out of position. They would talk about them being 'Pardewed' - having the potential sucked from them. Hatem Ben Arfa, a crowd pleaser who was frozen out, would be a case in point. 

Then there was the head-butting of Hull player David Meyler. It isn't difficult to see why we didn't warm to him. 

At Palace, where he has real heritage, I have little doubt he will do a good job and I wish him well. Meanwhile, at Newcastle, the real bête noire is still there. 

KEITH Millen will be in charge of Crystal Palace's game at Aston Villa on New Year's Day.

Alan Pardew is locked in talks with the Eagles about becoming their new manager after Newcastle United allowed him to do so.

Millen says it has been business as usual at the club's training ground as they prepare for the trip to the west Midlands.

"I spoke to the chairman last night at about 11.30pm and he said Newcastle had made a statement about compensation being agreed," he said.

"We've been given permission to speak to Alan. That's all I've been told, and that remains all I know.

"The chairman told me to prepare for Aston Villa. We have to stay focused.

"If the deal for Alan is done then great. If not, we carry on. That is as much information as I have.

"We've told the players and staff that and we'll continue with our work.

"We were discussing the QPR game in training, which was a terrific response from the players after Neil leaving, and we've moved on now.

"They've been through it, the lads, a few times now. They see the speculation on the TV and get asked.

"There's the usual player banter, but they were in a good frame of mind this morning.

"They had a good rest yesterday and were in again today. They are a resilient group.

"We've started doing our work for Villa, and we have Dover on Sunday.

"I said to the chairman I can do the job. He knows me well enough and realises that now. We've not had that discussion since."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

Crystal Palace-bound Alan Pardew has reportedly said his farewells to Newcastle United staff.

Lee Ryder, chief sports writer at The Chronicle, tweeted this afternoon: "Alan Pardew has now said his goodbyes to #nufc staff and players".

Pardew is widely expected to complete his move to Palace in the coming hours.

FOR many, they are the mother-in-law of the Christmas dinner - the necessary evil to the crowing glory of spuds and turkey.

But if you like a Brussels sprout or 10, one Croydon store has the answer to satisfy your tastebuds - a bag of sprouts weighing a whopping 20kg.

The sack of sprouts will set you back £2.99 at Brakes, on the Purley Way, if you're interested.