NATIONS - England boss Southgate remembering (and remembered over) his times at Crystal Palace

Talking out across Crystal Palace official website, English senior national team head coach Gareth Southgate remembered and cheered his Eagles years as a young centre-back:

"The club you start with is always dwelling in a special place in your heart, as years go by, no matter what". Afterwards, his past as a Palace youngster was reminded and unveiled by some of the trainers and teammate working with him back then, including Mark Bright: 

"It was very competitive in the Academy, throughout those years. There were always scuffles and things like that, a bit of overzealousness – a few coming togethers, quite rough.

Players just got on each other’s nerves over a period of time. You worked with these guys for nine or 10 months of the year, and it’s not like an office. So someone is getting in the team in your position, sometimes you get annoyed with them. But nobody used to think anything of it. You shake hands in the changing room and that would be it.

We used to train on mud. I remember driving through the gates when it had been raining overnight to see if any pools had formed".