Meet the Prockters: 39-strong family set for Selhurst Park reunion

Allow us to introduce you, however, to the Prockters, around 39 of whom will be in attendance when Crystal Palace face Nantes at Selhurst Park this Sunday.

With some four or five generations of their family journeying to South London from as far as the West Midlands, Somerset and Gloucestershire – among their number nurses, doctors, bankers and architects, to name but a few – theirs will be among an almighty noise emanating from the Holmesdale Road Stand.

That 39 Prockters will be in attendance would be a feat worthy of celebrating itself – but the family’s connection to Crystal Palace runs even deeper.

Some four generations ago, George Prockter Jnr. – born 1862 – moved from the family’s previous home in Brighton to South Norwood, eventually settling on Holmesdale Road around the turn of the 20th century.

With Selhurst Park yet to be built at that stage – the stadium officially opened in 1924 – there began a long association between the Prockters and the Palace.

Among those in attendance on Sunday will be Colin Prockter whose father, Charles, was born on Holmesdale Road in 1905, and attended some of Selhurst Park's first matches.

After spending much of his early life living on roads around the ground, and after a short time away, in 1969, Colin himself would move into a flat on the corner of Holmesdale and Park Road – the same building where graffiti artist Mr Cenz’s iconic, colourful mural now adorns the wall – with their kitchen window overlooking Selhurst Park.

Alas, it was not too long before the construction of the Arthur Wait Stand construction obstructed his spectacular view.

Sunday’s family reunion at Selhurst seems more than fitting.

“We’ve probably only done it two or three times,” Colin Prockter – a retired actor who starred across a myriad of British stage and screen productions – says of the family reunions.

“It my son, who ironically was born in Gloucestershire, but has been a Palace supporter all his life, who said we ought to get the family together at a match. The only way we could do it really was to go to a friendly, because we don't have access to tickets that easily.

“It was his idea, and he Facebooked and contacted the family. I don't know what the current count is. I think it's gone up because others have joined – but there will be four of the five generations will be there!

“There are some of us coming from Gloucestershire, I think some from Oxfordshire, various people and in-laws… including my daughter's husband, whose father is a dyed in the wool Baggies supporter, so he says he’s going to hide!

“We’re not regular attenders so much, as I say, because we don't have many opportunities, but I've followed Palace all my life. I've been looking through old programmes, and the first one I've got is from 1957.

"I started when I was 11 – so 67 years, I've been a Palace supporter.”

Although Sunday’s is not a competitive fixture, Palace’s match against Nantes marks a final opportunity for Oliver Glasner’s team to build on their recent performances and gear up towards their Premier League opener the following weekend.

As such, an entertaining game is expected – but which Prockter does Colin expect will be cheering loudest come Sunday afternoon? “I would say undoubtedly the Kent branch!” he laughs.

“My nephew Trevor, and his sons and his grandsons are probably the biggest supporters, because they're local and they can get to see matches. But we all follow avidly – and we rejoice, and we mourn!

“I suppose one of my favourite players was Don Rogers. I met him some years ago on the rubber chicken circuit, as we used to call it.

“I was an actor in my time, and at one time, I was in Coronation Street for quite a long stretch, so I did these sort of strange celebrity dinner things, and I met Don at one of them and became a pal for a certain length of time.

“I haven't seen him for years, but he was one of the players that I admired most, I think – and Johnny Byrne, right back at the beginning.”

As for the day itself, and with a glorious weather forecast expected for Sunday, will the Prockters be making the most of a somewhat rare – at least this year – summer’s day in South London?

“We’ll try to meet somewhere to have a picnic before we come to the ground,” Colin smiles. “That should be absolute mayhem – but great fun.

“If we’ve got time, I’ll walk around the ground with the family and show them where my father was born, and where it all started. Right up until 1980, I lived all around the ground.

“I would occasionally be sitting at home and see the floodlights go on, because in those days, every match was played at Selhurst Park, and I'd creep out and say, ‘oh, I'll go and see a junior match or go and see the reserves!’”

As for the day itself: “A couple of goals would be very nice!” he laughs.

“It'll be wonderful because we’re such a huge group. I'm one of five children and then, my parents' grandchildren… I think there's 16 of them… and then there's a generation after that… so it's a huge, huge family!

“It’ll be lovely to see those people that we don't see very often. But thanks to my son, Ali, who went round and organised all this. It'll be great.”

Let’s hope Palace can further smiles to the Prockter family faces come the full-time whistle.

Supporters can head down to see Glasner’s side in their final pre-season fixture this Sunday (11th August, 15:00 BST) from as little as £5, with tickets NOW ON SALE here.