Palace for Life, the official charity of Crystal Palace F.C., has released a cover of the club’s iconic walk-out anthem, Glad All Over by The Dave Clark Five. Performed by its Down’s Syndrome football team, the DS Eagles and Crystal Palace players, the song aims to challenge stereotypes around Down’s Syndrome and employment, and raise funds for the charity’s work.
Since Glad All Over was first played over the tannoy at Selhurst Park in January 1964, the song has become synonymous with Crystal Palace, ringing out as the team enter the pitch and whenever they score.
With this special cover version, the DS Eagles are cementing their own place in Crystal Palace history.
This cover of the 1963 hit by The Dave Clark Five marks the culmination of DS GAME ON, a year-long Palace for Life programme designed to help people with Down’s Syndrome develop skills and confidence for employment.
Combining two of the charity’s most successful initiatives – DS Eagles, which provides sports sessions for people with Down’s Syndrome; and GAME ON, its flagship employment programme, partly funded by the Premier League and Professional Footballers Association (PLPFA) – the project gives participants hands-on experience in a range of job roles.
Recorded over 60 years after the original release in a studio near Selhurst Park, the DS Eagles’ version of Glad All Over features guest vocals from Palace players Chris Richards, Aimee Everett, Fliss Gibbons and Shanade Hopcroft, alongside Palace for Life coaches.
A behind-the-scenes music video accompanies the release, capturing the recording process and offering a glimpse into the DS GAME ON employment programme that supported the singers throughout the year.
While there is no specific data on how many people with Down’s Syndrome are in work, disability charity Mencap estimates that 65% of people with learning disabilities, Down’s Syndrome included, want to work, yet fewer than 20% are employed.
The first year of DS GAME ON saw 15 participants try out roles in cooking, t-shirt design, caring, barista training and music, proving that given the opportunity, people with Down’s Syndrome can thrive in the workplace. However, barriers like prejudice, limited opportunities, and low expectations still persist.
Palace for Life hope Glad All Over will raise awareness, challenge outdated assumptions, and generate funds to support its employment programmes for young people across south London.
The DS Eagles, who are all passionate Palace fans, are part of a wider community supported by Palace for Life, the club’s official charity. Palace for Life, which works with over 16,000 young people each year, running programmes that boost employment prospects, build confidence, and create new opportunities, alongside initiatives focused on mental and physical health, crime prevention, and mentoring.
