Legends on legends - Crystal Palace

Geoff Thomas was a key member of the greatest spell in Palace's history. But his story goes beyond football...

Snapped up by Steve Coppell from Crewe's production line of players in the 1980s, the all-action midfielder joined Palace in June, 1987. Player of the Season in his first campaign, he helped Palace gain promotion into the top flight in 1988/89. It was the start of heady days at Selhurst Park.

Thomas proudly captained the team to the FA Cup Final in 1990, beating champions Liverpool 4-3 in the semi-final before a 3-3 draw against Manchester United at Wembley. United won the replay by the only goal.

With a team including the likes of Nigel Martyn, Alan Pardew, Mark Bright and Ian Wright, Palace finished a club-high third in the old First Division in 1990/91. Palace also lifted a trophy at Wembley that season, the Full Members' Cup, beating Everton in the final. Thomas was again Palace's Player of the Season, his performances rewarded with England recognition in 1991.

Thomas eventually moved on to Wolves in June, 1993, and had spells at Forest, Barnsley, Notts Country and back at Crewe before calling time on his career in 2002. He earned nine England caps.

In June, 2003, after a year in retirement, Thomas revealed he had been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, from which he later recovered. He won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year's Helen Rollason Award in 2005, after he raised funds for the Leukaemia Research charity by cycling 2,200 miles in 21 days, completing the route of all 21 stages of the 2005 Tour de France a few days ahead of the race itself. Now 55, he started the Geoff Thomas Foundation in 2005, and continues to raise money and awareness for Cure Leukaemia.

David Howells progressed through the youth ranks to play 335 times for us between 1986-1998 and saw plenty of Thomas and that Palace team of the early 1990s.

"He was powerful, an old-fashioned, box-to-box midfielder who did the simple things well," said David, FA Cup winner with us in 1991, the year after Palace reached the final. "He didn't carry a great goal threat, but instead he knitted the team together.

"Palace were a very good team, lots of good players in different positions, and they were quite direct, which suited Geoff because he could get around the pitch really well. He was a fit, strong lad, a very effective player and you certainly knew you were in a game with him, physically. You had to be at your strongest and be aware of his strengths, running, tracking players. He was more of a defensive midfielder, but he would get around the whole pitch.

"I bumped into him at Mallorca airport a few years ago, I think he was travelling as part of his charity work and he looked in such brilliant shape. We had a good chat and it was really lovely to see him. He's a top lad, and someone who has done brilliant work with his charity and not forgetting his own health, it takes a lot to fight that."