Crystal Palace welcome Bristol City to Selhurst Park on Saturday, with the fixture providing an opportunity to look back at five players who have represented both clubs. Family activities are planned around the ground, with profits from the matchday going to the Palace for Life Foundation.
Jamie Smith’s connection with Palace began after he scored against the Eagles for Wolves in the 1997 Play-Off Semi-Final. Months later, the Birmingham-born defender moved to SE25 as part of the deal that took Dougie Freedman and Kevin Muscat to Molineux. Smith spent seven years with Palace, making 175 appearances and featuring 19 times during the promotion-winning 2003/04 campaign. He joined Bristol City on a free transfer in 2004 after a successful trial, making 39 league appearances in his first season at Ashton Gate.
Yannick Bolasie spent only one season with Bristol City, arriving in 2011 after spells with Hillingdon Borough, Floriana and Plymouth Argyle. He was named the club’s Supporters Club and Trust Young Player of the Year before moving to Palace in summer 2012. Bolasie played 47 times during the Eagles’ promotion campaign, forming a much-loved attacking partnership with Wilfried Zaha and Glenn Murray. He remained influential in Palace’s return to the Premier League, including a memorable hat-trick in the 4-1 win at Sunderland in 2015, and helped the club reach the 2016 FA Cup Final before joining Everton for a then club-record fee.
Aaron Wilbraham brought considerable promotion experience when he joined Palace in 2012. The striker played a key role in the 2012/13 campaign and completed all 120 minutes of the dramatic Play-Off Final victory over Watford at Wembley. After making his Premier League debut for the Eagles, he moved to Bristol City in 2014. Wilbraham scored on his competitive debut and finished that season with 21 goals in all competitions as the Robins won the League One title.
Adrian Mariappa arrived at Palace in September 2013 after Reading’s relegation from the Premier League. He made 49 appearances across three seasons in SE25 and featured in each of the Eagles’ first three campaigns back in the top flight. His final Palace appearance came in the 2016 FA Cup Final against Manchester United. Four years later, Bristol City signed Mariappa on a short-term deal during a defensive injury crisis, and he made 17 Championship appearances in 2020/21.
The earliest connection on this list belongs to Kevin Mabbutt, who came through Bristol City’s youth system and made his first-team debut in 1977. After more than 100 league appearances for his hometown club, he joined Palace in 1981 in a player exchange involving Terry Boyle. Mabbutt finished his first season as Palace’s leading scorer with eight goals and made 88 appearances in total, scoring 24 times across four seasons. Persistent knee problems later forced him to retire at the age of 26, ending a career that had taken him from Bristol City standout to Palace top scorer.
