Crystal Palace's FA Cup final tifo went viral. It brought two brothers closer together

New York Times

28-05-2025

The question came almost as a statement.
'You were on the display, weren't you?' Even in a Liverpool pub, Dominic and Nathan Wealleans are instantly recognisable.
It has been a whirlwind week for the two brothers from Rainhill, a village in St Helens, Merseyside. Before kick off at the FA Cup final, a picture of the pair embracing was used in the Crystal Palace tifo at the west end of Wembley. It went viral.
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That display, spread across the central block of the lower tier in the Palace end, had been the iconic image from celebrations with their dad Mark after Darren Ambrose's incredible 40-yard goal in the League Cup quarter-final win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in 2011. Mark passed away in February 2017, aged just 49, five months after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
A picture, taken from a supporter in the row behind who recognised the brothers was picked up across social media, and the days that followed the team's victory were spent dashing from one television studio to another, onto local and national radio, and then back north for Palace's final game of the season at Liverpool.
They followed that by being invited as VIP guests to the winners' party and parade at Selhurst Park on Monday.
The Athletic joined them in the away end at Anfield as they explained how Palace's success and the tifo paved the way for a reconciliation.
The Scouse accents in the lower tier of the Anfield Road end might have drawn suspicious looks, but the Palace shirts were sufficient to allay any fears that the pair should have been among the home contingent.
Nathan is usually more animated, but when Ismaila Sarr puts Palace ahead after nine minutes, they both explode into life. Several opportunities look promising for Palace on the attack in the first half, and they both watch on in anticipation of a second goal.
Dean Henderson saves well from Luis Diaz. Dominic has to stretch to see over the heads of those in front of him before they join in with the chant of 'England's No 1'.
At half-time they head down to the concourse. It's an opportunity to reflect on the week. 'It's been incredible,' Nathan says.
'Any time I talk to my friends, I finish the conversation with: 'We've just won the FA Cup though, so it doesn't matter,'' says Dominic. 'When we have our own kids, the fact that we can show them a key part of Palace history and they'll recognise the faces on it makes me so proud and happy.'
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Nathan describes feeling 'every emotion all at once'. 'It was sadness from realising what's happened and also just a massive feeling of joy like that he (their dad) is still cared about, not just by us, but also by a lot of fans. To win it (the FA Cup) just solidifies us in Palace history.'
They were unaware before the game that the tifo would depict them and, due to the balloons and flags, it was only when they had a tap on the shoulder and were asked, 'Is this you?' that it struck them.
'It felt like he was there with us,' Nathan says. 'We could feel him in the crowd celebrating every corner, every free kick. It was a good feeling that I've not had in a long, long time.'
Back at Anfield for the second half, Nathan explains how he likes to watch games from a more analytical perspective, despite his brother being the football coach of the pair, but also how it becomes impossible not to throw himself into the emotional side of things and sing, chant and shout.
He joins in as the Palace fans sing 'Pride of south London', and bellows 'Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom' after Jean-Philippe Mateta is substituted. When Ryan Gravenberch fouls Daichi Kamada, they both vehemently demand his sending off, waving imaginary red cards, and referee Darren England obliges.
Dominic, who cheered mockingly minutes earlier as Gravenberch was booked for simulation, switches into coaching mode — he is in charge of an under-14 side — and analyses how the substitutions from Liverpool manager Arne Slot meant Gravenberch was isolated, while Nathan excitedly asks whether the Liverpool midfielder will miss the opening game of the season.
When Eddie Nketiah goes down deep into Liverpool's half, Nathan is insistent that it is a foul. Dominic, on the other hand, appeals in the knowledge that it would be soft at best. Nothing is awarded.
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They taunt Trent Alexander-Arnold with a rendition of 'You're just a s*** Joel Ward', with Dominic saying he would like to see the departing Palace veteran on the pitch. A heavy touch from Sarr breaks down a Palace attack, which prompts Nathan to point out that, although he's had an outstanding season, this issue can, on occasion, let him down.
When Mohamed Salah equalises and the home support burst into life for the first time in the game, Nathan choruses: 'We forgot you were here'.
There is frustration from Dominic as Nketiah fails to throw himself at a dangerous cross, while Kamada's overhit pass prompts the same response from Nathan.
'He's just run out of juice,' says Dominic as Daniel Munoz fails to drive on with a minute remaining. He sings Matheus Franca's song as the Brazilian carries the ball forward, only to shoot at goalkeeper Alisson, with Nathan having put his hand to his mouth in anticipation.
They serenade the Palace players at the final whistle and make their way out of the ground in preparation for another long trip down to London for the parade and celebrations, where they were introduced to supporters as VIP guests for the final part of the afternoon.
Palace supporting actor and comedian Ben Bailey-Smith welcomed them on stage, discussed how he could relate to their story after losing his own father, asked them to describe how they were feeling and then led them to sing the Elvis Presley song 'Can't Help Falling in Love'. Retreat a little over a week and all that would have felt nothing more than a fanciful dream.
'I don't think Palace has ever made me feel that good,' Dominic says of the cup victory. 'Dad would have celebrated so hard. We would have spent the evening in a pub as a family, and he would not have been able to remove the smile from his face for the rest of his life.'
In the 2013 Championship play-off final win over Watford, Dominic explains how their dad could not bear to watch when Kevin Phillips stepped up to take the winning penalty. 'I always thought I'd never understand how you couldn't watch that moment,' he says. 'But at 1-0 in the later stages of the game (against City), I felt like I didn't want to watch it.'
Nathan chose not to watch Mateta's penalty in the semi-final and was unable to bring himself to watch Omar Marmoush step up for City's spot kick in the final.
Their social media feeds have inevitably blown up. 'I'd never seen so many photos of myself,' Dominic admits, while Nathan says people have messaged him saying, 'I'm not even a Palace fan, but this story's really put a lump in my throat'.
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'The reason it's gone viral is because so many people watched it without someone. We're just the lucky ones. When Ambrose scored, the camera cut to us.'
'He'd love the fact that he was the face of the tifo,' says Dominic, who had been to his dad's grave on the morning of the final. 'It would have been everywhere. He would have probably had it printed.'
They disagree over whether they would have wanted the tifo to be the same even if their dad was still alive. 'Even though our story is because he isn't here, if he was it'd be better if it were someone else who's had a similar story to show the Palace spirit,' Nathan says.
'I'd want the tifo still because that clip went viral when he was still here,' counters Dominic. 'I would have loved to have the moment and feeling with him. I wouldn't swap it for anything.'
Their story has captured the imagination of people across the world. It now resonates even more. The pair had drifted apart after their dad died with life stepping in the way; university, travelling. Emotionally and physically, they were distant. But after one special day at Wembley, they are together again.
'Being the only two Palace fans I know from Liverpool,' Dominic says, 'growing up with our dad, going to games… there's no one else I'd rather watch that final with (than Nathan). Absolutely not.'
'It was rocky because we've had our differences throughout the years,' Nathan says when asked what it means to have shared this moment with his brother. 'We've had a lot of downs, some ups, but once we saw each other, it was just pretty much: 'Whatever happened in the past, this is Wembley, this is our day, let's enjoy it as much as we can'.
'Then, when the tifo (was revealed), we celebrated together because it's… it is us. We have to celebrate that together, that doesn't happen to an average person, ever.
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'Mum's probably fuming because she's spent the past eight years trying to get us to be friends with each other, and dad just does it in one game. He has probably somehow managed to get us closer just through his powerful ways. It was the only way I think we could have ever got closer.'
The future of the tifo, they say, is subject to discussions with the Holmesdale Fanatics (the Crystal Palace ultras group). But, rest assured, they are desperately trying to persuade the Fanatics to hand it over.
That would be the ultimate memento.