Crystal Palace hero Jason Puncheon on FA Cup final goal and famous celebration
EXCLUSIVE: Eagles legend Jason Puncheon netted against Manchester United in 2016 FA Cup Final at Wembley to see Alan Pardew do his dad dance on the famous touchline
Jason Puncheon scored Crystal Palace's last goal in an FA Cup final to spark an infamous and premature celebration by his manager
But the Eagles legend believes the time is now right for Oliver Glasner 's team to make history - and they should be honoured with statues outside Selhurst Park if they win the club's first major trophy.
Croydon-born Palace fan Puncheon came off the bench to lash a volley past David de Gea after 78 minutes of the 2016 final against Manchester United after a perfect pass from Joel Ward.
'It is funny because Wardie, who is the only player still there, has announced he is leaving this week so I have to give him a special mention,' he said.
'I just knew where he was going to cross the ball. And as soon as I touched it, I knew I was going to score because it just sat up perfectly for the volley.'
But that superb goal is now best remembered for Alan Pardew's dad dancing on the touchline just three minutes before Juan Mata equalised. Jesse Lingard netted the winner in extra time.
Puncheon, who has just led Akritas Chlorakas to promotion to the top-flight of Cypriot football, said: 'I wasn't aware of the manager's celebration then.
"I think it was the next day when someone sent the newspaper to me in a group chat and started laughing. It was a bittersweet moment for Pards at the time. It was a lesson for him.
'I know Pards. People say professionally he shouldn't have done this and that. But I don't blame him because if I had been him as the coach, knowing my Crystal Palace team, I would have thought: 'We have won this'. Most of the time, when we went ahead, we never lost a game.
"It was just instilled in us. That came from Tony Pulis and it led on to the other coaches there. Can I see Glasner doing something similar if Palace score on Saturday?
"I think he is a bit of a different character. That will not be for him. But I really hope they win. If they win that trophy, they should put statues of all those players outside Selhurst Park.'
Puncheon added: 'They have got a great chance of beating Man City, especially with the season Man City have had. This team is a lot more technically based than we were. We were very resilient. Who is the Jason Puncheon in this team? I would like to say Eberechi Eze. I think he is better than me. He is a really big driving force of the team.'
But Puncheon picks out another England star as Palace's key player at Wembley. 'I think Adam Wharton will be the difference,' he said. 'He is a fantastic player. I think he has got the top teams in his sights for sure.'
Puncheon, now 38, has coached four different teams in Cyprus in the last two years. Speaking by phone from a padel court in sunny Paphos, he said: 'I am in shorts and T-shirts right now - and I am for 10 months of the year. We are a small team but anything is possible.'
It will be the same on Saturday. 'I will be watching in Cyprus for sure - there is no way I will miss that,' said Puncheon. 'I will probably try and find a nice quiet place on my own out of the house. Maybe a quiet bar somewhere. Now it is their chance to make history. '
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