Jermaine Easter – the last Palace player to score a derby winner against Millwall – on Saturday’s FA Cup clash

Jermaine Easter scored the only goal when Crystal Palace last won at Millwall more than a decade ago. And the retired striker, who has played for both South London clubs, is expecting the Eagles to prevail in tomorrow’s derby duel.

Easter beat Lions keeper Steve Mildenhall and Tony Craig to convert Darren Ambrose’s near-post cross on December 31, 2011.

There have only been two fixtures since – both draws in Palace’s Championship promotion-winning season in the 2012-13 campaign.

Easter celebrated his clincher with a finger to his lips directed at The Dockers Stand.

“I don’t remember that,” he told the South London Press earlier this week. “I definitely would have been getting stick because I had been on loan at Millwall, while I was at Plymouth, before I went to Palace. It was probably something to do with that. I remember it being a scrappy game but that we were pretty much on top throughout.

“Wilf [Zaha] was on fire in the first half of that game – I was actually laughing at the things he was doing. He was so good.”
Easter made 62 appearances for the Eagles, netting nine times, before joining the Lions for the second time in March 2013, the move being made permanent in July.

“I couldn’t sign permanently because it was outside of the window then,” recalled Easter, now a football agent for Wasserman. “It was one of those where as soon as the window opened it was already done.

“Millwall fans always took to me. There was never a drama [about his Palace connections]. I scored on both my debuts, once against Swindon and then against Charlton – that would have been a good introduction to them. I was a hard-working player, so they were always good to me. I never had an issue, at all.”

More than once Easter played a major part in clinching local bragging rights for a South London club. But he plays down the importance from a personal perspective.

“It’s more of a fan thing than a player thing,” he said. “It’s always nice to play a part in those things and get a winning goal. But it was more for the punters to be able to go to work and take the p*** out of their mates.

“My time at Millwall we were always in a struggle. Everything was a fight. Palace was a completely different atmosphere.

“I enjoyed both clubs, but for different reasons. I had more friends at Palace, people I still keep in touch with now. From an off-the-field perspective I would say Palace [was the more enjoyable spell], for sure, because I was closer to the players there.

“I still speak to Paddy McCarthy, Shaun Derry and Mile Jedinak from time to time. I keep in touch with other people on social media, like Peter Ramage and Danny Gabbidon. I still speak to Aaron Wilbraham and Owen Garvan occasionally.

“We had a solid group. Nine years later I still speak to a lot of them which is rare in football, sometimes you’re just passing ships.

“I never played with Dezza at Palace – that was at Millwall. But we had a common friend in Jamie Mackie at QPR. There was an instant connection.

“The first six months at Palace were difficult for me. Dougie Freedman signed me but then brought James Vaughan back in. I wasn’t playing regularly, I was in and out, but then after that I loved my time at Palace under him.

“When I first came in the group wasn’t the most together I had been involved in. It was Dougie’s first job. Ian Holloway takes the credit for the promotion but it was Dougie’s hard work – 100 per cent – putting that group of players together. That was what got that team back in the Premier League.”

And the Eagles have been in the top flight ever since Kevin Phillips’ extra-time penalty against Watford at Wembley in May 2013.
Easter was never one to let the atmosphere affect him as a player. And he is adamant Patrick Vieira’s side will be unfazed by the prospect of a soldout Den.

“I can’t imagine any player in that Palace dressing room is going to care,” said Easter. “They are just going to do a job and try and win a game of football. They’ve played in big games and big atmospheres. I’m pretty sure they’ll be used to it.

“Things like that never used to faze me. As a player playing for Millwall, you knew how intense the atmosphere was.

“I sat and watched games and the fans could be a hostile bunch. I could see how it could be intense for people coming to The Den. It never bothered me.

“I have Palace down as favourites. They have got a stronger squad and more quality. But Millwall are at home – it’s an opportunity for them to make it more ugly and a fight.

“The manager [Gary Rowett] has done a very good job – they are competing at the right end of the table. It won’t be easy for Palace, it absolutely won’t be easy. But if I was a betting man I’d probably bet on an away win.”