Glad All Over gets a fresh Crystal Palace airing with Wembley on the way
Palace for Life, the official charity of Crystal Palace FC, has released a cover of the club’s iconic walk-out anthem, Glad All Over.
Performed by its Down’s Syndrome football team, the DS Eagles and Crystal Palace players, the song aims to challenge stereotypes around Down’s Syndrome and employment and raise funds for the charity’s work.
And starring in it is 17-year-old Eagles season ticket holder Ruairi, who is seen greeting goalkeeper Dean Henderson at the start of a music video produced by the PfL Foundation.
The timing could hardly be more appropriate, with the Eagles due to take on Aston Villa next week in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium.
Since Glad All Over was first played over the tannoy at Selhurst Park in January 1964, the song has become synonymous with Crystal Palace, ringing out as the team enter the pitch and when they score.
With this special cover version, the DS Eagles are cementing their own place in Crystal Palace history.
This cover of the 1963 hit by The Dave Clark Five marks the culmination of DS GAME ON, a year- long Palace for Life programme designed to help people with Down’s Syndrome develop skills and confidence for employment.
Combining two of the charity’s most successful initiatives, DS Eagles, which provides sports sessions for people with Down’s Syndrome, and GAME ON, its flagship employment programme, the project gives participants hands-on experience in a range of job roles.
Recorded over 60 years after the original release in a studio near Selhurst Park, the DS Eagles’ version of Glad All Over features guest vocals from Palace players Chris Richards, Aimee Everett, Fliss Gibbons and Shanade Hopcroft, alongside Palace for Life coaches.
A behind-the-scenes music video accompanies the release, capturing the recording process and offering a glimpse into the DS GAME ON employment programme that supported the singers throughout the year.
The first year of DS GAME ON saw 15 participants try out roles in cooking, t-shirt design, caring, barista training and music, proving that given the opportunity, people with Down’s Syndrome can thrive in the workplace. However, barriers like prejudice, limited opportunities, and low expectations still persist.
Palace for Life hope Glad All Over will raise awareness, challenge outdated assumptions, and generate funds to support its employment programmes for young people across south London.
Ruairi’s mum Valerie said: “We are very proud of Ruairi and our hopes are for him to lead a happy, healthy, and independent life and to gain employment. We are also very grateful to Palace for Life for enabling Ruairi to access opportunities which would not otherwise be available for our children. It is a notable charity and has helped to change the lives of many children throughout south London.”
Pictured top: Ruairi – one of the stars of the music video, shown here in a still from the production (Picture: Palace for Life Foundation)
