As we reach the month of May in our review of the biggest and best news stories of the year, there was one report, direct from the National Stadium, that had many Croydon folk walking on air for days afterwards… 

MAY

Captains courageous: Joel Ward and Marc Guehi, backed by the Palace squad, deserve the thanks of the borough

A dream becomes reality: Wembley shook and it was beautiful

Remember Peter Gillman, the veteran Sunday Times hack who uncovered the scandal of the dodgy doggy checks at Selhurst Park a couple of months earlier? Well, on Saturday May 17, 2025, he became the first journalist from Inside Croydon to file a match report from the press box at Wembley Stadium, as Crystal Palace won the FA Cup, upsetting the odds by beating the previously all-conquering Manchester City.

Nuff said, really.

Click on the headline link above and read, or hopefully re-read, Peter’s first-hand account of that famous day, and for a few minutes on a cold, dark December day, wallow in the joy of it all.

Now, Oliver, about that contract…

Also in May…

More Inside Croydon exclusives:

Cup-winners Palace snub Perry over Town Hall victory parade

Council boss denies demanding £200,000 in Palace parade row

Good business:

Coombe Wood House is providing what Croydon’s long missed

Bad business:

Superdry closure is the latest nail in Whitgift Centre’s coffin

A Croydon success story:

TfL to mark 25th anniversary of Croydon’s trams network

NUMBER CRUNCHING: For the fifth successive month, Inside Croydon’s reporting generated 300,000 page views, as we produced more news you can use.

PICK OF THE PODCASTS: This year, we abandoned our “politicians-free zone” rule for our Croydon Insider round-table,news discussion panel thingies, and invited in councillors and candidates to be gently grilled by our readers. Back in May, facing our readers’ panel was Rowenna Davis, since 2022 a councillor for Waddon ward and now her party’s candidate for Croydon Mayor at the 2026 local elections.

Listen in on our Spotify channel by clicking here and see whether what was being said six months ago holds up to scrutiny today

• If you missed our review of January 2025’s news, take a look at this: That was the year that was: Inside Croydon’s pick of 2025
• For February’s top news stories, have a look at this: Purley Pool, porkie pies and a busted budget
• For the highlights, and council lowlights, from March, click here: Council’s closed doors, Selhurst security, Bridge to Nowhere
• Check out what was making the news Inside Croydon in April by clicking here

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