Here is the Holmesdale Fanatics’ statement in full:
Group Update: 27 August 2026
“Born from a desire to create a strong unit that could support Palace, resist the passivity that had captured the stands and fight the Draconian restrictions that had been imposed on football supporters, the group was founded in 2005 by a group of Palace fans who had grown disillusioned with the state of the game.
“Two decades later, and after the club’s most successful period in its history – marked by an FA Cup, our first European trophy and a record run in the top flight – attempts to sanitise the game are stronger than ever.
“In an ever more atomised society, football is one of the last remaining spaces where people can come together and unite over something bigger than themselves. But genuine, lifelong fans are no longer prioritised by their football clubs and young lads were never wanted by the authorities in the first place.
“Increasingly driven out by sky-high ticket prices, needless restrictions that are designed to strip away the dignity of supporters and relentless harassment and legal action, many young people are choosing to opt out of a game that seems determined to push them away.
“It’s a testament to the strength of the HF and the receptiveness of Palace fans to new ideas that, despite this climate, an active supporter culture has developed at Palace in recent years, building on the passion of earlier generations. We are proud to have operated 100% independently and have never taken a penny for ourselves. From fighting for the most basic of rights just to take materials into Selhurst and stand up in Block B in the early days, to never-ending problems with the club right up to the present day, we have been uncompromising in fighting for what we believe in and the rights of football supporters everywhere.
“But the current setup is unsustainable. We have repeatedly warned the club that like-minded fans cannot congregate at Palace in the numbers required to sustain a growing active supporter culture. The conditions are simply not there. While we have seen some of the best atmospheres at Selhurst since the group’s formation during our time in block E, it has been a mixed picture in the stands as expectation has grown after more than a decade playing at the highest level.
“There needs to be a drastic shift at Palace towards younger fans and a move away from a culture in which people attend the ground expecting to be entertained, towards a culture of supporters turning up to play an active role in influencing the result.
Magic moments: the Holmesdale Fanatics unveil their vast tifo in Leipzig
“The story away from home is even more dire. In domestic away fixtures, supporters are banned from bringing materials into stadiums, coaches are regularly stopped, and fans are arrested. Away ends across the country are increasingly dominated by older fans, with the next generation failing to come through in significant numbers.
“Given these conditions, we have immense pride in all the group has achieved over the past twenty years. From being at the heart of the protests that rescued the club in 2010, to securing the away ticket price cap that has saved working-class people millions and supporting the club through a record-breaking period, the HF has helped write a chapter in the club’s history that many did not believe was possible.
“But now is the time for us to recognise we have taken the HF as far as it can go in the current climate. We are therefore choosing to stop all organised activity as the HF inside the stadium.
“We do not take this decision lightly. The HF has always been about more than football. It has helped shape our worldview, seen us forge unbreakable friendships and given us some of the best days of our lives. It has been an honour to have stood behind our group banner for more than two decades and to have represented our football club.
“We want to thank everyone who has ever stood with and supported the HF. You have made the last twenty years possible. Tomorrow, we will be at Selhurst as always. Not as an active group, but as a group of mates supporting Palace alongside you all.”
The statement was signed off: HF05
Read more: Fanatics shock Palace fans with end to Selhurst activities
Read more: Something doesn’t sniff right as security firm breaks the law
Read more: Holmesdale fans condemn council as ‘shame of our borough’
PAID ADS: To advertise your services or products to our 10,000 weekday visitors to the site, as featured on Google News Showcase, email us inside.croydon@btinternet.com for our unbeatable ad rates
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, or want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
- Our comments section on every report provides all readers with an immediate “right of reply” on all our content. Our comments policy can be read by clicking here
