Palace keeper wants more playing time (From Your Local Guardian)

Palace keeper wants more playing time

12:05pm Monday 17th November 2008 in

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Darryl Flahavan has admitted his disappointment at a lack of first team action at Crystal Palace this season.

The goalkeeper, who turns 30 next week, made his league debut for the Eagles on Saturday four months after signing on a free transfer from Southend United, where he had been the regular shot-stopper for the past eight seasons.

He was drafted in after Julian Speroni’s wife gave birth on Friday, the first time the Argentine has missed a league game since April 2007, and Flahavan admitted having to wait so long for his chance had affected him.

He said: “I have been used to playing for eight years now so it is a bit disappointing.

“He did alright and I can’t complain. He slipped a couple of times but we didn’t let him down like we let him down at Leeds.”

Neil Warnock on Darryl Flahavan's performance on Saturday

“There are times when you feel a bit down, which I was, but you’ve just got to keep going and believe in yourself and be ready when you get your chance.

“I found out on Thursday that I would be playing which gave me enough time to get prepared for it.

“It was my first game for six or seven weeks so to go straight into a first team game like that I was pleased with the way it went.”

Flahavan is hopeful of a run of games between the sticks for Palace but admits that if he gets relegated to the stands again he might look for a loan move away from SE25.

“It would depend on what club it was but I obviously want to play football,” he said.

“For someone of my age it isn’t very good just to be sat in the stands but I’ve got to accept that.

“I knew when I came here it was going to be one hell of a fight for me with Julian playing as well as he has but I was up for that and if I get a run of games I think I’ll improve and I’ll give him a big go.”

Manager Neil Warnock said: “He did alright and I can’t complain. He slipped a couple of times but we didn’t let him down like we let him down at Leeds.”