In just one week, generous Crystal Palace fans have raised almost enough money to pay the club’s debt to St John’s Ambulance.

Eagles fan Paul Browning set up the Just Giving fundraising page when he realised the beleaguered club owed the volunteer ambulance service £15,817 when it went into administration.

He set up the page a week ago and fans have already donated an incredible £13,732 which is 87 per cent of the target amount.

In his plea for donations, he wrote: “Palace fans have always been proud to support our club. That doesn't mean, however, that we are proud of the way the club has failed to honour relatively small debts to local businesses and charities like St John Ambulance.

“Crystal Palace (2000) Ltd owed St John Ambulance £15,817 when going into administration – if, and when, Palace come out of administration St John will probably only recover a tiny proportion of this.

“As a Palace fan I've fortunately have never had need to use the services provided by the St John Ambulance at Palace matches, although have away from Selhurst Park – and very good they were too.

“This site has been set up to help pay off this debt that reflects badly on our club and to thank all those who work and volunteer for St John for the great work they do. All the money raised will go to the London branch that will have lost out.”

Chris Moth, a St John Ambulance volunteer providing first aid at Selhurst Park and a staunch Eagles fan, is thrilled by the support.

He said: “We believe that everyone who needs first aid should get it but as a charity we can’t provide first aid services without some contribution towards our costs.

“It’s been a really difficult season at Selhurst this year, but Paul Hart and the team are doing everything they can on the pitch and it’s great that the fans are coming together off the pitch too.

“We’d like to thank Paul Browning for setting this up and the hundreds of fans who have already donated at http://www.justgiving.com/PalaceFans4StJohnAmbulance.”

The charity has confirmed that all the money raised through the website will be used to offset money owed to St John Ambulance by CPFC (2000) Ltd.