Why Crystal Palace Belt Out ‘Glad All Over’ — The Anthem That Makes Selhurst Shake

If you’ve ever set foot inside Selhurst Park, you’ll know the moment. The tannoy crackles, that drumbeat drops, and the Holmesdale turns into a single, surging voice. ‘Glad All Over’ isn’t just a singalong for Crystal Palace — it’s the club’s calling card, the soundtrack to South London swagger.

How a stadium announcer sparked a tradition

The tale starts with broadcaster John Henty, the long-serving stadium announcer and sound man at Selhurst. In the early months of 1964 — just after the tune hit No 1 in January — Henty spun the Dave Clark Five’s ‘Glad All Over’ over the speakers and watched the place come alive. He tried a few other records in that era (even a bit of Herb Alpert), but nothing lit the fuse like this stomper.

Henty flicked the switch in 1964, and Palace have been belting it out ever since — a tradition born in the booth that grew into the club’s heartbeat.

Back then the terraces were packed with youngsters who thumped the old advertising boards in time with the beat. That percussive racket became part of the ritual — a proper old-school roar that still echoes through SE25 today.

Proof in black and white

There’s even period evidence to back it up. A match programme for the Peterborough United game on 25 January 1964 carried a note from the sound team calling for record requests, with a nod to how ‘Glad All Over’ kept supporters moving at the break. In other words: by early ’64, the anthem was already bedding in at Selhurst.

Why it works for Palace

Sonically, it’s tailor-made for terraces. The clattering, call-and-response rhythm is built for thousands to lock in as one. Culturally, it fits Palace down to the ground — a bit bold, a bit brash, and unashamedly fun. When that chorus hits, the energy ricochets from the Holmesdale End to the opposite stand, and you can feel the away end bristle. It’s not just noise; it’s identity.

The song behind the chant

‘Glad All Over’ is a 1963 release by The Dave Clark Five, written by Dave Clark and Mike Smith. It topped the UK singles chart and climbed to No 6 in the US, a flagship of the British Invasion that even stirred a little rivalry with The Beatles. The lyrics are pure, chest-out devotion — simple, catchy, and absolutely perfect for football’s communal pulse.

Still singing — with new twists

Selhurst hasn’t stood still. In recent seasons, Palace fans — sometimes coaxed by goalkeeper Dean Henderson — have riffed on Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka’, while terrace tributes to club icons like Wilfried Zaha and Jean-Philippe Mateta regularly ring out. But when the big moments come, the old favourite takes centre stage.

Whether you’re in the Holmesdale or on an away-day concourse, the anthem binds generations — from the kids who once battered those hoardings to the present-day chorus leaders. And if you’re planning your next matchday and fancy a flutter, keep an eye on the best betting sites before the teams walk out — because once ‘Glad All Over’ erupts, form books have a habit of going out the window.

The verdict

Some songs are just catchy; this one is foundational. ‘Glad All Over’ didn’t drift into Palace folklore — it charged in with a beat you can feel in your ribs and a chorus that turns a ground into a force of nature. Long may it rattle the hoardings and rouse the Eagles.