After just over 20 years at Selhurst Park, the Holmesdale Fanatics have called time on their group activities as the leading supporters’ group in Crystal Palace’s Holmesdale Road End.
The ultras group released a statement detailing its reasons for disbanding, highlighting the “sanitisation of football” as a key reason for walking away.
The group went on to state that genuine fans are no longer being prioritised by football clubs, with sky-high ticket prices, restrictions and even supporter harassment all playing a role in its decision. The Holmesdale Fanatics added that they were “proud” of what they had achieved over the years at Selhurst Park, but said that the current setup had become “unsustainable”.
Despite passionate support that has helped Palace establish themselves as a Premier League side since 2013, the group has also been involved in controversy, most recently surrounding Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
The ultras unfurled a tifo display depicting Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White with a gun held to his head by club owner Marinakis during the game between Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest in August 2025. The display was a reference to Gibbs-White’s proposed summer move to Tottenham Hotspur.
A speech bubble beside Marinakis read: “Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption!”
Marinakis, who also owns Greek side Olympiacos, responded by suing Crystal Palace for defamation in an ongoing case at the High Court. The club was also fined £50,000 by the FA over the banner.
Former Palace owner Simon Jordan was asked about his experiences with the Holmesdale Fanatics during his time at the club. Jordan, who left the club in administration in 2010, was quick to refute some of the claims made by the group.
Speaking to Jim White on talkSPORT, Jordan responded to claims from the fans that they had played a key role in the club’s survival in 2010.
“I’m sorry, you might not like to hear this, the reason the football club had its challenges in 2010 is because I ran out of money. I did a deal with Lloyds Bank for the stadium to be bought by other people and I wiped my mouth of £50 million quid. You didn’t save the football club.”
Jordan also detailed his struggles with the supporters, revealing that the club faced FA fines for persistent standing and pyrotechnics being brought into the ground in breach of regulations. He also claimed that manifestos from supporters were presented to the owners outlining how they believed the football club should be run.
These examples of “fan power” are commonplace in European football among some ultras groups, with several notable examples demonstrating how supporter influence can quickly extend beyond the stands.
In 2003, Lazio ultras group Irriducibili had the squad number 12 retired in their honour by the club for the support provided by the Curva Nord at the Stadio Olimpico.
However, the influence of the group extended beyond the terraces, with reports of free entry for group members and associates, a merchandise operation and involvement in player transfers. The group disbanded in 2020, after its former leader, Fabrizio Piscitelli, was assassinated by a gunman in a Rome park in 2019.
The Holmesdale Fanatics called on Crystal Palace to prioritise the younger generation of supporters and allow them to make a difference on matchdays.
The group said: “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.”
It remains to be seen whether a new group will replace the departed Holmesdale Fanatics and bring the notoriously vocal atmosphere back to Selhurst Park.
Image Credit: Christal Palace