05 Mark Kennedy
After failing to live up to expectations at Liverpool, Mark Kennedy signed for City in 1999 for £1.6m and became an instant hit with the City fans. He helped the Blues win promotion from Division One in 1999/2000 before joining Wolves for £2m. He joined Palace on a free transfer in 2006, making 46 appearances before being released by Neil Warnock in 2008.
04 Clive Allen
Like many of Clive Allen’s spells with clubs, his stay at Palace was a brief one. He’d actually signed for Arsenal during the summer but within weeks had been swapped for Palace defender Kenny Sansom. After one year, he signed for QPR and the pattern of short stays would continue and he eventually arrived at City in 1989, becoming a popular figure among the fans before a fall-out with player-manager Peter Reid saw an inevitable parting of the ways in 2001.
03 Andy Morrison
City captain Andy Morrison was fighting his way back from injury when he was loaned out to Palace as part of his rehabilitation. He spent a month with the Eagles, playing just five games before returning to City where, despite one more loan deal to Sheffield United, he was forced to retire because of recurring knee problems.
02 Steve Coppell
Coppell with be forever linked with Crystal Palace after four separate spells as manager and/or director of football with the London outfit totalling 12 years. Ironically, after so long with one club, he holds the unenviable record of the manager with the shortest tenure, lasting just 33 days at Maine Road before quitting due to health concerns.
01 Malcolm Allison
A legendary figure at both City and Palace, could there be anyone other than Malcolm Allison to top this list? The cigar-smoking, fedora-wearing manager who loved the champagne lifestyle, had enormous affection for both clubs after spending seven years at Maine Road as head coach to Joe Mercer before managing the Blues for one season in 1972/73.
His first spell at Selhurst Park was between 1973 and 1976 and he returned to City in 1979. Though assistant to Tony Book, his personality ensured that his role was anything but on the periphery – but the second coming was largely a disaster and he was sacked in October 1980 with City bottom of the table. He then sought solace at Palace again, returning to Maine Road with his new team to lose 4-0 in the FA Cup within three months, but moved on again after just a couple of months as the Eagles headed towards relegation. He is still regarded as a favourite son of both clubs.
