Adam Wharton said the atmosphere at Selhurst Park was the best he had experienced since he joined Crystal Palace as the club advanced to the Conference League final with a win over Shakhtar Donetsk.
Adam Wharton hailed the atmosphere at Selhurst Park as the best he has expereinced since he joined Crystal Palace as the club advanced to the Conference League final.
Wharton, calm and composed as ever in midfield alongside Daichi Kamada, helped Palace to a 2-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk at Selhurst Park on Thursday night.
That saw Palace advance through the semi-finals with a 5-2 aggregate win and they now have a date with destiny on May 27, when they will meet Rayo Vallecano in the final.
There was a party feel to proceedings at Selhurst Park from the off, with fireworks and jubilant fans greeting the players.
And come the end of the game, that atmosphere was that much more positive, as the Eagles booked their spot in their second final in as many seasons.
Wharton has been a key part of that incredible turnaround but after defeating Shakhtar, he was keen to praise the fans.
He said: “This is the best it has been in my just over two years, the atmosphere was unbelievable, you can tell how much it means to South London, packed stadiums, it is an unbelievable feeling.
“I think everyone in the club, the team, the staff, the fans, throughout the club, everyone just wants to do well for the club.
“[It was the] first trophy last year in 120 years and we are trying to get another for the fans.
“It means everything to them and honestly you get goosebumps, it is incredible.
“You saw when he [Oliver Glasner] came in, we were in incredible form in the Premier League and then last year’s form in the FA Cup, incredible run and then this year in Europe, first time in Europe, for a club like Crystal Palace, it is massive and it is incredibly difficult with so many more fixtures, small squad.
“We were running thin in December, January, it was tough but we guided through it and the fans stuck by us and this is the reward we get, one final chance to make a massive statement on Crystal Palace history.
“Like I said it [the atmosphere] is the best I have heard it in over two years, you can’t put it into words, you can see how much it means to them, you can barely hear anything.”
Palace still have four Premier League matches to go until the end of the season but all eyes will be firmly on the Conference League final in Leipzig on May 27.