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Former Blue Palmer on University Challenge
Tuesday, 8th Dec 2020 11:50

Former Town midfielder Steve Palmer will taking part in Christmas University Challenge over the festive season.

Palmer, who these days is the head of data solutions for the Premier League, will be a member of the Christ’s College, Cambridge team.

Christmas University Challenge, presented by Jeremy Paxman, features “56 prominent alumni from 14 universities and university colleges”.

Software engineering graduate Palmer, 52, will be joined on the Christ’s team by captain Lachlan Goudie, a painter, writer and broadcaster, award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera and award-winning poet and novelist Helen Mort.

Brighton-born Palmer joined the Blues in 1989 having impressed while playing for Cambridge University against Town in what was then an annual pre-season friendly.

Palmer spent six years at Portman Road and was a member of the 1991/92 Second Division championship-winning squad and featured in the Premier League in the following seasons.

He joined Watford for £135,000 in 1995, before moving on to QPR in 2001 and the MK Dons in 2004.

Palmer, who was interviewed at length by TWTD in 2013 also played a first-class cricket match for Cambridge University in April 1987 against a Lancashire side featuring a number of future or past England players including Mike Atherton and Neil Fairbrother.

He took the wicket of ex-England opener Graeme Fowler, lbw for 49, and was dismissed by another former England man Paul Allott for 18.

Christmas University Challenge begins on Monday 21st December with Christ’s facing St John’s College, Oxford in their first round match (8.30pm, BBC Two).


Photo: Action Images



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Suffolkboy added 12:00 - Dec 8
SO despite the assertion of some former ‘officials ‘ our footballers today really are quite bright !
Good man ,hope you enjoyed UC and did well !
COYB
1

Marcus added 12:12 - Dec 8
I remember a teammate of his said he was the most intelligent player off the pitch. Nice backhanded compliment :)

I'm aware he did some summer coding work to keep his skills alive. Overlapped with some of my undergraduate research (details far too dull).
1

bluehert added 12:59 - Dec 8
Didn't he wear every shirt number for Watford? Before the days of squad numbers..
1

trulyblue added 13:03 - Dec 8
Billy the Fish
0

Northstandveteran added 13:16 - Dec 8
That was former nappy salesman Neil Thompson trulyblue.

Apologies if you knew that.

A great time to be a teenage town fan 😁.

My most memorable thought of Steve Palmer is him missing a defending header and John Wark going full bulldog, getting right in his face, snarling with steam coming out of his ears 😂

2

Town1Inter0 added 14:44 - Dec 8
I remember thinking that some company ought to sponsor Neil Thompson's gloves in the match-day programme. And then I think TWTD snapped the opportunity up. ;-)
0

Marinersnose added 14:54 - Dec 8
Palmer was an excellent midfielder who was quick and strong and he did much of the dirty work. I remember the home game against Man Utd I believe when he was outstanding in a 1-1 draw against a team of stars. Every team needs a player like him.
0

terryf added 16:39 - Dec 8
Lets hope he answers a question slightly quicker than his first touch of the ball. We used to have sweep stake as to when he would have his first touch of the ball. I think the average was around 25 minutes.
Still good luck to Steve on University Challenge and it sounds he was a pretty decent Cricketer.
0

norfolkbluey added 17:25 - Dec 8
Those were the days. He was a no nonsense player and a good passer of the ball. I shall be watching.
2

Westy added 19:41 - Dec 8
I seem to remember that his nickname at the Club was "The Professor".
1

WeWereZombies added 20:25 - Dec 8
I used to know his teammate Helen Mort when I was on the Cambridge poetry scene fifteen years ago, she has done well for herself with regular slots on Radio Four. Shall be rooting for Christ's if I can find a Sports Bar showing the contest in Panama...
1

PhilTWTD added 20:34 - Dec 8
Town1Inter0

They were Neil Gregory's gloves! Which didn't actually exist as he borrowed Craig Forrest's when he went in goal on a couple of emergency occasions.
2

TractorRoyNo1 added 07:59 - Dec 9
He was a decent player for us.

I remember Liverpool had Big Bamber and Little Bamber.
0

Fatboy added 09:41 - Dec 9
@Westy - You beat me to it. I also remember him as The Professor.
0

Alan_Handsome added 09:48 - Dec 9
Anyone remember the friendly that Ipswich used to play against Cambridge University on Fenners in Cambridge, every year, pre-season? Every year I'd go down there with my autpgraph book...it was the cohort of Theo Theodoru and the Gregory brothers et al. Used to be a really good opportunity to meet some of your heroes. Can't imagien it happens any more, shame, that kind of thing always made players accessible.
0

itfchorry added 22:25 - Dec 9
Alan Handsome-

Did you get Robin Turner's autograph ?
0


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