Who Is Steve Vickers? The Only Player to Represent Crystal Palace & Dynamo Kyiv!

Crystal Palace are set to face Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kyiv in their opening Conference League match on Thursday evening. While this will be the first-ever meeting between the two clubs, they share a unique link — Steve Vickers is the only player to have represented both teams.

Crystal Palace earned their spot in Europe after winning the FA Cup last season and head into this game in impressive form. Under Oliver Glasner, the Eagles recently secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Liverpool with a 97th-minute winner, currently sitting third in the Premier League table. Dynamo Kyiv, meanwhile, are second in the Ukrainian Premier League and boast an unbeaten streak of 39 league matches. Palace themselves remain unbeaten in 18 games across all competitions.

Steve Vickers’ connection with both clubs is a fascinating footnote. According to FBREF, Vickers played six matches for Crystal Palace during a loan spell from Middlesbrough in 2001 and featured in one match for Dynamo Kyiv in 2003. His career began in 1984 with Spennymoor United, followed by eight years at Tranmere Rovers where he made over 300 appearances. In 1993, he joined Middlesbrough, making over 250 appearances in an eight-year spell before brief stints with Crystal Palace, Birmingham City, and finally Dynamo Kyiv.

Reflecting on his time at Palace, Vickers once said, “I enjoyed my loan spell at Crystal Palace but it looks as though a Palace move is off for good. It is a pity it did not work out with Palace. I left there on a high but I am now in limbo at Middlesbrough.” His future at Palace was uncertain partly due to the managerial changes at the time, with Steve Bruce being sacked in November 2001. Vickers later moved to Birmingham City, initially on loan, before signing permanently.

The upcoming match between Crystal Palace and Dynamo Kyiv kicks off at 5:45 pm on Thursday and will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime and TNT Sports.