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We hadn't conceded five goals in a game since the home game against Norwich in April 2004 when we three times went in front before turning in a shocking defensive performance that led to a 5-3 defeat. Prior to that it was the day Stan Ternent pointed his finger of blame at Brian Jensen during one of his famous tantrums at Preston in December 2003. And we've to go back to the famous 'Throw One In' season of 2002/03 to find our last defeat by five clear goals, that was the infamous calamity goalkeeping day and a 7-2 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday.
This performance I can tell you was as bad as any of those three, certainly worse than one of them, and this time there can be no blame attached to the goalkeeper in a performance that had absolutely nothing going for it.
Let's get one thing straight first and foremost, Palace are a good side. They played well and for those who like to knock Neil Warnock then it might benefit you to have taken a look at this performance from them. Is one of our most successful managers about to win yet another promotion? You wouldn't argue about it.
On the day we played Stoke at home, Owen Coyle's first game in charge, the league table makes interesting reading as far as Palace are concerned. They were next to the bottom that day but went on to win for the first time under Warnock's management with a 2-1 victory at Colchester. It's not been bad for them since has it?
For this last game of the season they needed a result. As it turned out anything other than a win and they would have missed out. It was the biggest crowd of the season at Selhurst Park with the home fans bedecked in an incredible array of different coloured shirts supporting a club who cannot decide what their colours are (they are set to play in all white next season, it is red and blue this season).
With that anticipation comes pressure and that can lead to a nervous performance and that's how the game started against a different looking Burnley side. Michael Duff was back as expected but not at the expense of either Graham Alexander or Steven Caldwell. Duff slotted in at right back with Alexander returning to the midfield position in which he'd played so well prior to Duff's injury.
Mark Randall was also back and he and Duff replaced the two strikers Ade Akinbiyi and Andrew Cole from last week's 3-3 draw against Cardiff in a reshuffled side that played 4-5-1. Jon Harley was also back in at the expense of Stephen Jordan.
It was all the usual Selhurst Park stuff, the Dave Clarke Five were belting out 'Glad all Over' but it was Burnley who grasped the early initiative to quieten the home fans whose only cheer was to hear that Ben Burgess had given Blackpool the lead against one of the league's current worst sides Watford.
Then we did what we are good at, we gave away a soft goal. There have been suggestions of an offside but whether there was or not there was certainly the sight of seeing a Burnley defender allowing a ball to bounce that he should have been heading away. That was Clarke Carlisle, mind you Steven Caldwell wasn't making much contribution alongside him. The bounce proved fatal, it allowed Scott Sinclair to get onto the ball and even though it looked as though Jensen would deal with any danger Carlisle decided to take him down.
No option had he, our Friend from Watford and QPR brandished the red card and off Carlisle went for the second time in four games (and I wonder just how much abuse Wayne Thomas would have received had he done the same). Ben Watson, the star of the show for me in this game just as he'd been at the Turf, netted from twelve yards and the uphill struggle was underway.
That hill became as steep as Brunshaw Road two minutes later when they doubled their lead. This time we struggled to get the ball away and when Mark Randall missed a header it dropped nicely for Victor Moses to make it 2-0.
I could say we worked to try and get back into the game but in truth it was Robbie Blake who worked to try and get us back into the game. Twice he tested an otherwise redundant Julian Speroni but our best player on the day by some distance got scant support from anywhere.
When Caldwell was too easily beaten eight minutes from time it ended with Palace making it three and that led to a group of Burnley supporters in front of us upping sticks and heading for the pub I presume.
That was it until half time but the manager only had the option of making three changes when more would surely have helped. In the end he replaced the totally ineffective Randall (he's a mile short of being up to playing at this level for me) and brought on Joey Gudjonsson.
The start of the second half started quietly but Burnley were about to have their best spell of the afternoon and it was a period that had the Palace fans applauding in admiration. That superb spell though came from our right back position and on the other side of the touchline as the fans, led by some members of this web site's message board, produced a long and sustained chant of 'We are the Longside, Burnley'.
It was passionate support at its best and those fans of ours deserved better. How long it would have continued we can only guess had Palace not decided to end it with another blasting of 'Glad all Over' to celebrate goal number four.
They went through us like a knife through butter, it was just much, much too easy and embarrassing as Sinclair scored, and it only took another four minutes to get goal number five as Morrison got through on the right hand side to hit a shot past Jensen.
There were still 25 minutes to go and I remain amazed that we got through that without conceding at least one more goal, but 5-0 it stayed although in the end that scoreline flattered us. It is a long time since I saw a Burnley side defend so badly, a long time since I saw anyone open us up and get behind us so easily and so often. At least we got another twenty minutes from Alex MacDonald to brighten up proceedings, he replaced Chris McCann who had had another anonymous game.
Yes Palace are a good side and I wouldn't right now bet against them playing in the Premier League next season, but this was another appalling display from Burnley, absolutely appalling. Scoring goals, something we didn't do in this game, is all well and good but if you want a decent side you have to be good defensively, and this side right now is getting ever closer to the 'Throw One In' team of 2003.
What a way to end the season. You want to end it on a high to take you into the summer but as Burnley fans left Selhurst it was more a case of 'Thank God it is all over'. It's not long since we were talking about the play offs but five defeats in the last eight surely highlights to everyone that we were never good enough to make it. We need to learn to defend, and we've now got fourteen weeks to put that right.
As the music blasted out at the end once more - I really am Glad its all over for another season, and I suspect we might not be making that journey next season.
The teams were;
Crystal Palace: Julian Speroni, Danny Butterfield, Mark Hudson, Jose Fonte, Clint Hill, Shaun Derry (Carl Fletcher 59), Ben Watson, Tom Soares, Scott Sinclair, Clinton Morrison (Sean Scannell 72), Victor Moses (Paul Ifill 32). Subs not used: Tony Craig, James Scowcroft.
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott (Alex MacDonald 70), James O'Connor, Graham Alexander, Chris McCann (Alan Mahon 81), Mark Randall (Joey Gudjonsson 45), Robbie Blake. Subs not used: Gabor Kiraly, Stephen Jordan.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicester).
Attendance: 23950 (including 883 Clarets).