Ian Holloway has admitted that he wants Phillips to remain at Crystal Palace, but the decision seems to be on the shoulders of the player as to whether he has a final crack at the Premier League next season.Phillips’ penalty that settled the Championship play-off final arguably represented the perfect fairytale ending to a glittering career, which began over 20 years ago at Watford.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace’s victory over Watford was fourth time lucky for Phillips, who had suffered the heartbreak of play-off final defeat with Sunderland, West Brom and Blackpool previously.
Although only on loan at Palace from Blackpool, Holloway has revealed that he would be in the hunt to sign him in the summer.
Ian Holloway: “Yes I want him to stay.
“There are lots of things we have to talk about, but he’s a fantastic player and I’ll probably still be wanting to sign him when he’s 50 or 60.”
It is 2/1 that Phillips is plying his trade in the top-flight next season and if he is, there is a possibility that he could eclipse Teddy Sheringham as the Premier League’s oldest ever goalscorer.
Sheringham is the only player to have ever scored a Premier League goal aged 40 or older and Phillips will have surpassed his landmark birthday by the time the next campaign starts in August.
Phillips is 20/1 to break Sheringham’s record of 40 years and 264 days and to do so he will have to score on April 16th or later.