Way back in May 2000 when there was barely any coverage of anything outside the Premier League, Wimbledon were still a team and when Alan Shearer had hair, Palace were in trouble. Big trouble.
The team had been in administration for an entire season, had sold off all their good players and replaced them with a bunch of kids barely out of secondary school. Somehow, though, they were still in a chance of avoiding relegation to what was known as the Second Division.
To fill the gaps in the squad, Palace brought in some loan players throughout the season. Early in the campaign, an ageing Terry Phelan arrived from Everton and was brilliant but headed back to Merseyside after a couple of months. So in February, with Palace still hovering around the drop, manager Steve Coppell brought in two young players as the loan window closed. One was a Finnish striker from Chelsea called Mikael Forssell and the other was an English talent from Arsenal called Ashley Cole.
It didn't do much for Palace left-back Andy Frampton's confidence that Coppell brought in two loanees to play in his position that season, especially given that Cole had been playing at left wing for the Gunners' youth and reserve teams. But he slotted in at full-back in his debut away at Grimsby and although Palace lost 1-0, he shone and continued to do so for the rest of the season.
While Forssell struggled to impress, Cole went from strength to strength. Highlights included a goal-line clearance against Charlton and a brilliant strike against Blackburn in the penultimate game of the season, which Palace went on to win and secure their Division One status, somehow.
The goal was pure class, spinning on the edge of the box to get away from a couple of defenders he prodded the ball into the top corner, the only place he could put it. Selhurst went wild, Coppell threw his jacket into the crowd at the final whistle and Palace were safe. The game even had former Eagles favourite Matt Jansen scoring for Blackburn but refusing to celebrate because he knew how perilous the situation at Selhurst was.
Forssell did come back the season after on loan again and was far more prolific. By then, though, Cole was a regular in the Arsenal first team. He was already one of the best players in that Palace side when he arrived on loan and was almost ahead of his time.
At a time when full-backs only had to keep their position and snuff out attacks from wide, Cole was happy to do that and move forward, no doubt fuelled by his days as a winger. He had the speed and strength to do it all game, mixed with the composure and maturity on the ball way ahead of his young years. He was a modern full-back playing in the past.
How Palace could do with someone like that 18-year-old Cole now. Full-backs in the modern system are expected to be wingers while not neglecting their defensive duty. The Cole of 2000 could do that and continued to do it all his career but could he do it now?
Rumours of a return on loan to Palace from Roma have surfaced this week and have already been scoffed at by his agent, but would he really be the best candidate? He doesn't have that pace that used to make him so lethal and although some experience at the back would be good, it isn't really what Palace need. They need a left-back for sure, but probably a more flexible one.
The best left-backs in the Premier League right now are the young, quick ones who are a threat at both ends; Aaron Cresswell at West Ham and Andrew Robertson at Hull, for example. Palace would be better off spending that money for Cole's wages on prising young Tyrone Mings from Ipswich.
Cole has mentioned before how much he enjoyed his time at Selhurst and how he would like to return in the twilight of his career. That time is now and while he was brilliant for Palace first time around and instrumental in the team staying up, he isn't what they need now. They need the Ashley Cole of 2000, not the Ashley Cole of 2014.