• Mike Rankine was removed from his role at the start of the season • Holmesdale Fanatics call for club to drop pre-match light shows

A group of Crystal Palace supporters have launched a petition to reinstate their stadium announcer after his replacements fell “way short of the standards” and their overall matchday experience “worsened significantly” in his absence.

Fans were surprised to see the lifelong Crystal Palace fan Mike Rankine – also known as the “Sound of Selhurst” – had been replaced by the club at the start of the season. In a petition launched this week that has already attracted more than 400 signees, they have urged Palace to reconsider and reappoint Rankine to his previous role.

“Shortly before the start of the 2016-17 Premier League season lifelong Crystal Palace fan Mike Rankine was removed from his position as the club’s official matchday announcer,” reads the petition. “His subsequent replacements have – with all due respect – fallen way short of the standards Mike set during his time in the role, with many supporters commenting that the overall matchday experience has worsened significantly over the past five months in his absence.

“I have spoken with Mike and he has made it clear that he would consider returning to the role should the opportunity ever arise. He is a devout, knowledgeable Palace fan who took immense pride in his role as the ‘Sound of Selhurst’ since 2009.”

At the time of his dismissal, Rankine said on Twitter that the club were “looking at a number of new things for the matchday experience this season and a new voice on the PA is one of them”.

Members of supporters’ group Holmesdale Fanatics have also expressed their concern with recent changes to the pre-match entertainment, including “NFL-esque light shows” and referring to Selhurst Park as a “stadium bowl” which they believe are “alienating our fanbase”.

“The club is in danger of being blinded by the bright lights of the Premier League and our culture is being sold out in the process,” read the message posted by the Holmesdale Fanatics on Twitter and Facebook. “NFL-esque light shows, Selhurst referred to as a ‘stadium bowl’ ... This is everything our club should stand against and all contributes to alienating our fanbase and turns supporters into passive customers.

“As we moves towards a bland generic Premier League identity, we change expectations which leads to negativity. Our recent success was built on a unique proud Palace mentality. We need to get back to basics and remember what brought us this far.”

Palace are 17th in the Premier League after the 2-1 defeat to Swansea. In December 2015, the American investors Josh Harris and David Blitzer bought a large stake in the club with an initial £50m injection of capital.