ADVERTISEMENT

Last Updated:
2024-09-22 08:21:10

Crystal Palace F.C.

Professional football club based in South London
Professional football club based in South London

Crystal Palace F.C. was established in 1905 at the Crystal Palace Exhibition building. They moved to Selhurst Park in 1924. The club has a rich history, competing in the top two tiers of English football. Their best season was in 1990–91, finishing third in the league. Palace has a rivalry with Brighton & Hove Albion, Millwall, and Charlton Athletic.

Community for Timeline Editors
Place where unique editors like you interact
1850
Commissioning of the Great Exhibition building

The commission for the Great Exhibition building in Hyde Park was established in January 1850, with notable figures like Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Charles Barry involved in the project. The design had to be temporary, simple, and economical.

1851-05-01
Great Exhibition of 1851 at the Crystal Palace

The Great Exhibition of 1851 took place at the Crystal Palace in London, showcasing technological advancements of the Industrial Revolution. Designed by Joseph Paxton, the exhibition gathered exhibitors from around the world in a massive glass and iron structure.

1854-06
Opening of the New Crystal Palace

In June 1854, the new Crystal Palace opened, which was larger than the original and set in 200 acres of parkland. The Crystal Palace Company controlled everything that happened within the building and the surrounding parkland, operating it like a theme park where visitors were charged an entry fee.

1857-06
Establishment of Cricket Pitch at Crystal Palace

In June 1857, the Crystal Palace Company laid its own cricket pitch for visiting clubs and companies to use. This marked the introduction of sports activities at the Crystal Palace, starting with archery and cricket.

1857-08
Introduction of Football at Crystal Palace

In August 1857, football was first introduced at the Crystal Palace when the brewery Truman Hanbury & Buxton staged cricket matches for their employees, with football being played on the edge of the ground. This marked the early stages of the Crystal Palace Company's interest in football.

1858-01-23
Advertisement for Football Game at Crystal Palace

An advertisement appeared in the Morning News on 23rd January, 1858, inviting experienced players to attend a football game to be played on the cricket ground at the Crystal Palace. This demonstrates the Company's early involvement in promoting football.

1859
Formation of Crystal Palace Cricket Club

In summer 1859, the Crystal Palace Company established its own cricket club, the Crystal Palace Club, with Thomas Farquhar as its first President. The club attracted members from the local gentry and marked a significant development in sports activities at the Crystal Palace.

1861
Crystal Palace Football Team Established

The Crystal Palace football team was established in 1861, and played its first match in March 1862. This makes Palace the oldest league club still playing professional football.

1862-03-15
Crystal Palace's First Match

Crystal Palace's first reported match took place on 15th March 1862 against a club called Forest. This match is significant in football history as it was the first recorded game between two clubs that later founded the Football Association.

1863-10-26
Crystal Palace at the First FA Meeting

Crystal Palace, a working men's team founded by employees at the Crystal Palace in 1861, was present at the first meeting of the Football Association in London on 26 October 1863.

1866
Charles Alcock joins the FA committee

Charles Alcock became a member of the Football Association committee in 1866, playing a crucial role in the establishment and development of association football.

1870
Charles Alcock becomes FA secretary

Charles Alcock was appointed as the secretary of the Football Association in 1870, a position he held for 25 years, contributing significantly to the growth and organization of football.

1871-11-11
Crystal Palace's First FA Cup Match

Crystal Palace played their first FA Cup match against Hitchin in the inaugural FA Cup. The match ended in a 0-0 draw, leading to both teams progressing to the next round.

1872-01-20
Crystal Palace's Quarter-Final Match against the Wanderers

Crystal Palace faced the Wanderers in the FA Cup quarter-final, which ended in a 0-0 draw. The Wanderers and Palace were both allowed to progress to the semi-final.

1875-12-18
Disappearance of Crystal Palace football club from historical records

After a match against Barnes F.C. on 18 December 1875, the Crystal Palace football club disappeared from historical records.

1876
Crystal Palace Stops Playing Football

In 1876, Crystal Palace suddenly stopped playing football after having shown significant progress in the sport.

1894
Construction of Crystal Palace Football Arena

The football arena Crystal Palace was built in 1894. It served as the home ground for the second version of Crystal Palace FC, which was founded in 1905.

1895-04
First FA Cup Final at Sydenham

The first FA Cup final at Sydenham in April 1895 marked the beginning of a series of finals held at the venue until 1915. The event became of national importance and was considered an unofficial bank holiday.

1905-09-10
Formation of professional Crystal Palace football club

The professional Crystal Palace football club was formed on 10 September 1905 under the guidance of Aston Villa assistant secretary Edmund Goodman. They initially played in the Southern League Second Division.

1906-07
Champions

Crystal Palace emerged as the champions of the United League in the 1906-07 season.

1907-08
Joined Western League Division 1B

In the 1907-08 season, Crystal Palace also joined the Western League Division 1B.

1908-09
CRYSTAL PALACE vs 2

In the 1908-09 season, CRYSTAL PALACE played against team '2' resulting in a draw.

1911-12
Winners

Crystal Palace emerged as the winners of the Kent Senior Shield in the 1911-12 season.

1913
Crystal Palace Park as FA Cup Finals Venue

The vast acres surrounding the Crystal Palace were transformed into a pleasure park, with an open arena that hosted the FA Cup Finals, drawing a crowd of 120,000 for the 1913 Final.

1914
Outbreak of First World War

The First World War began on 4 August 1914, leading to the enlistment of three Crystal Palace players as Reservists and the unfortunate deaths of former players Ginger Williams and Joe Bulcock.

1915-03
Crystal Palace forced to move to Herne Hill Velodrome

In March 1915, The Admiralty ordered Crystal Palace to vacate their grounds due to the war, leading the club to relocate to nearby Herne Hill Velodrome.

1919
Crystal Palace moved to The Nest

Four years after moving to the Herne Hill Velodrome, Crystal Palace shifted to a ground known as The Nest, which was previously occupied by Croydon Common FC.

1920
Crystal Palace FC joins Football League

In 1920, Crystal Palace FC became a member of the Football League after spending 15 years in the Southern League.

1922-01-03
Crystal Palace purchases Selhurst Park

On 3 January 1922, the club purchased the ground at a cost of £2,750, and renowned football stadium architect Archibald Leitch was commissioned to design Selhurst Park.

1924-08-30
Opening of Selhurst Park

Selhurst Park, the new home ground of Crystal Palace, was opened on 30 August 1924 with a match against The Wednesday, although the club lost 0-1.

1925
Relegated to Division Three South

In 1925, Crystal Palace was relegated to Division Three South.

1926-03-01
England versus Wales international match at Selhurst Park

Selhurst Park staged the England versus Wales international match on 1 March 1926, which remains the only full international match to be played at the ground.

1938
Crystal Palace Kit Color Change

In 1938, Crystal Palace decided to abandon the claret and blue colors and adopted white shirts and black shorts with matching socks.

1949
Crystal Palace Football Club Founded

In 1949, Crystal Palace Football Club was established.

1958
Arthur Wait becomes permanent chairman of Crystal Palace club

Arthur Wait assumed the role of permanent chairman of the Crystal Palace club in 1958, holding the position until 1972.

1961-11
Johnny Byrne called up to England national team

In November 1961, Johnny Byrne was called up to the England national team despite playing outside the top two divisions at the time, a rare achievement shared by only five players. He played in a 1–1 draw against Northern Ireland at Wembley Stadium.

1962-04-18
Real Madrid's first appearance in London at Selhurst Park

On Wednesday 18 April 1962, Real Madrid made their first ever appearance in London in a friendly match at Selhurst Park to celebrate the opening of Palace's new floodlights. The Spanish giants won 4–3 in a thrilling match against Palace.

1963
Crystal Palace Home Kit Change to Yellow

In 1963, Crystal Palace adopted yellow shirts as their home colors, deviating from their previous kit designs.

1968
Dave Clark Five performs 'Glad All Over' at Selhurst Park

In 1968, after the Dave Clark Five performed 'Glad All Over' at Selhurst Park, the song became closely associated with the club, and Palace fans started singing it at every match.

1969
Crystal Palace FC reaches Division One

In 1969, Crystal Palace FC reached Division One for the first time in their history.

1972
Introduction of 'Player of the Year' award at Crystal Palace

In the 1971–72 season, Crystal Palace introduced a new 'Player of the Year' award which has been presented at the end of every season since then, with defender John McCormick being the first recipient.

1973-04
Malcolm Allison appointed as Palace manager

In April 1973, Malcolm Allison was appointed as the new manager of Crystal Palace, replacing Bert Head. Allison's arrival marked a new era for the club, introducing changes in personnel and strategy.

1974
Rivalry with Brighton & Hove Albion Begins

Crystal Palace's rivalry with Brighton & Hove Albion intensified after Palace's relegation to the Third Division in 1974, culminating in a controversial FA Cup match between the two teams.

1977
Crystal Palace's FA Cup Semi-Finals Run

Crystal Palace had a successful run to the FA Cup semi-finals in 1977 wearing a diagonal red and blue sash on their all-white shirts.

1979-05-11
Crystal Palace's record home attendance against Burnley

Crystal Palace's official record home attendance of 51,482 was set during a Second Division match against Burnley on 11 May 1979.

1981-01-26
Ron Noades and his consortium take control of Crystal Palace club

Property developer Ron Noades and his consortium gained control of the Crystal Palace club on January 26, 1981, with Noades becoming the club's second-longest serving chairman.

1984-06-04
Steve Coppell appointed as manager of Crystal Palace

Former Manchester United and England player Steve Coppell, who had retired due to injury, was appointed as manager of Crystal Palace. He rebuilt the club over the next few years, leading them to achieve promotion back to the top flight via the play-offs in 1988–89.

1987
Introduction of Eagle Emblem

In 1987, the club adopted the nickname 'Eagles' and introduced an emblem with an eagle holding a ball, inspired by Portuguese club Benfica.

1989-04
Crystal Palace reaches FA Cup Final

Crystal Palace reached the FA Cup Final for the first time in their history after a thrilling 4-3 victory over Liverpool in the semi-finals.

1990
Crystal Palace reaches 1990 FA Cup final

Crystal Palace reached the 1990 FA Cup final, drawing 3–3 with Manchester United in the first match but losing the replay 0–1. This success led the club to challenge for the English league title in the 1990–91 season.

1991-09
Controversial comments by Ron Noades

Chairman Ron Noades made controversial comments about the racial makeup of the team, leading to unrest among the players. Ian Wright subsequently left the club for Arsenal.

1992
Crystal Palace becomes a founder member of the FA Premier League

Crystal Palace was among the founding members of the newly formed FA Premier League in the 1992-93 season, as the top clubs broke away to create a new elite division in English football.

1993
Crystal Palace wins the First Division title

Under manager Alan Smith, Crystal Palace won the First Division title in the 1993 season, gaining promotion back to the Premier League after a successful campaign.

1994-05-08
Crystal Palace Become First Division Champions

On May 8, 1994, Crystal Palace celebrated becoming First Division Champions after a match against Watford at Selhurst Park.

1995-01-25
Eric Cantona incident at Selhurst Park

During a match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United at Selhurst Park, United forward Eric Cantona was sent off and later retaliated with a flying kick towards a Palace fan. This incident led to legal consequences for Cantona and the fan involved.

1996-05-27
Crystal Palace loses 1996 First Division play-off final

Crystal Palace lost 1-2 against Leicester City in dramatic fashion after a long range Steve Claridge goal in the final minute of extra-time.

1997-05-27
Crystal Palace loses 1996 First Division play-off final

Crystal Palace lost 1-2 against Leicester City in the 1996 First Division play-off final at Wembley, with a dramatic long-range goal by Steve Claridge in the final minute of extra time.

1998-06-05
Mark Goldberg acquires Crystal Palace club from Ron Noades

Mark Goldberg purchased the Crystal Palace club from Ron Noades on June 5, 1998, becoming the new owner after Noades' tenure.

1999-02-06
Filming at Selhurst Park

Scenes for the 1999 film Wonderland featuring a football match were shot at Selhurst Park during Crystal Palace's 1-1 draw against Birmingham City.

2000-01
Winners

Crystal Palace emerged as the winners of the Surrey Senior Cup in the 2000-01 season.

2001-02
Winners

Crystal Palace were the winners of the Surrey Senior Cup in the 2001-02 season.

2001-04
Alan Smith sacked as Crystal Palace manager

Alan Smith was sacked as Crystal Palace manager in April 2001 with relegation to the third tier looming. Steve Kember and Terry Bullivant took temporary charge, and Palace avoided relegation on the last day of the season.

2001-07
Simon Jordan takes over Crystal Palace

Simon Jordan, a lifelong fan, purchased Crystal Palace in July 2001. He replaced Steve Coppell with Alan Smith as manager, leading to a League Cup semi-final but eventual sacking due to relegation concerns.

2002-03
Crystal Palace vs Cheltenham Town

Crystal Palace faced Cheltenham Town in the 2002-03 season, achieving a remarkable 7-0 win.

2003-04
Crystal Palace promoted to F.A. Premier League

In the 2003-04 season, Crystal Palace secured their promotion to the F.A. Premier League after a thrilling play-off victory against Sunderland and West Ham United.

2003-08
Steve Kember becomes permanent manager

After a successful start to the 2003-04 season with three consecutive wins, Steve Kember was appointed as the permanent manager of Crystal Palace, putting the club at the top of the table.

2004-05-29
Crystal Palace wins Division One play-off final

Crystal Palace, managed by Iain Dowie, won the Division One play-off final against West Ham United 1-0 with a goal from Neil Shipperley, securing promotion to the Premiership.

2005-06
Crystal Palace vs Walsall

Crystal Palace competed against Walsall in the 2005-06 season, securing a 3-0 victory at home.

2006-07
Crystal Palace vs Notts County

In the 2006-07 season, Crystal Palace faced Notts County, resulting in a 1-2 loss for Crystal Palace.

2008-04
Simon Jordan settles dispute with Iain Dowie

Simon Jordan pursued a legal dispute with Iain Dowie after he left Crystal Palace for Charlton Athletic. The affair was settled in April 2008.

2009-08
Crystal Palace F.C. Foundation Recognized

In August 2009, the Football League awarded the Silver Standard Community Scheme Award to Crystal Palace F.C. Foundation for their work with local London Boroughs.

2010-08-20
CPFC 2010 consortium takes control of Crystal Palace club

A consortium of four wealthy fans known as CPFC 2010 completed a takeover of the Crystal Palace club on August 20, 2010, after the club entered administration.

2010-11-01
Crystal Palace's relocation plans announced

In 2010, Crystal Palace Football Club announced plans to relocate back to the site of the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and redevelop it into a 40,000-seater stadium. This marked a significant development for the club.

2010-11-06
George Burley appointed as CPFC manager

In 2010, George Burley was appointed as the new manager of Crystal Palace Football Club for the 2010-11 season, with Dougie Freedman as his assistant. The team struggled in the Championship and Burley was eventually sacked.

2011-01-01
George Burley sacked as manager

After a poor start to the season and a 0-3 defeat to Millwall, George Burley was sacked as Crystal Palace manager on January 1, 2011.

2011-01-09
Dougie Freedman becomes caretaker manager

Following George Burley's sacking, Dougie Freedman was named caretaker manager of Crystal Palace on January 9, 2011.

2011-01-18
Dougie Freedman appointed as full-time manager

Just over a week after becoming caretaker manager, Dougie Freedman was appointed as the full-time manager of Crystal Palace on January 18, 2011.

2012-10-23
Dougie Freedman departs to manage Bolton Wanderers

After a year and a half as Crystal Palace manager, Dougie Freedman left the club to manage Bolton Wanderers on October 23, 2012.

2013-05
Crystal Palace promoted to Premier League under Ian Holloway

In May 2013, Crystal Palace Football Club, under the management of Ian Holloway, won the play-offs and secured promotion to the Premier League after an eight-year absence. This was a major achievement for the club.

2014-07-18
Crystal Palace Club Name

The user expresses admiration for the English club Crystal Palace, describing it as having the most beautiful name among all English clubs.

2015-01
Alan Pardew appointed as Palace manager

In January 2015, Alan Pardew, a former Palace player, was named as the new manager. Under his leadership, Palace reached the 2016 FA Cup final after 26 years.

2015-12
American investors Josh Harris and David Blitzer purchase stake in Crystal Palace

In December 2015, American investors Josh Harris and David Blitzer acquired an 18% stake in Crystal Palace for £50 million. The stake has since decreased to around 10%.

2016-12-22
Sam Allardyce appointed as Crystal Palace manager

On December 22, 2016, Sam Allardyce was appointed as the manager of Crystal Palace Football Club. He signed a 2½-year contract with the club.

2017-06-26
Frank de Boer appointed as Palace manager

On 26 June 2017, Frank de Boer became the first permanent foreign manager of Crystal Palace. However, his tenure was short-lived as he was dismissed after a poor start to the 2017-18 season.

2019-06
Crystal Palace sells Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United

In June 2019, Crystal Palace received their highest transfer fee of £50 million from Manchester United for the sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

2020-06
Death of Club Mascot Kayla

In June 2020, the club's American bald eagle mascot, Kayla, passed away after serving as the club mascot from mid-2010 to 2020.

2021-05-18
Roy Hodgson leaves Palace

On 18 May 2021, Crystal Palace announced that Roy Hodgson would be departing at the end of the 2020-21 season. He achieved consecutive fourteenth-place finishes in his last two seasons with the club.

2021-07-04
Patrick Vieira appointed as Palace manager

On 4 July 2021, Patrick Vieira, the former Arsenal captain, was appointed as the new manager of Crystal Palace on a three-year contract. He led the club to an FA Cup semi-final in his first season.

2022-06
Crest Year Change

In June 2022, the club changed the year on its crest from 1905 to 1861, reflecting the establishment of the original Crystal Palace Football Club.

2023-03-21
Roy Hodgson returns as Palace manager

On 21 March 2023, Roy Hodgson was re-appointed as the manager of Crystal Palace until the end of the season. He successfully guided the club to safety, finishing in eleventh place.

2024-02-19
Oliver Glasner becomes Palace manager

On 19 February 2024, former Eintracht Frankfurt and VfL Wolfsburg manager Oliver Glasner took over as the manager of Crystal Palace, replacing Roy Hodgson who stepped down prematurely.

End of the Timeline
Crystal Palace F.C.
Become an Editor of Timeline Wiki
Become an Editor of
Timeline Wiki
USD $0 for creating and editing infinite number of timelines after sign up.