The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace Company who owned the Crystal Palace Exhibition building founded the Crystal Palace Club in 1857 to play cricket before turning their attention to football. It had been lobbied by existing members of the cricket club to provide a continuation of sporting activities during the winter months. The company formed the football club in 1861. All of the football club’s management-committee and most of its original players were previously members of the cricket club, and they shared the same pitch within the Crystal Palace Park.