Crystal Palace F.C.

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**Crystal Palace Football Club** is an English professional association football club based in Selhurst, South London. They are currently members of the Premier League and play their home games at Selhurst Park which has a capacity of 25,486 spectators. Although officially founded in 1905, the club claim to be a continuation of the original amateur Crystal Palace football club first established in 1861, which would make them the oldest professional football club in the world,

The club was formed on 10 September 1905 in the Crystal Palace area of South London. There had previously been an amateur football club with the same name formed in 1861 who were founder members of The Football Association in 1863. However, this club folded in 1876. When the professional club was founded, they applied for election into the Football League but were rejected. This resulted in the club finding themselves in the Southern League Second Division for the 1905–06 season. Playing in the Southern League at weekends, they also competed in the United Counties League mid-week. In 1920, Palace were finally elected into the Football League. Since 1964, they have only dropped below the second tier once, for three seasons between 1974 and 1977.

1991 saw the club record their highest ever league finish when they finished third in the First Division. Unfortunately, Palace missed out on qualifying for the UEFA Cup due to the limited number of places available to English clubs after the lifting of the UEFA ban caused by the Heysel Stadium disaster. During this period, Palace also reached the 1990 FA Cup final which they lost to Manchester United. In 1992, they became founder members of the Premier League but were relegated in 1998. Financial trouble then followed which resulted in the club entering administration in 1999 and 2010 but were saved from liquidation both times. They were promoted back to the Premier League in 2004 but were relegated back down again the season later. They didn't return to the top flight until 2013. In 2016, Palace reached the FA Cup final and once again lost to Manchester United.

## Supporters and rivalries

Palace's have a well known ultras group, known as the Holmesdale Fanatics. They are famous for being one of the only ultra groups in England. They are named after the Holmesdale Road Stand at Selhurst Park where they are located.

Due to being based in London, Palace have a number of local rivals across South and South East London. They maintain rivalries with Millwall and former tenants Charlton Athletic. However, the club's most fierce rivalry is with East Sussex-based Brighton & Hove Albion. The rivalry developed after Palace's relegation to the Third Division in 1974. It intensified when the two teams were drawn together in the first round of the 1976–77 FA Cup. Their tie went to two replays, but the second replay ended in controversy after referee Ron Challis ordered a successful Brighton penalty to be retaken because of Palace player encroachment. The retake was saved and Palace won the tie 1–0.

## Honours

### Domestic

* **English Second Tier**
	+ **Champions (2):** 1978–79, 1993–94
	+ **Play-off winners (4)** **(record)**: 1988–89, 1996–97, 2003–04, 2012–13
* **English Third Tier**
	+ **Champions (1):** 1920–21
* **Full Members Cup**
	+ **Winners (1):** 1990–91
* **FA Youth Cup**
	+ **Winners (2):** 1976–77, 1977–78

### Wartime competitions

* **Football League South**
	+ **Champions (1):** 1940–41
* **Football League South 'D' Division**
	+ **Champions (1):** 1939–40

### Regional

* **Southern Football League Division Two**
	+ **Champions (1):** 1905–06
* **United Counties League**
	+ **Champions (1):** 1906–07
* **London Challenge Cup**
	+ **Winners (3):** 1912–13, 1913–14, 1920–21
* **Surrey Senior Cup**
	+ **Winners (3):** 1996–97, 2000–01, 2001–02