Crystal Palace F.C. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Crystal Palace

Full name	Crystal Palace Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Eagles The Glaziers
Short name	Palace CPFC
Founded	10 September 1905; 120 years ago (1905-09-10)
Stadium	Selhurst Park
Stadium capacity	25,486
Owners	Woody Johnson (43%) Josh Harris (10%) David Blitzer (10%) Steve Parish (10%)
Chairman	Steve Parish
Manager	Oliver Glasner
League	Premier League
2024–25	Premier League, 12th of 20
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Crystal Palace Football Club, often called Palace, is a professional football team from Selhurst, South London, England. They play in the Premier League, which is the top football league in England. The club officially started in 1905 at the famous The Crystal Palace building. But its roots go back even further, to 1861. Palace played their home games at the Crystal Palace grounds until 1915. They moved to their current stadium, Selhurst Park, in 1924.

In their early years, Palace played in the Southern League. They joined the English Football League in 1920. Since the 1960s, they have mostly played in the top two divisions. The team had a very successful time in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They reached the 1990 FA Cup final. In the 1990–91 season, they finished third in the league. This is still their highest league position ever! They couldn't play in the UEFA Cup that year. This was because English clubs had fewer spots after the Heysel Stadium disaster. Palace also helped start the Premier League in 1992–93.

After 1998, the club faced tough times. They had serious money problems in 1999 and 2010. But Palace worked hard to recover. They returned to the Premier League in 2013. As of the 2025–26 season, they are playing their thirteenth year in a row in the top league. This is a club record! Palace also reached two more FA Cup finals. They played in 2016 and won in 2025. This victory was their first major trophy ever! Later in 2025, the club also won their first FA Community Shield title.

Palace's team colours were claret and blue until 1973. Then they changed to the red and blue stripes you see today. The club has a big rivalry with Brighton & Hove Albion. This started in the 1970s. They also have rivalries with nearby teams like Millwall and Charlton Athletic. These games are called South London derbies.

Crystal Palace Football Club: A Journey Through Time

Early Days and the First Professional Team (1905-1920)

The Crystal Palace Exhibition Building

The famous The Crystal Palace building moved to South London in 1854. It was rebuilt near Sydenham Hill. The area became known as Crystal Palace. Many sports facilities were built in Crystal Palace Park. An amateur football team, Crystal Palace, started here in 1861. They were among the first members of the Football Association in 1863. This early team played in the first FA Cup in 1871–72. They reached the semi-finals.

In 1895, the FA Cup final found a new home. It was played at the sports stadium within the Crystal Palace grounds. The Crystal Palace Company owned the building. They wanted a professional football club to play there. They hoped it would attract more visitors.

Starting in the Southern League

The professional Crystal Palace Football Club began on September 10, 1905. Edmund Goodman, from Aston Villa, helped create the club. He later became Palace's longest-serving manager. The club wanted to join the Football League but was not accepted. Instead, they played in the Southern Football League Second Division in 1905–06.

Palace won their first season and moved up to the Southern League First Division. They also played in the United League. In 1907, Palace had a surprise win in the FA Cup. They beat Newcastle United 1-0. Two years later, in 1909, they beat the FA Cup holders, Wolves. This was a big upset for a non-league team.

The club stayed in the Southern League until 1914. The First World War began, and the Crystal Palace building was needed by the military. Palace had to leave their home. They moved to the Herne Hill Velodrome. Later, they moved again to the Nest in 1917. In 1913, there was an attempt to damage the stadium during the FA Cup final. This was part of protests for women's voting rights.

Joining the Football League and Moving to Selhurst Park (1920-1958)

Palace became a founding member of the new Football League Third Division in 1920–21. They won the league in their first season and were promoted. This made them one of the few clubs to win a league title in their first year. In 1924, Palace moved to their new stadium, Selhurst Park. This is where they still play today.

The first game at Selhurst Park was against The Wednesday. Palace lost 0-1 in front of 25,000 fans. The club was relegated to the Third Division South. Before the Second World War, Palace tried hard for promotion. They often finished in the top half of the table. During the war, the Football League stopped. Palace won two Wartime Leagues. After the war, they were less successful in the league.

Rising Through the Ranks (1958-1973)

Palace played in the Third Division South until 1958. The Football League then changed its structure. Palace ended up in the new Football League Fourth Division. Their stay there was short. Chairman Arthur Wait hired former Tottenham manager Arthur Rowe in 1960. Rowe's exciting football style brought promotion for Palace.

In April 1962, Palace played a historic friendly match. They faced the famous Real Madrid team. This was Real Madrid's first game in London. A strong Madrid team beat Palace 4-3. Rowe left for health reasons in 1962. But the club kept its momentum. Dick Graham and Bert Head led Palace to promotions in 1963–64 and 1968–69. This took the club into the top division, the Football League First Division.

Palace's first time in the top league lasted from 1969 to 1973. They had some memorable results. One of the best was a 5-0 home win against Manchester United in 1972–73. Malcolm Allison became manager in March 1973. But it was too late to save the club from being relegated.

Changing Colours and Nicknames (1973-1984)

After relegation, the next season was even tougher. Under manager Allison, Palace was relegated again. They found themselves in Division Three for the 1974–75 season. Allison also changed the club's image. The nickname changed from "The Glaziers" to "The Eagles." The team colours changed from claret and blue to the red and blue stripes used today.

Palace had a good run in the 1975–76 FA Cup. They reached the semi-finals, beating Leeds and Chelsea. But they lost 0-2 to Southampton. Allison resigned. Under Terry Venables' management, Palace earned two more promotions. They moved back to the top division in 1976–77 and 1978–79. In 1979, they were crowned Division Two champions.

The 1979 team was called the "Team of the Eighties." It had many talented young players. They were briefly at the top of the Football League in 1979–80. However, the club faced financial difficulties. This led to players leaving. Palace could not stay in the top division. They were relegated in 1980–81.

A Golden Era and Premier League Founding (1984-1993)

On June 4, 1984, Steve Coppell became Palace manager. He was a former Manchester United and England player. Coppell steadily rebuilt the club. The Eagles won promotion back to the First Division in 1988–89 through the play-offs.

Palace then reached the 1990 FA Cup final. They drew 3-3 with Manchester United in the first match. They lost the replay 0-1. The club continued its success. In the 1990–91 season, Palace challenged for the English league title. They finished in third place, their highest league finish ever. They also won the Full Members Cup in 1991, beating Everton 4-1. Star striker Ian Wright left for Arsenal the next season. Palace finished tenth and became a founding member of the new Premier League in 1992–93.

Palace sold their other top striker, Mark Bright. They struggled to score goals the next season. The club was relegated, finishing with 49 points. This is still a Premier League record for a relegated club. Coppell resigned, and Alan Smith took over.

Ups and Downs: The Yo-Yo Years (1993-1998)

Alan Smith's first season saw Palace win the First Division title. They were promoted back to the Premier League. Their time in the Premier League was eventful. In 1995, a famous incident happened during a match against Manchester United, involving their player Eric Cantona and a fan. Palace reached the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and League Cup. But their league form was inconsistent. Palace was relegated again. This happened because the Premier League was reduced from 22 to 20 clubs.

Smith left, and Steve Coppell returned as technical director in 1995. Palace reached the play-offs again. They lost the 1996 First Division play-off final to Leicester City in the last minute. The next season, Coppell became first-team manager. The club reached the play-offs for a second year. This time, they won promotion back to the Premier League. They beat Sheffield United 1-0 in the final at Wembley.

Palace's third Premier League season was not successful. They were relegated again at the end of the 1997–98 season. Mark Goldberg became the new owner in June 1998.

Overcoming Challenges and Premier League Return (1998-2013)

Terry Venables returned as head coach. Palace played in the UEFA Intertoto Cup that summer. In 1999, Palace faced financial difficulties. Owner Mark Goldberg could no longer support the club. Venables left, and Steve Coppell took over again. The club was bought by Simon Jordan, a lifelong fan. Coppell was replaced by Alan Smith for a second time. Palace almost dropped to the third division in 2000–01. Coach Steve Kember helped them survive by winning the last two games.

Former Manchester United captain Steve Bruce became manager in 2001. After a good start, Bruce tried to leave for Birmingham City. Palace eventually let him go. Trevor Francis took over. Palace finished mid-table for two seasons. Then Steve Kember became permanent manager. He was sacked in November 2003 after a bad run of results. Former Palace striker Iain Dowie became manager. He led the club to the play-off final. Palace won 1-0 against West Ham and were promoted. But they were relegated again on the last day of the next season.

In January 2010, Palace again faced financial difficulties. The club was deducted ten points. Key players like Victor Moses were sold. Manager Neil Warnock left in March. Paul Hart took over as caretaker manager. Survival in the Championship was secured on the final day of the season. A 2-2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday kept Palace up.

A group of wealthy fans, called CPFC 2010, bought the club. They were led by Steve Parish. This group also bought back Selhurst Park. This was important for the club's future. George Burley became manager, but was sacked in January 2011. Dougie Freedman took over and kept the club safe from relegation. After Freedman left, Ian Holloway became manager. He guided Palace back to the Premier League in 2013. They beat Watford 1-0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Premier League Success, First Major Trophy, and Europe (2013-Present)

Holloway resigned in October 2013. Tony Pulis took over and kept the club in the Premier League. He won the Premier League Manager of the Season award for it. Pulis resigned before the next season. Neil Warnock had a second short spell as manager. Then former Palace midfielder Alan Pardew became manager in January 2015. He led the club to a tenth-place finish, their highest in the Premier League at that time.

In 2015–16, Pardew led Palace to the 2016 FA Cup final. They faced Manchester United again, losing 1-2 after extra-time. Pardew was sacked in December 2016. Sam Allardyce replaced him and kept the club in the Premier League. He resigned at the end of the season.

On June 26, 2017, Frank de Boer became Palace's first foreign manager. He was dismissed after only 77 days. The club lost its first four league games without scoring. The next day, Roy Hodgson became manager. He kept the club in the Premier League for several seasons. Hodgson left in May 2021.

On July 4, 2021, former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira became manager. He led the club to an FA Cup semi-final and a twelfth-place league finish. But Vieira was sacked in March 2023 after a long winless run. Hodgson returned as manager and guided the club to safety. He was appointed permanent manager again but stepped down in February 2024.

Oliver Glasner became the new manager. Under Glasner, the club finished the season strongly. They won six of their last seven league games. They equaled the club's highest Premier League finish of tenth place. Four Palace players were chosen for the England national team for Euro 2024.

In the 2024–25 campaign, Glasner led Palace to their first major trophy! They won the 2025 FA Cup final, beating Manchester City 1-0. This also meant they qualified for the UEFA Europa League. However, due to UEFA's rules about club ownership, Palace's Europa League spot was changed. UEFA ruled that Palace was in violation of multi-club ownership rules. This meant they were moved to the UEFA Conference League. Palace's appeal was rejected in August 2025.

The club started the 2025–26 season by winning their first 2025 FA Community Shield title. They beat Liverpool 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Palace became the first club since Derby County in 1975 to win this trophy on their first try. On August 21, Palace played their first official European match. They faced Norwegian club Fredrikstad in the play-off round of the UEFA Conference League. Palace won the first game 1-0. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored their first European goal. They advanced to the group stages after a goalless draw in the second game.

Palace's defense of the FA Cup ended early in the third round. They lost to Macclesfield, a non-league team. This was the first time the FA Cup holders lost to a minor-league team since 1909. Ironically, Palace was the team that caused that upset against Wolves back then.

Club Colours and Crest

Kit History

The original amateur club wore blue and white striped shirts. When the professional Crystal Palace club started in 1905, their colours were claret and blue shirts with white shorts. This was because Edmund Goodman, who helped form the club, came from Aston Villa. Palace kept these colours until 1938. Then they changed to white shirts and black shorts. They returned to claret and blue from 1949 to 1954. In 1955, they went back to white and black with claret and blue trim.

In 1963, the club used yellow shirts as their home colours. In 1964, they changed to an all-white kit, like Real Madrid. In 1966, they returned to claret and blue. In 1973, manager Malcolm Allison changed the club's look. He chose red and blue vertical stripes, inspired by Barcelona. Palace has worn variations of red and blue ever since.

The Eagle Crest

The club was quite late in getting a crest. Initials were on the shirt from 1935. A crest with the Crystal Palace building appeared in 1955. This crest disappeared in 1964. The team's name was embroidered on shirts between 1967 and 1972. A round badge with the club's initials and "Glaziers" nickname was used in 1972.

Allison changed this too. The club's nickname became "The Eagles," inspired by Benfica. The new badge showed an eagle holding a ball. This emblem stayed until 1987. Then the club combined the eagle with the Crystal Palace building. This crest was updated in 1996 and 2012. In June 2022, the crest's year changed from 1905 to 1861. This reflected the founding of the original Crystal Palace Football Club.

From 2010 to 2020, the club had a live American bald eagle named Kayla as its mascot. Kayla flew across the stadium before every home game.

Kit Makers and Sponsors

Since 2022, Macron has made Crystal Palace's kits. Other past manufacturers include Umbro, Adidas, and Nike.

The club's shirts are currently sponsored by NET88. Many different companies have sponsored the shirts over the years. These include Virgin Atlantic and TDK. In 2017, All Football became the first sleeve sponsor. In 2023, Kaiyun Sports became the official new sleeve sponsor.

Selhurst Park: Our Home Stadium

In 1905, the Crystal Palace Company wanted their new football club to play at the FA Cup final venue. This stadium was inside the Crystal Palace grounds. When the First World War started, the military took over the Palace. In 1915, the club had to leave. They found a temporary home at the Herne Hill Velodrome. Later, in 1917, they moved to the Nest. In 1919, Palace bought the land for their current home, Selhurst Park.

The famous architect Archibald Leitch designed Selhurst Park. It was ready for the 1924–25 season. The stadium stayed mostly the same until 1969. Then the Arthur Wait Stand was built. The Main Stand became all-seater in 1981. More work was done in the following years. The Whitehorse Lane End was redeveloped.

Selhurst Park's record attendance was 51,482 in 1979. After safety changes, the current capacity is 25,486. In 2011, there were ideas to move the club back to the Crystal Palace National Stadium. But after promotion to the Premier League in 2013, the focus shifted. The club wanted to redevelop Selhurst Park into a 40,000-seat stadium.

New plans for a 13,500-seat Main Stand were approved in 2018. This would increase the stadium capacity to 34,000. These plans were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. They were also delayed by the club's focus on upgrading its Academy. Further delays happened due to opposition to demolishing nearby houses. The club agreed to provide new homes for residents. In August 2024, the Main Stand expansion was re-approved. Work began, with completion planned for summer 2027.

A panorama of Selhurst Park from the Upper Holmesdale, showing from left to right the Main Stand, the Whitehorse Lane End and the Arthur Wait Stand

Our Amazing Supporters

The Holmesdale Fanatics passionate home support.

Crystal Palace has many fans from South London, Kent, and Surrey. The club's passionate support comes from the Holmesdale Road Stand. The ultras group, called the Holmesdale Fanatics, has been there since 2005.

Fans have also created other groups. The Palace Independent Supporters' Association shares fan concerns with the club. The Crystal Palace Supporters' Trust helped fans try to buy the club in 2000.

Fans have also made many fanzines (fan magazines). Eagle Eye ran from 1987 to 1994. Palace Echo continued until 2007. Five Year Plan is now an online presence. Supporters also discuss the club on internet forums. The club uses these to talk with fans.

Crystal Palace fans express their support for the club after it entered financial difficulties in 2010.

Crystal Palace is a London club. It competes with other local clubs for fans. But it has a large fan base of 900,000 people. In 2010, the new owners, led by Steve Parish, asked for fan input. They consulted on a new badge design. When their ideas were rejected, they used a fan's idea from an internet forum. The club works closely with the local community. The Crystal Palace F.C. Foundation provides sports and educational programs. This helps develop new supporters.

The club also has many celebrity fans. Comedians Kevin Day, Jo Brand, Eddie Izzard, and Mark Steel are big Palace fans. Actor Neil Morrissey helped create Palace Ale, a beer sold at the stadium. Actor Bill Nighy supports the Crystal Palace Children's Charity. Actors Timothy Spall and his son Rafe Spall are also avid supporters. Radio DJ David Jensen is chairman of the Crystal Palace Vice Presidents Club. Bill Wyman, from The Rolling Stones, is a lifelong fan. Olympic gold medalist Alex Yee also supports the club.

Local Rivalries

Crystal Palace has several local rivalries. Most are in South London. They have rivalries with Millwall and Charlton Athletic. These are called South London derbies. The club also has a strong rivalry with Brighton & Hove Albion. This rivalry grew in the 1970s. It became very intense during an FA Cup tie in 1976–77. A controversial penalty decision in a replay made the rivalry even fiercer.

Who Owns Crystal Palace?

First chairman Sydney Bourne with Edmund Goodman, 1906.

The Crystal Palace Company owned the professional football club in its early years. The club's first chairman was Sydney Bourne. He was found by club secretary Edmund Goodman. Bourne was chairman until he passed away in 1930.

After Bourne, there were several chairmen. Arthur Wait bought the club with other businessmen in 1949. He became permanent chairman in 1958. Raymond Bloye took over in 1972. In 1981, property developer Ron Noades took control. Noades sold the club to Mark Goldberg in 1998. Noades kept ownership of Selhurst Park and leased it to the club. Goldberg's time as owner was not successful. Palace faced financial difficulties in 1999.

Lifelong fan Simon Jordan bought the club in 2000. His company, CPFC 2000, took control. This company also faced financial difficulties in 2010. In June 2010, a group of four wealthy fans, called CPFC 2010, completed a takeover.

CPFC 2010 was formed by Steve Parish, Martin Long, Stephen Browett, and Jeremy Hosking. Each owned a 25% share. They successfully bought the club. The group also bought back Selhurst Park. This happened after fans protested to get the bank to sell the ground back to the club.

In December 2015, American investors Josh Harris and David Blitzer bought an 18% stake each. This stake is now about 10% each. In August 2021, another American investor, John Textor, bought a 40% stake. This increased to 45% in 2023. Steve Parish remains chairman with a 10% share.

In June 2025, Textor agreed to sell his share in the club to Woody Johnson. Johnson owns the NFL's New York Jets. He was also a former U.S. ambassador to the U.K. Johnson signed the legal documents on June 23. The deal was reportedly worth about £190 million for Textor's share. On July 24, the club announced that Johnson's purchase was complete. This sale also ended Eagle Football Holdings' involvement with Crystal Palace.

Club Records and Achievements

Jim Cannon holds the record for most Crystal Palace appearances. He played 660 first-team matches between 1973 and 1988. He also made 571 league appearances. Striker Peter Simpson scored the most goals in a season, 54 in 1930–31. He is also the club's top scorer overall, with 165 goals. Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has the most international caps for the club.

Chart showing Crystal Palace's table positions since joining the Football League.

Crystal Palace won the first Third Division title in 1920–21. This was their first season in the Football League. They are one of few clubs to win a Football League Division in their first attempt. Their average league attendance of 19,092 in 1960–61 is a Fourth Division record. The official record home attendance at Selhurst Park is 51,482. This was for a match against Burnley in 1979.

The club's biggest league win was 9-0 against Barrow in 1959. Their heaviest league defeat was also 9-0, away to Liverpool in 1989.

The highest fee received for a Palace player was £67.5 million. This was from Arsenal for Eberechi Eze in August 2025. The highest fee paid by the club was £35 million. This was for Brennan Johnson from Tottenham Hotspur in January 2026.

The club's highest league finish is third place. This was in the old Football League First Division in 1990–91. Palace holds the record for most points for a relegated Premier League club, with 49 points in 1992–93. They are also the only club relegated from the Premier League while finishing fourth from bottom. This happened in 1994–95 when the league was reduced to 20 clubs. Palace holds the record for most play-off final wins (4) leading to top-flight promotion. These wins happened at different stadiums.

Meet the Players

First-Team Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Dean Henderson 2 DF Daniel Muñoz 3 DF Tyrick Mitchell 5 DF Maxence Lacroix 6 DF Marc Guéhi (captain) 7 MF Ismaïla Sarr 8 MF Jefferson Lerma 9 FW Eddie Nketiah 10 MF Yéremy Pino 11 MF Brennan Johnson 12 MF Christantus Uche (on loan from Getafe) 14 FW Jean-Philippe Mateta 17 DF Nathaniel Clyne 18 MF Daichi Kamada 19 MF Will Hughes 20 MF Adam Wharton

No. Position Player 23 DF Jaydee Canvot 24 DF Borna Sosa 26 DF Chris Richards 28 MF Cheick Doucouré 31 GK Remi Matthews 34 DF Chadi Riad 38 DF Caleb Kporha 42 MF Kaden Rodney 44 GK Walter Benítez 55 MF Justin Devenny 59 DF Rio Cardines 60 DF George King 72 DF Dean Benamar 73 FW Benjamin Casey 86 DF Joél Drakes-Thomas FW Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Players on Loan

These are players who are usually part of the first team or under-21 players who have played for the first team.

No. Position Player GK Joe Whitworth (at Exeter City until end of 2025–26 season) MF David Ozoh (at Derby County until end of 2025–26 season)

No. Position Player MF Romain Esse (at Coventry City until end of 2025–26 season) MF Matheus França (at Vasco da Gama until end of 2025–26 season)

Youth Academy

Notable Former Players

Players with over 100 appearances for Crystal Palace can be found here

All past (and present) players who are the subjects of Wikipedia articles can be found here

Crystal Palace "Centenary XI"

In 2005, fans voted for a "Centenary XI" to celebrate 100 years of Crystal Palace.

• Nigel Martyn (1989–96)
• Paul Hinshelwood (1974–83)
• Chris Coleman (1991–95)
• Jim Cannon (1972–88)
• Kenny Sansom (1975–80)
• John Salako (1986–95)
• Geoff Thomas (1987–93)
• Andy Gray (1984–87, 1989–92)
• Attilio Lombardo (1997–99)
• Andrew Johnson (2002–06, 2014)
• Ian Wright (1985–91)

Coaching Team

Our Managers Through the Years

Statistics are complete up to and including the match played 7 January 2026. Not including caretaker managers. All competitive matches are counted.

• 

  Edmund Goodman, Palace's longest-serving manager, who was in charge from 1907 until 1925.

• 

  Oliver Glasner, the club's manager since February 2024, who won the 2024–25 FA Cup and the 2025 FA Community Shield with Palace.

Trophies and Honours

Leagues

• Second Division / First Division / Championship (level 2)
  • Champions: 1978–79, 1993–94
  • Runners-up: 1968–69
  • Play-off winners: 1989, 1997, 2004, 2013
• Third Division / Third Division South (level 3)
  • Champions: 1920–21
  • Runners-up: 1928–29, 1930–31, 1938–39, 1963–64
• Fourth Division (level 4)
  • Runners-up: 1960–61

Cups

• FA Cup
  • Winners: 2024–25
  • Runners-up: 1989–90, 2015–16
• FA Community Shield
  • Winners: 2025
• Full Members Cup
  • Winners: 1990–91

Wartime titles

• Football League South
  • Champions: 1940–41
• Wartime South D League
  • Champions: 1939–40

Regional competitions

• Southern Football League Division One
  • Runners-up: 1913–14
• Southern Football League Division Two
  • Champions: 1905–06
• United League
  • Champions: 1906–07
  • Runners-up: 1905–06
• Southern Professional Floodlit Cup
  • Runners-up: 1958–59
• London Challenge Cup
  • Winners: 1912–13, 1913–14, 1920–21
  • Runners-up: 1919–20, 1921–22, 1922–23, 1931–32, 1937–38, 1946–47
• Surrey Senior Cup
  • Winners: 1996–97, 2000–01, 2001–02
• London Five-a-Sides
  • Winners: 1959, 1969
  • Runners-up: 1958, 1968, 1979
• Kent Senior Shield
  • Winners: 1911–12
  • Runners-up: 1912–13

Crystal Palace Women's Team

Crystal Palace Women is a women's football club. It was founded in 1992. The team is linked to the men's club. They play in the Women's Super League 2. Their home games are at the VBS Community Stadium in Sutton, South London.

The Crystal Girls Cheerleaders

The "Crystals" or "Crystal Girls" are the official cheerleading squad for Crystal Palace F.C. They are the only club in English football with NFL-style cheerleaders. They started in 2010. They perform before each home match and during half-time. The squad also performs at charity events as club ambassadors.

See also

In Spanish: Crystal Palace Football Club para niños

• Football in London