Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace Football Club was formed on 10 September 1905, established by the Crystal Palace Company as a professional club to play at the famous Crystal Palace ground — the venue built for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park and later relocated to Sydenham. Edmund Goodman, an Aston Villa assistant secretary, was instrumental in organising the club and would go on to become its longest-serving manager, overseeing 613 matches between 1907 and 1925. The club was rejected for Football League membership initially and competed in the Southern League. Palace moved to their current home, Selhurst Park in Norwood, south London, in 1924. The ground has a current capacity of approximately 25,486 and is one of the most atmospheric stadiums in English football, with the Holmesdale Road End known as one of the loudest in the Premier League. A major redevelopment of the Main Stand, approved by Croydon Council in 2024, is expected to increase capacity to over 34,000 in the coming years. For much of the club's history, Crystal Palace were a second-tier fixture, briefly touching the heights of England's top division before falling away. Their most celebrated era came under manager Steve Coppell, who across four spells in charge presided over 565 matches. In 1990, Coppell led Palace to the FA Cup final, where they drew 3–3 with Manchester United in an extraordinary match before losing the replay. The following season, 1990–91, Palace finished third in the First Division — still their highest ever league position prior to the Premier League era — challenging Arsenal and Liverpool for the title. After years of financial instability and a stint in administration, the club stabilised and earned promotion to the Premier League in 2013, beginning an unbroken run in the top flight that has lasted over a decade. The appointment of Alan Pardew, then Sam Allardyce, followed by the longer tenure of Roy Hodgson, and later Patrick Vieira, brought periods of consolidation. But it was the arrival of Austrian coach Oliver Glasner in 2024 that marked the beginning of the club's greatest chapter. Glasner, known for his pressing-intensive, high-energy football, quickly transformed Palace into a dynamic attacking side. Eberechi Eze — one of the most naturally gifted English midfielders of his generation — was the creative heartbeat of the team, providing artistry and goals that captivated the Premier League. Michael Olise had also shone brightly before his departure to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024. Under Glasner, Palace finished 12th in the Premier League in 2024–25 while embarking on a memorable FA Cup run that culminated in the club's first ever major trophy: the 2025 FA Cup. Eze scored the only goal in the final, etching his name permanently into the club's history. Palace also won the 2025 FA Community Shield, qualifying for European competition for the first time. However, Glasner announced in January 2026 that he would leave the club at the end of the 2025–26 season. Despite his impending exit, his legacy — delivering a first major trophy and continental football to Selhurst Park — places him as arguably the greatest manager in Crystal Palace's history. Nicknamed the Eagles, the club plays in red and blue and draws passionate support from south and south-east London.