A fan’s guide – the club from early doors to today
Climbing to untold heights and winning three major trophies under Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace now have to start again after the Austrian Wundercoach gave the club long notice of his departure.
Unhappy at the sale of key players, most notably Marc Guéhi, who had captained Palace to memorable victories in the FA Cup final of 2025 and subsequent Charity Shield, Glasner announced his intention days after his team’s shock cup defeat at Macclesfield, relinquishing the trophy that had taken the Eagles 154 years to claim.
Despite the cloud hanging over Selhurst Park and poor league form, Palace rallied in their debut European campaign, edging past AEK Larnaca and, in the Conference League final in Leipzig, Rayo Vallecano, by narrow margins.
It was a fitting farewell for Glasner, who had led Eintracht Frankfurt to a European trophy three years earlier. Palace looked to Europe again for his replacement, Pierre Sage, whose Lens team pushed PSG close for the French title in 2026 and won the Coupe de France.
In many ways, the 2023-24 campaign was almost as remarkable, starting with the inauspicious retirement of Palace old boy and local legend Roy Hodgson, the Eagles in familiar no-man’s-land hovering above the relegation zone.
Without the talismanic Wilfried Zaha, one of so many to have come through the club’s academy and local pitches and sports courts across South London, few expected Palace to survive, let alone make a top-ten spot in the Premier League. But under the incoming Glasner, the Eagles put together an impressive spring run, pushing four key players into the England squad for Euro 2024.
Two of them, Marc Guéhi and Eberechi Eze, had both learned their chops in South London and would be given prominent roles by England boss Gareth Southgate, a man also forged at Selhurst Park. Both would stay at Selhurst Park long enough to help earn the club its first significant silverware, the FA Cup win of 2025 granting a first passage to Europe, discounting brief forays in the Anglo-Italian and Intertoto Cups way back when.
With a raucous fan base stretching across a wide catchment area around the South-East, Palace were suddenly fashionable as well as successful, twin achievements a string of notorious chairmen had been aiming towards as far back as the 1960s.
Formed by workers at the namesake monument of Crystal Palace in 1905, the Glaziers (later nicknamed the Eagles) first made the upper tier in 1969-70. Known for their frequently changing and garish kits (home and away), Palace famously made the FA Cup semi-final in 1976 under coach Malcolm Allison, but the fedora-toting, champagne-glugging svengali somehow managed to gain popularity while taking the club down two divisions. His successor, Terry Venables, took Palace up to the top flight, via two high-drama promotion-clinching matches.
But it was under controversial chairman Ron Noades and intelligent coach Steve Coppell that Palace made a real impression in the top flight, finishing third, and taking the 1990 FA Cup Final to a replay.
Top goalscorer Ian Wright headed for Arsenal, leaving Palace to yo-yo between the top two divisions as Coppell returned for a total of four stints as manager. Young mogul Simon Jordan, born by the ground, took over as the league’s youngest chairman but the forced sales of key players hardly helped the club’s cause as bankruptcy beckoned. After decades of conjecture, a long-term campaign by Palace fans saw the consortium CPFC 2010 buy the stadium from the bank.
Palace had last enjoyed a short stay in the Premier League in 2004-05 when Ian Holloway took over as manager in 2012. Hiring 39-year-old goalpoacher Kevin Phillips as a game-changing substitute, Holloway led Palace to the play-offs. Overcoming two high-tension games against bitter rivals Brighton, Palace pipped Watford at Wembley, the only goal inevitably coming from substitute Phillips.
Out of his depth in the Premier League, Holloway quickly gave way to Tony Pulis, whose astute signings steered Palace from danger. Strangely, Pulis resigned on the eve of the 2014-15 campaign, but another rescue job, this time by Alan Pardew, saw Palace finish a creditable tenth.
An unexpected run to Wembley under Pardew in 2016 saw a repeat of the FA Cup final of 1990 when the manager played for the Eagles. With quality players such as French international Yohan Cabaye and England (and Ivorian) cap Wilfried Zaha, Palace gave a decent showing against Manchester United.
As in 1990, the game went to extra-time, but ten-man United ruined another Wembley occasion for Pardew when Jesse Lingard scored with ten minutes to go.
Pardew duly gave way to later disgraced Sam Allardyce, who spent big to survive. Frank de Boer then lasted four games before former England boss Roy Hodgson stepped in.
Saved so often by Zaha, Serbian international Luka Milivojević and Belgian international Christian Benteke, Palace continued to tread water while maintaining their long tradition of experimenting with kit colours and fielding talented youngsters. Arriving from Reading in 2021, Michael Olise hit his first Premier League goal soon afterwards, coming into his own in the 2022-23 campaign and picking up the club’s Players’ Player of the Year award.
Under Patrick Vieira, Palace had already showed promise of higher things, the totemic Zaha passing his 400th appearance for the club. Roy Hodgson then came to the rescue in March 2023 as relegation beckoned, his old-school training drills helping Palace climb back up the table to safety.
Olise was then joined by his compatriot French international, striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who would come into his own as Player of the Season for 2023-24 just as Olise was recovering from long-term injury.
Soon afterwards, Palace-raised Zaha ended his 18-year relationship with his local club by heading for Galatasaray, probably already having given his best years to the Eagles. A mural covering a wall of one of the many back-to-back houses surrounding Selhurst Park celebrates the moment when his two goals (‘Zaha… Oh yes!’) turned the vital play-off game at bitter rivals Brighton.
Without Zaha or Milivojević, the Eagles were always going to struggle but the situation allowed South Londoner Eberechi Eze to shine – and add to his growing collection of England caps. More than earning his retirement, Hodgson made way for Oliver Glasner to push Palace up the table.
With Olise hitting two against United in a 4-0 win, and Mateta and Eze sharing the five goals to spank a Champions League-bound Aston Villa 5-0, it made for a thrilling end to the 2023-24 season at Selhurst Park. Even given the sale of Olise to Bayern Munich for €60 million, Palace seemed an exciting place to be going into the next campaign.
And so it proved. Though struggling in the league – Glasner’s men only scraped their first win in late October, a typical Eze flick and Mateta finish to sink Spurs 1-0 – Palace put together a tidy run in the cup. Ably captained by Guéhi and with Dean Henderson becoming a keeper of international class, Palace saw off Aston Villa 3-0 in front of 80,000-plus at Wembley in the semi-final, the scoring opened with a superb strike from an imperious Eze.
On an emotional afternoon back at Wembley three weeks later, Palace bagged the first major silverware in the club’s history thanks to a steadfast win against Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Manchester City. An early Eze goal followed by a penalty save from Henderson set up a tense second half but Palace showed their mettle to hold on.
Participants as amateurs in the first FA Cup tournament in 1871, three times finalists, the South Londoners more than deserved their memorable win. Lifting the trophy with Guéhi was previous captain Joel Ward, the sole surviving member of the runners-up of 2016, now bowing out having made a record number of Premier League appearances for the club. It was that kind of occasion.
With Eze and Guéhi halfway out the door, it was always going to be a challenge for Glasner to raise the bar once the confetti had been cleared from the Wembley turf. Returning for the Charity Shield against Liverpool, Palace held the league champions to a 2-2 draw thanks to a late equaliser from Olise replacement Ismaïla Sarr but Eze’s missed penalty in the shoot-out would prove to be one of his last actions in a Palace shirt.
Two saves from Henderson eventually delivered more silverware to Selhurst Park but behind the scenes, all was not well. After tortured negotiations with UEFA, Palace had been refused entry into the Europa League, the FA Cup winners having to drop down to the Conference League and its more random selection of European opposition.
Tech mogul John Textor also owned fellow competitors Olympique Lyonnais, offloading his shares in Crystal Palace in June 2025 but not in time to fall foul of regulations. Ironically, the club who benefitted from Europa League entry was Nottingham Forest, whose owner Evangelos Marinakis also controls Olympiacos, but who had met the deadline in notifying UEFA.
In the end, Palace stumbled through the Conference League, fans dispatched to far-flung destinations such as Fredrikstad, Mostar and Lublin in Poland. By the knock-out phase and a edgy win over Zrinjski Mostar, Glasner had already announced his intention to leave, partly unhappy with the mid-winter sale of Guéhi to Manchester City. Palace then surrendered their FA Cup cheaply, the fall guys in the shock defeat to non-league Macclesfield in the Third Round.
Facing elimination from Europe by AEK Larnaca, Palace could thank Sarr for a brace in a bitter contest in Cyprus, central midfielder Adam Wharton putting in another impressive performance, repeated in the 3-0 demolition of Fiorentina at Selhurst Park. The Lancastrian would earn the Man of the Match award for his pinpoint passing against feisty underdogs Rayo Vallecano in the final in Leipzig, the game settled by a goal after half-time from Mateta. After a season of trials and tribulations, Glasner could leave on a high – to Palace adversaries Nottingham Forest.
While Mateta would stride out for France at the subsequent World Cup, Wharton was a surprise omission from the England squad. His Crystal Palace teammate Dean Henderson would get a full game, however, against France in the third-place play-off, by which time had named Pierre Sage as their new manager. Working miracles at Lens in 2025-26, the former Lyon youth coach was used to getting the most out of a limited squad. As Conference League winners, Palace gained automatic qualification for the group stage of the Europa League in 2026-27, a right denied to them 12 months before.
Ground Guide
The field of dreams – and the story behind it
Set between the surrounding three rail stations of Selhurst, Norwood Junction and Thornton Heath, Selhurst Park was one of 40 football grounds designed by Scottish architect Archibald Leitch before the war.
It still feels how football used to be – which is exactly why it was chosen as the filming location for the Apple TV series Ted Lasso about a motivational American soccer coach dropped into a grey, staid old England.
Opened in 1924, Selhurst Park was only developed 45 years later when then chairman (and builder) Arthur Wait erected the stand that now bears his name. Half of the Whitehorse Lane terrace was then sold to Sainsbury’s, whose supermarket occupies the corner of the stadium complex where you’ll also find the shop and ticket office.
Today’s pre-match razzamatazz and the raucous, ultras-influenced, big-banner support at the home Holmesdale Road end have made Selhurst Park a unique environment for its size – 25,500 capacity – in the Premier League.
Nearly all visitors come away with a positive impression but it doesn’t hide the fact that certain areas of the ground need an overhaul. Both the Arthur Wait Stand, where away fans are allocated the nearest sections to the Whitehorse Lane end, and the century-old main stand opposite, feel dated. The latter witnessed Sweden’s 12-0 demolition of South Korea at the 1948 Olympic football tournament, the famed Gre-no-li trio grabbing seven goals shortly before their move to Milan.
Redevelopment now centres on the main stand. In the summer of 2026, having purchased them, and compensated and rehoused their owners, the club had a demolition team knock down six properties along Wooderson Close Immediately behind the main stand. The idea is to make room for a contemporary glass façade housing some 8,000 extra seats, a club museum and a fan zone, ideally ready by late 2028 or early 2029.
Raising capacity to 34,000 is seen as being essential for Palace to operate as an elite club, rather than a quaint South London timewarp welcoming of Apple TV+ film crews. However the team performs in the post-Glasner era, such is the rich motherlode of talent in the area, Crystal Palace will invariably produce youngsters to be nurtured in a passionate football atmosphere and, at some point, sold for a huge profit.
In the meantime, cheerleaders and ultras make for a special atmosphere, at least while Palace remain in the Premier League. Note that stadium tours are on hold while the development of the main stand unfolds.
getting here
Going to the ground – tips and timings
Selhurst Park is served by three mainline rail stations, each ten or 15 minutes’ walk – don’t use Crystal Palace station, a good 2km away. Norwood Junction is 10-20mins from London Bridge, Thornton Heath and Selhurst about 22-25mins from Victoria. Norwood Junction is also on the London Overground line from Highbury & Islington via Docklands.
Each station is in zone 4. Norwood Junction has the most bars around it – heading up from the station, turn right at the clock tower for the bars, left for the stadium, turning right at Park Lane. From Thornton Heath, veer left on Brigstock Road, head right at the crossroads to High Street, and walk straight on as it becomes Whitehorse Lane. Selhurst is the furthest away but leads to Palace pub, the Clifton Arms: turn left out of the station into Selhurst Road until you get to Clifton Road, then turn left. A quick detour in the opposite direction out of the station will lead to the equally partisan White Horse.
The sat nav code for Selhurst Park is SE25 6PU. There is no parking at the stadium nor in the streets immediately around, with resident-only parking on match days. Croydon Council provides details of the limited pay-and-display parking spaces around Norwood and Thornton Heath, such as Belgrave Road near Norwood Junction station.
getting in
Buying tickets – when, where, how and how much
Only members can purchase tickets for individual matches. The club offers various types of membership packages, including an international one (£35) offering one priority access per home game per season, plus a Palace TV+ subscription. Basic Silver Membership is £25, Gold (£60) offers 72-hour early access on ticket sales home and away.
The main ticket office (Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat, match days varies) is inside the club shop on the Sainsbury’s corner on Whitehorse Lane. Members can also buy over the phone (UK only 0333 360 1861) and contact the club by email at boxoffice@cpfc.co.uk.
The club also has a platform for season-ticket holders to sell on their seat for particular matches. There are also match-day hospitality options at £250-£350 plus VAT, including food, drinks and VIP seats.
Matches are categorised A-C, with prices set at £46-£55, £58-£68 and £63-£80. Seniors (+65) and 18-21s pay around two-thirds of standard admission, under-18s just over half.
For Premier League games, away fans pay £30, discounted admission £20.
what to buy
Shirts, kits, merchandise and gifts
The club runs several stores. The main one (Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm, Sun if match day only) is at the stadium on the Sainsbury’s corner where Whitehorse Lane meets Centenary Way, with a match-day outlet (from 3hrs before kick-off, reopening for 1hr after the final whistle) near Entrance 10 in the Fanzone.
Other stores operate at the Centrale Shopping Centre in Croydon (21 North End; Mon-Fri 10am-6.30pm, Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 11am-5pm) and at the Glades on Bromley High Street (Mon-Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 11am-5pm).
2026-27 sees a return of the sash on the home shirt, 50 years after its introduction in 1976, red and blue with white pinstripes on a white background, continuing over the shoulders. Away is ‘Eagle black’ with red and blue on shoulders, half the cuffs and the side fins.
Commemorative T-shirts celebrating the 2026 Conference League win come in red, black or blue, with various retro tops from the 1970s and 1990s also available.
Crystal Palace also organise live online auctions of match-worn shirts, the proceeds going to a charitable foundation.
Where to Drink
Pre-match beers for fans and casual visitors
Around Norwood Junction, right by the station, The Cherry Tree is alway popular with Palace fans while turning right at the clock, The Albion is the self-proclaimed ‘Home of the Eagles’, with a few replica scarves and Palace regulars around the bar. In between, the Shelverdine Goathouse, opened in 2016, is a notch above, with decent food and beers, and a less partisan atmosphere on match days. Its name links back to the pre-railway days.
For a straightforward, visitor-friendly venue, the traditional-as-it-gets Prince George offers live sport on three large screens. It’s a five-minute walk from Thornton Heath station, at the corner of Brigstock Road, Woodville Road and High Street.
Near Selhurst station, The Holmesdale has always been a Palace favourite but incoming Irish management now provides a more inclusive, community approach. There’s plenty of TV sport, a children’s play area in the back garden and, above all, proof that you needn’t cover a pub in red and blue for it to be Palace-focused – the clue is in the name.
In the vicinity, just off Whitehorse Road that leads to the stadium, the Pawsons Arms features an eagle on its pub sign, a giveaway clue as to where its heart lies, though the friendly landlord should give a warm welcome to all. Live sport shown, honest pints pulled.
The nearest boozer to the ground is The Clifton Arms, with tables outside and Palace souvenirs within, on the corner of Clifton and Holmesdale Roads. At the stadium, Palace fans in the Main Stand gain access to the Glaziers Lounge, while faithful followers in the Holmesdale Road end head for the Tap Room, showcasing local craft beer Cronx, hipster nickname for the area. There’s wine, too, the club’s own-label Eagle Red, Eagle White and Eagle Rosé. How times change.
