Crystal Palace F.C.
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Crystal Palace Football Club is an English football club, located in the area of South Norwood, London. Palace currently compete domestically in the English Premier League and play in red and blue vertical striped shirts. The striped shirts were introduced in 1973 after spending the years since their foundation playing in claret and pale blue. Like many English clubs playing in claret at the time, they chose the colour due to the success of Aston Villa in the early 20th Century.
Palace were founded in 1905, playing their games at The Crystal Palace. At the time the FA Cup Final was played at a sports stadium in Crystal Palace Park, meaning football was already popular in the area. They failed initially to be accepted into The Football League, so joined the Southern Football League, playing in the Southern League second division. They won promotion in their first year and played in The Southern League first division until 1920, before the Southern League First Division became The Football League third division.
Selhurst Park has been the home of Crystal Palace since 1925, after they were forced to move out of The Crystal Palace ground in 1914, because of the outbreak of the First World War. The land where Selhurst Park stands was purchased in 1919 by the club in order to build the stadium following two temporary homes, Herne Hill Velodrome and The Nest, where Palace played during and after the First World War.
Palace were seen as a lower league team in English football until their run of promotions between 1958 and 1969. During this period they were promoted from Division Four to the top-tier of English football, with 3 promotions in 11 years. The club eventually stabilised in the 1970s and has played the majority of their games since in the top two divisions of English football.
Palace do not have obvious rivalries with their close geographical neighbours, with their biggest rivals being Brighton & Hove Albion. Brighton are located 40 miles away, but historically are the clubs biggest rival. Palace also have a London rivalry with fellow South London club, Millwall.
Domestically Palace's biggest achievement is reaching the FA Cup final in 1990, finishing runners-up. They have also won other minor cup competitions, such as the Full Members Cup and the London Challenge Cup. The club have been champions of the English second-tier on two occasions.
