March 15 2025

Palace Pioneers

On this day 163 years ago, the original Crystal Palace FC played their first recorded game.

The First Crystal Palace FC: A Forgotten Pioneer of English Football

On March 15, 1862, a significant yet often overlooked moment in football history took place – the first recorded match of the original Crystal Palace Football Club. While today’s Crystal Palace FC, founded in 1905, is well known in English football, the club’s lesser-known predecessor played an important role in the sport’s formative years.

The Origins of Crystal Palace FC (1861)

The original Crystal Palace Football Club – nicknamed the 'Palatians' – was formed in 1861 by members of the Crystal Palace cricket team. At the time, football was still in its infancy, with no unified set of rules governing the game. Clubs played under various regional codes, often adapting the laws of rugby football. The emergence of teams like Crystal Palace FC helped pave the way for the standardisation of football rules in the years that followed.

The First Recorded Match

Early football games were vastly different from the modern sport. Matches were typically contested between teams of varying sizes, and the rules could be mutually agreed upon before kick-off. The style of play was more akin to a hybrid of association football and rugby, with heavy emphasis on dribbling and physical contests.

On March 15, 1862, Crystal Palace FC played their first recorded game against Forest Football Club, another pioneering team of the era. The match was held at Leytonstone, in Essex.

In a keenly contested, 15-a-side clash Palace were defeated 1-0 by Forest. The Palace line-up included James Turner, Frederick Urwick and three Lloyd brothers, while Forest featured siblings John and Charles Alcock. This is significant as they would all later help establish the Football Association.

Palace team: Allport, Bell, W Cutbill, E Cutbill, Day, Head, Jackson, R Lloyd, Lloyd, Lloyd, Medwin, Phelps, Sharland, Turner, Urwick.

A Club That Faded into History

The original Crystal Palace FC was among the founding members of the FA in 1863, playing a key role in shaping the early governance of the sport. However, the club struggled to maintain its existence and eventually disbanded in the mid-1870s.

Despite its disappearance, the legacy of the first Crystal Palace FC lived on. When the modern Crystal Palace FC was established in 1905, it adopted the same name.

Legacy and Recognition

Though the original Crystal Palace FC no longer exists, its influence on the early development of football is undeniable. As one of the sport’s earliest teams, it contributed to the foundation of the FA and played a role in shaping the rules that define football today.

The FA recognises the first Crystal Palace FC's contribution to its formation in 1863 on its history page where it says "the club has no connection with the present Premier League club."

While the 1862 match may not be widely remembered, it remains a significant moment in football’s journey towards becoming the global sport it is today.