FA Cup Final in Crystal Palace Park

A hundred years ago a trip to the FA Cup Final would not have involved a long an arduous journey across London. The Twenty FA Cup finals prior to the First World War were played in Crystal Palace Park, on the site of the present athletics stadium.

The first FA Cup final at Crystal Palace between Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion took place on 20 April 1895. Enormous crowds attended these games, including the record for a final, 120,081, when Aston Villa beat Sunderland in 1912. Tottenham Hotspurs of the Southern League were the only London side to appear in a Crystal Palace final and 110,820 spectators saw them draw 2-2 with Sheffield United in 1901. Spurs went on to win the replay and are the only non-league side to win FA Cup.

The spirit of the Crystal Palace finals was revived in April when Fans of Bristol City and Manchester United remembered the 1909 final by playing a special game at the same time, same day, at the same venue, only one hundred years later (Friday 24 April 2009, 3.30pm). They hired Crystal Palace stadium for the game and played under1909 rules, so there were no substitutes and players ran out in 1909 kits.



http://www.1909replayed.org/2009.html

Brain Teaser:
What is the connection between Newcastle United playing a Cup Final in Crystal Palace in 1908 and the invention of the windscreen wiper? Find out in Issue #6 of The Transmitter out 22nd May!