Crystal Palace FC is an English football league team formed on 10 September 1905 by workers at the Crystal Palace. It played its home games on the cup final ground at the The Crystal Palace. The colours chosen were the claret and blue of Aston Villa, a result of the important role in the club's formation played by Edmund Goodman, an Aston Villa employee. The club joined the Southern League Second Division in 1905-06 and in its inaugural season was promoted to the First Division, crowned as champions.  It also joined the United Counties League, finishing runners-up to Watford.  The club joined the Football League Third Division in 1920, finishing as champions and gaining promotion to Football League Second Division. After four difficult years in Division Two, Palace dropped back into Division Three (South) in 1925 and remained there for the next 33 years. It was not until the 1960s that Crystal Palace emerged as a footballing power.   In 1960-61 they were promoted out of the lowest tier of English League Football and this proved a turning point in the club's history as promotions followed in 1963-64 and 1968-69, taking it to the First Divison. Despite surviving in the top flight from 1969 until 1972, the club was relegated in consecutive seasons, leaving it playing in the third tier for the 1974-75 season. This proved short-lived as it was promoted in 1976-77 and 1978-79 back up to the First Division. 

The 1980s began with relegation and the club did not return to the top tier of English football until wining the play-offs in 1988-89.  A high point at this time was reaching the 1990 FA Cup Final only to lose in a replay against Manchester United. The club built on the success of the previous season in 1990-91 by achieving its highest league finish of 3rd and returning to Wembley to win the Zenith Data Systems Cup. It beat Everton 4-1 in the final, its only cup win to date. The 1990s saw the club promoted and relegated from the Premier League several times, that last relegation taking place at the end of the 1998-99 season. This began worrying times for the club as it was plunged into administration on two separate occasions although it managed to retain its place in the Championship.  They emerged from these difficulties during the 2012–13 season when Palace finished fifth and gained promotion to the Premier League through the play-offs. Under Alan Pardew they reached the 2016 FA Cup Final losing 2-1 after extra time to Manchester United. Pardew was sacked and replaced by Sam Allardyce, who kept the club in the Premier League but resigned unexpectedly at the end of the season. A disastrous start under new manager Frank de Boer was overcome against the odds by new manager Roy Hodgson. Hodgson returned in 2023 to repeat the feet.