Crystal Palace F.C.'s first official league season started in Division Two of the Southern League, which consisted mainly of other clubs' reserve sides alongside Grays United, Leyton, Southern United and St. Leonard's and was a successful one.
The Palace opening match was against Southampton Reserves, and approximately 3,000 people paid 6d to stand or a shilling to sit. Palace led 3–0 after 30 minutes, before fading and losing 3–4. However, that was the club's only defeat in the League all season, and Crystal Palace won the championship and were promoted to the Southern League First Division. The season included a run of 17 straight victories, and a 9–1 win over Grays United at Crystal Palace. Attendances for the season were regularly between 2,000 and 3,000 although 4,000 watched the 1–1 FA Cup tie against Blackpool.Matthews, p.14 Palace also secured their record victory in this season, a friendly against West Beckenham on 24 February 1906 which Palace won 17–2.
Southern Football League Second Division DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance2 September 1905Southampton ReservesH3–4Roberts, Needham, Thompson3,00016 September 1905Swindon Town ReservesA 2–1Birnie, Harker18 September 1905West Ham United ReservesA 0–023 September 1905LeytonH 0–014 October 1905Fulham ReservesH 5–0Wallace, Watkins (2), Needham (2)1,50021 October 1905Southern UnitedH 1–0Watkins4 November 1905Grays UnitedH 9–1Birnie, Harker (2), Watkins (2), Needham (2), Astley, Roberts25 November 1905Watford ReservesA 3–1Roberts (2), Ross13 December 1905Reading ReservesH 3–0Harker, Roberts, Watkins3,00023 December 1905Swindon Town ReservesH 3–0Astley, Ross (2)26 December 1905Portsmouth ReservesH 1–0Needham2,0006 January 1906Wycombe WanderersA 4–1Thompson, Needham, Wallace (2)20 January 1906St Leonards UnitedH 3–1Woodger (2), Thompson3,00027 January 1906Grays UnitedA 3–0Walker (2), Needham10 February 1906West Ham United ReservesH 3–1Woodger (2), Needham2,00021 February 1906St Leonards UnitedA 3–0Needham (2), Wallace28 February 1906Southern UnitedH 4–0Needham (2), Woodger, own goal3 March 1906Watford ReservesH 4–0Roberts, Needham (2), Woodger2,00010 March 1906Southampton ReservesA 2–0Thompson, Needham24 March 1906Reading ReservesA 1–0Needham7 April 1906LeytonA 2–1Wallace, Needham3,00013 April 1906Portsmouth ReservesA 1–1Watkins8,00014 April 1906Wycombe WanderersH 4–0Woodger (2), Moody, Needham17 April 1906Fulham ReservesA 2–2Needham, Harker5,000
FA Cup
As a brand new club Crystal Palace had to qualify for entry into the first round proper of the FA Cup. In the first qualifying round Palace were drawn at home against Clapham. The match saw Palace run out 7–0 winners, with William Watkins scoring the first ever hat-trick. The next round saw Palace overcome the 2nd Grenadier Guards and earn a draw against Chelsea in the third qualifying round. Chelsea at the time were a big draw, fielding the famous goalkeeper, William Foulke. Sadly, Chelsea were obliged to fulfil a League fixture on the same day, and chasing promotion from the Football League Second Division, decided to concentrate on the league. They fielded a reserve side against Palace who duly ran out 7–1, with Watkins scoring another hat-trick. The ease of this victory saw the FA change the rules to ensure clubs always fielded their strongest sides. Palace then dispatched Luton Town in the fourth and final qualifying round to ensure a place in the First Round Draw. Here they were paired with Blackpool, and the tie was eventually settled in a second replay at neutral venue Villa Park after both teams failed to make home advantage pay. DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance7 October 1905First Qualifying RoundClaphamH7–0Watkins (3), Innerd, Astley, Roberts, Harker1,50028 October 1905Second Qualifying Round2nd Grenadier GuardsA3–0Harker, Wallace, Astley1,20018 November 1905Third Qualifying RoundChelseaH7–1Watkins (3; 2 pen.), Innerd (2), Harker, Needham3,0009 December 1905Fourth Qualifying RoundLuton TownH1–0 Harker5,00013 January 1906First RoundBlackpoolA1–1 Harker2,50017 January 1906First Round ReplayBlackpoolH1–1 (aet)Birnie4,00022 January 1906First Round Second ReplayBlackpoolN0–1 5,000
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Bob Hewitson24070310FB George Walker24270312FB Matthew Edwards15060210FB Archie Grant15020170HB Wilf Innerd16073233HB Ted Birnie (c)22271293HB Horace Astley13262194HB Charles Palmer100010HB Arthur Wilson700000HB W. Mills100010HB Stan Cubberley100010HB A.E. Henwood100010HB John Dick100010FW George Thompson10410111FW Dick Harker165752310FW Walter Watkins157662213FW Archie Needham2120612721FW Dick Roberts24671317FW Charles Wallace19571266FW Robert Ross431053FW George Woodger12800128FW W. Bryden100010FW F. Moody100010
References
Bibliography
Matthews, Tony (editor). We All Follow The Palace. Juma, 1998.
Citations