Crystal Palace National Sports Centre

Crystal Palace National Sports Centre is a sports centre and athletics stadium in south east London which was opened in 1964, although the history of the area goes back much further and is of great significance in English sport.

The site of the current athletics stadium was the same site as the venue for the FA Cup Final from 1895 until 1914 as well as several England international football matches. The venue was overlooked by the magnificent Crystal Palace Exhibition Building, which was a huge tourist attraction.

FA Cup Finals at Crystal Palace

International Football Matches at Crystal Palace

3 April 1897 – England 1–2 Scotland

30 March 1901 – England 2–2 Scotland

1 April 1905 – England 1–0 Scotland

3 April 1909 – England 2–0 Scotland

4 March 1911 – England Amateurs 4–0 Belgium

Aside from the FA Cup Finals, the ground was also home to Crystal Palace FC until they moved in 1915.

The venue also hosted an England rugby union international, when the visiting New Zealand side won 15-0 in 1905.

London County Cricket Club were a first class county between 1900 and 1904 with WG Grace the club secretary and the team using Crystal Palace. Famous players included CB Fry, Johnny Douglas and K S Ranjitsinhji.

It is said the London CCC matches were little more than exhibition games and a money  making exercise for Grace. The club continued before folding in 1908.

A motor racing circuit was opened in the park in 1927, which also staged motor cycling. The first London Grand Prix was staged in 1937. The final international race on the track was held in 1972; with it remaining open to club meetings until its closure in 1974.

The Exhibition Hall burnt down in 1936, which meant to a drop in people attending the site. The construction of the sports centre bought it back to life.

The athletics stadium became the UK’s prominent venue for athletics, especially after the gradual demise of White City; with many records being broken on the track. The pitch in the centre was the home of Fulham Rugby League FC in the mid 80’s as well as American Football side; London Monarchs.

The sports centre became the home of the Crystal Palace and then London Towers basketball teams, while the swimming pool staged many national and international championships.

A Chinese company; ZhongRong Group put in plans to recreate a replica Crystal Palace and build a cultural and entertainment complex in Crystal Palace Park. Bromley Council pulled out of the possible deal in February 2015 after the group failed to meet deadlines.

The stadium was underused for many years; even more so after the Olympic Stadium was built over the river at Stratford. Tottenham Hotspur had planned to rebuild Crystal Palace stadium in return for their proposed move to Stratford. However, they decided to develop White Hart Lane instead.

Crystal Palace FC suggested building a new Crystal Palace Sports Arena to replace their Selhurst Park home in January 2011. The Eagles submitted plans to rebuild the stadium as a 40,000 seater football stadium without a running track, but with a new indoor aquatic and sports centre as part of the complex.

A Tramlink extension to the park was also included in the plans, but plans appeared to be put on the back burner following the sale of Palace to American owners. Non-league club AC London used the stadium in the 2015-16 season.

My visit

Monday 28th November 2016

I’d never got round to visiting Crystal Palace Park. Attending the Under 21’s game at Selhurst Park between Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic gave me the ideal opportunity. The game was poor and I was cold so I needed no real excuse to do something more interesting.

The 157 bus took me from Clifton Road to Crystal palace station at the entrance to the park. It was a lovely bright day and ideal for walking and taking photos.

While the stadium was closed, it was easy enough to take photos from several elevated views. Its two cantilever stands faced each other across the track, while the ends were open. It sat in a natural bowl and it became apparent how so many may have got a view of earlier cup finals.

The sports centre was a listed building; but it looked pretty ugly to me. It was more akin to something I imagined in an old communist state than belonging to the swinging sixties in London. The decade really did allow some monstrosities in construction.

My main point of interest was walking around the vast foundations that were still in place from the palace. How I hoped that the rebuild could take place. It must have looked an amazing site overlooking London on one side and the park and Surrey on the other.

The light was drawing in as I departed. I could have spent far longer just walking around and enjoying the views and scenery. As I headed for a bus to Brixton I pondered just how so many people used to visit for those halcyon FA Cup Final’s from cities hundreds of miles away before navigating their way across the capital.

It must have been something purely magical. Oh to find that time portal! Instead I headed to see the Jarvis’s at Hampstead CC before meeting Steve Barnes to go for a pint before the Haringey Borough v Thamesmead Town match.

It had been a packed fun day out; which most can be in London if you put in the effort.

Tuesday 1st December 2020

Click here to read about a further visit as part of my 100 mile Sawasdee Cup Charity Walk late in 2020 as I called in on all the clubs in the top five tiers within Greater London to raise money for Junior Cricket Development in Thailand.