On This Day: Palace's first league match at The Nest (1918)

Club

14 Sep 2023

It was on this day 105 years ago that Crystal Palace Football Club played our first competitive fixture at our third home ground, The Nest.

Long before the club would become widely-known as the ‘Eagles’, Palace took root at The Nest in 1918, before departing Selhurst Park – our home now for almost 100 years – six years later.

Prior to that, Palace had played at… well, the eponymous Crystal Palace, place of origin for the club’s original nickname ‘the Glaziers’ and the site of the club’s professional formation in 1905, when it began life in Division 2 of the Southern League.

Fast forward 10 years and, with the club forced to leave the Crystal Palace in February 1915 after the Admiralty moved in to utilise the land as a recruitment and training centre during World War One, the club became – rather urgently – tenants of amateur outfit West Norwood at their Herne Hill home.

Three years later and, with attendances having significantly declined due to the combined effects of the War and the ground’s distance to the majority of its supporters, a new home awaited Palace at the global conflict’s conclusion.

You’ve probably seen the site of The Nest yourself, because while what remains of it has caused some debate amongst historians inclined to argue about such issues, its site is now occupied by Selhurst depot - opposite the exit to Selhurst station.

In fact, the entrance to the depot is the same entrance used for the stadium almost 100 years before – and, initially at least, the stadium’s only entrance or exit, before extra turnstiles were added in 1919. There were also no terraces or bars available.

It is thought the stadium’s grandstand today forms part of the depot: with one store sitting exactly where the stand used to be, containing the same number of rooms and jagged features along one wall - thought to be the former steps of the Nest’s grandstand.

A mud bank which stood behind the stadium was topped with bushes and trees - known by supporters as ‘The Jungle’ - and some Palace fans would opt to purchase a train ticket at Selhurst station in order to watch matches from a vantage point on Platform 1. The view was passable and the ticket cheaper than entrance to the ground.

In actual fact, the Nest was properly called Croydon Common Athletic Ground and originally housed Croydon Common F.C., nicknamed the Robins due to their red and white kit, until the death of the club in 1916 – ‘The Nest’ was a moniker adopted mockingly as a result.

The ground was owned by the church and so, for the better part of six strange seasons, Palace were forced to play any matches that fell on Good Friday or Christmas Day away from home – an arrangement which, thankfully, appeared to be respected by officiating bodies until its relaxation in 1923.

During Palace’s occupancy, the only other use of the stadium was for “the holding of Flower Shows and School treats.”

Easily accessible, Palace’s support thrived at The Nest over the course of six years, inheriting much of the Croydon Common supporter base and attracting visitors from across south London and northern Surrey.

The ground's unofficial opening match took place on 31st August 1918 – a charity fixture against Millwall in aid of local hospitals, a 4-1 win for Palace – but our first league fixture, in the old London Combination, fell on this day 105 years ago, Saturday 14th September 1918.

Inaugurated in 1915, the London Combination – which eventually became a Reserve team competition in 1919 after the First World War had concluded and the Southern League resumed – featured 12 founder members from across the capital.

Palace's first league game at The Nest saw them paired with Queens Park Rangers, and – with the Daily Mercury reporting a healthy attendance of 2,000 spectators in Selhurst – it went the home side's way.

The report explained: "The Palace team, which lacked Bateman and Keeble, was chiefly composed of military players.

"At the end of seven minutes, Keene scored for the Palace from Turner's centre and Browne, of the Rangers, with an open goal, hit the bar.

"Playing with the wind, the visitors were dangerous, and Jefferson equalised."

A rather more succinct report of the remainder of the game followed: "The Palace added other goals by Keene (2) and Turner. Result: Crystal Palace four goals, Queen's (sic.) Park Rangers, two goals."

Conciseness aside, Palace built on the opening-day victory to finish the season in seventh, level on points with Rangers but ahead on goal average.

We would make significant progress on the pitch at The Nest before our eventual departure in 1924. The club secured entry to the Football League at the start of 1920/21 – having originally been rejected in 1905 – and gained promotion after securing the Division Three title the following season, finishing five points clear of nearest-challengers Southampton.

Palace also completed a number of giant-killing shocks in Cup competitions at the Nest, humbling both top-flight Tottenham and Manchester City, and reaching the Final of four consecutive London Challenge Cup competitions, winning in 1921.

After several midtable finishes, the final game played by Palace was a 3-1 win over Barnsley. Palace finished the 1923/24 season 15th in Division Two, before preparing for a permanent move to Selhurst Park.

Upon our departure, The Nest was used by local amateur football clubs, as well as cricket and bird-keeping, before the railway company redeveloped the land to become the depot we know outside Selhurst today.

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