1905–06 Crystal Palace F.C. season

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 Southall, Southern United, St. Leonard's and Grays United was a successful one. Their 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.[1] Palace also secured their record victory in this season, a friendly against West Beckenham on 24 February 1906 which Palace won 172.

Crystal Palace
1905–06 season
ChairmanSydney Bourne
ManagerJohn Robson
Southern Football League Division Two1st (promoted)
FA CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Archie Needham 20
All: Archie Needham 21
Highest home attendance5,000 (vs. Peterborough, 23 September)
Lowest home attendance1,500 (vs. Fulham Reserves, 14 October)
Average home league attendance2,812

Southern Football League Second Division

Date Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance
2 September 1905 Southampton Reserves H 3 – 4 Roberts, Needham, Thompson 3,000
16 September 1905 Swindon Town Reserves A 2 – 1 Birnie, Harker
18 September 1905 West Ham United Reserves A 0 – 0
23 September 1905 Leyton H 0 – 0
14 October 1905 Fulham Reserves H 5 – 0 Wallace, Watkins (2), Needham (2) 1,500
21 October 1905 Southern United H 1 – 0 Watkins
4 November 1905 Grays United H 9 – 1 Birnie, Harker (2), Watkins (2), Needham (2), Astley, Roberts
25 November 1905 Watford Reserves A 3 – 1 Roberts (2), Ross
13 December 1905 Reading Reserves H 3 – 0 Harker, Roberts, Watkins 3,000
23 December 1905 Swindon Town Reserves H 3 – 0 Astley, Ross (2)
26 December 1905 Portsmouth Reserves H 1 – 0 Needham 2,000
6 January 1906 Wycombe Wanderers A 4 – 1 Thompson, Needham, Wallace (2)
20 January 1906 St Leonards United H 3 – 1 Woodger (2), Thompson 3,000
27 January 1906 Grays United A 3 – 0 Walker (2), Needham
10 February 1906 West Ham United Reserves H 3 – 1 Woodger (2), Needham 2,000
21 February 1906 St Leonards United A 3 – 0 Needham (2), Wallace
28 February 1906 Southern United H 4 – 0 Needham (2), Woodger, own goal
3 March 1906 Watford Reserves H 4 – 0 Roberts, Needham (2), Woodger 2,000
10 March 1906 Southampton Reserves A 2 – 0 Thompson, Needham
24 March 1906 Reading Reserves A 1 – 0 Needham
7 April 1906 Leyton A 2 – 1 Wallace, Needham 3,000
13 April 1906 Portsmouth Reserves A 1 – 1 Watkins 8,000
14 April 1906 Wycombe Wanderers H 4 – 0 Woodger (2), Moody, Needham
17 April 1906 Fulham Reserves A 2 – 2 Needham, Harker 5,000
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Crystal Palace 24 19 4 1 66 14 4.714 42 Promoted to Division One
2 Leyton 24 16 6 2 61 18 3.389 38
3 Portsmouth II 24 12 8 4 52 24 2.167 32
4 Fulham II 24 11 6 7 52 39 1.333 28
5 Southampton II 24 7 9 8 39 41 0.951 23
Source:
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

FA Cup

The Crystal Palace squad of 1905–06

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.

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance
7 October 1905 First Qualifying Round Clapham H 7 – 0 Watkins (3), Innerd, Astley, Roberts, Harker 1,500
28 October 1905 Second Qualifying Round 2nd Grenadier Guards A 3 – 0 Harker, Wallace, Astley 1,200
18 November 1905 Third Qualifying Round Chelsea H 7 – 1 Watkins (3; 2 pen.), Innerd (2), Harker, Needham 3,000
9 December 1905 Fourth Qualifying Round Luton Town H 1 – 0 Harker 5,000
13 January 1906 First Round Blackpool A 1 – 1 Harker 2,500
17 January 1906 First Round Replay Blackpool H 1 – 1 (aet) Birnie 4,000
22 January 1906 First Round Second Replay Blackpool N 0 – 1 5,000

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Bob Hewitson 24070310
FB George Walker 24270312
FB Matthew Edwards 15060210
FB Archie Grant 15020170
HB Wilf Innerd 16073233
HB Ted Birnie (c) 22271293
HB Horace Astley 13262194
HB Charles Palmer 100010
HB Arthur Wilson 700000
HB W. Mills 100010
HB Stan Cubberley 100010
HB A.E. Henwood 100010
HB John Dick 100010
FW George Thompson 10410111
FW Dick Harker 165752310
FW Walter Watkins 157662213
FW Archie Needham 2120612721
FW Dick Roberts 24671317
FW Charles Wallace 19571266
FW Robert Ross 431053
FW George Woodger 12800128
FW W. Bryden 100010
FW F. Moody 100010

References

Bibliography
  • King, Ian (2012). Crystal Palace: The Complete Record 1905–2011. Derby Books Publishing Company Limited. ISBN 978-1-78091-221-9.
  • Matthews, Tony (editor). We All Follow The Palace. Juma, 1998. ISBN 1-872204-55-4
Citations
  1. Matthews, p.14
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