Crystal Palace
The club moved to The Nest in 1918, having spent four years at the Herne Hill Athletics Stadium and gained promotion in the 1920–21 season by winning the Division Three championship (later to become known as Division 3 (South)). There is no connection between the Crystal Palace nickname 'The Eagles' and the name of this former ground – the nickname only coming about in the 1970s via the flamboyant manager Malcolm Allison.
In 1924, the club bought a new state-of-the-art ground, Selhurst Park, which would be their home into the next century. Crystal Palace then sublet the ground to Tramways F.C., a railway workers football club.
During the time that Crystal Palace played League football at The Nest, it was common for many spectators to purchase a platform ticket at the adjoining Selhurst Station, and watch matches from Platform 1, as this was cheaper than the match admission price and afforded an elevated clear view of all of the ground.
The site of The Nest is now a train depot for the rail company Southern. The only confirmed remaining trace of the ground is the front boundary wall along Selhurst Road, opposite the railway station. There is some conjecture amongst historians regarding whether or not the shell of the grandstand remains(minus its original roof), as a brick building operating as stores for the railway depot exists in the same position(in which the number of rooms within this building matches exactly the number of rooms under the grandstand as described on the football club leases). This building also displays an interesting feature on its side walls, namely possible steps from what would have been the seating tier. This structure curiously also possesses a quite substantial chimney, which would have had to been subsequently added.
Read more about this topic: Croydon Common Athletic Ground
Famous quotes containing the words crystal and/or palace:
“Madame, ye been alle beautee shrine
As fer as cercled is the mapemounde:
For as the crystal glorious ye shine,
And like ruby been youre cheekes rounde.”
—Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400)
“In correct theology, the Virgin ought not to be represented in bed, for she could not suffer like ordinary women, but her palace at Chartres is not much troubled by theology, and to her, as empress-mother, the pain of child-birth was a pleasure which she wanted her people to share.”
—Henry Brooks Adams (1838–1918)