Everton v Crystal Palace

A chapel congregation founded a football club in 1878; just thirteen years later, it was a league champion with its own purpose-built ground.

Founded as St Domingo FC by the congregation of St Domingo Methodist Chapel in 1878, the club adopted the name Everton the following year. They became one of the twelve founding members of the Football League in 1888 and won their first league title in 1891. Everton settled at Goodison Park in 1892, making it one of the oldest purpose-built football grounds in the world.

Born in the shadow of the Cup Final ground itself; the venue made the club.

Crystal Palace Football Club was founded on 10 September 1905 by workers at the Crystal Palace exhibition building in south London. The FA Cup Final had been held at the Crystal Palace ground since 1895, and the new professional club took its name from that famous venue. Palace joined the Southern League and spent their early years building a following in the shadow of the great glass structure.

Palace's promotion in 1969 brought them into Everton's orbit just as the Toffees claimed the title by nine points from Leeds.

Crystal Palace won promotion to the First Division in 1969 under Bert Head, bringing them into direct competition with Everton for the first time. That 1969-70 season was a golden one for the Toffees: they won the league championship under Harry Catterick, finishing nine points clear of Leeds United. Palace, by contrast, were finding their feet at the top level. The competitive fixture between the two clubs had begun.

Kendall's Everton claimed the title, the Cup Winners' Cup, and a place in football's firmament, all in a single extraordinary season.

The 1984-85 season was arguably Everton's finest. Howard Kendall's side won the First Division title and the European Cup Winners' Cup, beating Rapid Vienna 3-1 in the final in Rotterdam. They also reached the FA Cup Final, losing to Manchester United. It was a period of dominance that cemented Everton's status among English football's elite. Palace, meanwhile, were rebuilding in the lower divisions under Steve Coppell.

Newly promoted Palace knocked out Everton 4-3 after extra time; a semi-final that needed no introduction.

The 1989-90 season produced one of the most dramatic encounters between the two clubs. Crystal Palace, newly promoted under Steve Coppell, reached the FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park where they faced a strong Everton side. Palace won 4-3 after extra time in a pulsating match, with goals from Mark Bright and Andy Gray. Palace went on to face Manchester United in the final, drawing 3-3 before losing the replay 1-0.

Everton arrived in 1992 as top-flight veterans of nearly four decades; Palace arrived hoping the party would finally last.

Both Everton and Crystal Palace were among the twenty-two founding members of the Premier League in 1992. For Everton, it was a continuation of unbroken top-flight football stretching back to 1954. For Palace, it was a chance to establish themselves at the highest level after their exciting late-1980s resurgence. The early Premier League years would prove turbulent for both, with Palace relegated in 1993 and Everton narrowly avoiding the drop on the final day in 1994 and again in 1998.

A club that nearly ceased to exist entirely has not left the top flight since winning promotion through the play-offs in 2013.

After years of yo-yoing between divisions and a period of severe financial difficulty that nearly saw the club go out of existence, Crystal Palace won promotion back to the Premier League in 2013 via the Championship play-offs under Ian Holloway. They have remained in the top flight ever since, establishing themselves as a consistent Premier League presence. Regular fixtures against Everton at both Goodison Park and Selhurst Park became a staple of the calendar once more.

Calvert-Lewin's late header against Palace kept Everton up; the cruellest of ironies for their opponents.

The 2021-22 season was eventful for both clubs. Crystal Palace, under Patrick Vieira, reached the FA Cup semi-final and played some of the most attractive football in the club's history. Everton, managed by Frank Lampard, endured a desperate relegation battle that went to the final weeks of the season. A dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Crystal Palace at Goodison Park in May 2022 proved pivotal, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin's late header sparking scenes of wild celebration and effectively securing Everton's survival.

Over 130 years of Goodison history distilled into one final season of farewells.

Everton's move to their new 52,888-capacity stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock marks the end of over 130 years at Goodison Park. The final season at the old ground carries enormous emotional weight for supporters. Fixtures against clubs like Crystal Palace at Goodison take on added significance as fans say goodbye to a ground steeped in history. The new stadium, set on Liverpool's waterfront, promises a dramatic new chapter for the club.