Have a look at what Parish actually said to the Evening Standard:

Palace chairman, Steve Parish, said: "As a lifelong supporter of Crystal Palace, it’s amazing that we have a legitimate claim to be the oldest professional league club still in existence, that we were in the very first FA meetings, and that our history dates all the way back to the Victorian cricketers of 1861 at the Palace even involving the great W.G. Grace"

"I would like to thank Peter Manning for the incredible work he has undertaken researching the definitive history of the club. It’s a fascinating tale and one I hope supporters will very much enjoy seeing brought to life in this film."

For once he has used his undoubted PR genius for the right reasons. There's no football in the foreseeable future and he knows full well that to rubbish the story ("tale") at such a time would serve no positive purpose. He also knows that there are some massive lumps of disappointment to come, not least of which there isn't going to be a new Main Stand anytime soon.

To dismiss any harmless distraction at such a time would be a PR disaster so he's paid some lip service to it whilst committing to absolutely nothing. He's not going to change the club crest or press for the FA to change their records. He won't make any further comment on it and will just allow it to fade away until there's something more important to talk about.

Bexley Dave

Can you hear the Brighton sing? I can't hear a ******* thing!

"The most arrogant, obnoxious bunch of deluded little sun tanned, loafer wearing mummy's boys I've ever had the misfortune of having to listen to" (Burnley forum)

I haven't read Peter Manning's book yet (Palace at the Palace) so I'll reserve judgement on whether there is a credible link between the amateur and professional clubs. But, unlike some on here I'm prepared to look at the evidence before making my mind up.

I don't really understand some of the negativity on here - apparently we are a laughing stock even before this issue was raised - How so?

If the case holds water it would amazing to think our club was one of the original founders of football, and no doubt worth a few marketing opportunities too. The history of a club is extremely important for many fans and this new research could open up a whole new chapter in the history of CPFC.

Audentis fortuna iuvat (Virgil, 19BC)

Another good thing about the claim to be the oldest league club in the world is it might help attract a wealthy foreign investor...

I doubt it.

COYP

From To the Palace for the Cup: "At this point [after their final FA Cup game] Crystal Palace seem to have disappeared from the football scene. Even the Crystal Palace company had no record of their demise. One journalist from the Croydon Advertiser in 1945 even consulted Sir Henry Buckland, General Manager of the Crystal Palace, who scanned the archives and made enquiries without finding any record of the club."

If the guy in charge of the Crystal Palace company in the early 1900s has no knowledge and can find no evidence of the team involved in anything after 1876 from the company's archives, then the link is broken.

The club are guessing the kit is blue and white halves as the only evidence I see is "blue and White with blue shorts". Quite possibly be horizontal stripes like other shirts of the era.

And what about Crystal Palace Rovers who played against the Pilgrims in January 1883?

Edited by Penge Eagle (22 Apr 2020 7.27pm)

That’s the theory, we became known as Crystal Palace Rovers when nomadic..we need to find out more about this which may become easier as more Victorian news articles become digitised