Selhurst Park Stadium

Located in the borough of Croydon in South London, Selhurst Park has been the home of Crystal Palace since 1924. The site used to belong to Brighton Railway Company and was bought by the club for £2570. The stadium that was eventually built was designed by the Scottish stadium architect Archibald Leith and was opened on the 30th of August 1924 by the Lord Mayor of London.

As for The Eagles, when the club was founded it had three venues that they called home before settling permanently at Selhurst Park. They were founded at the Crystal Palace Exhibition building and played their home games there until they moved to the Herne Hill Velodrome and then The Nest; the latter being officially called the Croydon Common Athletic Ground. Interestingly enough, Norwich City also played at a stadium known as The Nest, though it’s not the same one.

General information

Arena capacity: 26,074 spectators

Address: Crystal Palace Football Club, Whitehorse Lane, London, SE25 6PU

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 51°23′54″N 0°5′8″W

Year of construction: August 1924

Construction cost: 30 million pounds

Field: Desso GrassMaster lawn with dimensions of 101 x 68 metres (110 x 74 yards)

Seating plan of the Selhurst Park Stadium

Selhurst Park is a mixture of the modern and the old, with two old side stands and two more modern looking end stands. The ground certainly has character and the Club have spent some money in recent years on sprucing up its appearance.

At one end is the imposing looking Holmesdale Road Stand. This stand which was opened in 1995, looks impressive and has a large cantilevered curved roof, which is quite striking in appearance. The stand is two-tiered, with a smaller upper tier that overhangs a much large lower tier. The upper tier has windshields on either side. This is where the more vociferous home supporters congregate.

Opposite is the Whitehorse Lane Stand. This box-like looking stand has a lower tier of seating. Above this seated area are a double row of executive boxes, giving it an unusual look. It is flanked by two tall supporting towers, made up of white tubular steel. Both these towers are adorned with large floodlights. It also has a large video screen situated on its roof.

One side is the large, covered, single tiered Arthur Wait stand, which was built in 1969, while on the other side the Main Stand, which dates back to when the ground opened in 1924, is also single tiered. Both stands are now beginning to show their age; with a number of supporting pillars. The Arthur Wait Stand has a TV gantry suspended beneath its roof, whilst the Main Stand has a number of ancient looking floodlights on its roof.

To add a bit of razzmatazz to the beginning of games, the club play a programme of loud music, as the teams emerge onto the pitch. This includes playing ‘Glad All Over’ by the Dave Clarke Five, which is enthusiastically joined in to by the Palace fans. The Club also have their own team of Cheerleaders called the Crystals who normally perform on the pitch before kick off.

Away fans

Away are housed on one side of the Arthur Wait Stand, towards the Whitehorse Lane End, where just over 2,000 away supporters can be seated. Views from the front of this stand are generally fine, but as you go further back there are some supporting pillars to contend with, whilst at the very back of the stand the views are very poor.

Due to a new television gantry that has been installed above the visitors stand, the view is even worse than it was before. In fact, you can barely see across to the other side of the pitch. It’s strongly advised not to buy tickets the back ten rows (41-50). If you sit in the bottom half of the stand for an afternoon kick off, in the earlier part of the season, then don’t be surprised if you end up trying to keep the sun out of eyes.

There is a particularly good atmosphere within the ground, especially from the home fans in the Holmesdale Road End. You can be impressed with the Palace fans, who clearly were passionate about their Club, but in a non-intimidatory manner, towards away fans. In fact, there was plenty of good banter going on between the two sets of supporters.

There are plenty of refreshments available, however, if you if there is a sizeable away support, then getting food and drink could be a problem because there is only one small refreshment area to cater for the whole away support. Also be wary of the small staircase leading down to the gents toilets!

Food on offer inside the ground includes; Cheeseburgers £4.50, Palace Ale Hot Dogs £5, Hot Dogs £4, Chicken Burgers £4.50, Steak & Cronx Ale Pie £4, Soulfood Tomato & Black Bean Pots £5 and Chips, sorry French Fries here, £2.50.

On the whole Crystal Palace is a fairly relaxed ground to visit and you are unlikely to encounter any problems, except perhaps getting stuck in the traffic on the way to the game!

Where to buy tickets?

The pricing of tickets for games at Selhurst Park are reasonably easy to understand. They are broken down into game categories – either Category A or Category B – and are there split into the different stands in the stadium. There are also different prices for adults, concessions and junior fans.

Common with most Clubs, Crystal Palace operates a category system (A & B) for matches whereby tickets cost more for the most popular matches. Category B prices are shown below in brackets:

Home Fans*

1. Main Stand: Adults: £50 (B £40), Concessions £35 (B £28), Under 18’s £26 (B £21).
2. Holmesdale Stand (Gallery): Adults: £50 (B £40), Concessions £40 (B £28).
3. Holmesdale Stand (Upper): £45 (B £30), Concessions £38 (B £25), Under 18’s £23 (B £18).
4. Holmesdale Stand (Lower): £45 (B £30), Concessions £38 (B £25), Under 18’s £23 (B £18).
5. Arthur Wait Stand: £45 (B £30), Concessions £38 (B £25), Under 18’s £23 (B £18).
6. Whitehorse Lane Stand:  £45 (B £30), Concessions £38 (B £25), Under 18’s £23 (B £18).
7. Family Section:  £40 (B £30), Concessions £30 (B £25), Under 18’s £10 (B £10).

Away Fans

As per an agreement with all Premier League Clubs, away fans will be charged a maximum price of those shown below for all League games:

• Adults £30;
• Concessions £20.

Concessions apply to Over 65’s, Students and Under 22’s.

The club’s official website – https://www.cpfctickets.com – is the best place to head to if you’re looking to buy a ticket to see The Eagles play. You can also head to the box office at the stadium or you can call the booking line. If you head to the ground on a match day then you’ll almost certainly see some people hanging around with tickets to sell. We’d urge you to avoid them; for starters they may not be genuine tickets and even if they are it will probably go against the club’s own rules about ticketing.

How to get there?

Because it’s in South London access to Selhurst Park couldn’t be much easier. Compared to grounds in more far-flung parts of the country it really is a doddle to get to see The Eagles play.

Leave the M25 at Junction 7 and follow the signs for the A23 to Croydon. At Purley bear left onto the A23 at its junction with the A 235 (to Croydon). You will pass roundabouts and junctions with the A232 and A236 as you pass Croydon, after which the A23 bears left at Thornton Heath (at the Horseshoe pub roundabout). Here you must go straight over, into Brigstock Road (B266), passing Thornton Heath Station on your left and bearing right onto the High Street. At the next mini roundabout, (Whitehorse Road/Grange Road) go left into Whitehorse Lane. The ground is on your right.

An alternative route for fans coming from the North is to leave the M25 at Junction 10 and follow the A3 towards London. After about ten miles you will reach the Tolworth roundabout at which you turn right onto the A240 towards Epsom. After about three miles turn onto the A232 towards Sutton. Follow the A232 through Sutton and Carshalton and just before reaching Croydon, turn left onto the A23 north towards Thornton Heath.

Where the A23 bears left at Thornton Heath (at the Horsehoe pub roundabout). Here you must go straight over, into Brigstock Road (B266), passing Thornton Heath Station on your left and bearing right onto the High Street. At the next mini roundabout, (Whitehorse Road/Grange Road) go left into Whitehorse Lane. The ground is on your right.

Car Parking

There is no parking at the ground available for visiting supporters. The nearby Sainsbury’s Store Car Park, has as you would expect parking restrictions. This was three hours but it’s advised double checking in case it has changed. Most streets around the ground are either designated residents only parking on matchdays or are pay and display with a four hour limit. So you may need to park further away and please take note of any street signs advising of parking restrictions, or else you win run the risk of being towed away.

Alternatively, you may consider parking further out and taking the train to Thornton Heath. For example, you could park at Purley Oaks Station, which costs £2.15 for all day on a Saturday and then take the 17 minute train ride to Thornton Heath. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near Selhurst Park via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.

Please note that the traffic can be pretty bad on Saturdays even without football traffic, so make sure you allow yourself some extra time to make the journey.

Post Code for SAT NAV: SE25 6PU

By train

The nearest railway stations are Selhurst, Thornton Heath or Norwood Junction, all of which are served by London Victoria mainline station. Both Thornton Heath and Norwood Junction are also served by trains from London Bridge. From each of these local stations it is then a 10-15 minute walk to Selhurst Park. Please note that Crystal Palace station is nowhere near the ground. Thornton Heath tends to be more popular with away fans.

If you are coming from outside London, it may be an idea to purchase a ‘Travelcard’ at the first tube station you encounter (or some train operators also allow you to add this onto your train ticket) and tell the clerk that you want a ‘Travelcard’ that will cover you as far as Selhurst or Thornton Heath. The card then allows you unlimited travel on the tube and trains within the London travel zone and avoids having to buy a ticket for each leg of the journey.

If travelling to Selhurst Station from London Victoria, that it’s better to get  on at the front of the train rather than the back. On leaving the train at Selhurst, that for the rear carriages there is a gap of 2 to 3 foot between the train doors and the platform, not the most pleasant of exits. If you are travelling with young children or are less agile, then it is best to be at the front of the train.

If you go to a number of games in the capital then you may consider getting yourself an Oyster Card, which is a pre-paid travel pass for public transport (Tube, Bus, Train etc..) within London. Not only will it save you money but also saves you time as you won’t need to buy tickets on the day. You can purchase one from the Travel For London Plan your journey website, where you can also access routes, timetables and a handy journey planning tool.

Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the Trainline website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets.

Bus

Any number of buses serve the Selhurst Park area from different parts of Central London. If you’re hoping to travel this way then your best bet is to head to the Transport for London website and have a look at the options available to you from the location you’re travelling from.

Taxi

Selhurst Park is in South London and not all taxi drivers are happy to go South of the river, but book one and it will come. To give you an example of pricing, a taxi from Euston will take around half an hour if the traffic is kind and it will set you back about £50.

Facilities

Selhurst Park boasts a relaxed atmosphere, but the facilities aren’t exactly top notch any more. Seats in the away area are cramped and if you’re towards the back then you’ll struggle to see all of the pitch. On the concourses you’ll find areas to buy food and drink, though you’ll have to battle through a somewhat disorganised melee in order to get to the point of ordering. You’ll also be able to stick a bet on at a number of kiosks if you’d like to do that sort of thing.

Hospitality

There are numerous different hospitality packages available at Selhurst Park. Perhaps the 2010 and Coppell Club lounges might tickle your fancy, for example. With the prestige of a private member’s club and the excitement of Premier League football, what’s not to love? You’ll get drinks on arrival, VIP seating in the director’s box, free wines, beers and soft drinks as well as pre-match food and and half-time refreshments. There’ll also be the chance to meet a club legend on the day, too!

Julian Speroni, the Crystal Palace number one, has a restaurant at Crystal Palace that you can attend on a match day. You’ll get a three-course pre-match meal, hosting by a club legend, entry into a raffle with unique prizes, refreshments at half-time and full-time as well as the chance to watch the Man Of The Match presentation. You’ll also get VIP seating in the director’s box for the match itself.

The final thing we’ll mention is The Legends Club. It comes with access to an executive box, an all-inclusive food and drinks package, modern dining, balcony seating outside the box with excellent views, private TVs and a chance to be hosted by a club legend.

Private hire

From a birthday party for a select group of friends and family through to a three-course wedding package for 180 people, there are plenty of private hire options at Selhurst Park. The Boardroom is available for things like executive meetings, private dinners or presentations. Speroni’s and The Wright & Bright Lounge are the sort of large function rooms that are ideal for the aforementioned parties and weddings.

The executive boxes at the stadium are ideal for business meetings or breakout discussions, whilst the 2010 Club and Coppell 2010 Lounge is an ideal place to have a sophisticated cocktail party or corporate event. Whatever you’re hoping to use Selhurst Park for you won’t be disappointed, whilst its London location makes it ideal for anyone who wants to host an event in the capital.

Selhurst Park Hotels

London is a huge and cosmopolitan city full of different options for your hotel needs. We’ve found some for you here, though, if you’d rather get as close to the stadium as possible.

1. Lansdowne Hotel Croydon – £51+. Address: 1 Lansdowne Road, Croydon, England, CR9 2BN. About 1.7 miles from the stadium is The Lansdowne Hotel. It offers a spa with massage facilities, a lounge for food and drinks, an indoor pool and a health club.
2. Grand Sapphire Hotel – £71+. Address: 45 Imperial Way, Croydon, England, CR0 4RR. The Grand Sapphire is a 15 minute drive from the ground and has Wi-Fi, self-parking and 34 guest rooms.
3. Hampton by Hilton London Croydon – £97+. Address: 2 Festoon Way, Royal Victoria Dock, London, E16 1RH. Self-parking, Wi-Fi, a snack bar and a deli are all available at this hotel that is synonymous with style and class. It’s about 1.6 miles from Selhurst Park, too.

Pubs & Bars Near Selhurst Park

With the closing of ‘The Flora Sandes’ Wetherspoons pub opposite Thornton Heath Station, then the choice of pubs has become quite limited. There is ‘The Railway Telegraph’ on Brigstock Road (as you come out of Thornton Heath station turn right and the pub is further down on the left). This pub serves Youngs beers and is quite spacious. It is then about a 15 minute walk from here to Selhurst Park (as you come out of the pubs turn right and follow the other fans).

There are also plenty of Kebab and Chip shops available on the route to the ground. Generally, beer and lager are served inside the ground, although for certain high profile games, the Club choose not to serve alcohol to away supporters. The choice of alcohol includes; Carlsberg Lager (Bottle £4.50), Somersby Cider (Bottle £4.50) and Wine (Small Bottle £4.50). Alas, away fans don’t get to enjoy the ‘Palace Ale’ which is produced by a craft brewery owned by Neil Morrissey for the Club and is available in the home sections. The nearest you will get is buying a ‘Palace Ale Hot Dog’

History

When Selhust Park was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of London in 1924 there was only one stand and it was unfinished owing to industrial action. Two years later the ground was used as the location for an international game between England and Wales. In the early ‘80s Palace found themselves in financial difficulty and so chose to sell part of the grounds near the stadium to Sainsbury’s, the supermarket retail giant.

Crystal Palace haven’t been the only tenants at the stadium. Charlton Athletic were temporary residents and the two clubs became the first in the country to agree to such a ground sharing scheme.