Charles Chenery (Forward) (3 appearances) Alexander Morten (Goalkeeper) Morten is the oldest player ever to make a debut for England (aged 41). Arthur Savage (Goalkeeper) Charles Eastlake Smith (Forward) Support of Association Rules The club became founder members of the Football Association in 1863, and along with Wanderers F.C., Barnes F.C. and the N.N. Club, were described by Charles W. Alcock as being the four clubs who formed ‘the backbone of the Association game’ in its early years. Delegates of the club attended every AGM of the F.A. for its first crucial decade, during which time the Laws of the Game were evolved. In 1867, when just five delegates turned up at the AGM, it was only the vote of Crystal Palace’s representative Walter Cutbill which prevented the adoption of two major Sheffield Rules laws. Proposals to adopt rouges (secondary goals either side of the main goal) and the virtual abolition of the offside rule were defeated by a single vote. Creation of the FA Cup At the Football Association Committee meeting held on 16 October 1871 to discuss the creation of the FA Cup competition, the Crystal Palace captain and share-registrar Denison Allport (1844-1931) proposed the formation of a committee to draw up the rules required for the competition. He was also part of the delegation which selected and purchased the trophy. Palace competed in the first ever FA Cup competition in 1871–72, reaching the semi-final stage, where they lost to the Royal Engineers after a replay. This was technically the first FA Cup replay, as rule 8 of the competition allowed both teams to go through in the event of a draw, and Palace had taken advantage of that rule after draws with Hitchin F.C. and Wanderers F.C. - the latter tie after playing an innovative 2-1-7 formation, with two full-backs to cope with the extra threat from the Wanderers, rather than the traditional 1-1-8 or new 1-2-7 formations. The club also played in the FA Cup over the next four seasons, but never reached as far again. Demise of the club The club's last recorded match was against Barnes F.C. on 18 December 1875. The Crystal Palace Company had experienced a financial crisis during that year, partly as a result of being sued by its refreshment contractor. Consequently it was forced into a number of cost-cutting measures among the attractions in its park, one of those was