EAGLES FLY HOME

Crystal Palace Football Club Press Conference 20th January 2011 Press Release Crystal Palace FC plan return to historic home

We are delighted to announce that Crystal Palace Football Club together with their advisors CB Richard Ellis and stadium designers AFL have been pursuing avenues and that would allow them to move back Eagles Fly Home to their original home ground within Crystal Palace park.

Crystal Palace is a unique place, one off the highest points in , a point where five South London boroughs collide and the home of the club. It also holds a special place in English football, hosting the first cup finals and early England Internationals.

The plan is to provide:

• 40,000 seat stadium • new indoor aquatic centre • reconfigured indoor sports complex within the existing structure • new community athletics facility

Combined this will breathe new life into the National Sports Centre and the park by removing the requirement for the pool inside the current listed structure, greatly reduce the running costs and allow for the current space to be re-utilised for an even wider range of community and elite athletic sports.

Planning will be sought for the full 40,000 seat capacity stadium, it may begin life with a reduced 25,000 capacity stadium, dependant on where we are, other uses etc. Steve Parish, Co–Chairman of Crystal Palace Football Club, said: “We are delighted to put forward our plans to return the club home to where it all began. We believe a stadium at Crystal Palace park can help create a bright new future for the club as well as helping to breathe new life into both the sports centre and the park.” What have we done so far Consultation began in July 2010 Click to edit Master title style London Borough of Croydon The club currently sits within the borough of Croydon, as such their support is pivotal to help develop Eagles Fly Home the existing site which will go a long way to financing the new stadium.

Jon Rouse, CEO of Croydon Council said: “Croydon Council wants to see Crystal Palace Football Club thrive on and off the pitch. While we would be sad to see the club leave the borough we will actively support a move to the National Sports Centre site if that is what is judged by owners and fans to be in the best interests of the club.”

London Borough of Bromley Equally pivotal as they are both the freeholders of the site (leasing the NSC to the LDA), and responsible for the running costs of the park. They are also the planning authority for the park.

Leader of Bromley Council, Councillor Stephen Carr said: “Crystal Palace Football Club have spoken to us and we are very interested in their proposal to relocate the Club to Crystal Palace park. These are potentially exciting times for Crystal Palace park and of course, we would need to look very carefully at the merits of any proposal. These fresh visionary ideas are welcome and ultimately, we want to improve the park and the wider area and any viable plan to improve the park could have a positive impact on the locality and secure a brighter future. Of course, we will consider all proposals on their merits and would be subject to the planning permission in the usual way.” What have we done so far

London development Agency - LDA ClickThe LDA to are edit the current Master leasehol titleders styleand fund both the sports centre and the upkeep of the athletics stadium. They both currently run at a significant deficit, our intention is to work with them to reduce this deficit, as such they are interested in hearing our proposal. By building a new aquatic centre we Eagles Fly Home believe that there would be a significant reduction in running costs and significant new revenue opportunities. We have spoken directly to them and the Mayor’s office.

Kate Hoey, Mayor of London Commissioner for Sport and Labour Member of Parliament said: “It is encouraging to see people coming forward with positive, innovative solutions for the future of Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace FC has been at the heart of that community for well over 100 years and I know they have been working hard to secure the support of all the key local stakeholders. I welcome their interest in the site and look forward to seeing more detail on what they have to offer to the local community and to London as a whole.”

Greenwich Leisure They currently manage the National Sports centre, we have had discussions around membership numbers, growth rates, running cost issues What have we done so far

Jim Dowd MP for Lewisham West and Penge, who’s constituency contains the park has also Clickbeen consulted to edit and Master he said: title style “Crystal Palace FC is a vital part of the community here in our corner of South East London just as professional football clubs are throughout the country. The possibility to return to their original “home” Eagles Fly Home and thus achieve long term security together with providing a sustainable future for the Stadium site is an opportunity that is unlikely ever to occur again and thus it must be given every chance to succeed. Although there are many legitimate questions to be raised and answered before any progress can be made I am grateful for the openness the Club have shown and for the opportunity I have had to meet with them to discuss the proposal. I hope very much that it is possible to achieve a solution which will benefit the whole area.”

UK Athletics We have consulted UK Athletics extensively resulting in the addition to our plans of a community athletics facility.

ED Warner Chairman of UK Athletics said: “On the proviso that the Olympic Stadium retains its athletics track and any redevelopment of Crystal Palace maintains a community athletics facility on or nearby the park we would be supportive of the plans of Crystal Palace Football Club.” Why now • Returning to the home of the club has been an ambition of many of the previous owners Click to edit Master title style • Clearly the development of the Olympic stadium removed the requirement for Crystal Palace to host major athletics events making a football only stadium a viable option Eagles Fly Home

• We want to make a new home for Crystal Palace a reality within a sensible time frame as such we are inviting consultation

• As such we are inviting further consultations with all interested parties so that feasibility and viability can be explored including planning and transport issues

• We also feel it important to go public now given important decisions are about to be taken regarding the current stadium at Crystal Palace, and people may incorrectly believe that there are no alternatives for Crystal Palace stadium. The current site

The current site is run down, and a hugely under-utilised stadium.

Eagles Fly Home The current site

Eagles Fly Home The original Crystal Palace ground

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Taken during the 1905 cup final 101,117 Aston Villa v Newcastle

Feature Cup Final, 1905

Images from the Encyclopaedia of British Football, 1983 edition The Future

Site of the original Crystal Palace Bus interchange, Existing Four rail stations, Penge East, 13 bus services Hostel Penge West, Anerley, and this station, Crystal Palace New Aquatic Centre Eagles Fly Home Existing National Sports Centre

New 40,000 seat stadium

Significant regeneration of the area surrounding the stadium

New Community Athletics Track and Field Centre New development as part of the Crystal Palace park Master Plan

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11 Scale plan

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12 Scale plan

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13 Stadium

• Unique facility residing in one of London’s largest parks • May start life as a reduced capacity 25,000 seat stadium • In its 40,000 capacity version it could feature Eagles Fly Home • 50 x 10 person executive boxes • One VIP suite for up to 80 persons-these can be balanced with available pitch frontage for other hospitality spaces • Two banqueting/lounges at 500-800 capacity with pitch views (greater views with less boxes) • Potential community/hotel space • Bar/lounge for 200 persons, no pitch view • up to 1,000sq.m. office space • 1,000sq.m. club shop • 300sq.m. media • 200sq.m. players' facilities Build costs and funding

• Build costs are expected to be in the region of £50 million for phase one • Naming rights • Principle funding will arise from the sale and redevelopment of Eagles Fly Home • Pre-sold debenture seats • Pre-sold corporate hospitality • Will be supplemented by shareholder funds as necessary or by third party investment perhaps small borrowing.

Revenue

• The main income will be generated from the use of the football club • Second sports team to be investigated, rugby union etc. • Unique parkland setting, ideal for summer concerts • Non match-day hospitality • Advertising • Hotel • Elite sports academy • Other opportunities are being explored. Next steps

Over the coming months we will be widening our consultations to include; • The wider local community • Residents groups Eagles Fly Home • Fans • Interested parties that come forward • We will also be looking in-depth at how we can work with the LDA to reduce running costs, and Bromley council to help make the park masterplan a reality With a view to making a full planning application Q1 2012 Background of the club

The present CPFC was formed during the summer of 1905 as a separate company by the owners of Crystal Palace Football Club and initially played its home games at the cup final ground at The Crystal Palace. The club joined the Southern League Second Division in Eagles Fly Home 1905-1906 and in their inaugural season were promoted to the First Division, crowned as champions. Crystal Palace also joined the United Counties League, finishing runners-up to Watford. Henry Colclough became the club's first England representative when he played against Wales in on 16 March 1914.

Following the outbreak of World War I, The Admiralty requisitioned the Crystal Palace and the club was forced to move to the home of West Norwood FC, Herne Hill. Three years later the club moved again to The Nest, Selhurst, after the folding of Croydon Common FC. The club then became a founder member of the Football League Third Division in the 1920-21 season, finishing as champions and gaining promotion to the Second Division. Palace moved to the purpose-built stadium Selhurst Park in 1924, the ground the club plays at today. The Nest, Selhurst The opening fixture at Selhurst Park was against Sheffield Wednesday and Palace lost 0–1. The Club finished 21st that season and was relegated to the Third Division South where the club stayed until 1957-58 when they finished in the bottom half of the table and joined the newly formed Fourth Division. This was alongside the other 11 bottom half clubs of Third Division South and 12 bottom half clubs of Third Division North. In 1960-61 Palace were promoted out of the lowest tier of English League Football and this proved a turning point in the club's history as promotions followed in 1963-64 and 1968-69, taking them back to Division 2 and then Division 1. Background of the club

Despite surviving in the top flight from 1969 until 1972, the club once again experienced great disappointments when they were relegated in consecutive seasons, and played in the third tier for the 1974-75 season. This proved short- Eagles Fly Home lived as Palace were promoted in 1976-77 and 1978-79 back up to Division 1. The 1980s began with relegation from Division 1 in the first season under new owner and this is where the club stayed until they achieved promotion via the play-offs in 1988-89. The club also reached the 1990 FA Cup Final only to lose in a Crystal Palace fans celebrate the Club’s replay against Manchester United. promotion to the top flight, 1979

The club built on the success of the previous season in 1990–91 by achieving their highest league finish of 3rd and returning to Wembley to win the Zenith Data Systems Cup, beating Everton 4–1 in the final, their only cup win to date. The following season started promisingly with Palace lying in third place, with two games in hand on the clubs above them, the season fizzled out however, with Palace finishing 10th, although the club did then become a founding member of the first season of the FA in 1992–93.

Ian Wright celebrates the promotion in 1989 Background of the club

Despite an opening day six goal thriller against the Blackburn Rovers which ended in a 3–3 draw, some of the players who had served the club so well wanted to move on, such as 1989-90 club player of the year . The club battled through the season and despite having a purple patch in December, looked to have done enough as a 3–1 victory over Ipswich Town left Palace comfortably Eagles Fly Home on 49 points and the only club that could catch them was Oldham Athletic, who had three games remaining and were 9 points adrift. Oldham Athletic then beat and Aston Villa to set up a final day showdown with Southampton while Palace went to Highbury to face Arsenal.

Former player scored the opening goal in a 3–0 win while Oldham beat Southampton to condemn The Eagles to relegation. resigned with his assistant Alan Smith taking over and the club immediately returned to the FA Premier League in the following season but he was unable to keep the club up and they were relegated once again. In an interesting turn of events, Coppell returned as manager following the sacking of Smith. Coppell was unable to take the club back to the FA Premier League at the first time of asking, losing in extra time to Leicester City the play-off final. The following season Coppell was successful in taking the club back to the Premier League. However in true yo-yo club fashion the club was relegated back to the First Division for the 1998–99 season. This began worrying times for the club as it was plunged into administration when new owner was Mark Bright, Ian Coppell and Ian Wright unable to sustain is financial backing of the club. Background of the club

The next owner was entrepreneur , who had made his money as an owner of Pocket Phone Shop. After just a few weeks of Crystal Palace 2000 Ltd, former manager Alan Smith was named and the new boss. The 2000/01 season started with the supporters’ confidence and pride in the club regained and an exciting new era was head. The season ended with coach Steve Kember Eagles Fly Home installed as after Alan Smith was relieved of his duties following a disappointing season. The club retained their place in the First Division with a victory in the last game at Stockport County thanks to a goal from Dougie Freedman. The club spent much of its time in the Championship over the next 10 years with a brief spell in the Premier League, but the club went straight back down on the last day of the season. Jordan was unable to put the club on a sound financial footing after 2008, transfer embargoes were put on and off the club a few times. Crystal Palace had to sell players like Victor Moses for £2.5m and José Fonte for £1.2m, but the club still went into administration again in January 2010, owing Jordan himself around £20m. The Football League's regulations saw the Eagles deducted 10 points, and survival was only secured on the final day of the season after a Steve Kember is held aloft by Aki Riihilahti, Dougie memorable 2–2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday. Freedman, Clinton Morris and Mikael Forssell after Palace’s last gasp escape from relegation During the close season a consortium, titled as CPFC 2010, successfully negotiated the purchase of the club stadium. Led by Steve Parish, the vocal representative for the consortium that included Stephen Browett, Martin Long and Jeremy Hosking, on completion of the deal for the football club itself, Parish became club chairman. The consortium swiftly installed as the Eagles' new manager, however a poor start to the season saw him unable to take the Eagles out of the relegation zone. On 1 January 2011 after a 3–0 defeat to Millwall, he was fired and Dougie Freedman was given caretaker Manager duties. The Palace legend was officially appointed as manager of Crystal Palace on 11th CPFC 2010 January 2011, signing a two and a half year deal. Crystal Palace FC timeline

1905: Crystal Palace formed and their original home was at the Crystal Palace Park. The Glaziers only lose one match in their first season and finish as Champions of Southern League Division Two. Eagles Fly Home 1918: After a short period during World War One playing at Herne Hill they move to The Nest, Selhurst 1920-21: Founder members of Football League Division Three 1924-25: Move to brand new Selhurst Park as a Division Two club 1950: Arthur Wait begins his stint as club Chairman 1953/54: Floodlights installed at Selhurst Park 1960/61: Promotion to Football League Third Division under manager 1963/64: Promotion to Football League Second Division under manager 1968/69: Promotion to The top flight for the first time under manager Bert Head 1973: named Palace manager but club relegated 1975/76: Third Division Palace reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time 1976: appointed manager 1976/77: Promotion to the Football League Third Division 1978/79: Best ever Palace defence brings Eagles another title in Division Two Friday 11th May 1979: Crystal Palace 2 Burnley 0-51, 482 January 1981: Ron Noades takes over as Chairman of the club 1984: Steve Coppell takes over as manager 1988/89: Palace promoted back to Division One through the play offs after a victory against Blackburn Rovers Crystal Palace FC timeline

1990: Palace reach the FA Cup Final at after a 4-3 semi final victory against Liverpool. A 3-3 draw with Manchester United includes two goals from Ian Wright 1991: Palace beat Everton 4-1 in the final of the Zenith Data Systems Cup at Wembley Stadium and Eagles Fly Home the club finish third in the First Division 1993/94: Palace champions of Football League Division One 1994/95: Semi Finalists in the FA and League Cups 1996/97: Palace win play off final at Wembley with a victory against Sheffield United and gain promotion back to the top flight 1998: Mark Goldberg takes over as chairman, Terry Venables appointed manager 1999: Club in Administration 2000: Simon Jordan takes over as chairman 2004: Club gain promotion in Play Off Final at Cardiff with victory over West Ham United 2005: Club relegated from Premier League 2007: appointed manager and takes Palace to the play offs 2010: Club into administration 2010: CPFC 2010 take over the club

The team enter the field for the 1990 FA cup final against Manchester United The National Sports Centre The National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in South London is a large sports centre and athletics track. It was opened in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park, close to the site of the former Crystal Palace, in the former parkland and also usurping part of the former grand prix circuit. Eagles Fly Home It was one of the five National Sports Centres, run on behalf of Sport England, but responsibility has been transferred to the London Development Agency and is managed by Greenwich Leisure Limited. It is a Grade II listed building.

The athletics stadium has a capacity of 15,500, which can be increased up to 24,000 with temporary seating. It hosts international athletics meetings. The complex also hosts a 50m swimming pool. However both the athletics stadium and the aquatics centre will be superseded as London's main facilities for their sports by the Olympic Stadium and the Aquatics Centre which will be constructed in Stratford in East London for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The current athletics stadium is on the same land as a previous football ground, home of the original Crystal Palace football club from 1861. It also hosted the FA Cup final from 1895 to 1914 as well as other sports. In 1905, the owners wanted a professional club to play at the venue, so a new Crystal Palace FC, was formed. The largest 'domestic' attendance ever at the stadium was in the 1913 Cup final between Aston Villa and Sunderland, when 121,919 spectators squeezed into the stands. The previous world record had been the 1901 Cup Final, when 114,815 amassed to watch The National Sports Centre Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield United draw 2-2, (Spurs won the replay at Burnden Park).

The National Athletics Stadium with the Crystal Palace transmitter in the background Images from www.CGPGrey.com The London Development Agency (LDA)

The London Development Agency (LDA) is the Regional Development Agency for Greater London. It is a functional body of the Greater London Authority. Its purpose is to drive sustainable economic growth within London. Eagles Fly Home The LDA is based at 197 Blackfriars Road, Southwark, South London.

The LDA Olympic Land team is based at London 2012 headquarters in Docklands.

The London Development Agency entrance

Photograph: Medy SEJAI, 2007. AFL Architects

AFL Architects is a UK based Architectural practice committed to delivering solutions which are challenging, sensitive, exciting and designed to exceed client expectations. Based on a proven track record over four decades of delivering high quality buildings within a context of a social and environmental responsibility, we have built up a world-wide portfolio that reflects our expertise in the Eagles Fly Home fields of Sports, Healthcare, Residential and Commercial design.

AFL has developed through carefully planned growth into an Architectural Practice with a diverse spread of expertise. The original aims and philosophies of the founding Partners are still valid today and the Practice is soundly managed to deliver creative and practical solutions to satisfy the most demanding brief.

Sports Stadia experience has included Salford City Reds, Fontwell Racecourse, East and West Stand, , FC Gabala, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium Abu Dhabi and the Chelsea Training Ground. Crystal Palace Park Crystal Palace Park is one of the most important parks in the country, and is of strategic significance. Created in 1853-5 by Sir Joseph Paxton, it was to be the permanent home for his ‘Crystal Palace’ that housed the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park. Overall, it was to be a celebration of past, Eagles Fly Home present and future, a people’s Versailles, a showcase from the prehistoric to the most up-to-date thinking on park design and use. Crystal Palace Park today has significant remains from Paxton’s design, although the Palace itself burned down in 1936. The LDA took over the National Sports Centre (NSC) in March 2006. Crystal Palace Park is one of the largest parks in South London, and one of the most significant parks in Britain. It covers 80 hectares (198 acres) and slopes down dramatically to the east over a 58m level change. It is within the London Borough of Bromley, and also on the boundaries of the London Boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. Crystal Palace Parade is to the west, Anerley Hill to the south, Crystal Palace Park Road to the north and Thicket Road to the east. Crystal Palace Station is located just outside the southern boundary, with Penge West Station to the east. The Park comprises open parkland (grassland and semi-mature and mature trees) with pathways, access roads and car parking facilities, and buildings and structures related to Park maintenance and to the sport and recreation facilities that are mostly located in the centre of the Park. The sculptor Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins erected the first lifesized models of the (then) newly-discovered dinosaurs and other extinct animals in the park, following the gift of a Megatherium skull by Charles Darwin. The grounds once housed a football ground, which hosted the FA Cup final from 1895 to 1914 as well as London County Cricket Club games from 1900 to 1908, when they folded. This site is now the National Sports Centre, built in 1964. Other key features of the Park include the Italian Terraces, the Grand Centre Walk that runs centrally through the Park from top to bottom, the Crystal Palace Transmitter, and lakes to the north and the south-east. The extensive grounds were used in pre-war days for motorcycle and, after the 1950s, for motorcar racing; this was known as the Crystal Palace circuit. Parts of the track layout remain in 2005 as access roads. The track itself fell into disuse after 1972, although it has been digitally recreated in the Grand Prix Legends racing simulation and 2010 sees the 10 years of campaigning work to reopen the track culminating in the return of motor racing to Crystal Palace Image sourced from designhistorylab.com Crystal Palace Park The park also housed one of the pioneer speedway tracks, opening for business in 1928. The Glaziers raced in the Southern and National Leagues up to 1933 when the promotion moved on to a track in New Cross. There are four main entrances: Anerley Hill by Crystal Palace Station to the south; Norwood Triangle Eagles Fly Home at the junction of Crystal Palace Parade and Anerley Hill; Sydenham to the north along Crystal Palace Park Road; and Penge at the junction of Crystal Palace Park Road and Thicket Road. Rockhills, by Old Cople Lane to the north-west, primarily provides access to the Caravan Club rather than to the Park.

The character of the area is determined by its location on a swathe of high ground visible from across London and beyond. The CP Transmitter is readily identifiable as a major landmark today and is a highly visible point of orientation from the surrounding areas. The hilly topography gives it a particular character. In the Park the ground falls steeply away from the high point of the Palace Terrace. There are potentially spectacular views, particularly to the west and east. The character of the surrounding areas is suburban, particularly to the north. On Crystal Palace Park Road there are large and impressive arts and crafts style villas, many four or five stories high and some of which were purpose-built as flats or have been subsequently subdivided. Beyond these, Upper and Lower Sydenham and Dulwich comprise more large-scale houses set within a mature green landscape. The southern neighbourhoods are more urban in character. All residential areas are interspersed with residential estates of diverse quality, character and socio-economic make up.

There are also more recent apartment blocks of varying heights and scales on the edges of the Park. The Park sits in a cluster of smaller green spaces and local parks, which provide activities and facilities for their immediate communities. While there is considerable interaction between these spaces, Crystal Palace Park is effectively the centre of this group and provides wider-reaching services to the area.

Images sourced from crystalpalacefoundation.org.uk About CB Richard Ellis CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm (in terms of 2009 revenue). The Company has approximately 29,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate owners, investors and occupiers through more than 300 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CB Richard Eagles Fly Home Ellis offers strategic advice and execution for property sales and leasing; corporate services; property, facilities and project management; mortgage banking; appraisal and valuation; development services; investment management; and research and consulting. CB Richard Ellis has been named a BusinessWeek 50 “best in class” company for three years in a row. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com. The Masterplan The aim of the Masterplan is to create a 21st century Park, which reflects Paxton’s original ideas while responding to today’s concerns and opportunities. The aim is that the Park should be:

• Innovative Eagles Fly Home • Inspirational • Trend-setting • Recreational, fun and educational for all • An exemplar of a modern sustainable park

The vision responds to heritage, current conditions and future needs, with an overall aim of re-establishing the Park’s significance. It aims to conserve and strengthen the historic landscape character, by re-interpreting and revitalising Paxton‘s configuration and so recreating the character of the Park as a whole. In particular it aims to re-establish the prominence of the Palace Terrace as an inspirational and usable place for the people. The reconfiguration of the main Grand Centre Walk as the Paxton Axis is designed to create a spine, providing an effective orientation system and re- establishing the historic landscape.

There are four key components which structure the Masterplan:

• Better accessibility to and within the Park, with entrances from all sides that provide facilities and attractions and link the Park to surrounding neighbourhoods • A re-interpretation of the Palace Terrace and Italian Terraces to highlight their awe-inspiring scale • A restored Paxton Axis which reinstates the essential heritage structure of the Park • A totally-reconfigured centre of the Park, returning tarmac to turf and, for the first time, positively integrating the sports facilities into the Park heritage and future Masterplan. Original Masterplan

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