Crystal Palace want to be recognised as the oldest professional club in the world after new research claims to have found a direct connection to the team established in 1861.
Sheffield FC are the oldest club on the planet after being founded in 1857 and Notts County, formed in November 1862, are recognised as the oldest professional side, despite dropping into non-league last season.
Palace, formed in 1905, were never going to get anywhere near that conversation, only for author Peter Manning to unearth evidence that is seeing the club claim a link back to the Crystal Palace football team established in 1861, playing their first match in March 1862.