Check again! They must be! They were the first club on the country! Who the hell were they playing against?
McGregor originally suggested The Football Union, but the Preston chairman thought it was too similar to Rugby Union and suggested Football League. League won by one vote.
Saucy buggers! No northern or southern teams were allowed in,because the South Yorks., South Lancs., and Midland clubs didn't want the excessive travelling expences. Sunderland were the first outside of that little knot. But only then because we agreed to pay the other teams expences when they came to play here. Not a bad guess though - there was a Crystal Palace about then but only played in the cup for that reason. It later folded, and a new, entirely unconnected Palace was formed, i.e. the one that's still with us.
I knew the old Palace had nothing to do with the new Palace but just wasn't sure if they were an original ....cheers