A stadium that once played host to FA Cup finals was left to deteriorate for several years. The new Wembley has served as the home of English football’s most prestigious match since 2007. Prior to that, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff staged the showpiece event between 2000 and 2006, while the original twin-towered Wembley Stadium hosted it between 1923 and 2000.

However, the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in South London actually held the FA Cup final between 1895 and 1914, with the ground’s final incarnation opening in 1964 when it was transformed into a dedicated athletics venue. Boasting a capacity of 15,500, which could be expanded to 24,000 via temporary seating, it has welcomed international athletics events and open-air concerts from legendary acts such as Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen.

The arena was forced to close in November 2022 owing to safety concerns, however. It had been suggested that the concrete pillars supporting the floodlights were structurally unsound – yet the venue now appears to have a bright future ahead of it.

Following the closure, the running track was torn up and the scoreboard and stands fell into disarray. Speaking to The Guardian in 2023, the chair of Crystal Palace Sports Partnership, John Powell said: “At the moment you’ve got an indoor track with rats on it and pigeon excrement all over the place.

“There are trees growing out of the West Stand and then there was the floodlight farce, which meant no one can train there after dark now. London is the only capital city in Europe that doesn’t have a dedicated athletics centre.

“Crystal Palace is the most accessible athletics stadium in the country so it’s a total joke what has been allowed to happen.” Nevertheless, this situation appears poised to change.

The site is scheduled for a major transformation with London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan committing millions to revitalise the historic facility. “I am delighted that the once-in-a-generation redevelopment of the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre has reached another key milestone with the submission of the planning application for its transformation,” the mayor said.

Proposals submitted to Bromley Council feature a complete refurbishment of the listed structure. These are reportedly designed to enhance accessibility, enlarge the gym and introduce a new padel centre, basketball courts, five-a-side football pitches and a full-size multi-sports pitch.

Richard Dobson, area director for Morgan Sindall in London, said the proposals demonstrate “a modern, sustainable, inclusive and community-centred leisure centre should look like – all while paying homage to the venue’s inspiring legacy”.

He continued: “This combination of driving factors means the site will not only reclaim its original vision of being a ‘glass pavilion in the park’ that supports the health and well-being of Londoners, but we will have laid the groundwork for a centre of excellence.”