Within the next three years, they would be back there on three more occasions.
To mark the centenary of the foundation of the Football League in 1888, a series of events were organised.
This included the dream for every football fan to this day, as a Football League XI played a Rest of the World XI, with Diego Maradona, Michel Platini and Gary Lineker lining up for the away side; Bryan Robson and Norman Whiteside scored as Bobby Robson’s Football League XI won 3-0.
Another was the Football League Centenary Tournament, given the catchy name of the Mercantile Credit Football Festival. Initially set up as a six-a-side competition, it was changed to 11 a-side, featuring 16 teams from the top four divisions.
Palace joined Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Leeds United as the Second Division participants, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Nottingham Forest among the First Division big hitters.
Matches took place over two days and were just 40 minutes in total. The short 20-minute halves saw most games end goalless, being settled by penalty shoot-outs. This is how Palace were defeated, losing out to Sheffield Wednesday in the first round.
Nottingham Forest were crowned champions, and in typical Old Big ‘Ead fashion, Brian Clough decided he would turn up for the finals on the second day in the presumption his team would qualify.
They did, beating Sheffield Wednesday in the final – on penalties after a goalless draw, of course – to lift the trophy.