Stamford Bridge (stadium)

Stamford Bridge

The Bridge
View from Lower East Stand
Full name	Stamford Bridge
Location	Fulham Road
Coordinates	51°28′54″N 0°11′28″W
Owner	Chelsea Pitch Owners plc
Operator	Chelsea F.C.
Capacity	42,055
Field size	113 x 73 yards (103 x 67 metres)
Surface	Grass
Construction
Built	1876
Opened	1877
Renovated	1904–1905, 1990s
Architect	Archibald Leitch (1887)
Tenants
Chelsea F.C. (1905–present) London Monarchs (NFL Europe) (1997)

Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, that is home to Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green. It is nicknamed "The Bridge" by the club's supporters. The capacity is 42,055, making it the seventh largest ground in the Premier League and the smallest amongst the so-called big four clubs. KSS Design Group (architects) designed the complete redevelopment of Stamford Bridge Stadium and its hotels, megastore, offices and residential buildings.

History

'Stamford Bridge' is considered to be a corruption of 'Samfordesbrigge' meaning 'the bridge at the sandy ford'. Eighteenth century maps show a 'Stanford Creek' running along the route of what is now a railway line at the back of the East Stand as a tributary of the Thames. The upper reaches of this tributary have been variously known as Billingswell Ditch, Pools Creek and Counters Creek. In mediaeval times the Creek was known as Billingwell Dyche, derived from 'Billing's spring or stream'. It formed the boundary between the parishes of Kensington and Fulham. By the eighteenth century the creek had become known as Counter's Creek which is the name it has retained since.

The stream had two local bridges: Stanford Bridge on the Fulham Road (also recorded as Little Chelsea Bridge) and Stanbridge on the Kings Road, now known as Stanley Bridge.The existing Stamford Bridge was built of brick in 1860–2 and has been partly reconstructed since then.

Early history

The brand New Stamford Bridge stadium in Chelsea, West London, in August 1905

Chelsea beat West Brom at Stamford Bridge in September 1905

File:Middx v NZ 1905.jpg

Middlesex play the ‘Original’ New Zealand All Blacks in October 1905 at the new Stamford Bridge

Stamford Bridge opened in 1877 as a home for the London Athletics Club and was used almost exclusively for that purpose until 1904, when the lease was acquired by brothers Gus and Joseph Mears, who wanted to stage high-profile professional football matches there. However, previous to this, in 1898, Stamford Bridge played host to the World Championship of shinty between Beauly Shinty Club and London Camanachd. [4]. Stamford Bridge was built close to Lillie Bridge, an older sports ground which had hosted the 1873 FA Cup Final and the first ever amateur boxing matches (among other things). It was initially offered to Fulham Football Club, but they turned it down. They considered selling the land to the Great Western Railway Company, but ultimately decided to found their own football club instead, Chelsea, to occupy the ground as a rival to Fulham. Noted football ground architect Archibald Leitch, who had also designed Ibrox, Celtic Park, Craven Cottage and Hampden Park, was hired to construct the stadium.

As originally constructed, Stamford Bridge was an athletics track and the pitch was initially located in the middle of the running track. This meant that spectators were separated from the field of play on all sides by the width of running track and, on the north and south sides, the separation was particularly large because the long sides of the running track considerably exceeded the length of the football pitch. The stadium had a single stand for 5,000 spectators on the east side. Designed by Archibald Leitch, it is an exact replica of the Johnny Haynes stand he had previously built at the re-developed Craven Cottage (and the main reason why Fulham had chosen not to move into the new ground). The other sides were all open in a vast bowl and thousands of tons of material excavated from the building of the Piccadilly Line provided high terracing for standing spectators exposed to the elements on the west side.

Stamford Bridge had an official capacity of around 100,000, making it the second largest ground in England after Crystal Palace, the FA Cup final venue. Stamford Bridge itself hosted the final for the first three years after the First World War from 1920 to 1922, after which it was replaced by Wembley.

Results of FA Cup Finals at Stamford Bridge

Year	Attendance	Winner		Runner-up
1920	50,018	Aston Villa	1	Huddersfield Town	0
1921	72,805	Tottenham Hotspur	1	Wolverhampton Wanderers	0
1922	53,000	Huddersfield Town	1	Preston North End	0

Expansion

In 1930, a new terrace was built on the south side for more standing spectators. Only part of this was roofed and it became known as "The Shed End". This became the most favoured spot for the loudest and most die-hard support, until the terrace was demolished in 1994 (when all-seater stadiums became compulsory by law as a safety measure in light of the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough disaster). The seated stand which replaced it is still known as the Shed End (see below).

In 1939, a small two storied North Stand including seating was erected. It was originally intended to span the entire northern end, but the outbreak of World War II and its aftermath compelled the club to keep the stand small. It was demolished and replaced by open terracing for standing supporters in 1975. The North Terrace was closed in 1993 and the present North Stand of two tiers (the Matthew Harding Stand) was then constructed at that end.

In 1964–65, a seated West Stand was built to replace the existing terracing on the west side. Most of the West Stand consisted of rising ranks of wooden tip up seats on iron frames, but seating at the very front was on concrete forms known as "the Benches". The old West Stand was demolished in 1998 and replaced by the current West Stand.

A vast new East Stand was built in 1973, originally intended as the start of a comprehensive redevelopment of the stadium which was abandoned when the football club ran into financial difficulties. The East Stand essentially survives in its 1973 three tiered cantilevered form, although it has been much refurbished and modernised since.

Crisis

The cost of building the East Stand escalated out of control after shortages of materials and a builders' strike. The increase in the cost, combined with other factors, sent the club into decline. As a part of financial restructuring in the late 1970s, the freehold was separated from the club and when new Chelsea chairman Ken Bates bought the club for £1 in 1982, he didn't buy the stadium. A large chunk of the Stamford Bridge freehold was subsequently sold to property developers Marler Estates. The sale resulted in a long and acrimonious legal fight between Bates and Marler Estates. Marler Estates was ultimately forced to bankruptcy after a market crash in the early 1990s, allowing Bates to do a deal with its banks and re-unite the freehold with the club.

With the Taylor Report arising from the Hillsborough disaster being published in January 1990 and ordering all top division clubs to have all seater stadiums in time for the 1994-95 season, Chelsea's plan for a 34,000-seat stadium at Stamford Bridge was given approval by Hammersmith and Fulham council on 19 July 1990.

The re-building of the stadium commenced again and successive building phases during the 1990s have eliminated the original running track. The construction of the 1973 East Stand started the process of eliminating the track. All stands, now roofed and all-seater, are immediately adjacent to the pitch. This structure has the effect of concentrating and capturing the noise of supporters. Paradoxically, the noise sounds louder now than when supporters were dispersed at a distance from the pitch on open terraces, although the stadium capacity is approximately half of what it was. The pitch, the turnstiles, and the naming rights of the club are now owned by Chelsea Pitch Owners, an organization set up to prevent the stadium from being purchased by property developers again.

Miscellaneous

Stamford Bridge speedway team operated from the stadium from 1929 until 1932, winning the Southern League in their opening season. Initially open meetings were held there in 1928. A nineteen year old junior rider, Charlie Biddle, was killed in a racing accident. In 1931, black cinders were laid onto the circuit suitable for use by speedway and athletics.

Greyhound racing was first held at the stadium on 31 July 1937 and continued until 1 August 1968. A midget car meeting reportedly attracted a crowd of 50,000 people in 1948.

In 1945, Stamford Bridge staged one of the most notable matches in its history. Soviet side FC Dynamo Moscow were invited to tour the United Kingdom at the end of the Second World War and Chelsea were the first side they faced. An estimated crowd of over 100,000 crammed into Stamford Bridge to watch an exciting 3–3 draw, with many spectators on the dog track and on top of the stands.

The stadium was also one of the home venues for the London XI team that played in the original Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, today called the UEFA Europa League. Having played at various other stadia in London in the group and knockout stages, the team played the home leg of the two-legged final at Stamford Bridge, drawing 2–2 with FC Barcelona; they lost the away leg 6–0, however.

The ground was used in 1980 for the first major day-night floodlit cricket match between Essex and West Indies (although organised by Surrey) which was a commercial success; the following year it hosted the final of the inaugural Lambert & Butler county cricket competition. It, however, failed and the experiment of playing cricket on football grounds was ended.

During the 1984-85 season, following a series of pitch invasions and fights by football hooligans during matches at the stadium, chairman Ken Bates erected an electric perimeter fence between the stands and the pitch - identical to the one which effectively controlled cattle on his dairy farm. However, the electric fence was never turned on and before long it was dismantled, due to the GLC blocking it from being switched on for health and safety reasons.

Stamford Bridge also briefly hosted American football – despite not being long enough for a regulation-size gridiron field – when the London Monarchs were based there in 1997.

The nearest tube station is Fulham Broadway tube station.

Stamford Bridge is only a six minute drive from Chelsea's main rival's Fulham's stadium Craven Cottage.

Current stands

Matthew Harding Stand

Capacity: 10,884

The Matthew Harding Stand

The Matthew Harding Stand, previously known as the North Stand, is along the north edge of the pitch. It is named after former Chelsea director Matthew Harding, who transformed the club in the early 1990s before his death in a helicopter accident on October 22, 1996. His considerable investment in the club enabled construction of the stand which was completed during the 1997–98 season. It has two tiers and accommodates most season-ticket holders, giving it an enthusiastic atmosphere, especially in the lower tier. Any proposal to enlarge the facility would necessitate demolition of the adjacent 'Chelsea World of Sport' museum.

For some Champions League matches, this stand operates at reduced capacity, some entrances being obstructed by the presence of TV outside-broadcast vehicles.

The stand features in the cover for Robbie Williams' album Sing When You're Winning.

East Stand

The East Stand

Capacity: 10,925

The oldest stand, the East Stand is located along the east side of the pitch. Previously it was the home to away supporters on the bottom tier, however at the start of the 2005/2006 season then-manager José Mourinho requested the move of the family section to this part of the stand to boost team morale. The stand has three tiers and is the heart of the stadium, housing the tunnel, dugout, dressing rooms, conference room, press centre, AV and commentary box. The middle tier is occupied by facilities, clubs, and executive suites. The upper tier provides spectators with one of the best views in the stadium.

View from East Stand

Shed End

The Shed End

Capacity: 6,831

The Shed End is located along the south side of the pitch. The stand has two tiers. The lower tier used to be home to the family centre, however for the 2005/2006 season and beyond the club has moved the away fans to the East corner of the stand (Gates 1–3 of the Upper Tier and around half of the Lower). The Shed also contains the centenary museum and a memorial wall where families of deceased fans are able to leave a permanent memorial of their loved ones indicating their eternal support for the club. A large chunk of the old shed wall remains and today features large images of Chelsea legends.

The stand was built during the mid 1990s and along with the Matthew Harding Stand is an area of the ground in which many vocal fans congregate.

The original Shed End terrace is heavily pictured in Michael Morpurgo's children's novel Billy the Kid

West Stand

The new Stamford Bridge West Stand – Entrance.

Capacity: 13,500

The West Stand, recently updated, is located along the west side of the pitch. It has three tiers, in addition to a row of executive boxes that stretches the length of the stand.

The construction of the stand was almost responsible for Chelsea's financial crisis, which would've seen the club fall into administration but for the intervention of Abramovich. In borrowing some £70m from Eurobonds to finance the project, Ken Bates put Chelsea into a perilous financial position, primarily because of the repayment terms.

Now complete, the stand is the main external 'face' of the stadium, being the first thing fans see when entering the primary gate on Fulham Road. The Main Entrance is flanked by the Spackman and Speedie hospitality entrances, named after former Chelsea players Nigel Spackman and David Speedie. The stand also features the largest concourse area in the stadium.

The aforementioned executive boxes are also known as the Millennium Suites and are the home of the majority of matchday hospitality guests. Each box is also named after a former Chelsea player (names in brackets):

• Tambling Suite (Bobby Tambling)
• Clarke Suite (Steve Clarke, Ex-Assistant Manager at Chelsea)
• Harris Suite (Ron Harris)
• 'Drakes' (Ted Drake)
• Bonetti (Peter Bonetti)
• Hollins (John Hollins)

In October 2010 a statue of Chelsea legend Peter Osgood was unveiled outside the stand.

Banners

In recent years lots of work has been put in from Chelsea supporters to bring more colour and character into the stadium. Alongside banners representing various supporters clubs from around the world and the personal ones belonging to supporters, banners visible at Stamford Bridge include:

• The Only Place To Be Every Other Saturday - This is the opening line of Blue Day, a 1997 song by Suggs and the Chelsea squad of the time. The yellow banner also features the sign for Fulham Broadway tube station.
• JT - CAPTAIN, LEADER, LEGEND - A homage to Chelsea captain John Terry.
• SUPER FRANKIE LAMPARD - A homage to Frank Lampard.
• MATTHEW HARDINGS BLUE & WHITE ARMY - In memory of former Chelsea vice-chairman Matthew Harding.
• BORN IS THE KING - A homage to the late Chelsea legend Peter Osgood.
• BENTLEY'S BOYS - A homage to former Chelsea captain Roy Bentley and the 1955 championship winning team.
• HISTORY MAKERS - A tribute to Chelsea's first ever double winning squad. Features the names of every player in the squad from the 2009/10 season and silhouettes of the Barclays Premier League and FA Cup trophies.

There are also several large flags which are surfed over the crowd at the Matthew Harding and Shed ends of the ground before home games and they are regularly taken to away games all over the country. The most recognisable is the 'CHELSEA FC - PRIDE OF LONDON' flag which is displayed in the Matthew Harding lower before every home match.

Other features

An aerial shot of the stadium

When Stamford Bridge was redeveloped in the Ken Bates era many additional features were added to the complex including two hotels, apartments, bars, restaurants, the Chelsea Megastore, and an interactive visitor attraction called Chelsea World of Sport. The intention was that these facilities would provide extra revenue to support the football side of the business, but they were less successful than hoped and before the Abramovich takeover in 2003 the debt taken on to finance them was a major burden on the club. Soon after the takeover a decision was taken to drop the "Chelsea Village" brand and refocus on Chelsea as a football club. However, the stadium is sometimes still referred to as part of Chelsea Village or "The Village".

Centenary Museum

2005 saw the opening of a new club museum, known as the Chelsea Museum or the Centenary Museum, to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the club. The museum is located in the former Shed Galleria. Visitors are able to visit the WAGs lounge and then watch an introductory video message from the vice-president Richard Attenborough. They are then guided decade by decade through the club's history seeing old programmes, past shirts, José Mourinho's coat and other memorabilia. A motto on the wall of the museum reads "I am not from the bottle. I am a special one.", a reference to Mourinho's famous quote upon signing as manager for Chelsea.

Megastore

The current Megastore is on the west side of the stadium, near the entrance to the museum. The store is two floors. The first floor mainly consists of souveniours and children's gear. The second floor is filled with training jerseys, coats, and replica jerseys. There is also a second, smaller shop located at the Stamford Gate entrance to the ground. It is only open on matchdays.

Future

Under Roman Abramovich's control, the club has announced that it wants to extend Stamford Bridge to around 55,000 seats; however, its location in a heavily built-up part of Inner London near a main road and two railway lines makes this very difficult. The dispersal of an additional 13,000 fans into the residential roads of the Moore Park Estate would undoubtedly create congestion and conflict.

Alternative possibilities include moving from Stamford Bridge to a location such as London Olympic Stadium, the Earls Court Exhibition Centre, White City, Battersea Power Station, the Imperial Road Gasworks (off the Kings Road on the Fulham and Chelsea border) and the Chelsea Barracks. But, under the Chelsea Pitch Owners articles of association, the club would relinquish the name 'Chelsea Football Club' should it ever move from Stamford Bridge.

• Ground improvements at English football Stadia

Details

Records

Record Attendance: 82,905 v Arsenal on October 12, 1935 (note this is for a Chelsea 'domestic' game, there have been many events at Stamford Bridge exceeding 100,000)

Lowest Attendance: 3,000 attended at a Chelsea v Lincoln match in 1906

Average attendances

• Premier League
  • 1992–93: 18,754
  • 1993–94: 19,211
  • 1994–95: 21,062
  • 1995–96: 25,598
  • 1996–97: 27,617
  • 1997–98: 33,387
  • 1998–99: 34,571
  • 1999–00: 34,532
  • 2000–01: 34,700
  • 2001–02: 38,834
  • 2002–03: 39,784
  • 2003–04: 41,234
  • 2004–05: 41,870
  • 2005–06: 41,902
  • 2006–07: 41,909
  • 2007–08: 41,397
  • 2008–09: 41,464

Premier League 1992–2009: 33,736 Total PL 22,198,208 (658 games)

International matches

• December 11, 1909 – England Amateurs 9–1 Netherlands
• April 5, 1913 – England 1–0 Scotland
• November 20, 1929 – England 6–0 Wales
• December 7, 1932 – England 4–3 Austria
• May 11, 1946 – England 4–1 Switzerland (Victory International)

Access

Stamford Bridge is easily accessible by public transport. Fulham Broadway on the District Line is the closest tube station and just a two minute walk away. Other stations within walking distance include Earl's Court tube station on the District and Piccadilly lines and West Brompton which is served by both London Underground and London Overground. Several bus routes also pass through the area.

See also

• List of Premier League stadiums.

External links

• Chelsea FC Website
• Atmosphere at Stamford Bridge
• Stamford Bridge webcam on camvista.com
• Take a tour of Stamford Bridge
• Chelsea Stadium Tours Guide
• Stadium Guide Article
• Behind the scenes of Stamford Bridge
• Ground Guide - Stamford Bridge at tothe92.co.uk