Fulham originally to play at Chelsea stadium

London - Stamford Bridge 11.09.2014: Stamford Bridge is currently the fourth largest stadium in London, the eighth largest stadium in the Premier League and the tenth largest stadium in England. Built in 1877, it was originally an athletics track, situated on the boundary between the districts of Fulham and Chelsea, in the south-west London. Following a change of ownership in 1904, the stadium was offered as a home ground to Fulham F.C. The club refused, so the owners, Joseph and Gus Mears decided to found their own football club. Thus, since 1905 the history of Chelsea F.C. and its home ground, Stamford Bridge, has been made.

The stadium acquired its name from a bridge over Stanford Creek, a tributary of the River Thames, joining the Thames near the today’s Shed End.

Stamford Bridge was faced with serious problems in the late 1970s, when Chelsea F.C. went nearly bankrupt and the club owners were forced to sell the stadium. The situation got so critical that at one point the stadium was very close to being demolished. Had this happened, Chelsea would have been forced to ask for help and play their home matches at the stadiums of one of the nearest clubs, Fulham or Queen Park Rangers. Fortunately, the situation never got that bad.

The stadium passed into the club ownership again in 1992 and the ground, then in very poor condition, underwent major renovation two years later (in 1994). This was begun by building a new north stand, named the Matthew Harding Stand in honour of the former Chelsea director. Renovation works were completed on the 19th August 2001.

STADIUM OF CHELSEA - STAMFORD BRIDGE (CAPACITY: 42 055):