FULHAM FC: CRAVEN COTTAGE - THE HISTORY

CRAVEN COTTAGE - THE HOME OF FULHAM FC SINCE 1896. THE HISTORY.
Craven Cottage has a history that dates back to 1780 when a cottage was built in the woods and the surrounding fields were used for various sports. The site, however, later fell into disuse and the original cottage burned down in 1888.
Fulham had already played at various grounds when their eye fell on the site close to the river Thames. After cleaning up the overgrown field, they played their first match at the ground in 1896. Craven Cottage at that time consisted of nothing more than a basic wooden stand.
This changed in 1906 when a first proper stand was built. The stand, currently called Johnny Haynes Stand, was designed by Archibald Leitch and had a characteristic red-brick facade. The stand was accompanied by a pavilion, which is the present-day Cottage.
Craven Cottage was further expanded with terraces in the next decades and reached its record attendance in 1938 when a total of 49,335 spectators attended a game against Millwall. One decade later, Craven Cottage hosted a few games during the 1948 Olympic Games.
In the following years, the stadium got further improved, concluding with the construction of the Riverside Stand in 1972. Fulham played most of the 1980s and 1990s in the lower leagues and therefore few further changes were made to Craven Cottage.
When Fulham started climbing up the league in the late 1990s and achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2001, the stadium was therefore not able to meet Premier League requirements. The club consequently moved to Loftus Road for a year (after a first year of dispensation), and expected to return to a brand-new stadium.
However, due to opposition to the reconstruction plans and spiralling costs, the plans had to be abandoned and instead was chosen to refurbish Craven Cottage. Works were completed in the summer of 2004.
Craven Cottage remained one of the smallest grounds of the Premier League, and Fulham therefore kept considering either moving to a new stadium (possibly to be shared with another West-London club), or further redeveloping Craven Cottage.
The club in the end decided to stay at Craven Cottage and developed plans to build a new Riverside Stand, raising capacity to 30,000 seats. While they had their plans approved in 2013, works on the stand are yet to start.
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[@raymondbonington9355]

You can keep all your new grounds this is sort of ground most fans like ,

[@ianclarke1852]

Nice to have more cover on grounds nowadays especially in heavy rain

[@mikerevell8145]

Hate the Emirates loved highbury the old grounds are the best. You ask any arsenal fan if they would have highbury back and 99% will say yes. Craven cottage is a beautiful ground and I hope they stay there forever

[@susjkaxxx9465]

best and most beautiful ground in the world. Fulham best team in London

[@sheilaconroy6184]

Fulham are a lovely and homely place to go and watch them play couw

[@patspadd8243]

Lovely music to go with a lovely ground

[@edwardshirley9314]

Haynes was long gone by 1995. That was more likely 1955!

[@fthplumber]

The day we win something big it will be worth remembering. Still believe!

[@robinbarwick8473]

I take a perverse pride in the fact that Fulham have never won anything (except promotion) and yet I've supported them for 50 years - and always will.

[@fthplumber]

@@robinbarwick8473 hopefully you me as supporters will witness glory! Ameen.

[@lenniet]

Bobby Moore didn't sign for Fulham until 1974

[@agusteraandy]

& Johnny Haynes wasn't still playing for us in 1995

[@aid1013]

and there it is, the best ground in the country.

[@elliek9205]

Now it doesn't look like that, no Riverside stand at the moment

[@EILONadiv]

Make an update with new stand and redevelop stadium Im an LFC suppoter but 2009 2010 Final europa league vs atletico madrid I really wanted fulham fc to win it Roy hodgson decision to leave was wrong That squad was so powerfull Zoltan gera Danny murphy LFC legend and fulham fc legend-what a character player D.Duff(beer) Bob Zamora Hangland Shwarzter .... They were epic to watch

[@nkskro80]

Always a great away ground to visit & getting there via the Thames cruise

[@zeecontrols7428]

we are fulham , shaid khan zindabad

[@solomonphotographypressage6043]

it is possible the club had its first game in 1881 however hard to tell as many teams of the time had the same name of St Andrews

[@bigdentonthebear7399]

nice historic trendy ground.

[@laurent5585]

Pour moi le plus beau stade de 1ère ligue ils ont sut garder le style des stades britishs avec cette vieille tribune d honneur qui pour moi devrait être classée comme monument historique.

[@mikesaunders4775]

A great film about the best ground in England,but how did the title end up as CravAn Cottage?

[@claretandbluearmy8014]

mike saunders cravEn

[@fabiofilippelli4795]

Forza Fulham! Even if you eliminated my Juve in Europe League 11 yrs ago.

[@JackWalker74.]

Some of the best football i've ever seen us play to be fair mate

[@AnhNguyen0101]

Can you made about history stadiums in Germany and Spain? Please!

[@Kiran-md2px]

lol

[@SakoRAFC]

👌

[@samuelogunlere6589]

Nice

[@anysparechangemate6242]

Whats changed

[@andrewmcgeorge7820]

First

[@jackplant6903]

to comment

[@bobtheshorkie1987]

Why did Fulham play at Loftus Road for a short time?

[@jackplant6903]

when thay were rediveloping the stadium

[@andrewmcgeorge7820]

Taylor report Fulham needed to install seating

[@bobtheshorkie1987]

Just doesn't seem like a huge job. But I suppose their ground was still very basic, even during the promotion season.

[@andrewmcgeorge7820]

Two new roofs, terracing private boxes behind both goals. Extra rows on the TV gantry side and remedial work in the old main stand. Oh and London builders are a nightmare.

[@bobtheshorkie1987]

@@andrewmcgeorge7820 I very much appreciate the thoroughness of your reply. That's exactly what I needed to know.

[@lecco666]

You can't even spell the name of the ground and you expect people to watch?