Craven Cottage facts for kids
Craven Cottage on a matchday in 2023
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| Full name | Craven Cottage |
|---|---|
| Location | Stevenage Road Fulham London SW6 6HH |
| Public transit |  Putney Bridge; Hammersmith |
| Owner | Fulham |
| Operator | Fulham |
| Capacity | 28,800 |
| Record attendance | 49,335 (October 1938) |
| Field size | 100 by 65 metres (109.4 yd × 71.1 yd) |
| Surface | Grass (Fibrelastic) |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1780 (as a cottage) |
| Opened | 1896 (as a stadium) |
| Architect | Archibald Leitch |
| Tenants | |
| Fulham (1896–2002, 2004–present) Fulham Ladies (2000–2003) Fulham RLFC (1980–1984) |
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Craven Cottage is a famous football stadium in Fulham, West London, England. It has been the home of Fulham F.C. since 1896. The stadium can hold 29,589 people. The most people ever to watch a game here was 49,335 in 1938.
The stadium sits next to Bishop's Park and the River Thames. It has a long history, going back over 300 years. It was once a royal hunting lodge. Craven Cottage has also hosted games for national teams and was home to a rugby league club called Fulham RLFC.
Contents
History of Craven Cottage
The Original Cottage
The first "Cottage" was built in 1780 by William Craven. It was near where the Johnny Haynes Stand is today. Back then, the area was mostly woods. These woods were once part of Anne Boleyn's hunting grounds.
Famous people, like writer Edward Bulwer-Lytton, lived in the Cottage. He wrote The Last Days of Pompeii. In May 1888, a fire destroyed the Cottage, and the site was left empty. Fulham FC had played at many different grounds before finding its permanent home here.
Building the Stadium: 1894–1905
When Fulham FC first found this land in 1894, it was very overgrown. It took two years to clear it so football could be played. The first match where tickets were sold was on October 10, 1896. Fulham played against Minerva in a cup game.
Soon after, the first stand was built. People said it looked like an "orange box." It had four wooden sections, each with about 250 seats. Fans later called it the "rabbit hutch."
In 1904, safety officials worried about the stadium's safety. They tried to close it down. After a court case in 1905, Archibald Leitch was hired. He was a Scottish architect famous for building Ibrox Stadium. Leitch designed a new pavilion (the current 'Cottage') and the Stevenage Road Stand. This cost £15,000, which was a lot of money at the time.
The Stevenage Road Stand turned 100 years old in 2005. After Fulham FC's beloved former captain, Johnny Haynes, passed away in October 2005, the stand was renamed the Johnny Haynes Stand. Both the Johnny Haynes Stand and the Cottage are beautiful examples of Leitch's work. They are now protected as Grade II listed buildings. This means they are important historical structures.
Growing as a Stadium
Craven Cottage hosted an England versus Wales football match in 1907. A rugby league international game between England and Australia followed in 1911.
In the 1930s, there were plans to knock down the stadium and build a new one for 80,000 fans. But these plans never happened because of the Great Depression.
On October 8, 1938, a record 49,335 fans watched Fulham play Millwall. This is the highest attendance ever at Craven Cottage. It's unlikely to be beaten because the stadium is now all-seater and holds fewer people. The ground also hosted several football games for the 1948 Summer Olympics.
After World War II
After Fulham reached the top football division in 1949, more improvements were made. In 1962, Fulham was the last team in the first division to get floodlights. An electronic scoreboard was also added.
In 1964, a roof was put over the Hammersmith End stand. This cost about £42,500. The Riverside terracing, where fans used to watch The Boat Race go by, was replaced. A new stand, the 'Eric Miller Stand', was built. It cost £334,000 and had 4,200 seats. This stand is now known as the Riverside Stand.
On Boxing Day in 1963, Craven Cottage saw the fastest hat-trick in English football league history. Graham Leggat scored three goals in less than three minutes. This helped Fulham beat Ipswich 10–1, a club record.
From 1980 to 1984, the Fulham rugby league team played their home games at the Cottage. They later became the London Broncos. They had their biggest crowd of 15,013 at Craven Cottage in 1981.
Modern Times
After the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, new rules required all-seater stadiums. Fulham's chairman, Jimmy Hill, planned an all-seater stadium in 1996. But these plans didn't happen, partly due to local residents. When Fulham reached the Premier League, they still had standing areas.
By 2002, no building plans had been made. Fulham had to play at Loftus Road, home of local rivals QPR, for a season and a half. Many Fulham fans protested this move. A group called 'Back to the Cottage' was formed to bring the team home.
In December 2003, plans for an £8 million renovation were announced. Work began in January 2004 to meet the new season's deadline. Fulham returned to their home for the 2004–05 season. The stadium was now an all-seater with 22,000 seats.
Craven Cottage has hosted several international football games, especially for Australia. Many Australian players live in Europe, and West London has a large Australian community. The 2011 UEFA Women's Champions League Final was also held here.
Craven Cottage hosts other events too, like 5-a-side football tournaments and weddings. Fans often call it "The Cottage," "The Fortress," or "The Friendly Confines." The easiest way to get to the ground is to walk through Bishops Park from Putney Bridge station. Fans call this walk "The Green Mile." In 2016, The Daily Telegraph ranked Craven Cottage as one of the top football grounds.
Future Plans
On July 27, 2012, Fulham FC received permission to rebuild the Riverside Stand. This would increase the stadium's capacity to 30,000 seats. In May 2019, the club confirmed that work on the new Riverside Stand would begin that summer.
During the 2019–20, 2020–21, and 2021–22 seasons, the stadium's capacity was temporarily reduced to 19,000. The lower tier of the new Riverside Stand opened for the 2022–23 season. The club announced on November 26, 2019, that the new development would be called Fulham Pier. It is designed to be a place for events even on non-match days. The full completion of the stand is still ongoing.
Parts of the Ground
Hammersmith End
The Hammersmith End is at the north side of the stadium, closest to Hammersmith. Its roof was paid for by selling player Alan Mullery. This is usually where the loudest Fulham fans sit. Many fans stand in the back rows during games. If Fulham wins the coin toss, they often choose to play towards this end in the second half. This stand used to have standing areas but was changed to all-seating in 2004.
Putney End
The Putney End is at the south side of the stadium, near Putney and Bishops Park. This stand hosts both home and away fans, separated by staff. Away fans usually sit in blocks P5 and P6. There is a large plane tree in the corner by the river. This is the only tree found in any British senior football stadium.
Riverside Stand
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The Riverside Stand was originally a standing area next to the Thames. In 1971–72, an all-seater stand was built. It was first called the Riverside Stand. It was later renamed the Eric Miller Stand, but the name changed back to Riverside Stand in the 1990s.
The Riverside Stand is next to the River Thames and is higher than the other stands. It used to have special seating for corporate guests and famous people. The stand housed the George Cohen restaurant. On non-match days, the Cottage Cafe was open near the Cottage itself. The roof of the stand has been used for advertising by various sponsors. The stand was demolished and rebuilt after the 2019–20 season.
Johnny Haynes Stand
This stand was first called the Stevenage Road Stand. It is the oldest football stand still in use in professional football, built in 1905. It was designed by Archibald Leitch and is a Grade II listed building. The stand has the ticket office and club shop. It still has some original wooden seats. After Johnny Haynes passed away in 2005, the stand was renamed in his honor.
The outside of the stand, facing Stevenage Road, is made of brick. It shows the club's old emblem. There is also a special stone to remember the fans' fundraising group, Fulham 2000. The family seating areas are in the corners of this stand. The front of the stand now has plastic seats, but it used to be a standing area.
The Pavilion
The Cottage Pavilion was also built in 1905 by Archibald Leitch. It serves as the changing rooms for the players. Players' families and friends traditionally sit on its balcony to watch games. In the past, club meetings were held inside the Cottage. A large tapestry hangs from the Cottage that says "Still Believe." This refers to a moment when fans cheered on the team during a tough game.
Stadium Facts
Records
- Record attendance: 49,335 against Millwall, on October 8, 1938.
- Record modern seated attendance: 27,301 against Bournemouth, on December 29, 2024.
Total Attendance
- Over 31 million people have attended games at Craven Cottage (up to January 2013).
- The average attendance is 15,759.
International Matches
Craven Cottage has hosted many international friendly matches.
- On May 8, 1973, Northern Ireland played Cyprus here in a World Cup Qualifier. Northern Ireland won 3–0.
- On February 22, 2000, England's under-21s played Argentina's under-21s. England won 1–0.
- The Ireland national team has played here several times.
- The South Korea national football team has also used the ground for friendly matches.
- On November 17, 2007, Australia beat Nigeria 1–0.
- On May 26, 2011, Craven Cottage hosted the 2011 UEFA Women's Champions League Final.
- In September 2011, Ghana played Brazil in a friendly.
- On October 15, 2013, Australia beat Canada 3–0.
- On March 27, 2018, Australia played Colombia, ending in a 0-0 draw.
Other Interesting Facts
- The Fulham RLFC rugby league team played here from 1980 to 1984.
- Craven Cottage has hosted more Australia national team matches than any other stadium outside Australia.
- Fulham was the last team in the Premier League to have standing areas. This was in the 2001–02 season, eight years after standing areas were mostly banned.
- A plane tree still stands in a corner of the Putney End. It is the only tree found inside any British senior football stadium.
- On April 3, 2011, Fulham unveiled a statue of Michael Jackson at the stadium. The singer was not a football fan but visited once as a friend of the club chairman. The statue was later moved to the National Football Museum in Manchester.
- The 2016 Saudi Super Cup was played here on August 8, 2016. Al-Hilal lost to Al-Ahli on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
- A book called 'Craven Cottage – 250 years' was published in October 2023. It tells the history of the site since 1777.
See also
In Spanish: Craven Cottage para niños
- Fulham RLFC
