Fulham Football Club - Craven Cottage

When my son was younger, we had season tickets to Fulham F.C. It was more affordable than other Premier League clubs, allowing us to watch top-tier football. Walking from Putney through Bishops Park, known as the Green Mile, added to the charm of our match days. This serene journey might explain Fulham’s calm atmosphere.

Craven Cottage, the home of Fulham F.C. since 1896, is nestled in Bishops Park on Stevenage Road. Its name originates from a cottage built in 1780 by William Craven, sixth Baron Craven. Once part of Anne Boleyn's hunting grounds, this site saw the original cottage burn down in 1888, leaving it abandoned until Fulham FC acquired it in 1894. The first match was played there on October 10, 1896, against Minerva.

The stadium, designed by architect Archibald Leitch in 1904, boasts a notable red-brick façade on Stevenage Road. Initially, the ground was all terracing, with improvements starting in the 1903/04 season due to rising attendance. The wooden "Rabbit Hutch" stand, seating 1,200 spectators, was built but condemned and demolished by 1905.

In 1905, Fulham secured a 99-year lease on Craven Cottage, leading to the construction of a new 5,000-seat stand designed by Leitch, completed in time for the 1905/06 season. Craven Cottage hosted a full international match in 1907 between England and Wales.

Crowds of over 30,000 were typical before WWII, with a record attendance of 49,335 in 1938. Significant upgrades included floodlights in 1962 and a new Riverside Stand in 1972, partially funded by selling player Teddy Maybank.

Statues of club legends Johnny Haynes and George Cohen MBE were erected in 2008 and 2016, respectively. The Riverside Stand underwent redevelopment starting in May 2019, marking the latest chapter in Craven Cottage’s history.