Full name: Stamford Bridge
Location: Fulham, London Capacity: 41,798 Record attendance: 82,905 Field size: 103 x 67 metres Surface: Grass Built: 1876 Opened: 28 April 1877 Renovated: 1904–1905, 1990 Architect: Archibald Leitch |
First stepsStamford Bridge opened in 1877 as a home for the London Athletic 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. . It was initially offered to Fulham Football Club, but they turned it down for financial reasons. After considering the sale of the land to the Great Western Railway Company, the Mears decided to found their own football club, 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. In its early days, Stamford Bridge stadium was served by a small railway station, Chelsea and Fulham railway station, which was later closed after World War II bombing.
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Other features
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 former 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.
On 6 June 2011 a new museum with improved and interactive exhibits opened behind the Matthew Harding stand. It is the largest football museum in London.
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 former 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.
On 6 June 2011 a new museum with improved and interactive exhibits opened behind the Matthew Harding stand. It is the largest football museum in London.
MEGASTORE
The current Megastore is on the south-west corner of the stadium. The store is two floors. The first floor mainly consists of souvenirs and children's gear. The second floor is filled with training jerseys, coats, and replica jerseys. There are also two smaller shops, one located at the Stamford Gate entrance and the other inside the new museum building behind the Matthew Harding stand.
The current Megastore is on the south-west corner of the stadium. The store is two floors. The first floor mainly consists of souvenirs and children's gear. The second floor is filled with training jerseys, coats, and replica jerseys. There are also two smaller shops, one located at the Stamford Gate entrance and the other inside the new museum building behind the Matthew Harding stand.
~ Stamford Bridge has been used as a venue for England international matches, FA Cup matches and Charity Shield games.
~ It has hosted numerous others sports, such as cricked, rugby, speedway, baseball and American football.
~ The stadium's highest official attendance is 82,905, for a league match between Chelsea and Arsenal on 12 October 1935.
~ It has hosted numerous others sports, such as cricked, rugby, speedway, baseball and American football.
~ The stadium's highest official attendance is 82,905, for a league match between Chelsea and Arsenal on 12 October 1935.