Last Update:
November 11, 2024
The Riverside Stand
The recently re-opened Riverside Stand is now the highlight of Fulham’s stadium. The previous stand, the Eric Miller Stand, which had been named as such since 1972, was ripped down with a full re-build undertaken.
The development has taken longer than planned but works on the 9,000 capacity stand were finally signed off in June 2023 making the Riverside Stand available for the start of the 2023/24 season.
Within the development stand, which has mainly been completed by the Buckingham Group, the addition of restaurants, conference rooms, bars and residential accommodation in the form of apartments, and a new riverside walkway have also been introduced.
Johnny Haynes Stand
On the other side of the ground is the classic-looking Johnny Haynes Stand, which is named after the former Fulham great. Originally opened in 1905 it is the oldest remaining stand in the Football League and is protected by having a Grade 2 listing status. It was originally designed by Archibald Leitch (who designed a number of football grounds and stands in the early part of the 20th century) and has some of the common trademarks of his works, such as an impressive looking outer red-brick facade, which stretches along Stevenage Road. Considering its age, it can be forgiven for having a number of supporting pillars and old wooden seating in its upper tier. It does though have a fine classic looking gable on its roof; labelled Fulham Football Club.
The Hammersmith End and the Putney End
Both ends which were previously terraced have now been replaced by two new large all seated, covered stands, that look fairly similar in design. They both though have some supporting pillars which is disappointing.
The Hammersmith End has one large pillar towards the front and middle of the stand, whilst opposite the Putney End has a row of pillars running across the stand, about a third of the way down it.
Attached to these stands in three corners of the ground are some three-storey structures that are used to house corporate executive boxes. An unusual feature is that the teams enter the field from one corner of the ground, by the Cottage and then make their way up onto the pitch as it is raised.
Why is Fulham FC ground called Craven Cottage?
Overlooking the ground from one corner, between the Johnny Haynes Stand and Putney End, is the unique Pavilion building, which many fans refer to as ‘the Cottage’ (although this is technically incorrect as the original cottage after which the ground is named, was demolished many years ago). This looks somewhat misplaced being more reminiscent of a small cricket pavilion, rather than something found at a football ground, but it does add to the overall character.
The changing rooms are found inside the Pavillion while players’ families typically watch the match match from the balcony that overlooks the pitch from the top of the Pavillion. Board meetings have also been known to be held here in the past.
The only disappointment is that the fabulous old floodlights that the ground previously had, have been removed and replaced by a nondescript modern set. There are video screens located above both ends. Outside the stadium alongside Stevenage Road is the Johnny Haynes Statue.
The Riverside Stand redevelopment will be fully completed by the end of 2024, increasing the capacity by 3,900 seats. When the new hospitality facilities are installed as part of the stand’s redevelopment, it will have an overall capacity of around 8,000.
Opposite is the Johnny Haynes Stand. It is the oldest stand at Craven Cottage and has a capacity of just over 5,800. Exclusively home fans are located in this part of the ground, which was designed by the famous Scottish architect, Archibald Leitch.
At the northern part of the ground is The Hammersmith End. The capacity is 7,300 and is typically the end which Fulham shoot towards in the second half. It is most well-known for being the most atmospheric side of Craven Cottage.
Home and away fans sit in the Putney End, which has a capacity of 5,926. The allocation for away fans was capped at 1,900 during the Riverside development, but this number has now increased to 2,701 for the 2024/25 season. Visiting supporters are located in blocks P5, P6, and P7 on the side of the ground next to the Riverside Stand.
After delays and rising costs associated with the Riverside Stadium development (detailed here) any future works are likely to be a little way off now with the exception of minor housekeeping.
One recent proposed addition to the Riverside development is the installation of a swimming pool (yes, you read that right) to the top of the stand as part of hospitality.
The current capacity at Craven Cottage is 29,589, following the completion of the Riverside Stand expansion work. Over the years, the club have continued to expand Craven Cottage despite there originally being talks to move away from the stadium in the early 2000s when the club reached the Premier League.
In the end, the club decided to commit to renovating the stadium, finally converting it to an all-seater stadium in 2004 with a capacity of 22,000.
In the years that followed, steady expansion work saw the ground’s capacity initially increase to 25,700 before it hit its current figure of 29,589 in 2023.
Away fans are housed to one side of the Putney End Stand on the riverside of the ground. There are a couple of supporting pillars that could impede your view, but this only applies to certain seats in Row DD and above. Some of these are classed as a ‘restricted view’ seats and are discounted by £2 off the ticket price. The legroom is ample and as the rows of the stand seem to have been constructed from metal and plywood, rather than concrete, fans can’t resist making some noise, by stamping up and down on it.
There is a ‘neutral supporters’ area on the other side of the Putney End. Typically, away fans purchase seats in this neutral area to extend the away end.
Food and drink are served from a number of outlets and stalls situated behind the stands. These areas although mostly covered are not enclosed, which is great in the summer but can be rather cold in winter.
Food inside includes a range of pies, burgers, and hot dogs while alcohol is also served beforehand and at half time. If it’s a nice day, then you can enjoy a pint overlooking the Thames.
For away fans who like to make a day of the football, Fulham is considered one of the best of the season due to its location. Countless pubs can be enjoyed along the River Thames on the walk up to the stadium from Putney. Three popular pubs for away fans:
- The Eight Bells – 89 Fulham High St, London SW6 3JS
- King’s Arms – 425 New Kings Rd, Greater, London SW6 4RN
- The Golden Lion – 57 Fulham High St, London SW6 3JJ
Fulham have had more home grounds than most teams in the Football League. They originally played at the Mud Pond on Star Road; they stayed here for the first four years of the club’s history. The Cottagers bounced around a few places after that including playing at different parks and parkland, which have since been developed. Some of those places include the Barn Elms playing fields, Ranelagh House and Captain James Field, near Halford Road.
In 1894, Fulham purchased Craven Cottage, which was initially built as a cottage – hence the name. It took two years to reconstruct and rebuild it into a stadium. The Fulham stadium was finally complete and they had somewhere they could call home. Fast forward to 2021 and Craven Cottage has been Fulham’s ground for over a century; although they haven’t played there for all 125 years. Between 2002 and 2004, Fulham had to share Loftus Road with local rivals QPR whilst Craven Cottage was under renovation.
From the North M1
At the end of the M1, turn right (west) onto the A406 (North Circular) and follow it towards Harrow for nearly 4.5 miles. Turn left (east) onto the A40 heading into London (passing close to Loftus Road and after a little over 4 miles turn right (west) onto the A402 for just about 350 yards. Here you turn left (south) along the A219 for a little over half a mile. This brings you into Hammersmith where you turn right onto the A315 and then after just 130 yards or so turn left (south) back onto the A219. Follow this road for a little over a mile, and the ground down the side streets off to your right.
From The North M40 & West M25
Leave the M25 at Junction 15 and take the M4, which then becomes the A4, towards Central London. After around two miles branch off left into Hammersmith Broadway (before the flyover). Go around the ring road around central Hammersmith, keeping to the right. Then take the A219 Fulham Palace Road. Keep straight on this road, passing Charing Cross Hospital on your left. After about another half a mile, take one of the right hand turns for the ground. If you pass the Fulham Palace Garden Centre on your right, then you have gone too far.
From the South M25 Leave the M25 at Junction 10 and take the A3 towards Central London. After around eight miles, leave the A3 at the turn off for the A219. Take the A219 towards Putney. Continue straight on this road, down Putney High Street and across Putney Bridge. You will see the ground on your left.
Where to park at Craven Cottage
Parking close to the ground can be quite difficult as Jim Huegett informs us: “please note that parking on the streets near to the ground is restricted to one hour ‘pay & display’ on matchdays. This isn’t obvious from the parking meters and signage and the wardens are out in force on match day.”
To compound matters these restrictions are also in place for Bank Holidays, Sundays and evenings up to 9.30pm, so it will be a case of finding some parking further away from the stadium.
Post Code for SAT NAV: SW6 6HH
What is the best tube station for Craven Cottage?
The nearest London Underground station is Putney Bridge, which is on the District Line. The ground is about a fifteen minute walk. Turn left out of the station and then immediately turn right into a street called Ranelagh Gardens. As the road bends around to the right you will see the Eight Bells pub on your right. Turn left after the pub to take you up to the main road by Putney Bridge. Cross over to the other side of the main road and proceed up to the bridge and then on reaching the bridge turn right to enter into Bishops Park alongside the Thames. Just proceed through the park (keeping the Thames on your left) and you will reach the ground ahead.
An alternative route by tube, is to get the Piccadilly Line to Hammersmith from Central London or Heathrow. It is then around a 20 minute walk to the ground, going straight down Fulham Palace Road (passing Charing Cross Hospital). Further on you can then turn right into Crabtree Lane (for the pub of the same name) or carry on and turn right into Harbord Street for Craven Cottage.
Fulham ticket prices for the 2023/24 season:
- Adults: £35-105
- Over 65s/students: £30-105
- Juniors: £15-25
A full breakdown of the current pricing by stand can be found on the official Fulham website.
The map below shows all four entrances, depending on whether you are arriving from the tube stations or from the river Thames side.
The main reception, shop, ticket office, and media office are all situated as part of the Johnny Haynes stand, which is accessed from Stevenage Road and either the Hammersmith or Putney Bridge tube stations.
The aptly named Riverside stand is accessible via a specially designed walkway.
- Official Programme: £3.50
Fulham vs Chelsea rivalry: Fulham and Chelsea’s grounds are separated by just 1.4 miles, which is where the roots of this rivalry were born. Fulham consider Chelsea their biggest rivals, which means the fact they’ve regularly been in a lesser division hurts deeply. Chelsea’s recent successes under Roman Abramovic will have stuck in the craw even more for the Cottagers.
Fulham vs QPR rivalry: Fulham fans may think of QPR as their second biggest derby game but for QPR it is Fulham who are their major rivals. The derby match pre-dates that of Fulham Chelsea and is actually one of the oldest grudge matches in London.
Fulham vs Brentford rivalry: As West London derbies go, Fulham vs Brentford is one that has come and gone over the years. Rewind to the 1920s and the two were at loggerheads. Things settled for a few years as the teams went in different directions before a short rebirth in fifties. Thirty years later meetings at Craven Cottage were spiced up again as the teams were in the same league for a long time with the latest grudge match coming in the 2020 EFL Championship Playoff final; Fulham delivered a knockout blow to Brentford in extra time to advance to the Premier League.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
With Fulham long established as either a Premier League or top end Championship side, it is perhaps to be expected that they have a fair demand for stadium tours. They do not disappoint and regularly run tours of Craven Cottage. Prices are detailed below:
- Adults – £22
- Juniors (5 -15) – £16
- Concessions – £18
- Under 5s – Free
Further details can be found on the club website.
Fulham don’t necessarily have an obvious ‘go to’ club anthem, however, many associate ‘Palladio’ by Escala with the club.
Below is a rousing rendition of the ‘I love you Fulham’ chant.
Record Attendance
49,335 v Millwall, Division Two, October 8th, 1938.
Modern All Seated Attendance Record:
25,700 v Arsenal ~
Premier League, September 26th, 2009.
Average Attendance
2022-2023: 23,766 (Premier League)
2021-2022: 17,774 (Championship)
2020-2021: N/A (Covid-19)
2019-2020: 18,204 (Championship)
2018-2019: 24,371 (Premier League)
2017-2018: 19,896 (Championship)
Official Web Site: www.fulhamfc.com
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
Ground Layout
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Images
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Fulham v Reading
Championship
Wednesday 1st January 2020, 3pm
Alex (Reading)
Fulham v Stoke City
EFL Championship
Saturday 29th December 2019, 3pm
Jordi Fens (Doing the 92)
Fulham v Leeds United
Championship
Saturday 21st December 2019, 3pm
Shaun (Leeds United)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Craven Cottage?
I like Craven Cottage it’s quite a unique ground, although not looking it's best at the moment as they’re building a new stand by the river. Also hoping for a rare London win too!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I tend to use trains for London games and so got the train to Putney Bridge and walked up. It’s quite a pleasant walk although in December the park was pretty wet and muddy.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We were running late having only landed into Heathrow at 11:30 so not much! Home fans are generally friendly and on a couple of occasions struck up a conversation with us.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Craven Cottage?
I like the "cottage" stuck in one corner and the stand down one side is a good old fashioned looking stand. A brand new stand by the river, however, might look out of place with the other 3.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Fulham are without a doubt the quietest home fans I’ve ever come across. They all sit down too! I’ve been to a few games where the home fans have been quiet but that’s usually because they’re losing, Fulham don’t sing even when they’re winning! Only in the last 5 minutes were there a couple of chants of come on Fulham. I came to the conclusion that they’re replacing the West Stand with a library! The game itself was scrappy and we weren’t at our best after losing Hernández in the opening minute due to a hamstring. We probably did enough to earn a draw but it just wasn’t our day as we lost 2-1.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Not too bad, back through the mud to Putney and onto the station.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A disappointing day out, our 11 match unbeaten run came to an end, we didn’t play well and it rained! Should have gone Christmas shopping!!!
Fulham v Nottingham Forest
Championship
Saturday 24th August 2019, 3pm
Zak (Nottingham Forest)
Fulham v Nottingham Forest
Championship
Saturday 24th August 2019, 3pm
Pete Woodhead (Doing the 92)
Fulham v Leicester City
Premier League
Wednesday 5th December 2018, 7.45pm
John Hague (Neutral/Leicester City)
Fulham v AFC Bournemouth
Premier League
Saturday 27th October 2018, 3pm
Paul Sheppard (AFC Bournemouth)
Fulham v Exeter City
League Cup Second Round
Tuesday 28th August 2018, 7.45pm
Steve Ellis (Exeter City)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Craven Cottage?
This was a new ground for me plus being a supporter of a League 2 club it’s not often you get a chance to visit stadiums like this.
How easy was your journey and finding the ground?
The journey to London was straightforward, leaving Exeter leaving at 1pm and arriving just after with the coach dropping us off on the Fulham Palace Road around 5.40pm
What did you do before the game, pub, chippy….home fans friendly?
I took the walk down the Fulham Palace Road to the Temperance pub which took approximately 15 minutes, the prices of their beer started at £4.50. The home fans encountered were friendly. The Golden Lion was home fans only.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end and then other sides of Craven Cottage?
From the outside, Craven Cottage looks impressive. Away fans are housed in the Putney Bridge End which has good unrestricted views in the lower section but did have pillars further back and does have reasonable leg space. The stand to the right has supporting pillars to obstruct the view. A couple of downsides to this visit was out of 13 turnstiles for away supporters only three were open, which meant supporters missed the first 15-20 minutes. Also with refreshment bars only one of the three or four were open. The excuse given was “we were not expecting a large following.”
View From The Away End
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, refreshments etc.
The game was very good, supporting a League 2 team I was not upset to lose out to a Premiership side as we played well. Fulham eventually ran out 2-0 winners. The atmosphere was excellent with both sets of supporters singing, the noise does travel well. The stewards were hit and miss, some looked as though they could not be bothered or didn’t know the answers, yet late in the game when a flare was let off a group of them were very quick to respond. Alcoholic beverages start at £5.00 from the small bar under the stand or there is a 'pie and pint' offer at 9.50, I had a bottle of ale which I did not enjoy. The toilets were small, clean but functional.
Comments on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away afterwards, the coach was waiting where it dropped us off, but the ground is easy to get away from. We got back to Exeter about 1.40am
Attendance 9,333 (1,471 away)
Fulham v Nottingham Forest
Championship League
Saturday 3rd February 2018, 3pm
Thomas Inglis (Neutral visiting Dundee United fan)
Fulham v Millwall
Championship League
Saturday 25th November 2017, 3pm
Steve 'Minty' Taylor (Millwall fan)
Fulham v Cardiff City
Football Championship League
Saturday 9th September 2017, 3pm
David (Cardiff City fan)
The game was end to end. Either side could have won it. The referee had his hands full and could easily have sent someone off and also awarded a penalty. I thought a 1-1 draw was a fair result.
Fulham v Cardiff City
Championship League
Saturday 9th September 2017, 3pm
Corey (Cardiff City)
Fulham v Bristol Rovers
Football League Cup 2nd Round
Tuesday 22nd August 2017, 7.45pm
Yaz Shah (Bristol Rovers fan)
Fulham v Sheffield Wednesday
Championship League
Saturday 19th August 2017, 3pm
Matthew Edge (Sheffield Wednesday fan)
Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Football Championship League
Saturday 18th March 2017, 3pm
Peter Yeoman (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Craven Cottage?
As a southern Wolf living in Dorset, then this was an easy game to get to. Plus Craven Cottage was a ground that I had not visited before.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Simple train up to Clapham then across to Putney Bridge – 2 hrs (which is half the time it takes me to get to a home game).
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I needed to go to the ticket office to find out when my ticket would arrive as I only booked it on Wednesday afternoon. It was coming down on one of the official coaches from Molineux. Up to the Crabtree after as recommended on this website. It is a decent pub, not too crowded and with a mixed crowd of home and away fans without any problems. There was a nice view of the River Thames from there as well.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Craven Cottage?
Whilst Craven Cottage looks old fashioned against modern stadiums it has a real charm about it – although the exterior of the Main Stand on Stevenage Road looks more like block of apartments rather than a football stadium.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
A superb away day – one up at half time with Fulham playing pretty passing triangles but going no where. Another early in the second half put us well on top and despite a slightly lucky deflected goal for Fulham I never really thought that we would lose this. A third from Super Dave Edwards confirmed the win and with ten points from the last 12, it drags us away from the relegation zone. As Fulham had beaten League leaders Newcastle United the week before this was an easier win than I had expected
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Little problem apart from some congestion at Putney Bridge Station. Once away from there was a straight forward run home and back indoors by 8.30pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A really good day out – what can be better than to be able to walk to the ground through a park alongside a major river (helps when you win though!).
Fulham v Leeds United
Championship League
Tuesday 7th March 2017, 7.45pm
Shaun (Leeds United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Craven Cottage?
It was my first time to Craven Cottage. So I was looking forward to seeing the ground, plus I had read positive reviews of the home fans.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Pretty easy. I used public transport to get across London taking the train to Putney. From Putney Station you can get various busses over the Thames to Fulham but we chose to walk. It's about 10-15 minutes to the park entrance/Fulham High Street (the location of various pubs) Then a ten minute walk through the park along the Thames (which is probably quite pretty but not at night!).
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Went to the Eight Bells pub on Fulham High Street. This is a small traditional pub and although it was still over 2 1/2 hours to kick off was already busy. When we left 20 minutes later they had already stopped more fans entering. We then went to the Temperance which is a large cavernous and fairly modern pub. Again when we left with 1 1/4 hours to kick off they had also stopped people entering and there was a queue outside waiting to get in. Being a ale/bitter drinker I preferred the selection at the Eight Bells (The Temperance was much more wine/lager based) but to be fair to the Temperance they did stop people entering before it got stupidly crowded.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Craven Cottage?
We particularly liked the exterior of the old Johnny Haynes Stand which looked more like a Victorian factory facade rather part of a football ground. As for the Putney End which housed the away fans and neutrals. then it was unusual in as much as it didn't have a concourse. Normally the drinks/food outlets are inside a stand but here you are outside at the back and then the steps take you straight through to the seating area. The lack of indoors means it could be pretty cold watching your team in the depths of winter. The view was fine although a couple of pillars mean the view could be restricted at the back of the stand. the old style ground means the other stands do have some character to them.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Wasn't a bad game although conceding a 95th minute equaliser is always gutting. To be fair it was a great strike and no more than Fulham deserved. The stewarding was good, and my only complaint was the price of the food. A pie and pint meal "deal" was £8 or pie and hot drink a mere £6? I know Leeds are pretty good at sticking the arm in over prices but even we don't charge this much! The cost of being in the capital I suppose. The pies were good though! Fulham aren't the noisiest of fans so there wasn't much banter. They do like their clackers though….(provided free by the club which is a nice touch).
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Again very easy. Through the park to Fulham High Street and then one of the numerous buses going up towards Putney Railway Station.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall, my visit to Craven Cottage was enjoyable (apart from Leeds not winning!). The few home fans I met were friendly and there was no hint of trouble at all. The Police I felt were quite restrained (compared to previous fans comments) Craven Cottage is in a nice setting and it is a nice ground. It just needs to do a better meal deal!
Fulham v Leeds United
Championship League
Tuesday 7th March 2017, 7.45pm
Jamie Hanson (Leeds United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Craven Cottage?
This was my first visit to Craven Cottage and I was looking forward to seeing what I hoped would be a ground with some character.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I drove to Ealing Broadway tube station and parked my car there. I then got a tube on the District Line to Hammersmith. The Craven Cottage ground is about a 20 minute walk from there straight down Fulham Palace Road and then turn right onto Finlay Street. It's easy to find.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
The home fans were great and there was a good atmosphere outside the ground. There were a handful of burger vans outside but I decided to wait until I got in as I wanted a pie from there. A mistake! The food queues inside were horrendous. HINT: When you are on the concourse, if the food and drink outlets are busy walk to the very end by the Thames – just round there corner there was another burger and beer stand and they were empty!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Craven Cottage?
The communal area once you go through the turnstile is actually outside, although sheltered. When I went into the stand I was very impressed. What a lovely stadium. With some character.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The away end we were in was full. Apparently there were 7,000 Leeds United fans in attendance for a mid week night match! The atmosphere was just incredible. We took the lead with a lucky own goal in the fifth minute. We then held on after being pummeled by Fulham until the last kick of the game where we conceded to a superb Fulham equaliser. I was gutted. But it was nothing less than Fulham deserved.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Easy to get out and get home. (Despite being gutted about their equaliser).
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
What a great evening and Craven Cottage is a nice ground. Thoroughly enjoyed the match including the atmosphere and seeing a new stadium.
Fulham v Brighton and Hove Albion
Football Championship League
Monday 2nd January 2017, 3pm
John Handley (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Craven Cottage?
I hadn't been to Craven Cottage for many years and wanted to see a good match up on a day when my team weren't playing. The last time I went was probably the best part of 25 years ago.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
No problem coming in from South East London despite the ongoing work at London Bridge, causing trains to be rerouted to Blackfriars and Victoria. Took the District Line to Putney Bridge and walked along Thames to ground through the park opposite the roads leading away from the Underground Station
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Pretty much went straight to the ground. Lots of Brighton fans there and atmosphere pre-game seemed very upbeat. My wife and daughter went into the Club shop to pick up a couple of souvenirs. They thought it was a little cramped.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Craven Cottage?
We sat in the Riverside Stand in one of the end blocks so we weren't affected by pillars and had very good view of the game. Apart from the seating at both ends the ground did very much seem a throwback to pre-Premier League days.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game had all the cut and thrust one would hope for in a promotion battle (with Fulham just outside th e play off places). It also helped being next door to the away support who supported their team vociferously throughout. Fulham dominated the game without causing Stockdale too many problems apart from a penalty save he had to make after about 15 minutes following a blatant hand ball, until they scored midway through the second half. Brighton then belatedly sprung into life scoring their first from the spot after what appeared at best to be a dubious award followed a minute later by the winner. Brighton then spent the last 15 minutes managing the game with only one or two scares. The result put Brighton back on top of the Championship League. Probably a draw would have been a fair result. It was difficult to tell what sort of noise the Fulham supporters were making but we had the feeling that there were a lot of families and casual supporters highlighted by the child next to us being asked by one of his parents "Tarquin do you want more water?" Probably only in west London…
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Convoluted and slow. Exit from the Riverside Stand seemed to take about 10-15 minutes as there seemed to be the space of only seat to get through at the bottom of the stairs leading to the main exit from the stand. We then had to walk all the way around the stadium. The best tip is to get on the main road as soon as you can to get to the Underground as otherwise you meet a lot of fans going the opposite way towards Hammersmith and the Park is closed when it is dark.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
We enjoyed the game and would probably go again if it is a meaningful match up.
Fulham v Norwich City
Football Championship League
Tuesday 18th October 2016, 7:45pm
William Horwood (Norwich City fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Craven Cottage?
This was my third visit to Craven Cottage, and the previous two performances had been dreadful so I was looking for an improvement. We had also been on an excellent recent run and had broken our 21 year hoodoo at Molineux. I was therefore hoping we could end "30 years of hurt" at the Cottage!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The tube journey is easy enough, and the walk to Craven Cottage through Bishop's Park alongside the Banks of the Thames is pleasant.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I travelled down from Birmingham and went straight to the ground. The home fans were polite and friendly, as usual.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Craven Cottage?
The stand running alongside Stevenage Road has an old-fashioned charm to it, and the "Cottage" itself located in one corner, adds a quirky touch. The other three stands are a bit identikit.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.
Norwich went in 2-0 up at half-time thanks to two penalties. However, we switched off at the start of the second half and Fulham were able to level the game at 2-2. We pushed hard for a winner but couldn't find the final ball. The stewarding was excellent, but the refreshment facilities in the away end are totally inadequate – I spent most of half-time in a queue that didn't move, and eventually gave up and went back to my seat.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Fine until you reach the tube station, which is not really equipped to handle large crowds.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A pleasant trip and a better result that I'm used to, but the atmosphere is always slightly lacking at Craven Cottage.
Fulham v Birmingham City
Championship League
Saturday 10th September 2016, 3pm
Jon Thomson (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Craven Cottage?
Was going to check a ground off the 92 regardless having booked train travel in advance. My first choice was to watch my team Sheffield United play away at Wimbledon. However I was unable to get a ticket for that game so I opted for Craven Cottage. The game was reasonably priced for this level of play and Craven Cottage is certainly not an identikit new build stadium. Birmingham City also recently bought one our best players, Che Adams, so it would also allow me to see if he'd play better with an improved supporting cast.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
From the train down to Euston, it was a straightforward one stop change onto the Piccadilly line for Hammersmith, which turned out to be a slightly longer walk than expected in uncomfortable humid/drizzly conditions but nothing too uncomfortable.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I opted to visit the Crabtree pub before the game, which had a good mix of home/away support, with no issues between the fans and no problems getting served relatively quickly. Disappointingly, despite reports that the pub had Sky, the TV's were fluctuating between being turned off, and turned on – to Channel 5 of all things showing some awful You've Been Framed type show, so rather than catching the second half of the Manchester derby I quickly finished a couple of beers and headed towards the ground.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Craven Cottage?
Craven Cottage is a nice ground, with the trademark cottage in the one corner and the notable Johnny Haynes Stand along one side. Having bought a ticket to the home end, which had a very low rake and seemingly not enough roof to protect the front of the stand. I was directly opposite the away end which looked close to a sell out for the portion given to Birmingham, which could probably have been extended from half the stand really. Seemed a better place to watch, looked a lot steeper and with less pillars to intrude.
My View Of Craven Cottage
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Seemed a fairly even game in the first half – Birmingham looking the more threatening with greater pace up top, although they did miss a penalty which looked soft on first viewing. They were to convert a second penalty early in the second half, in which they looked more threatening, and could easily have had another late on but for a great goal line clearance. Birmingham's second half dominance became obvious later on in the evening, when checking the scores on my phone I saw Fulham had a man sent off late in the first half while I was queuing for a pie, of which they'd sold out, leaving me to resort to a somewhat overpriced hot dog.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Easy enough reverse route, traffic seemed a bit clogged up but leaving on public transport this wasn't an issue and I was back in central London quickly enough.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Weather aside it was a fun day – decent level of attacking football, one of the few old school grounds left in the region that seemed a friendly club and a reasonably priced ground.
Fulham v MK Dons
Football Championship League
Saturday 2nd April 2016, 3pm
Paddy O'Brien (Neutral fan)
Fulham v Charlton
Football Championship League
Saturday 20th February 2016, 3pm
Steve Kelly (Doing the 92)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Craven Cottage?
As part of my journey around the grounds I have been looking forward to my first visit to Craven Cottage. This is a historic club and ground and I have heard only good words from others I have met whilst doing the 92.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We had a weekend away in London and took in the game whilst staying in the Paddington area. There are limited tube stations available to get to the ground with Putney Bridge being the closest. The ground is then a fifteen/twenty minute walk across a park.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We called into a couple of pubs before the game. One just round from the tube station. With this being a London derby there were bouncers on the doors of all the pubs, with some pubs being home fans only. The Eight Bells pub was amusing as the bouncers asked us if we were home or away. Home fans went in one door and away fans in the other. Both doors led to the same bar area! There was plenty of good humour though between both sets of fans.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Craven Cottage?
Walking across the park from Putney Bridge you can't miss the tall floodlights and you arrive at the end of the ground where the away supporters are situated. Craven Cottage is a lovely old fashioned ground with a brick facade along Stevenage Road. Here is a statue of Johnny Haynes at which a number of people were taking photographs. We were sat with the Fulham fans in the Hammersmith End right behind the goal. Trouble was there was a stanchion right in the middle of the stand. However, there were enough empty seats though that we could move down a few rows so it wasn't obstructing our view.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
I really enjoyed the game. A fantastic low early save from Lonnegan kept Fulham in the game. I have seen Andy Lonnegan a number of times on my travels and rate him very highly and probably one of the best keepers outside of the top flight. Fulham eventually took control of the game and scored a good goal before half time. Two further goals in the second half saw Fulham run out 3 – 0 winners with Scott Parker bossing the game. Easy to get a drink within the ground but the toilets are rather narrow at the Hammersmith End and is a bit of a tight squeeze.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
No problems in getting away from the ground and we visited a couple of pubs before getting the tube back into London.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
This was a thoroughly enjoyable outing to the Cottage. Great atmosphere with some excellent football being played by both side, particularly Fulham. Craven Cottage is definitely a ground to visit if you are able to.
Fulham v Preston North End
Football Championship League
Saturday 28th November 2015, 3pm
Paul Willott (Preston North End fan)
What a difference a few weeks can make. Earlier in the month I’d gone to watch the North End at Loftus Road and found the afternoon less than perfect (see my QPR review for the reasons why) and yet today at a ground not far away, we enjoyed a fantastic family day out.
As is the norm in my world, we wandered down to Chatham railway station on foot, and grabbed the next available service to London Victoria before meeting up with a friend and taking the District Line to Putney Bridge station. Upon arrival we decided to try our luck with the Eight Bells pub as recommended in the guide and although it was pretty full, there was enough room for our family group. We enjoyed a few drinks in there; it was a pleasant enough pub and enjoyed discussing the match in prospect. Craven Cottage was another “lucky” ground for me where I’d never yet seen us lose, and was keen to see that tradition continue. I think we were all cautiously optimistic that given our recent form having been promoted that we could get something from the game; we’d generally been fairly solid in defence and it was more a question of whether we could actually get the goals at the other end.
Once we’d supped a few drinks, we headed off on that lovely stroll through Bishops Park along the banks of the Thames towards the ground. It’s a walk I’ve always enjoyed; the ground’s floodlights getting ever closer as that sense of pre-match anticipation rises. The only thing better than doing that little walk on a Saturday afternoon is for an evening kick-off with the floodlights gleaming down on the ground! The final piece of my personal jigsaw for the day was to link up with another friend of mine, Ramin, and his Japanese wife, for what was to be only their second only match ; their first having been away at Leyton Orient the season before. I could write a whole book about Ramin Saleh……….but here is not the time……save for to say that on one of our annual ski trips he suddenly declared that it was about time that he went to a football match and that following Preston North End sounded like fun from the stories I’d told and requested to come or be at least alerted to forthcoming London based fixtures.
View From The Away End
Once inside the ground, we were allowed to choose our own seats, which was ideal for us with two little ones to cater for. Stewarding seemed quite hands-off really ; a few people approached them wanting clarity or directions for seating yet the stewards seemed fairly unwilling to get too involved in any potential seating dispute. I personally didn’t find the away end particularly well signed in terms of blocks; it would have been quite easy to wander into the “neutral” section of the Putney end as it would have been the designated “away” blocks.
That said, I like Craven Cottage immensely ; it has survived the rebuilding of the two end stands from the old terraces into all seater affairs without losing too much of its character, and a decent away following can make a good racket in the Putney end stand. The Stevenage Road stand is a real gem of a history edifice complete with the lovely gable in the middle; the hallmark of an Archibald Leitch designed stand, and opposite it the Riverside stand also has a charm about it; people might not have liked it much when it was built , but at 1972 vintage its slowly becoming a period piece of its own. The guide also laments the replacing of the old floodlight pylons with newer ones which whilst I empathise with the sentiment, I’m happy to see new floodlight pylons as opposed to roof mounted lights.
Worthy of individual comment is the pavilion-type structure that many folk do apparently mistakenly think is “the” cottage; whilst the history books will record that this structure is indeed not the cottage that the ground takes its name from, it is nonetheless a very charismatic structure and a true landmark in the geography of British soccer stadia. It’s all the more reason to cherish and preserve grounds like this; structures such as the “Dolls House” at Park Avenue, Bradford for example are but a memory.
Stevenage Road Stand With Gable On Roof
Some 2000 Preston North End fans had made the pilgrimage to Craven Cottage and were in full voice by the time the teams came out onto the pitch. The match got off to great start with some good flowing moves by both sides, and Preston drew first blood with an early goal from the talismanic Joey Garner. With him having netted his first of the season the previous week, was this to be the start of him finding a rich vein of form to help push us up the table? As darkness descended, Craven Cottage assumed an even more magical atmosphere and I think we all started to sense that maybe we were going to take all 3 points as the clock ticked along during the second half. From our perspective this sadly was not to be the case as a very well taken free-kick 12 minutes from time gave the home side a share of the spoils. Despite a further late flurry from the North End, the home side stood firm, and in the last 5 minutes or so one sensed that both sets of players were now content to play the match out for a draw.
Over the 90 minutes, the draw was probably the right result although I felt we gave a very good account of ourselves and indeed but for a well executed set-piece we would have had the 3 points. Above and beyond that though, the match itself had been a great spectacle; a thoroughly absorbing contest where you hardly noticed the time going by, and the referee was able to let the game flow to the point you hardly noticed he was even there. We’d all enjoyed it, and Ramin and his wife professed they’d also thoroughly enjoyed an exciting game of football.
At this point we hit on a strategy to check out the Temperance pub that also gets good reviews in this guide to compare it to the Eight Bells we’d been in earlier. However, this strategy was undermined by the doormen at the pub opposite, the Kings Arms who not far short of stepped out into the pavement to usher us into their establishment, even though we were decked out in away colours. Given our recent experience at Loftus Road and its environs, I double checked with the doorman that he was indeed more than happy for away fans to go in and he reassured me that this was Fulham, not QPR, and all fans were welcome in this pub. What a refreshing change!
Thus we settled down to have a chinwag and few more drinks in what is a quite spacious and groovy pub whilst keeping one eye on the big screens that were showing the late kick-off between Leicester City and Manchester United. I thoroughly recommend the Kings Arms to anyone, even though when busy, service is good, and both home and away fans happily mingle there. It’s located just opposite the Temperance if anyone fancies giving it a try.
After a few hours, and seeing Jamie Vardy make a bit of history on the big screen with his goal scoring feats, we drifted off to grab a pizza before heading home.
A thoroughly great day out, with Craven Cottage still remaining a “lucky” ground.
Plus Points for Craven Cottage
1. Easy to get to via public transport
2. Great pubs in the vicinity that are away-fan friendly
3. Good ground that still has character
4. Floodlight pylons
Minus Points for Craven Cottage
1. None really
Fulham v Reading
Championship League
Saturday 24th October 2015, 1.30pm
Richard Stone (Reading fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Craven Cottage?
Reading had been on a good run and stood second in the table. Expectation was high and about 4,000 Reading fans were expected to make the trip.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled on one of the supporters coaches which were parked on the Fulham Palace Road, on the Hammersmith side about 15 min walk from the ground. The journey from Reading took about 75 mins.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I'd done a bit of research so as we were to the north (home) end of the ground we walked straight down to the river and found The Crabtree pub, mentioned elsewhere on this site, which was busy but not rammed and has a big outside area with a (somewhat restricted) view of the River Thames.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
From the pub, you can take the Thames Path along the river about 15 mins to the ground. You approach the 'home' end. The main entrance, along Stevenage Road, has a nice 'old-school' traditional feel and the away end is at the far end of that.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The away end however has the air of a temporary stand. It's quite extensive and a section on the Cottage side is devoted to a 'neutral' area. The large contingent of Reading fans filled the whole away section and much of the Neutral section. We arrived about 30 minutes before (the early) kick-off and queues for food and drink were pretty long so we didn't bother with that. The stewards were pretty unobtrusive and their attempts to search everyone coming in seemed a bit futile. There were police spotters positioned at the front communicating with colleagues at the rear of the away section, presumably to weed out troublemakers – I didn't see any. The view from the seat was fine (Row R) although there's not much leg-room and everyone stood the whole time anyway. As for the game itself, the less said the better! Fulham fans seem a fairly genteel bunch and aren't the most vociferous. Their team came back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 so they'd have been well within their rights to be a bit more triumphant than they actually seemed to be.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting back to the coaches was easy, although we were swimming against the tide to some extent. Fulham Palace Road heading towards Hammersmith is just one big traffic jam. Until 4pm cars can use the bus lane, so at 4pm, all the cars have to get out of the bus lane and squeeze back into the single car lane. This causes huge congestion – it took over 30 mins to travel half a mile to Hammersmith Broadway.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Fulham is always a good away trip although results often go against us. The proximity to the River Thames gives Craven Cottage a distinctive and enjoyable atmosphere.
Fulham v Queens Park Rangers
Championship League
Friday 25th September 2015, 7.45pm
James Walker (QPR fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Craven Cottage?
I wasn't particularly looking forward to this Friday night West London derby as I have previously been to Craven Cottage twice with QPR and have come away from both games feeling dejected. However QPR were in reasonable form and so I was hopeful what we could nick a positive result and end our miserable 35 year winless run at the Cottage.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We took the train to Putney Bridge, and so had a simple 10 minute walk to the ground from there. This was a very straightforward journey, where the hardest part was actually trying to get on the crowded trains during the rush hour.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We arrived in time to see the QPR team arrive so I quickly got my programme signed then waited around outside the turnstiles. There were a steady stream of jets taking off from London Heathrow Airport and so I got a perfect chance to do a bit of plane spotting!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
I like Craven Cottage as a ground as it's got quite a retro feel to it, but I don't like how there's always home and away fans in the so-called 'Neutral' section. This can only lead to trouble when rival fans have too much to drink and it did on this occasion.
View From The Away Section
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The pies here were some of the best I've ever had at a football match. £3.90 for a Chicken Balti pie, but it was worth the money as it is right up there at the top when it comes to quality. Unfortunately the rest of the evening was a shambles. QPR just didn't turn up at all on the night and Fulham deservedly went in at half time with a comfortable 3-0 lead. Things didn't get better for us in the second half, with Charlie Austin going off injured and the Fulham scoring their fourth, which was our cue to get up and leave.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Due to heading out on 65 minutes (because of the disgrace we were forced to witness) getting out and getting a train was easy. We got off he underground at Kings Cross just as I got a notification that the game had finished. Thankfully it was only 4.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
An absolute waste of nearly £70 and 8 hours to watch a complete shambles from start to when I gave up. Normally I can't stand leaving early but this time was one of the worst I have ever experienced here. However I will give a special mention to the stewards – very friendly, we could share some banter with them at the start of the night and they were very helpful with pointing out other supporters to the stations.
Attendance: 19,784 (4,100 away)
Fulham v Brentford
Football Championship League
Friday 3rd April 2015, 3pm
Jordan Nugara (Brentford fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Craven Cottage?
It was my first visit to Craven Cottage. Plus as they are local rivals it was always going to be one of the bigger games of the season. In fact it was one of the first fixtures we looked out for when we got promoted.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We actually came along the Thames on a boat organised by Brentford fans, which was a most unusual way to travel to a game. We arrived at Putney Pier, after going past the ground, and just followed the crowds there.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
From the pier we went into a pub called the Kings Arms. Given that it was a derby match it was very much an 'away fans' pub, so I didn't actually have much contact with any Fulham fans at all.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Craven Cottage?
Craven Cottage has a 'proper' football ground feel to it, and the away end is behind the goal at the Putney End. We filled it with 3,000 fans as our allocation had sold out. Because of this, loads more Brentford fans who couldn't get a ticket were sat in the 'neutral' section, which is located next to the away section on the same stand.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game is one that will be long remembered by Brentford fans. Fulham have been in the Premiership, and playing in Europe, for the last decade and we have been floating around in League One and Two. So to turn up and give them a footballing lesson was amazing. We took the lead mid way through the first half, Stuart Dallas fired one in low from about 20 yards out. Just after half time, Dallas made it two with an amazing shot from 25 yards out that flew into the top corner. Fulham were awarded a dodgy penalty that Ros McCormack scored, before Alan Judge curled home a free kick in added time to make it 3-1. Jota then smashed home a fourth right at the end to round off a brilliant performance. Given that it was a derby, I was disappointed with the lack of noise from the home fans. You could only hear them after they scored, and it was a small section at the back of the stand behind the other goal. The 3,000+ Brentford fans (more like 6,000 including those in the neutral section) were up for it and we pretty much made it a home game.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We bumped into someone we knew after the game who was driving so got a lift with them. Wasn't hard to get out our anything.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
One of my favourite away days.
Fulham v Charlton Athletic
Championship League
Friday, October 24th, 2014, 7.45pm
James Butler (Charlton Athletic fan)
I always look forward to a trip to Cravern Cottage. It was the venue for my first away trip, a 1-1 draw back in the 1976-77 season. The Fulham side at the time featured Rodney Marsh and George Best.
A journey on a Friday night in the midst of rush hour on the London Tube was as busy as you would expect and consequently left us no time to visit our chosen restaurant on Putney High Street. There cannot however be many grounds in the country so well provided for by Pubs and places to eat. We settled for a tiny Italian sandwich shop opposite Putney Bridge tube Station, the sandwich we enjoyed was superb, the couple running it were delightful, even though we could not get over to them that we supported Charlton and not Chelmsford????
The walk to the ground from here takes about 10 minutes through the, even in the dark, delightful Bishops Park, passing on the way two or three stalls selling burgers off proper BBQ’s. None of you standard footie fare here, Fulham is way to upmarket for that. Indeed, surrounded by houses worth seven figure sums, is there a posher location for a football ground in the country?
This was my fourth trip to Craven Cottage so not many surprises were in store. On entry we were searched and sniffer dogs were looking for pyrotechnics. You then walk behind the Putney End to the away section beside the river. We had been given and had sold our 3,000 allocation, so there were plenty of fellow Addicts enjoying the eye wateringly expensive beer at £4.20 a pint, at least there was no queue.
We were shown very efficiently to our seats, a disappointing position in a corner, level with the dug outs. I felt like I was watching from outside the ground.
Eleven minutes into the game and frankly I wished we were outside. Fulham came flying out and raced into a 2-0 lead against a sleepy Charlton. I think it was past the bed time of our ridiculously young squad. Most of the first half we were under the cosh. Second half was a vast improvement, but the goal our play perhaps deserved, never came and Fulham topped of a good night for them with a third, a minute from time. Bit harsh? Maybe, but we deserved nothing from the game so what difference does it make? Our fans made good noise throughout, especially considering the performance from our team. The home fans were very quiet in the first half, a real surprise this considering the elegant and dominant football their team played. Towards the end of the match they became a little more vocal, but it was never deafening, to posh to sing? Stewards were on the whole very good. No problem with standing, which the whole away support did throughout the game. Having allowed this they were very officious about blocking the gang ways. That's fine, but they were almost obsessive about it. Still I suppose it must be a boring job.
After the game we trooped back through the dark park to the tube. You could tell the home fans straight away, they bring torches with them. Seriously it’s that dark, bear this in mind if your team plays Fulham in a night game.
Journey home was another pain. Signal failure at Mansion House district line was rubbish, we crawled to Earls Court where we transferred to the Piccadilly line to make our way back to Central London and the trains to South East London and Kent. It’s at times like this I feel for the fans of teams from outside London. Your knowledge of the London transport system may not be that great and you need to catch a train at a certain time from say Euston. How often does TFL (Transport for London) leave you high and dry? We spent the whole evening complaining about them, that’s when we weren’t moaning about the Charlton performance.
Fulham v Everton
Premier League
Sunday, March 30th, 2014, 1.30pm
Mark Woods (Everton fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
In the race for 4th place and living in London I was really looking forward to the game, as well as this it looks unlikely I will be going to Fulham next season due to their league position. I love the old classic ground and hold happy memories there. It was also the first time I was going to see Everton on my own.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Living near Wembley this journey was fairly routine with me. However both District and Piccadilly lines were suspended for the day, so I caught the Central line to White City. Then changed at Wood Lane for the Hammersmith and City line to Hammersmith and then walked the 15 minute journey from the underground station to Craven Cottage.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I arrived at the ground 45 minutes prior to kick off so just went straight inside. I had a reasonably priced pint inside the ground and then watched the players during the warm up. The Fulham fans seemed friendly enough and they were quite vocal in getting behind their team. I've been to this fixture for the last three years and I noticed that this was the loudest I've heard Fulham in a long time.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Interestingly I was surprised that there was no segregation line between the neutral and away sections in the Putney End, until I realised that the "neutral section" was about 90% blue! The ground maybe old and small by Premiership standards, but you feel really close to the players which is a lot better then being high up in the gods like at other grounds
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The first half was pretty cagey and sluggish with few chances falling to either side. Everton started the second half a lot better due to the substitutes and fully deserved the eventual 3-1 win. I found the Fulham stewards helpful and friendly as well as the local police. Didn't taste the food but the toilets were clean and big enough to service the 3,000 fans.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game I walked along the river bank back to Hammersmith Bridge to avoid the massive congestion outside the ground. I got to Hammersmith in fairly quick time bearing in mind there seem to be a large amount of joggers in the area!
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Great day out made even better with three points, met some Fulham fans after the game and they were a really nice bunch, hope they stay up as would really like to return next year!
Fulham v West Ham United
Premier League
Wednesday, January 30th, 2013, 7.45pm
Philip Pegram (West Ham United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to the game as I love travelling away with West Ham and it just so happened to be my birthday. Plus it is always good to visit different grounds.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We travelled to Fulham by tube from London Stratford. Easy journey and got off at Putney Bridge and walked the rest. About 20 minute walk from tube station to the ground.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We had a full half day to waste before the evening Kick off. Coming from London Stratford plenty of places to stop in Central London for a few before the game. We ended up eating in Chinatown before getting the tube to Putney Bridge and having a couple of beers in the Eight Bells. The pub filled up very quickly and it wasn’t long before they stopped any more people coming in. All other pubs on way to ground were home fans only and wouldn’t let away supporters in. We ended up heading for the ground and having a couple of beers before the game started.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
On first entering the ground I was very impressed. We actually had tickets in the neutral end, but it turned out to be almost an away section as three quarters of this end was full of West Ham Supporters. Great little ground and very good for away fans.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
As for the ghe game itself, well West Ham lost 3 – 1. A very poor performance by West Ham but a cracking atmosphere. Away fans very noisy through out the game. The home fans remained very quiet unless a cheer for a goal. Facilities very good. Only time we had to queue for a beer was at the half time rush. Beer was £4 a pint with hot dogs being the same.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground wasn’t bad, we had the 25 minute walk to the tube station Just followed the crowds. Once on the platform didn’t have to wait long for a train to come.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Game attended:
Ignoring the result we would with out a doubt would visit again. Great Stadium in a pleasant area and great away support.
Fulham v West Bromwich Albion Premier League Saturday, September 15th 2012, 3pm Greg Thompson (West Bromwich Albion fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I am always excited to see an away ground I haven’t been to before. Added to this, the way Albion had started the season meant I was going to the cottage with optimism despite us having an awful record there in the Premier League.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I headed down by car with four friends and we planned to park a good 25 minute walk away from the ground near Westfield’s shopping centre. This meant we could take in a bit of London before the game making it a great day out. Parking was £8, so between the five of us, very cheap. In this day and age finding the ground was very easy using the mapping on our mobile phones.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Before the game we had some lunch at the Westfield’s centre. Also that day Chelsea were playing away at QPR so there was a great atmosphere around London with Chelsea and Rangers fans everywhere. Once we headed towards the Cottage, Fulham fans were great as we looked around the ground.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Craven Cottage grew on me immediately, just walking around the place, I love the old style ground whist the cottage had modern touches to it, the character of this classic stadium remained. The TV lorries and satellites all parked out on the road, I doubt there is another Premier League ground where this as to happen. They have worked it very well. Walking into the ground there are televisions everywhere and staff on the food courts are very helpful.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself from a West Brom point of view was disappointing, with Peter Odemwingie getting sent off very early on for a ridiculous piece of retaliation. We then surrender our unbeaten start to the season losing 3-0 with little to shout about. Albion fans were loud throughout, home support is very quiet, they don’t really get excited about much.
The teams coming out at the start of the game:
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground wasn’t bad, we had the 25 minute walk back from the ground to the car park which gave us plenty of time to catch up on other results and have an in depth conversation about the game. The traffic seemed very heavy whist we were on foot, after all the cottage does have the river Thames one side with housing estate the other side. I would imagine if you park near the ground it would take some while to get going.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Game attended:
Without taking the result into consideration it was a top day, there is something special about the cottage, it’s an ideal location and great compact small ground. I will defiantly be visiting the cottage again in the future, would also love to visit there for a night game.
Fulham v Swansea City
Premier League
Saturday, March 17th 2012, 2pm
Kate Brown (Neutral fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I’ve heard nice things about the stadium and being next to the Thames, I thought it would be a nice day out. I’m a Southampton fan but was able to borrow a ticket for the game and sat in the neutral section.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
It was one of the easiest journeys to football I’ve ever had – we took the train from Basingstoke, changed at Clapham (if you get the direct train it’s the first stop, takes about 35 minutes) and it’s then two stops to Putney station. Turn right out of the station, along Putney High Street, over the bridge over the Thames and cut through the park on your left. It’s a good 15-20 minute walk which would have been lovely had it not been raining!
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I’d been recommended a burger stand outside the church by the park near to the ground. It’s run by the church and helps ex-servicemen retrain when they leave the forces. Burgers are a fiver but they’re huge and well worth it!
The club shop was quite nice, although a bit small (I’ve since been told that there’s another one, on Putney High Street, that’s bigger) and sells the usual stuff as well as some novelty gifts I’ve never seen before like Fulham tea bags!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground is really nice and it’s got a lot of character. The corners aren’t filled in, which gives you the opportunity to see outside the ground, both into the residential areas and across the river. We were in row UU but still felt like we had a good view. There are steel supports that might be an issue for some in the stadium although I don’t remember thinking they were a problem at the time.
View from the neutral section:
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was pretty one-sided with Swansea being 3-0 winners. The atmosphere was quite quiet (apart from the Swansea fans). Being in the neutral end there were fans of both sides as well as a lot of neutrals, so there wasn’t very much singing or clapping. The home fans in the other stands were very quiet for most of the game.
The toilets were different to most toilet facilities in stadiums – the toilets were individual rooms, each with a sink and hand dryer, rather than cubicles in a toilet block. It was almost laid out like stables.
I’d been told the food wasn’t that great so I didn’t buy anything except a bag of maltesers – I thought they were expensive at £3.50 a bag but we needed something for half time! I wouldn’t recommend taking bottle of drink (water, juice, etc) into the stadium as the bottle tops are confiscated by the stewards on the way in.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Quite a lot of people left the ground early so there wasn’t a mad rush to get out. We had something to eat in the High Street and let the crowds disperse before getting back on the train. It was just as easy to get home as it was to get to the stadium.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was a great day out, I’d recommend it for anyone, no matter who you support. It’s a lovely stadium and surrounding area and I’d love to go back, although next time I’d like to be there with Saints!
Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Premier League
Sunday, March 4th 2012, 2pm
Thomas Sperrink (Wolves fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to the game?
I had heard great things from fans of other clubs about Craven Cottage and as I often struggle to get to games in London it was an opportunity to visit a ground I had not been to before.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We got the train into Euston and despite the Victoria line being closed it was easy to get to via the Northern and District lines (change at Embankment). When we arrived we made the mistake of not walking through the park which is far quicker than walking down the main road. It seems all the roads around the ground are closed off on match day and I saw little places to park so tube seems to be the best way in.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We had a look at the pubs around the tube station but although the Eight Bells let away fans in it was packed and the other pubs around all required fans to be “Fulham card holders” and as we were wearing colours we couldn’t even blag it. We decided to walk beyond the ground to The Crabtree, as I had seen the recommendation on this fine site, and again found that our return journey walking along the river is quicker than along the streets. The beer was excellent (Doombar) and the queue at the bar was short as there were adequate staff and they were very helpful and efficient. It was pouring with rain so the beer garden wasn’t fully used as people huddled under covered terrace but I imagine it is lovely when a bit warmer and drier with views of the river. There were a good mix of home and away fans and although we just chatted between ourselves the atmosphere was friendly.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
We arrived 15 minutes before kick-off and it was quick and easy to get into the ground.
We took our seats and despite the roof extending well in front of the stand and us being back in Row U, we still got soaked as the wind whistled around the stadium. In fairness the home fans didn’t fare any better as the roofs didn’t even reach the edges of their stands. Otherwise the view was good, the seating spacious although I found the atmosphere a little odd with so many neutral fans scattered within the away following.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game itself was a shocker for Wolves, we were totally outplayed and deservedly battered 5-0 with Dempsey and Pogrebnyak tearing us to pieces. The atmosphere was pretty poor, despite the hefty win Fulham were virtually silent and only self-deprecating songs from Wolves fans punctuated the silence. The stewards attempted to get people to sit down but as with all grounds (Anfield and St James’ Park to name a few) they didn’t seem to understand that the people at the front need to sit down before fans at the back can.
Having had a couple before the game and broken the seal too early I had to use the toilets a couple of times and they were pretty good, clean and no queues. The food and drink on the other hand was a bit of a farce, the two main bars were packed at the start of the game so we went to the vendors at the far end which are quieter. I had a beef pie and my dad a chicken pie, they were both absolutely vile and as we didn’t fancy lager couldn’t get anything else without going to the main bar. We braved the main bars at half time but gave up on the ridiculous queues then when I nipped back during the second half they closed one meaning the only bar open had the same huge queues.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was fine as we followed home fans back through the park and jumped on the tube. We arrived at Euston earlier than expected so nipped to the Bree Louise pub (on Euston Street, head out of Euston past the Subway and it’s on the side street opposite) for a bite to eat. I had fish and chips my dad had haggis pie and both the food and drink was excellent (CAMRA pub).
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
The weather and the result put a dampener on things but even had both been better I feel Craven Cottage is over hyped. Maybe for Champions League chasing clubs this may seem quaint and different but personally having been to smaller grounds on a regular basis in the lower divisions it just seemed pokey and poorly laid out. I also found the mix of neutrals and tourists created a muted atmosphere, I’m sure there were Fulham die-hards but I didn’t come across any.
In an effort to finish on a positive note the two pubs we went in were fantastic and the tube links were great also the plans for the expansion of the Riverside Stand look really impressive.
Fulham v Blackpool
Sunday, April 3rd 2011, 4pm
Premier League
Dean Williamson (Blackpool fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I have visited all but two of the London grounds so I was looking forward to crossing another off. Added to the fact Fulham were unveiling a Michael Jackson statue the day was bound to be surreal from the start.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As with most London stadia reaching each ground is accessible via the tube network. Given the lack of car park spaces I would advise commuting to the outskirts of London and travelling in via a rail service. The ground is a 10-15minute walk from Putney Bridge tube station. Simply turn left then your first right and continue straight on to the ground. The walk itself is very scenic with a walkway directly adjacent to the river Thames or if it's raining make your way through the leafy Bishops Park which is located between the tube station and the football ground.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
As we arrived 10 minutes before kick off we didn’t have time to check out any local pubs on the way but there are a couple of vendors along the way such as the Eight Bells pub which is located on your way to the ground. There is also a chippy along the way and a café in Bishops Park where you can use the toilets if needs be. The Fulham fans are very hospitable and are very respectful before, during and after the game. This is a refreshing change and you almost don't feel as bad if you lose there given the lack of baiting or fans trying to wind you up.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Craven Cottage is an old school ground in every sense and is a welcome respite from the newer 'soulless bowls' you find in the top two leagues in English football. The ground itself holds around 27,000 and is a tightly packed stadium with boxes on each corner and the famous cottage situated in one corner of the ground, giving the impression that this could be a cricket ground. The seats in the ground are evenly spaced but each stand is still compact so you can create a lot of noise once inside. The away stand is split up into a home, neutral and away section. Fulham look to capitalise on a lot of tourists visiting and this is the reasoning behind the neutral section which if you miss out on the away tickets is quite handy should you still wish to visit the ground. Both home and away fans who are in the Riverside stands can enjoy a pint at half time whilst looking over the River Thames which adds to the family friendly and relaxed nature of this stadium.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
Today's game was a relegation '6 pointer' and Blackpool enjoyed very little chances in the first half with Fulham clinical from the start going into a 2-0 half time lead. The second faired better for us but we didn’t capitalise on the periods where Fulham took their foot off the gas. The game ended 3-0 and you couldn't really argue with that. Surprisingly the Fulham supporters only really got behind their team when the score was still 0-0 and it was left to the Blackpool fans to create the atmosphere towards the end. The facilities of the ground are top notch with as many toilets, beer and food stands as you can count. On offer there are hot dogs, pies (both £3.80 and PIPING hot) and chocolate bars. You could get a pint of Carlsberg but for a steep £4.00. Finally, the stewards took a back step all game and help to ease any tension you get at a lot of grounds.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
On a nice day as it was today the stroll back to the station is pleasant and there are several routes the home supporters take on getting away from the ground and thus making it a quick exit either on foot or via tube away from the ground.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Aside from the result this was one of my favourite away days this season as is a must for anyone 'doing the 92'. I would visit here every season provided we don't get relegated!