Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club, the home of many triumphant times for supporters, as well as dismay.
But it is the beloved place that many of them call home, a place that they hold dearly in their hearts and always will do.
The stadium has changed immensely over the years, with huge developments.
One supporter has decided to delve through the archives and show us exactly just how much it has changed in time, coming up with a ‘Travel through time’ thread on Twitter.
What great memories, and so much nostalgia.
1877 – 1877 was the year Stamford Bridge was built and doors were open. It was originally the home of the ‘London Athletic Club’. The oldest independent track and field club in the world.
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— Chris (@CFC_Chris_) April 7, 2020
1905 – After failing to find occupiers of the Stadium, Gus & Joseph, founded their own Football Club to rival Fulham and that was Chelsea Football Club.
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— Chris (@CFC_Chris_) April 7, 2020
1905 – Stamford Bridge also had a single stand of around 5,000 fans. This was designed by Archibald Leitch, who had previously designed the exact stand at Craven Cottage. This played a part in why Fulham didn’t move to the Bridge.
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— Chris (@CFC_Chris_) April 7, 2020
1970s – In the 1970s, the owners wanted to renovate the dated Bridge. The East Stand was the first stand to be rebuilt but total costs exceeded the budget and due to the shortage of materials, the builders striked. The stand was displaced by 20 meters!
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— Chris (@CFC_Chris_) April 7, 2020
1980s – Due to all these factors, like the Stadium, Chelsea began to crumble. In 1982, Ken Bates bought the club for £1. However, the freehold was separated from the Club and therefore, Ken didn’t buy the ground.
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— Chris (@CFC_Chris_) April 7, 2020
1980s – The season of 1984-85 saw a lot of pitch invasions and fights by Chelsea hooligans. Unbelievably, this resulted in Bates erecting an electric fence between the stands and pitch. A waste of money as it was never turned on and later torn down.
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— Chris (@CFC_Chris_) April 7, 2020
Present Day: The pitch, the turnstiles, and the naming rights of the club are now owned by Chelsea Pitch Owners, an organisation set up to prevent the stadium from being purchased by property developers.
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— Chris (@CFC_Chris_) April 7, 2020
Present Day : Chelsea were due to redevelop Stamford Bridge again for the 2021-22 season, but as of March 2020, Chelsea planning permission for a new 60,000 Stadium had expired.
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— Chris (@CFC_Chris_) April 7, 2020
