Fulham FC plan to expand Craven Cottage

English Premier League side Fulham FC have finalised to stay at their historic Craven Cottage ground instead of moving to a new venue in west London or build a stadium along with either Chelsea FC or Queens Park Rangers. The club will now work on plans to expand the capacity of Craven Cottage from its current 25,700 to 30,000 spectators.

Craven Cottage has been the home of Fulham FC since 1896 and over the last decade the ground has been redeveloped into a Premiership suitable venue which it wasn't earlier. I remember July 22, 2000 when Fulham FC, then a first Division club, hosted India in a friendly with old terraces normal at the ground and the Cottage Pavilion, like a club house, in one corner being a speciality at the ground.

"Fulham has seen unprecedented success both on and off the pitch in recent years, and is now an established Barclays Premier League club, qualifying for European competitions and accommodating over 25,000 people on a regular basis," Fulham chief executive Alastair Mackintosh has said.

"We are confident that a redevelopment will improve the fans matchday experience, and enhance our corporate offering, whilst remaining sympathetic to the design of this historic ground."

"Naturally our core family values, and the tradition of the football club, continue to be at the forefront of everything we do."

"This investment at Craven Cottage demonstrates yet again the chairman's continued ambition to see the club prosper and grow and to continue to compete at this level for many years to come."

"We are still in the very early stages of the planning process and will be holding a public exhibition in mid-October, where we would very much welcome people's thoughts on our initial ideas."

Financially a move to a ultra-modern 40,000 seater venue would have made commercial sense for the long-term, but Fulham have decided to stay at their venue and develop it to the maximum. Something which their fans surely seem to want.


A look back at the Fulham vs India game! Remembering Fulham vs India; July 22, 2000