Football lovers or just curious to discover London with an another way ? Here is a little a helping hand ! Between visits and games in the different stadiums or touring the museums, this is the different ways to go looking for London’s stadiums. The city of London breathes football and for good reason, with 13 professional clubs in four divisions, it is a football dense city.
31 Octobre 2021 - pour The Londoner - Temps de lecture : 5 min
ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB
The Emirates Stadium during the game between Arsenal and Southampton.
Photo : Augustin Thiéfaine
Arsenal is a football institution in the British capital. The team was founded in 1886, and was the perfect example of the workers initiative. At the begining, in the borough of Woolwich (South side of the Thames), there was a huge arms and ammunitions factory. The workers there founded the Dial Square Football Club, then the club was named Royal Arsenal, today it’s obviously just Arsenal, with the gun on the Arsenal’s logo. The most iconic club in the capital. Then, the team was relocated in the North of London, near on the Tottenham’s territory, the biggest rival of the « Gunners ». Firstly in the Highbury Stadium, they are now in the Emirates Stadium, since the 2006’s summer in the Islington borough. It is the most profitable stadium in the Premier League.
BRENTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB
Brentford Football Club is a club founded in 1889, based in the London borough of Hounslow, and has been playing for the first time since 1947 in this Premier League season. Nicknamed 'The Bees', they play in a fresh stadium since 2020, the Brentford Community Stadium, which they share with the London Irish rugby team. The young upgrader in the first division has a big history in the lower divisions, and became a new important London team.
CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB
All rights reserved : London Football
Situated in the Fulham district, in the West side of the British capital, Chelsea is one of the most famous teams in England, but also in Europe. The 'Blues' play their home games at the iconic Stamford Bridge Stadium. And it is from this stadium that everything started. In 1904, Gus Mears bought an athletics stadium named Stamford Bridge to turn it into a football pitch. Initially, Mears wanted to bring the Fulham team here but the club refused. The Chelsea team was created in 1905, and with it a huge rivalry between the two clubs, which were very close geographically, was born. A rivalry that is still intense today. With a large number of national and european titles, Chelsea and Stamford Bridge are an unavoidable place of English football.
CRYSTAL PALACE FOOTBALL CLUB
All rights reserved : CPFC
Born the same year as Chelsea, Crystal Palace was established in the south London suburbs. Workers on the construction site of an exhibition centre, the Crystal Palace, set up a new football club, bearing the same name as the building site. The 'Eagles' play in the Selhurst Park stadium, known as the one with the most british atmosphere, he's also built in the English style stadium with four separate stands Crystal Palace is the last London club with ultras. One of the best experiences for the football lovers in the capital.
FULHAM FOOTBALL CLUB
All rights reserved : Fulham Football Club
Although the club is now in the second division, 'the Cottagers' remain a very important and respected team in London football. Located in South West London, founded in 1879, under the name of Fulham St Andrew's Church Sunday School F.C., it is the oldest professional football club in London. They played their home games at Craven Cottage, a pure English-style stadium, with four separate stands, in West London. It is the oldest football stadium in London, and a must-see for any visitor or football fan travelling through London. A ground steeped in richness between history and tradition, on the banks of the River Thames. Just a staple of English football history.
TOTTENHAM HOSTPUR
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after the NFL London Game 2021
Photo : Augustin Thiéfaine
The Tottenham Club was founded in 1882 by the boys' community of the Hotspur Cricket Club. The name change to Tottenham Hotspur took place in 1884. This marked the beginning of the history of the Tottenham logo. Since 2019, the 'Spurs' are located at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the most recent huge stadium in England. The rivalry and identity of London club supporters is based on the importance of belonging to a neighbourhood, to a local club. But a second aspect of this belonging can be found in foreign communities and different religions. A big part of the Jewish community is in the North of London, as a result, Tottenham has many supporters from the Jewish community for example.
WEST HAM UNITED
The London Stadium after the game between West Ham and Dinamo Zagreb, in Europa League.
Photo : Augustin Thiéfaine
In 1895, workers in ironworks created the Thames Iron Works FC. In 1900 the club was renamed West Ham FC with a crest of two intertwined hammers. By the way, the nickname of the West Ham players is also the 'Hammers'. Located at the East side of London, in the Newham district, the team is one of the oldest club in England, and one of the more emblematic of London. What makes it special is that West Ham has the reputation of having one of the best academies in England. Today, all its games at home are played in the Olympic Stadium (built for The Olympics Games in 2012), since 2016. With 60.000 seats, it always has "bubbles" atmosphere. But it is only by going there yourself that you will understand the soap bubble anecdote.
In this short list you can find the most famous London club. But you can add others club you can add smaller clubs, who play in the second or third division such as Charlton, Leyton Orient, Millwall, Queens Park Rangers or even AFC Wimbledon or Watford, on the London boarder, who are also in Premier League.
Augustin Thiéfaine
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