FULHAM
Premier League, Saturday 8 April 2023, 3pm GMT
West Ham United fans were delighted to see Fulham win promotion back to the Premier League last May.
A trip along the River Thames is the highlight of the season for many members of the Claret and Blue Army, who will again charter boats to enjoy a cruise through the capital from Festival Pier to Putney Pier.
What makes Saturday’s trip all the more anticipated is the fact that the last time the Hammers visited Craven Cottage in competitive action on a rain-soaked Saturday evening in February 2021, it was during the second COVID lockdown and therefore without supporters present.
That means it is over four years since West Ham fans last headed to SW6 and enjoyed one of English football’s most historic and atmospheric venues.
Home to Fulham since 1896, Craven Cottage has been renovated and extended in recent years, with the Riverside Stand rebuilt, increasing the capacity to around 25,000. When the upper tier is fully opened, that capacity will rise to 29,600.
And the famous old ground will host Premier League football next season too, with Marco Silva’s squad producing a superb campaign to date and threatening to qualify for Europe for the first time since reaching the UEFA Europa League group stage in 2011/12.
How to get there…
If you are not taking the boat, then the simplest way to reach Craven Cottage is by using public transport.
The nearest London Underground station is Putney Bridge on the District line, which is a 15-minute walk along Ranelagh Gardens and the Thames Path through Bishops Park and into Stevenage Road, from where you can access the Putney End.
Fulham Broadway and Parsons Green are also on the District line, but are both around 30-minutes’ walk to Craven Cottage.
Alternatively, you can travel to Hammersmith on the Hammersmith & City, Circle, Piccadilly or District line. From there, it is a half-hour walk to the stadium, or you can take the 220 bus to Fulham Palace Road.
If you prefer, Putney mainline station is around 25-minutes’ walk and can be reached by South Western Trains from Clapham Junction and Waterloo. You can also catch the 74, 220 or 424 bus to Fulham Palace Road.
Parking around Craven Cottage is both extremely limited and restricted to the extent that driving really is not advisable.
Where to stay…
There are dozens of hotels within striking distance of Craven Cottage.
While accommodation in the immediate vicinity of the stadium is fairly sparse, you do not need to go too far east to reach Kensington and Earl’s Court, or north to reach Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush, where there are loads and loads of options to choose from, depending on your taste and budget.
What to do…
The nearest tourist attraction to Craven Cottage is Fulham Palace, which was the home of the Bishops of London for over 1,300 years. Admission to the historic house and botanic garden in west London are free and tickets can be purchased online at fulhampalace.org.
On the opposite bank of the River Thames in Barnes is the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust London Wetland Centre, which is a 105-acre wetland reserve full of nature, wildlife and walking routes.
A bit further afield, South Kensington is home to some of London’s best-known museums, including the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum.
What’s happened there before…
Thames Ironworks FC first visited Craven Cottage exactly 124 years ago on 8 April 1899, when David Lloyd scored the only goal of the game to secure a 1-0 Southern League Second Division victory for the away side.
Since then, West Ham United have travelled to the famous old stadium in the Southern League First Division, FA Cup, War-time London Combination, Football League Second Division, War League South, Football League First Division, EFL Cup and Premier League!
Our most emphatic victory at Craven Cottage came on 18 August 1956, when Billy Dare (two), Mike Grice and Ken Tucker scored in a 4-1 victory in the Second Division.
