A Cottage in the middle of London!? (Craven Cottage (Fulham FC))

Member Name: GeordieNick

Product:	Craven Cottage (Fulham FC)
Date:	04/07/09 (18 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Location, Cheap

Disadvantages: Nuetral End

Having a family member who works for Fulham, i've visited Craven Cottage many a time, often having to try to contain my emotion supporting Newcastle in the home end. The stadium was redeveloped a few seasons ago and currently can hold 26,600 people.

Craven Cottage is very easy to get to by tube and by bus from main London links and the congestion is minimal as the ground is a bit of a walk from the transport links. It is by far the easiest London ground to travel to in my opinion and one of the most pleasant. When you step off the bus or train, and walk past the pub usually ravaged with away fans, you get to enjoy a nice walk down the river through a nice public park. A far cry from your average walk to a football ground. Approaching the ground I thought it was a leisure centre but walk a little further and you see the cottage which is visible from both inside and outside the ground.

One of the downsides of being a fairly tall person, like myself is attending events. Having to conceal myself in the home end I had to sit down and the leg room in the Johnny Haynes stand was non existent and I had to stick my knees in the gaps in between the seats in front. Being an older ground you also have to live with poles blocking your view and having to dart your head round them every so often. Having been in both of Fulham's end stands I allways look forward to having a good old jump on Fulham's patented bouncy stands. One thing which makes Fulham unique is part of the Putney End is a nuetral end which is said to lead to 'friendly banter' but not being segegrated and in the same stand as the hardcore away support, friendly might not be the word.

Nuetral stand and leg room aside though, the design of Craven Cottage ensures a good atmosphere can be generated around the ground even if the club feel the need to put clappers on the seats to generate a fake atmosphere.

I have fond and not so fond memories of this ground. A 3-2 to win after Louis Saha helped Fulham go 2-0 up and a 90th minute Joey Barton penalty winner after the worst match in the world. On the other hand i've seen us lose as well with Martins and Ameobi scoring consolations on those occassions.

Summary: A great little ground, super away day