A beautiful location on the Thames, a characteristic stadium, a great away end and plenty of tickets available. Fulham is the perfect starter for those who want to spend a football weekend in London.
Craven Cottage may not be London's noisiest stadium, but it is the most characteristic, situated in the most beautiful location imaginable in West London. The Grade I listed stadium facade on Stevenage Road alone, complete with the beautiful 'hunter's cottage' in the corner, adorned with those stately letters in black and white: 'The Fulham Football Club'.
You'll pay a fortune for the surrounding Victorian working-class cottages, but this part of the Fulham district is a wonderful place to be. The statue of club hero Johnny Haynes, the old-fashioned 'turnstiles', the wooden chairs on the iconic main stand by architect Archibald Leitch (1865-1939): everything is right here.
The grandstand on the Thames side has recently been spectacularly renovated, without the stadium losing any of its character. You must go to Craven Cottage at least once, preferably even more.
When you visit Craven Cottage you immediately drown in luxury problems. There are three great ways to get to the stadium. The most famous is the one from Putney Bridge tube station, where you will walk through the beautiful Bishops Park, parallel to the Thames. On match days you will find a charming mix of football supporters, local residents and children playing football.
Also very nice is a small detour via the main Fulham Palace Road, then left onto Finlay Street. From that street, you walk towards 'The Cottage', between the old Victorian houses.
The third way is from the northern side of the stadium, from Hammersmith tube station. From there, you can enjoy a lovely walk along the Thames, where you will come across a great pub for a ‘match day pint': The Crabtree.
Just north of Craven Cottage, on Rainville Road, is a wonderful London Riverside pub. The Crabtree is not your typical dirty football pub, but it is a classic London bar in a beautiful location. They also have a great 'Beer Garden', where opponents' fans are also very welcome. The food (a civilised version of pub food) is very good and a bit posh, but you can also just go for a classic hamburger of course.
Fulham and Craven Cottage are widely known in England as an ideal 'away day'. The away end is large, the Fulham fans are peaceful and the neighbourhood is beautiful, with plenty of restaurants. Often supporters of Blackpool or Wigan, for example, make it a complete day in West London.
Most clubs take many more away supporters to Craven Cottage than average. The grandstand behind the south goal (Putney End) is often partly available for neutral fans, which can be ordered via the Fulham website. They are atmospheric places, because the away fans at Craven Cottage often make more noise than the home fans.
A nice extra: The away end is right next to the renowned Cottage, where relatives and dignitaries watch the matches from the stately balcony.
When visiting Fulham, don't forget to walk across the famous Putney Bridge. On the other side of the Thames, there is also excellent catering, with a beautiful view of the stadium and the river. The Duke's Head Putney is a bit polished, but this gastropub is beautifully situated on the water. If you walk a little more southeast of the bridge, you will also find a nice nightlife area: Putney Wharf. Are you looking for more of a classic no-frills English pub? Check out The Bricklayer's Arms.
If you keep an eye on the dates for the general sale, it's almost never a problem to buy tickets via the official Fulham website. The stadium is often pleasantly full, but rarely completely sold out. Do you really want to go to a top game, for example to the derby against Chelsea (provided Fulham are in the Premier League)? Then order a membership card just to be sure. All four stands have their own charm, but the oldest stand on Stevenage Road needs some flexibility. The wooden chairs are very charming, but a bit cramped.
BONUST TIP: Don't rule out the brand-new Riverside Stand. At the back, you'll find a great waterfront promenade where you can enjoy a beer at your leisure.
There are plenty of ways to get to Fulham with London's extensive transport network. Putney Bridge and Hammersmith tube stations are both about the same distance from the stadium (see above for your preferred walking route). Would you like to see Stamford Bridge of neighbours Chelsea right away? No problem, just walk down Fulham Palace Road, which can be done in roughly twenty minutes. Along the way, you will come across many nice shops and pubs.
Images: Shutterstock, BSR Agency
