CLUB HISTORY

The First Chelsea Team 1905

Chelsea Football Club A Brief History

In April 1877 the staduim was opened as a home for the London Athletic club by the Wardell Brothers, James and William after initially using the Lille Bridge Stadium as their headquarters.

The Wardell's were shrewd business men who quickly acquired the site consiting of over 8 acres for the fee of £2,599.

Within 6 years both Brothers had vanished, leaving the West London site with huge finacial debts, however all was not losted as a saviour by the name of  Mr Stunt had seen the potential of the stadium, and being a keen Athletics fan he aquired the Freehold of the ground so that Athletic events could continue to be staged at Stamford Bridge.

He quickly erected a Grandstand  Pavillion in the south-west corner of the staduim to house the 1,000 spectators who attended the events every week.

Mr Stunts part in Stamford Bridge history was to be short lived because in 1902 he died, leaving the stadium in virtually the same condition as when he fist aquired it, for the best part he did not seem to be interested in expanding the stadium to satge other sporting events.

Following Mr Stunts death, the next owner to aquire the stadium was a certain Frederick Parker who was a very popular figure at the Athletics club, who also continued to carry on working as a starter on the track events.

He was also very friendly with Gus and Joseph Mears, wealthy London business contractors who shared Parker's ambitions.

It was time to take the stadium forward which other owners had failed to do, the Mear's Brothers quickly purchased the Freehold of Stamford Bridge in 1904, aquiring additional land of some 3 acres.

Gus was now dreaming of owning the finest sporting arena in the land with Football figuring at the top of his plans for the staduim.

In no time at all Gus had approached Fulham Football Club with a view to them moving into Stamford Bridge
With all the ambition that the Mears Brothers had, it was not enough to persuade Fulham FC to move into the staduim, so a momentous decision was made to form a new Football club to play their games at Stamford Bridge

Obviously the team needed a name and at first, names suggested were Kensington FC, and Stamford Bridge FC but were later discarded, until it was agreed by everyone that the team should take it's name from it's location

                                       AND A NEW CLUB WAS BORN

                                         CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB