By Chris Wright

This week, Fulham’s Craven Cottage gets the vintage “Around the Grounds” treatment, as we have a nosey around the Cottagers home since 1896.

For those who don’t know, the ground is named after an actual cottage, built by a chap named…yep, you guessed it: Craven, back in 1780 or thereabouts which is said to have stood exactly where the centre spot is now and to have been inhabited at various times by the likes of Arthur Conan Doyle, Florence Nightingale and Queen Victoria before it was gutted by fire in 1888.

Fulham moved in shortly after and renovated the land into a football stadium, before it was overhauled properly by Scottish engineer Archibald Leitch in 1905, which is when the famous old “cottage” that still stands in the corner of the ground to this day was built – though it originally served as a pavilion.

Craven Cottage’s “Rabbit Hutch” stand on the Stevenage Road side of the ground (where the Johnny Haynes Stand is now located), as seen before the ground was redesigned by Archibald Leitch at the end of the 1904/05 season

Craven Cottage, as was in 1923

Fulham’s Johnny Arnold attempts to skip past Bradford defender Bob Danskin, 1936

Newcastle United goalkeeper Tom Swinburne punches clear in front of the Riverside Stand, 1939

Fulham’s Len Fisher limbers up with some stretching at a pre-season photocall at Craven Cottage, 1939

Two teams of Fulham trialists (the ‘Whites’ vs the ‘Stripes’) pose for a photo in front of the Cottage, 1947

Action from the Whites vs Stripes trial game as Ernie Shepherd scores his second goal for the Whites, 1947

Fulham keeper Ted Hinton jumps to gather ball over the head of a Birmingham City striker during snowy conditions at Craven Cottage, 1948

The 1948-49 Fulham squad pose for their team photo in front of the Hammersmith End terrace, 1948

Fulham players (left-right) Harry Freeman, Arthur Rowley and Jim Taylor rest on the grass during training at Craven Cottage, 1949

The Fulham team pose at Craven Cottage with their Second Division Championship trophy, 1949

Fulham manager Bill Dodgin lurks around outside the away dressing rooms at Craven Cottage, 1949

Manchester City keeper Bert Trautmann comes to collect a cross at Craven Cottage, 1950

Fulham’s new signings meet each other at Craven Cottage in 1950, including a 15-year-old Johnny Haynes (right) who subsequently had to work as an errand boy in the club offices for two years before he could sign professional papers at the age of 17

Fulham’s Jim Taylor and Liverpool’s Jimmy Payne battle for the ball at Craven Cottage, 1952

The Fulham squad circa 1953, including Jimmy Hill (middle row, second from left) and Bobby Robson (front row, third from left)

Bobby Robson lines up a shot in front on the famous Stevenage Road gable, 1953

The Galloping Major, or Ferenc Puskas to his mother, trains at Craven Cottage ahead of Hungary’s international friendly against England, 1953

Fulham’s Johnny Haynes gets in a shot with Hull City’s Tom Berry about to make the tackle, 1955

Fulham’s new manager Duggie Livingstone (far right) meets some of his players on the banks of the Thames: (left-right) Tosh Chamberlain, Jimmy Hill, Tommy Wilson and Johnny Haynes, 1956

Jimmy Hill goes through his paces at a Craven Cottage training session, 1958

The crowds spill out of the Putney End terrace as Fulham take on Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup Sixth Round at Craven Cottage, 1958

Fulham fans queue down Stevenage Road (in front of what is now called The Johnny Haynes Stand) as they wait for 12,000 tickets for the club’s FA Cup Semi Final Replay against Manchester United to go on sale, 1958

Fulham captain Johnny Haynes leads the boys out again, 1959

Jimmy Hill hooks a shot past Hull City keeper Billy Bly to give the Cottagers a narrow lead in their FA Cup Third Round tie, 1960

Members of he England squad receive instruction from manager Walter Winterbottom ahead of a ‘behind closed doors’ friendly against Fulham at Craven Cottage, 1961

The Stevenage Road Stand in all its glory, 1962

Fulham’s Trevor Chamberlain whacks his penalty past Birmingham goalkeeper Colin Withers, 1963

Everton goalkeeper Andrew Rankin smothers the ball as Fulham centre-forward Graham Leggat loiters with intent, 1963

The 1964/65 Fulham squad pose in front of the Cottage, with a 19-year-old Rodney Marsh (second from right) in the front row

Manchester United’s Pat Crerand prepares to clear the ball away from Fulham’s Dave Metchick, 1964

Newly appointed Fulham manager Vic Buckingham (right) is spotted making his way into the stadium with chairman Tommy Trinder, 1965

New Fulham manager Vic Buckingham has a rather awkward-looking chat with his players in the Craven Cottage dressing room, including Tosh Chamberlain, who appears to have misplaced his spine, 1965

Everton emerge from the Craven Cottage “tunnel” ahead of their Division One game against Fulham, 1965

Two fans help attempt to clear the snow from the Craven Cottage touchlines so that Fulham’s game against Gillingham can go ahead, 1970

Gerry Marsden (of “and the Pacemakers” fame) gets acquainted with the Young Generation dance troupe at Craven Cottage, 1972

Fulham signing Flemming Hanssen puts his head together with new teammates Bobby Moore and Alan Mullery, 1974

The FFC gable, as it was in 1975

A thoroughly peeved George Best turns up outside the gates at Craven Cottage demanding the money that Fulham supposedly still owe him, 1977

General shots from around and about Craven Cottage, 1978

(Photos: PA)

More in the series…

30 Vintage Photos Of Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, Taken Between 1905-1967

30 Vintage Photos Of Arsenal’s Highbury Stadium, Taken Between 1931-1967

Cracking Vintage Photos Of Aston Villa’s Villa Park, Taken Between 1932-1969

Spiffing Vintage Photos Of Everton’s Goodison Park, Taken Between 1905-1968

Corking Vintage Photos Of Tottenham’s White Hart Lane, Between 1903-1969

Fantastic Vintage Photos Of ‘Old’ Wembley, Between 1923-1963