On each side of the Bridge pitch, four covered all-seater stands, formally known as the Matthew Harding Stand (North), East Stand, The Shed End (South), and West Stand, are located. The Matthew Harding Stand is named after the founder of Chelsea Football Club who originally built it in 1905.
The other two stands were added in the 1990s. The East Stand was opened in 1996 by Princess Diana and Prince Charles and is mainly used for major matches. The West Stand was also opened in 1996 and is the largest stand at Stamford Bridge with capacity for 50,000 people. It is also used for major matches.
The three stands form an amphitheatre shape with the Matthew Harding Stand in the north east corner and the West Stand in the south west corner. From west to east they are called the North, South and East Stands respectively. The Shed End is a small stand located between the Matthew Harding Stand and the East Stand. It can be accessed from the Bridge via a staircase opposite the Matthew Harding Stand's main entrance. Originally built for use by visiting fans, it now has facilities for home supporters too.
Stamford Bridge has a total capacity of 60,077 which makes it the fourth-largest stadium in England behind Wembley Stadium, Liverpool FC's Anfield and Manchester United's Old Trafford.
The Sir Alex Ferguson (North), East, Sir Bobby Charlton (South), and West Stands surround the Old Trafford pitch. With the exception of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, which has just one tier owing to construction constraints, each stand has at least two tiers. The highest point on the stadium is the roof of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand.
The Old Trafford scoreboard is a landmark in Manchester, England. It was built for the 1957 World Cup final between Sweden and Germany. The match ended in a 2-2 draw but Sweden won the trophy because they had scored first after winning the opening match 1-0 against the United States. The New York Times described it as "a single-span wooden structure with a thatched roof" and said that it was the only one like it in North America. Today, it is used for football matches and is managed by SIS - who also manage the city's other major venue, the National Football Centre, near Bolton.
Old Trafford is the home ground of English football club Manchester United. The stadium has a capacity of 75,000 and is located in the Charnwood Estate area of Greater Manchester. It was built by Manchester United as their permanent home following their move from Shanklygate in 1910. The original cost of construction was £150,000 but today costs have almost tripled this to about £440,000 when including land prices.
Away spectators visiting Stamford Bridge are seated on the bottom deck of the Shed End, closest to the East Stand, with a regular allocation of 3,000. The Shed End is accessible from Gate C.
There is no charge for admission to Chelsea FC games, but there are charges for some areas of the stadium. These include: the Sir Alexander D. Cameron Health Centre & Spa, which has an entrance near the Shed End; the Conrad J. Newland Family Restaurant, which is located by the West Stand exit; and the Executive Lounges, which are situated next to the Main Lobby in the North Stand.
Children under 12 years old are free when accompanied by a paying adult. There are designated family zones in the stadium where children under 18 can enjoy food and drink for free.
In addition to the Shed End, other areas where people can be found include the Upper Deck behind the North Stand, which is usually occupied by supporters of Newcastle United; and the South Stand, where fans of Southampton FC can be found.
Stamford Bridge has a maximum capacity of 76,000, with 24,000 seats being used during normal game days.
In August 1980, the Stamford Bridge pitch was utilized for a floodlit cricket match between Essex and the West Indies. The stand looks to be full, but the three guys on the border indicate that it is just a short distance to the rope. In August 1980, fans gathered at Stamford Bridge for a Second Division match against Wrexham. Take note of the PS2 admittance! This landmark event sparked the football/soccer fever in England and led to the formation of the Football League.
Stamford Bridge was also used for a charity cricket match in 1981. Surrey played Yorkshire at the ground. The proceeds from the match went to fund research into curing cancer.
The final recorded game at Stamford Bridge was a FA Cup third round match between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest on 16 February 1982. Forest won the match 1-0 with a goal scored by Paul Hartley in the 79th minute. This was the last competitive game at the stadium before it was demolished the following year.
44,213 – Manchester United v Leeds United, First Division, Old Trafford, 23 April 1953 (United win 6-3)
This is the highest attendance at an English soccer match until May 1990 when 61,984 people saw Liverpool defeat Everton at Anfield. Both teams are still playing in the Premier League today.
The Jack Barrett Memorial Main Stand, which appears to be one stand at first glance but is actually two tiny stands, is located on one side of the pitch. They are on opposite sides of the half-way line, with an open space between them. The home fans can enjoy a view of the game while their team takes a break from playing.
The stand was named after Jack Barrett, who played for Accrington Stanley from 1946 to 1952 and was responsible for bringing about improvements to the stadium. He died in a road accident at the age of 29.
The stand has two tiers with a total of 400 seats. There are no other facilities within the stand so everyone attending a match needs to bring their own food and drink.
Tickets for Accrington Stanley games are available from the Town Hall box office, by phone on 01253 320103 or online at accringtonstanley.com. Prices start at £18 for adults and £5 for children.
The match ticket includes entry into the main stand where you will find bars, shops and restaurants. A special area called the Royal Box offers excellent views of the game.
There are no stands at Accrington Stanley like any other club in England or elsewhere in Europe. The only way to see a game is by buying a ticket and going into the main stand.
The finest view at Stamford Bridge is from the West Stand, near to the midway line. While this may not be the finest seat in the house at Stamford Bridge, there is a reason why the directors' box at every sporting stadium is located halfway up the stand, parallel to the half-way line. By having this as its base, it offers a good view of the pitch without obstructing the play.
The other option is the East Stand, which is less desirable because it's lower down the pitch and doesn't offer such a fine view. However, if you are after a more intimate experience then this is the stand for you - it's where the fans sit.
There are also executive boxes available for purchase on match days; these are located in the middle of the West Stand and offer a similar view to the directors' box but for a higher price tag. If you have enough money to spend on a ticket but not on a seat, then these are the ones to go for.
There are also some seats behind one of the goals that look out over the pitch; however, they aren't as good as either of the others mentioned because you don't get the same view.
At the end of the day, it depends on what kind of experience you want to have. If you are after an intimate match-day experience, then go for a seat in the East Stand.
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