While they did get promoted at the end of the 2021/22 season, things have been inconsistent for Fulham with the Cottagers struggling to find their groove. Things looked great last season as they challenged for a European spot before eventually losing steam towards the end of the term. That saw them lose several key stars including top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic.
However, the club hasn’t been affected too much by the loses as they currently sit in 12th place and while a fight for European football might be out of their reach, they could still finish in the top half. That alone is an achievement but reports have indicated that their stadium is already being prepared for a far more luxurious life in the top flight.
Fulham unveiled ambitious blueprints for their new Riverside Stand
According to talkSPORT, Fulham have unveiled some extremely ambitious blueprints for their new Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage. The Cottagers have been renovating that stand for quite sometime and had planned to re-open it in 2021. However, while it has never been fully re-opened, the club has been partially using it since 2022 with it their most expensive ticket at around £100 each seat.
But that ticket might get even more expensive as the report has indicated that Fulham’s plans include an observation deck, swimming pool as well as two Michelin-starred restaurants. The new Riverside Stand will also have the top three floors that feature something called “The Sky Deck” which offers panoramic views of the Thames River.
That is reportedly set to open in December 2024, which is when the club plans to re-open the new Riverside Stand fully. The information comes directly from the club’s chairman Shahid Khan who has compared it to the features at his NFL team’s stadium (Jacksonville Jaguars) in Florida. Khan also revealed that the plan is to offer fans the highest standards of hospitality alongside the ultimate matchday experience.
“My vision for the New Riverside Stand was to provide our fans, and our neighbourhood, with a destination that would continue to honour our history and tradition at Craven Cottage every day of the year. In short, today isn’t about finally being able to offer a higher standard of hospitality options that have essentially been unavailable to Fulham supporters until now,” Khan said, reported talkSPORT.
“It’s about offering the ultimate match day hospitality experience in the world that will also benefit the long-term promise and future of Fulham Football Club. The New Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage will make it possible.”