East Stand

The 1970s cantilevered stand that nearly bankrupted Chelsea.

The East Stand is one of the four stands at Stamford Bridge. In its present form it dates from 1973, a three-tiered cantilevered stand that has since been much refurbished and modernised.

Quick Facts

Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Current form: 1973, three tiers, cantilevered

Lore & Background

When Stamford Bridge became a football ground in 1905, the East Stand was its only covered stand, with a gabled corrugated iron roof, around 6,000 seats and a terraced enclosure. Its rebuilding was the first stage of an ambitious redevelopment begun in 1972.

Reader's Guide

The East Stand was the only part of the 1970s development kept when the rest of the ground was rebuilt.

The cost of the new East Stand ran out of control after material shortages and a builders' strike, and the rest of the plan was abandoned. The debt brought the club close to bankruptcy, star players were sold and the team was relegated. The new stand was also set about 20 metres off the pitch, with the old running track still in place, and later rebuilding in the 1990s finished removing the track.