Press access: Chelsea

It was a beautiful day for the ‘clash of the cash’ between Chelsea and Manchester City. As you approach the stadium from Fulham Broadway tube station you walk along with the Blues fans until you come to the stadium.


The stadium was buzzing with activity from early on and it’s not surprising for this intriguing game. As for the stadium, Stamford Bridge is, on the outside, beset by corporate dealings with restaurants, hotels, bars and shops all dominating the exterior and around the Shed End. As you walk past Marco Pierre White’s restaurant you approach the press entrance.

Inside the stadium is extremely impressive. The stands are close to the pitch, resembling the proximity of a lower league club rather than Old Trafford or the Emirates. The press box is in the East stand, in just behind the dug outs.


To the left is the famous Shed End which houses both home and away fans and the area where the banter is at its best.



And to the right, is the Matthew Harding Stand, named after the former director who helped transform the club in the 1990s before he was killed in a tragic helicopter accident. It is arguably the loudest in the stadium.



And this is the view from the press box - that's Kevin McCarra's head you can see.