With the exception of the two years Fulham F.C. spent at Loftus Road while Craven Cottage underwent renovations that were finished in 2004, they have played home games at Craven Cottage since 1896. They compete against Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers, and Brentford in the West London derby. In 1903, the team acquired its current uniform, which consists of a white shirt and black shorts.
They are the oldest professional football team in London, having been founded in 1879. They joined the Southern League in 1898, and between 1905 and 1907, they won two First Division championships, two Second Division championships, and a Western League championship.
Formation and Southern League Years
As Fulham St Andrew’s Church Sunday School F.C., Fulham was established in 1879 by West Kensington’s Church of England members, the majority of whom were talented cricket players. Even now, Fulham’s mother church is still standing and has a plaque honoring the founding of the team. After changing their name from Fulham St Andrews to its current form in December 1888, they won the West London Amateur Cup in 1887. They then won the West London League on their first attempt in 1893. Half-red, half-white shirts with white shorts were one of the club’s first-ever uniforms, used in the 1886–87 campaign.
The Football League, 1907–1949
Following their second Southern League championship, Fulham was admitted to The Football League. In September 1907, the club played its first league game at home against Hull City, losing 1-0. They were competing in the Second Division at the time. A few days later, Derby County’s Baseball Ground recorded the first victory with a 1-0 final score. In the fourth position at the season’s end, Fulham fell three points shy of promotion.
First Division Cottagers, 1949–1970
The team struggled after being promoted to the first division of English football, finishing 17th in their first year and 18th in their second. Fulham finished dead last in the 22-team league in 1951–52, their third season of First Division football, winning just eight of their 42 games.
