Earlier this week, exactly 60 years had passed since a suggestion that would change Stamford Bridge forever. That moment and the impact on Chelsea’s support that followed are being celebrated at a fan-led gathering at this weekend match versus Hull City.
It was in September 1966 that a letter was published in the match programme for a home game against Leicester City.
A supporter called Clifford Webb penned the note with the idea to refer to the Fulham Road end of Stamford Bridge as The Shed. It also called for more people to join ‘the fanatics’ there in singing and chanting and the rest, as they say, is history. The name was adopted and it has remained in place ever since, even after the stand was rebuilt in the Nineties.
To mark the anniversary, the Chelsea Heritage Partnership (a group within the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust which researches, records and shares our history) has worked with supporters old and new, along with some ex-players, to gather their memories of The Shed, both in video and written form.
Plenty of these will be displayed at the special pre-match Those Were the Days heritage event in the Tea Bar, which takes place this Saturday, prior to our Premier League fixture, from 1pm.
Fans are invited to come along to the event, which is free for all home match ticket holders on the day, where you can:
Read about how The Shed was named and the characters involved in the movement
Learn how it was transformed throughout the history of Stamford Bridge
Hear first-hand recollections of supporters’ experiences of The Shed
Watch clips of iconic matches, moments and goals that lit up The Shed
See some of the shirts from the Chelsea Museum worn by Shed heroes from the 1960s onwards
Chat with the people who were there and get a sense of what the old Shed was like
The matchday programme for the Hull game will also include a special feature on The Shed so make sure you pick up a copy on the day.