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London Football

It's easy to note that London is absolutely mad about football, with fourteen professional football teams. This is more than any other city in the world. Football clubs, especially in the Premier League dominate London's culture for decades.

History

History says that the game of football was first recorded around 1174-1183 during the annual Shrove Tuesday festival by carefree London youths. By 1314, the official term "football" is created. It is even outlawed by King Henry IV of England in 1409, because of its disorganised manner and violent riots.

Modern football as its known presently was first instructed in 1863 in London and spread internationally. A football association met in Freemasons' Tavern in Central London to discuss rules and regulations. This leads to 12 founding clubs from London to emerge and rise to be official clubs.

London Football Association

Football leagues increase in 1882 when the London Football Association is formed. One of those clubs which still plays today is London's oldest club, Fulham. Many of these teams were amateur, until Woolwich Arsenal (Now Arsenal) steps up to the plate as London's first professional team.

Today, London's biggest clubs are Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea, being the most successful since their creations.

Arsenal FC

Arsenal is proud to be the first professional team, but they also have other reasons to stand tall. They are the 3^rd most valuable football team in the world at $1.2 billion dollars. Starting as a group of workers playing football, they’d become professionals in 1886 and continue to win trophies throughout the century.

Their accomplishments are many, but their claim to fame was in 2003-4. They won the Premier League in 2003-04 without losing a single match. That very season, the team went unbeaten in 49 league matches, an outstanding national record.

Arsenal supporters are completely mad about their team, calling themselves "Gooners" They are loyal and often sell out home games.

Highbury Stadium

The team called their former home Highbury Stadium or later known as Arsenal Stadium. Located in Highbury, North London, it was their turf from 1913 to 2006.

Their biggest win at the stadium was in 1932, with an 11-1 defeat against Darwen in the FA Cup. On the contrary, their biggest loss was 0-5 to Huddersfield Town in 1925, and again against Chelsea in the League Cup in 1998.

Emirates Stadium (Ashburton Grove)

Ashburton Grove, or for sponsorship reasons, Emirates Stadium is the modern and current home of Arsenal F.C. It is the 3rd largest football stadium in England with a capacity of over 60,000.

More recently in 2009, the Stadium has undergone what's called a programme of "Arsenalisation", after fans complained the stadium does not reflect the team. Creative reforms like changing the colours of the seat to include the club's trademark and a shrine's dedicated to former players were greatly approved by fans.

Chelsea

One of the younger teams is London's Chelsea F.C., based in Fulham, London. Founded in 1905, the team has also had an impressive record of achievements. Chelsea’s popularity has increased throughout the years, with big wins in the 60s, 70s and 90s.

Some of their accomplishments include being English champions four times, four League Cup wins and the FA Cup six times. Their European success includes winning the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup twice.

Stamford Bridge Stadium

Since its team founding, the Stamford Bridge football stadium has been the original grounds for Chelsea F.C. The stadium's current capacity is slightly over 41,000, yet the team has future plans to expand this to 55,000.

Since it is such a huge part of Chelsea's history, to celebrate their Centennial, a Centenary Museum was opened to commemorate the event.

Tottenham Hotspur

Also known as “The Spurs”, the Tottenham Hotspur FC has been well known in London since 1882. Their claim to fame is being the first club in the 20th century to achieve the League and FA Cup Double in the 1960-61 seasons.

In addition to many other accomplishments, they are spirited players that put up a fight. Especially when it comes to a long standing rivalry with neighbours Arsenal. When they play, it is known as the North London derby.

White Hart Lane

The stadium for Tottenham Hotspur has been around just as long as the team, being built for them in 1899. Known as "The Lane" to fans, it has undergone many renovations to upkeep this monumental stadium. Its capacity is roughly over 36,000, with plans to build a new stadium on the current site to bring this up to 56,000.

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