| AFC Bournemouth | | | | | | Web site: http://www.afcb.co.uk Founded: 1899 Nickname: The Cherries Stadium: Vitality Stadium Stadium Address: Dean Court, Bournemouth BH7 7AF League: Premier League
History: The present football club can trace its roots as far back as 1890 when Boscombe St. Johns Institute Football Club were playing in local football. They disbanded in 1899 and from the remains of that club, Boscombe FC were formed at a meeting under the streetlights in Gladstone Road, Boscombe.
Notes: Their stadium is still known to many fans as Dean Court.
| | | | Arsenal | | | | | | Web site: http://www.arsenal.com Founded: 1886 Nickname: Gunners Stadium: Emirates Stadium Stadium Address: Ashburton Grove, Islington, London N7 7AF League: Premier League Winner of cup(s):
History: The club was originally founded in 1886 as Dial Square by workers at Woolwich Arsenal Armament Factory in Woolwich, south-east London. They were renamed to Royal Arsenal shortly afterwards. They renamed themselves again to Woolwich Arsenal after turning professional in 1891. After moving to Arsenal Stadium in North London in 1913, the name was shortened to Arsenal. The nickname Gunners comes from what the workers used to make, when they weren't playing soccer, of course.
They made their home at the venerated Highbury until May 2006. In July 2006 the club moved to the new 60,000-seat Emirates Stadium in nearby Ashburton Grove. Arsenal have a long-standing and fierce rivalry with Tottenham Hotspur, located four miles away in Tottenham, whom they play in the North London derby.
Notes: Prior stadium was Arsenal Stadium at Avenell Road, Highbury, London N5 1BU.
| | | | Burnley | | | | | | Web site: http://www.burnleyfootballclub.com Founded: 1882 Nickname: Clarets Stadium: Turf Moor Stadium Address: Harry Potts Way, Burnley BB10 4BX League: Premier League
History: Founder members of the Football League, Burnley Football Club began life as a Rugby Club. However, Burnley Rovers soon switched codes and became Burnley Football Club in 1882. They moved to their Turf Moor home shortly afterwards, at the invitation of the town's cricket club, which is still situated next to the stadium.
| | | | Chelsea | | | | | | Web site: http://www.chelseafc.com Founded: 1905 Nickname: The Blues Stadium: Stamford Bridge Stadium Address: Fulham Road, London SW6 1HS League: Premier League
History: The pride of Southwest London, Chelsea's origin dates back to the 1870's as well. Their stadium, Stamford Bridge, was originally used by a track and field team. The land was purchased by two brothers with the intent of turning it into a soccer ground. Initially the stadium was offered to Fulham FC to play there, they turned down the chance and so instead a new side, Chelsea FC, was born in 1905 and moved into the new Stamford Bridge stadium. Their nickname, of course, comes from their uniforms. The Lion on their logo is descendant from England's national team which is known as the Three Lions.
| | | | Crystal Palace | | | | | | Web site: http://www.cpfc.premiumtv.co.uk Founded: 1905 Nickname: Eagles Stadium: Selhurst Park Stadium Address: Selhurst Park, South Norwood, London SE25 6PU League: Premier League
History: Crystal Palace Football Club was formed at the venue of the glass Palace that stood at the top of Sydenham Hill, the current location of the National Sports Centre.
| | | | Everton | | | | | | Web site: http://www.evertonfc.com Founded: 1878 Nickname: Toffees Stadium: Goodison Park Stadium Address: Goodison Road, Liverpool L4 4EL League: Premier League
History: Located in Liverpool, the club was founded by St. Domingo Methodist Church which was looking to find an activity for its cricket players to do in the winter. St. Domingo FC became Everton FC in 1878, named for the district around the church, because other city residents wanted to join the team. In 1892, they moved from Anfield to Goodison Park, their present home. Even though they have been known as the Blues for their royal blue kits, they are also called "The Toffees" or "The Toffeemen".
According to an Everton's fan site, there are two versions to explain how this name was adopted: the better known is that, in those days, a Mrs Noblett had a candy store near Goodison called Mother Noblett's Toffee Shop, where she advertised and sold her tasty merchandise on match days. Another reason might be that there was a house called Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House near the Queen's Head hotel. The word "toffee" also referred to Irishmen, of which there was a large population in the Liverpool area at the turn of the century.
| | | | Hull City | | | | | | Web site: http://www.hullcityafc.net Founded: 1904 Nickname: Tigers Stadium: KCOM Stadium Stadium Address: Walton Street, Hull HU3 6HU League: Premier League
History: Hull City was founded in 1904, playing friendly games at The Boulevard (the home of the Hull Rugby League Club), Anlaby Road Cricket Ground and Dairycoates. A year later they were elected to the Second Division of the Football League.
Notes: Stadium previously named Kingston Communications Stadium.
| | | | Leicester City | | | | | | Web site: http://www.lcfc.co.uk Founded: 1884 Nickname: Foxes Stadium: King Power Stadium Stadium Address: Filbert Way, Leicester LE2 7FL League: Premier League
History: Leicester Fosse Football Club played friendlies in their first four years of existence before signing their first professional in 1888. The team struggled financially through different leagues in the early 20th century. When Leicester was upgraded from a borough to a city, the team's name changed to Leicester City in 1919. The club entered the league in 1894 and have never been out of the top two divisions. Foxes comes from the proliferation of hunting activity in the area in central England.
| | | | Liverpool | | | | | | Web site: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv Founded: 1882 Nickname: Reds Stadium: Anfield Stadium Address: Anfield Road, Liverpool L4 0TH League: Premier League
History: In 1888, Everton was the biggest team in the city of Liverpool and played their matches at Anfield. When Everton bolted Anfield in 1892, the owner of the ground, John Houlding, decided to bring a team into the abandoned ground. According to Liverpool's website, the famous stand was called "The Kop" after the Liverpool Echo newspaper compared it in the early 1900's to the Spionkop; the hill where Boer guerrillas had inflicted a heavy defeat on the British army a few years earlier in the Boer War in South Africa. Their nickname comes from their all red uniforms.
More importantly, their anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" was not originally a song created by the club itself, but rather from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical "Carousel". Liverpool native Gerry Marsden from the "Gerry and the Pacemakers" popularized it in the 1960s and the fans in the kop took it up. The song gained great reverence for its comfort for Liverpool fans after the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 that killed 96 fans.
| | | | Manchester City | | | | | | Web site: http://www.mcfc.co.uk Founded: 1880 Nickname: Blues Stadium: Etihad Stadium Stadium Address: Rowsley Street, Manchester M11 3FF League: Premier League
History: They started their existence as Gorton St Marks', but seven years later, they became Ardwick FC. In 1894, the club became a limited liability company and changed their name again to Manchester City. While Manchester United has set up camp on the West side of the city, Manchester City now plays in East Manchester at their new ground, City of Manchester Stadium. Like many clubs, they are known as 'City', but they are mostly called the Blues for their uniforms.
Notes: Stadium known as City of Manchester Stadium, CoMS, and Eastlands.
| | | | Manchester United | | | | | | Web site: http://www.manutd.com Founded: 1878 Nickname: Red Devils Stadium: Old Trafford Stadium Address: Sir Matt Busby Way, Manchester M16 0RA League: Premier League Winner of cup(s):
History: The club was founded as Newton Heath by members of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway company, but that team went bankrupt in 1902 leading to the formation of Manchester United. The club was known since the turn of the 20th century as United, but in the late 40's and early 50's when Talismanic manager Matt Busby led the team to its greatest successes, the media and fans referred to the club as "Busby's Babes." Sadly, in 1958, a airplane crash in Munich took the lives of seven players as well as injuring Busby himself. After the crash, Busby's Babes seemed inappropriate so a new name was sought. English rugby club Salford toured France wearing red shirts and became known as "The Red Devils". Busby liked the sound of it, thinking a devil was more intimidating to opponents than angelic babes. He declared Manchester United should also be known as the "The Red Devils" and soon the club began incorporating the devil logo into match programs and scarves. In 1970 the club badge was redesigned, but now with a devil in the center holding a pitch-fork.
| | | | Middlesbrough | | | | | | Web site: http://www.mfc.co.uk Founded: 1879 Nickname: Boro Stadium: Riverside Stadium Stadium Address: Middlesbrough TS3 6RS League: Premier League
History: Middlesbrough lies on the Tees River on the North Sea. While it is one of the oldest soccer clubs in England, it was also reformed as recently as 1986 after financial irregularities put it out of business. Their new stadium, built in 1995, is called the Riverside and takes it name from the Tees. Fans like to call the club Boro, which is simply an abbreviation of the club's name. Their red and white crest has a lion (Roary) on it. A few years ago, rival fans began calling Middlesbrough supporters Smogmonsters and some Boro fans have now embraced this term as well as Smoggies. Some people think this term came from the misconception that there is heavy pollution around the Tees River. However, it is actually in reference to its steel and chemical industrial past.
| | | | Southampton | | | | | | Web site: http://www.saintsfc.co.uk Founded: 1885 Nickname: Saints Stadium: Friends Provident St. Mary's Stadium Stadium Address: Britannia Road, Southampton SO14 5FP League: Premier League
History: They are located on the English channel just west of Portsmouth. A club that has only recently come into prominence, Southampton were formed in 1885 and became founder members of Division 3 in 1920. They remained in this division until 1960 and finally made it to the top division 6 years later. Originally known as Southampton St. Mary's - the nickname Saints stuck. You will also see them referred to as Soton which is simply an abbreviation of the club's name.
| | | | Stoke City | | | | | | Web site: http://www.stokecityfc.com Founded: 1863 Nickname: The Potters Stadium: Bet365 Stadium Stadium Address: Stanley Matthews Way, Trentham Lakes, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 4EG League: Premier League
History: Stoke City have long been considered the second-oldest Football League club, although uncertainty clouds the actual date of formation. In 1863 the story goes that former pupils of the Charterhouse School formed a football club while apprentices at the North Staffordshire Railway works in Stoke. But little evidence exists of any matches taking place, even though at that time some form of soccer may have already existed in the area as the headmaster of Stoke St Peter's School, J. Thomas, was an active sportsman and secretary of the local Victoria Athletic Club.
Notes: Stadium previously named The Britannia Stadium.
| | | | Sunderland | | | | | | Web site: http://www.safc.com Founded: 1879 Nickname: Black Cats Stadium: Stadium of Light Stadium Address: Sunderland SR5 1SU League: Premier League
History: There is a song, made popular by Scottish football fans, that includes the line: "I'd walk a million miles for one of your goals." The history of Sunderland AFC starts in 1879, in Glasgow, and ends, so far, in 2005 at the Sunderland Stadium of Light. Whilst the journey from Scotland's second city may not be far, perhaps a mere 150 miles, the 125-year route has probably taken the club's players, officials and fanatical support a million miles and beyond.
| | | | Swansea City | | | | | | Web site: http://www.swanseacity.net Founded: 1912 Nickname: Swans Stadium: Liberty Stadium Stadium Address: Morfa, Swansea SA1 2FA League: Premier League
History: In 1912/13 the club turned professional. First season in Southern League, Welsh Cup Winners, beating Pontypridd. In 1913/14 the Swans became the first Welsh Club to play in the FA Cup First Round proper.
Notes: Prior stadium was Vetch Field, Glamorgan Street, Swansea SA1 3SU.
| | | | Tottenham Hotspur | | | | | | Web site: http://www.spurs.co.uk Founded: 1882 Nickname: Spurs Stadium: White Hart Lane Stadium Address: Bill Nicholson Way, 748 High Road, Tottenham, London N17 0AP League: Premier League
History: They took their name from the gallant adventures of Harry Hotspur, a Shakespeare character and Hotspur FC was born, soon changed to Tottenham Hotspur to avoid confusion with London Hotspur. The club used to play near Tottenham Court Road, hence the name, before moving to North London.
| | | | Watford | | | | | | Web site: http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk Founded: 1881 Nickname: Hornets Stadium: Vicarage Road Stadium Stadium Address: Vicarage Road, Watford WD18 0ER League: Premier League
History: The club formed as Watford Rovers in 1881, became a wing of West Herts Club at Cassio Road in 1890, joined the Southern League in 1896, and became professional in 1897. In 1898 West Herts and Watford St. Mary's were unable to survive as separate professional clubs, so West Herts absorbed their rivals and changed their name to Watford Football Club.
| | | | West Bromwich Albion | | | | | | Web site: http://www.wba.co.uk Founded: 1878 Nickname: Baggies Stadium: The Hawthorns Stadium Address: Halfords Lane, West Bromwich B71 4LG League: Premier League
History: West Bromwich Albion Football Club was formed by workers from Salter's Spring Works in West Bromwich, West Midlands in 1878.
This famous football club was one of the original founding members of the English Football League. Although not as fashionable as some other English football teams, over the years 'The Albion' has made a great contribution to football. It was the first English team to play in Russia and then a couple of decades later the first English team to play in China. During the Chinese tour, one player was asked what he thought of the Great Wall, his famous reply was "You've seen one wall, you've seen them all". Their original nickname, 'The Throstles' originated because they had a thrush on their shirt badges. The more colloquial nickname and the more popular one is 'The Baggies'. There are several theories for how this name may have originated, a popular one being that the team wore unfashionably long shorts at one stage.
| | | | West Ham United | | | | | | Web site: http://www.whufc.com Founded: 1895 Nickname: Irons or Hammers Stadium: London Stadium Stadium Address: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, London E20 2ST League: Premier League
History: Formed in 1895 as Thames Iron Works FC, turned professional in 1898, then in 1900 as West Ham United FC. Their stadium is also referred to as Upton Park, named after the surrounding area.
Notes: Previous stadium was Boleyn Ground. Stadium also known as Olympic Stadium.
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