Cobham Training Centre

Cobham Training Centre

Cobham
Location	Cobham, Surrey
Coordinates	51°19′0.84″N 0°23′10.30″W / 51.3169000°N 0.3861944°WCoordinates: 51°19′0.84″N 0°23′10.30″W / 51.3169000°N 0.3861944°W
Owner	Chelsea F.C.
Type	Sports facility
Construction
Built	2004
Opened	2007

The Cobham Training Centre is the training ground of Chelsea Football Club located in the village of Stoke d'Abernon near to the village of Cobham, Surrey. The Chelsea first team have trained at Stoke D'Abernon since 2005, but it was not officially opened until 2007.^[1]

History

When Roman Abramovich purchased Chelsea FC in July 2003, the club's training facilities were identified as an important area for new investment. Chelsea had used the Harlington training ground since the 1970s, but it was owned by Imperial College, and its facilities were regarded as outdated in comparison to those of clubs such as Manchester United (Trafford Training Centre) and Arsenal (Arsenal Training Centre).^[2][3] Then-Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho regarded the move to a new, modern, training ground as "significant step forward" in the club's ambitions. Planning permission for a new state-of-the-art complex in Cobham was granted by Elmbridge Borough Council in 2004.^[4] Chelsea began training at Cobham in 2005, while construction was still ongoing, and the facility was officially unveiled in July 2007.^[1] In 2008, the final phase of the complex, an Academy and Community Pavilion for Chelsea's youth teams and Football in the Community department, was opened.^[5]

Facilities

Costing a reported £20m,^[6][7] the training ground is on a 140-acre site and, like a campus, it houses all of the club's football activities, from the first team to the academy, reserve and women's teams. It features "the latest in training, rehabilitation, medical, pitch and media technology"^[8] and its facilities include 30 football pitches (three with undersoil heating and six to Premier League standard), an indoor artificial pitch, a media centre, a medical centre, gyms, cold immersion pools, a sauna, a steam room and a 56 ft HydroWorx hydrotherapy pool.^[9][10]

As a condition for receiving planning permission, none of the buildings in the complex were permitted to be taller than others in the surrounding area. Thus, approximately a third of the facility is underground; a moat was installed to reflect light into the basement rooms and to reduce energy usage.^[11] The main building also has a turf roof in order to help it blend into its surroundings and to improve air quality. Water from the surrounding area is collected in a reservoir for use on the pitch irrigation system.^[12]

Other uses

Cobham has hosted the Surrey Positive Mental Awareness League, a football league for people with mental health problems.^[13] It also hosts the Cobham Cup, a tournament for under-16 teams from around the world, including River Plate and Bayern Munich.^[14] In 2007, the Chinese Olympic football team trained at Cobham for two weeks in preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics.^[15] Old Malvernians play their home matches at Cobham.^[16] The training facilities are also used by Cobham Rugby Football Club.^[17]

Notes

1. "New Chelsea training HQ unveiled". BBC. 5 July 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
2. Simons, Raoul (27 September 2004). "Chelsea's £20million 'bunker'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
3. "True blue Cobham delighted to welcome the Chelsea set". TimesOnline. 18 December 2004. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
4. "Go-ahead for Chelsea plan". BBC. 27 September 2004. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
5. "New Cobham Building Unveiled". chelseafc.com. 23 August 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
6. "Chelsea prepare to welcome Malouda but there will be no farewells". Daily Mail. 5 July 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
7. "Ancelotti uses his guile to thrive where Scolari failed". Independent. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
8. "Chelsea's New Training Ground For The Future". BBC. 5 July 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
9. "Cobham in Depth: the Medical and the Media". chelseafc.com. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
10. "Cobham in Depth: a Building to Meet all Needs". chelseafc.com. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
11. "Revealing a Training Ground for the Future". Chelseafc.com. 7 July 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
12. "Chelsea FC Full Environmental Policy". chelseafc.com. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
13. "Mental health league kicked off". BBC. 5 December 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
14. "Blues Beaten". Chelseafc.com. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
15. "Chelsea reveal all to China's Olympic team". Reuters. 1 February 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
16. "OM Football". Malvernian Society. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
17. "Use of Chelsea's Pitches". cobhamrfc.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2011.