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Cobham Training Centre
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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>When <a href="/facts/Roman_Abramovich/rcs5plQv">Roman Abramovich</a> purchased Chelsea FC in July 2003, the club's training facilities were identified as an important area for new investment. Chelsea had used the <a href="/facts/Harlington%2c_London/LMqDKGra">Harlington</a> training ground since the 1970s, but it was owned by <a href="/facts/Imperial_College_London/SoXBRyax">Imperial College</a>, and its facilities were regarded as outdated in comparison to those of clubs such as <a href="/facts/Manchester_United_F.C./wmNVnVtQ">Manchester United</a> (<a href="/facts/Trafford_Training_Centre/jM5pLQ9C">Trafford Training Centre</a>) and <a href="/facts/Arsenal_F.C./pubabvB0">Arsenal</a> (<a href="/facts/Arsenal_Training_Centre/c3D7Thsh">Arsenal Training Centre</a>).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> Then-Chelsea manager <a href="/facts/Jose_Mourinho/eQXGvz54">Jose Mourinho</a> 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 <a href="/facts/Elmbridge_Borough_Council/14KwY5tK">Elmbridge Borough Council</a> in 2004.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Chelsea began training at Cobham in 2005, while construction was still ongoing, and the facility was officially unveiled in July 2007.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> In 2008, the final phase of the complex, an Academy and Community Pavilion for Chelsea's youth teams and <i>Football in the Community</i> department, was opened.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="facilities">Facilities</h2> <p>Costing a reported £20 million,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> the training ground is on a 140-acre site and, like a <a href="/facts/Campus/4kvh5NBM">campus</a>, it houses all of the club's football activities, from the first team to the <a href="/facts/Chelsea_F.C._Reserves_and_Academy/5QKLC4rs">academy</a>, reserve and <a href="/facts/Chelsea_L.F.C./lCy3Dh8v">women</a>'s teams. It features "the latest in training, rehabilitation, medical, pitch and media technology"<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> and its facilities include nine <a href="/facts/Association_football_pitch/PST7Hk7R">football pitches</a> (three with undersoil heating and six to <a href="/facts/Premier_League/nfXVuAYa">Premier League</a> standard), an indoor artificial pitch, a media centre, gyms, cold immersion pools, a sauna, a steam room and a 56 ft HydroWorx <a href="/facts/Hydrotherapy_pool/32DUFtdN">hydrotherapy pool</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p><p>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 <a href="/facts/Moat/8jWvJSvJ">moat</a> was installed to reflect light into the basement rooms and to reduce energy usage.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> 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.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="academy-graduates">Academy graduates</h2> <p>Players who have graduated from the Cobham academy include: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Tammy_Abraham/mketfTK1">Tammy Abraham</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Armando_Broja/tqdnybzn">Armando Broja</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Trevoh_Chalobah/apPPWajQ">Trevoh Chalobah</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Andreas_Christensen/lp9d6K2k">Andreas Christensen</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Conor_Gallagher/TQ4scKjh">Conor Gallagher</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Billy_Gilmour/bRRPNoIJ">Billy Gilmour</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Callum_Hudson-Odoi/ESy0Q3qa">Callum Hudson-Odoi</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Reece_James_(footballer%2c_born_1999)/pNgWKjIA">Reece James</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Tariq_Lamptey/0WG121yM">Tariq Lamptey</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Tino_Livramento/6VLWem8j">Tino Livramento</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Ruben_Loftus-Cheek/jFSK99vU">Ruben Loftus-Cheek</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Mason_Mount/l6NdkqNd">Mason Mount</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Fikayo_Tomori/9KAla2fS">Fikayo Tomori</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25"><sup>25</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Dominic_Solanke/QSBkUzCG">Dominic Solanke</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:26" href="#fn:26"><sup>26</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/J%25C3%25A9r%25C3%25A9mie_Boga/C2nhSqW0">Jérémie Boga</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:27" href="#fn:27"><sup>27</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Marc_Guehi/bKGnm8Bw">Marc Guehi</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:28" href="#fn:28"><sup>28</sup></a></li></ul> <h2 id="other-uses">Other uses</h2> <p>Cobham has hosted the Surrey Positive Mental Awareness League, a football league for people with mental health problems.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:29" href="#fn:29"><sup>29</sup></a> It also hosts the <i>Cobham Cup</i>, a tournament for under-16 teams from around the world, including <a href="/facts/Club_Atl%25C3%25A9tico_River_Plate/6bKGnt35">River Plate</a> and <a href="/facts/FC_Bayern_Munich/99e1qqlf">Bayern Munich</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:30" href="#fn:30"><sup>30</sup></a> In 2007, the <a href="/facts/China_national_under-23_football_team/KXdvXga7">Chinese Olympic football team</a> trained at Cobham for two weeks in preparation for the <a href="/facts/2008_Summer_Olympics/G6YvB62G">2008 Summer Olympics</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:31" href="#fn:31"><sup>31</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Old_Malvernians_F.C./rRrRJeCd">Old Malvernians</a> play their home matches at Cobham.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:32" href="#fn:32"><sup>32</sup></a> The training facilities are also used by <a href="/facts/Cobham_RFC/wH5zfCxU">Cobham Rugby Football Club</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:33" href="#fn:33"><sup>33</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="notes">Notes</h2> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"New Chelsea training HQ unveiled". BBC. 5 July 2007. Archived from the original on 21 September 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2011. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/6273640.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/6273640.stm</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Simons, Raoul (27 September 2004). "Chelsea's £20million 'bunker'". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014. <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/chelseas-20million-bunker-6968093.html" target="_blank">https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/chelseas-20million-bunker-6968093.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"True blue Cobham delighted to welcome the Chelsea set". The Times. 18 December 2004. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110629125354/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article403928.ece" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20110629125354/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article403928.ece</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Go-ahead for Chelsea plan". BBC. 27 September 2004. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2011. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/3693114.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/3693114.stm</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"New Chelsea training HQ unveiled". BBC. 5 July 2007. Archived from the original on 21 September 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2011. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/6273640.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/6273640.stm</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"New Cobham Building Unveiled". Chelsea F.C. 23 August 2008. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014. <a href="http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1372683" target="_blank">http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1372683</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"Ancelotti uses his guile to thrive where Scolari failed". The Independent. 9 February 2010. Archived from the original on 25 June 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2011. <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/ancelotti-uses-his-guile-to-thrive-where-scolari-failed-1893370.html" target="_blank">https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/ancelotti-uses-his-guile-to-thrive-where-scolari-failed-1893370.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Chelsea's New Training Ground for the Future". BBC. 5 July 2007. Archived from the original on 4 February 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2011. <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2007/07/05/chelsea_ground_feature.shtml" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2007/07/05/chelsea_ground_feature.shtml</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Cobham in Depth: the Medical and the Media". Chelsea F.C. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2014. <a href="http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1068031" target="_blank">http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1068031</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Cobham in Depth: a Building to Meet all Needs". Chelsea F.C. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2014. <a href="http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1068030" target="_blank">http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1068030</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Revealing a Training Ground for the Future". Chelsea F.C. 7 July 2007. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2011. <a href="http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1068027" target="_blank">http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1068027</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"Chelsea FC Full Environmental Policy". Chelsea F.C. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2014. <a href="http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1658262" target="_blank">http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1658262</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:25"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:25" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:26"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:26" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:27"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:27" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:28"><p>"Cobham calling: Chelsea's academy is colonising the Premier League | Jonathan Liew". the Guardian. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/27/chelsea-cobham-youth-academy-colonising-premier-league</a> <a href="#fnref:28" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:29"><p>"Mental health league kicked off". BBC. 5 December 2008. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2011. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/7767730.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/7767730.stm</a> <a href="#fnref:29" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:30"><p>"Blues Beaten". Chelsea F.C. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2014. <a href="http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1375446" target="_blank">http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1375446</a> <a href="#fnref:30" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:31"><p>"Chelsea reveal all to China's Olympic team". Reuters. 1 February 2007. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2011. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160307095742/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-chelsea-china-fapl-idUKHUG15893820070201" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160307095742/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-chelsea-china-fapl-idUKHUG15893820070201</a> <a href="#fnref:31" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:32"><p>"OM Football". Malvernian Society. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2014. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812144516/https://www.malverniansociety.org.uk/page.aspx?pid=484" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20200812144516/https://www.malverniansociety.org.uk/page.aspx?pid=484</a> <a href="#fnref:32" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:33"><p>"Use of Chelsea's Pitches". cobhamrfc.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2011. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110930154734/http://www.cobhamrfc.com/youth-rugby/use-of-chelseas-pitches" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20110930154734/http://www.cobhamrfc.com/youth-rugby/use-of-chelseas-pitches</a> <a href="#fnref:33" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>