Fulham fans can swim in rooftop pool at their stadium - if they buy eye-watering membership

· Mirror

Craven Cottage has opened a new rooftop infinity pool that will give Fulham fans an exclusive view of the Premier League ground - but it comes at a huge cost

Fulham fans can pay to get a rooftop pool view of Craven Cottage alongside their spa treatments and cucumber sandwiches. However, the exclusive membership won't come cheap.

The Cottagers already boast the most expensive adult season ticket in the Premier League at around £3,000 per year. And it will set punters back a very similar rate to gain access to the new stadium pool, located on the Sky Deck of the newly refurbished Riverside Stand.

The four-floor Sky Deck is operated in partnership with the Sael Spa, which operates as part of the Fulham Pier next door to Craven Cottage. As such, customers have to pay an eye-watering individual membership of £3,000 - plus a £250 joining fee - for pool access, and that's just in the hope of moving up the waiting list to get your turn on the tides.

Membership also includes access to the spa's other amenities, which are open year-round, irrespective of the football season. However, there is the option of a joint membership at the ever so slightly less egregious cost of £5,500 a year.

If ever there were a more succinct symbol of the footballing elite peering down on the (literal) rascals below, we're yet to find it. With the Craven Cottage pitch on one side and the River Thames on the other, those who can afford it have never been more looked after.

It's worth noting, however, the infinity pool vantage point is not open during matches. That's because Sael Spa shuts down that section early on matchdays.

That fact alone takes away a certain amount of allure in forking out many people's monthly salary on a dip at 100 feet. Less matchday pie and more pie in the sky, for most.

American billionaire owner Shahid Khan has done away with the idea of moving Fulham to a new, bigger stadium in favour of expanding the current Craven Cottage. The Riverside Stand development boosted the ground's attendance by almost 4,000 seats to accommodate a new maximum of almost 30,000 spectators.

The obvious upside of joining is access to an elite spa venue that features Michelin Star menus and soothing treatments. Many Cottagers could perhaps do with the distraction, too, as Alvara Arbeloa's side currently sit 19th in the Premier League.

Ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid defender Arbeloa is still chasing his first win at the Fulham helm after a tough start to the campaign. Still, things promise to get easier after the international break given they've already faced Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.

In fact, Fulham's two points so far this season came from their latest two league outings against United and Liverpool. That in itself may have been enough to earn the players a plunge during their international window after all.

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