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After nearly nine years, The Football Association has moved from Soho Square to make Wembley Stadium its new headquarters.

The FA left its previous home at Lancaster Gate in November 2000, shortly after the final game at the old stadium.

Part of the organisation had already spent nine months at Wembley in the late '90s, although it wasn't in the stadium. The move followed a fire at Lancaster Gate, the day after England's 1998 World Cup defeat to Argentina in St Etienne.

An office building, Elvin House, which was in the shadows of the Twin Towers - and has since been demolished - housed half of the organisation forced out from the Bayswater offices due to smoke damage, but staff returned to 16 Lancaster Gate in the spring of 1999.

In fact, two buildings in Lancaster Gate have been home to The FA. In 1929 they moved from Russell Square to number 22, which was previously the Eden Court Hotel, before relocating three doors down the road to the bigger number 16 in 1972, The FA exchanged buildings with another organisation, the much smaller Association of British Launderers and Cleaners.

The FA's very first home, which they moved into 18 years after their foundation, was in Paternoster Row, just 50 yards from St Paul's Cathedral. The FA Secretary, Charles Alcock, plus one paid clerk worked in the single room, reached by a back staircase.

Now, though Wembley Stadium has become the new, long term home of The Football Association.

(Source: Thefa.com)