STADIUM ROW: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TWIN TOWERS

28 APRIL 1923 The Empire Stadium, Wembley, is opened. It was built as the main attraction for the Empire Exhibition of 1924, cost pounds 750,000 and took 300 working days to complete.

MAY 1923 The first event is held as 200,000 fans see Bolton beat West Ham 2-0 in the FA Cup final.

JULY-AUGUST 1948 Wembley hosts the Olympics.

1963 Muhammad Ali's world heavyweight battle with Henry Cooper takes place.

30 JULY 1966 England beat West Germany 4-2 in the World Cup final, thanks to a hat-trick from Geoff Hurst.

29 MAY 1968 Manchester United become the first English team to win the European Cup, beating Benfica 4-1.

1982 The Pope visits.

1985 Live Aid concert raises millions for famine relief.

JUNE 1996 Euro 96 is held in England. Wembley plays host to many matches, including Germany's semi-final penalty shoot-out victory over England.

DECEMBER 1996 Wembley beats Manchester in bidding for a new National Stadium; pounds 120m of Lottery money is made available.

JUNE 1998 Cost of new stadium now estimated at pounds 240m.

11 MARCH 1999 Wembley is sold to an FA-backed consortium for pounds 103m.

29 JULY 1999 Lord Foster unveils his new design, featuring four 136- metre white steel masts in place of the twin towers.

12 NOVEMBER 1999 The masts are thrown out because of concerns over similarity to the Stade de France. Instead, the centrepiece is to be a 133-metre-high arch. Estimated cost: pounds 475m.

29 NOVEMBER 1999 Government investigation begins into claims that the design doesn't meet Olympic requirements - a vital condition of the grant made by Sport England.

1 DECEMBER 1999 A dramatic intervention by Chris Smith sees the Government reject all the plans and order the architects to come back with fresh proposals.