A plaque marking the opening of Olympic Way at Wembley was restored this week ©ITG

The unveiling of commemorative plaques on Wembley’s Olympic Way this week has been described as symbolic of the "regeneration, growth and renewal," of Wembley Stadium in its centenary year.

The original stadium, opened in 1923, was the centrepiece for the 1948 Olympics and the rebuilt stadium hosted Olympic football in 2012.

"We need to remind ourselves of the historical element which is part and parcel of Wembley," said Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt.

"Today people come not just to enjoy the stadium but to call this place home."

Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez became the latest to score a hat-trick in the first 100 years of Wembley Stadium ©Getty Images
Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez became the latest to score a hat-trick in the first 100 years of Wembley Stadium ©Getty Images

This weekend, spectators approached the stadium along the modernised Olympic Way to see Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez become the latest in an exclusive club of those to score a hat-trick at the stadium as Manchester City beat Sheffield United in the first of the two Football Association (FA) Challenge Cup semi finals.

A small landscaped garden has been created to display the restored original tablet marking the opening of the thoroughfare in 1948 by Transport Minister Alfred Bar.

It was unveiled after a campaign by sports journalist and author Mike Collett.

A companion plaque created by sculptor Louis Russell has also been installed at the foot of the new stairway leading to the stadium, which also commemorates the 75th anniversary of the 1948 Olympics at the venue.

"It put Wembley on the map and the stadium has kept Wembley on the map,” Wembley History Society’s Philip Grant told insidethegames. 

The plaques were installed with the support of Quintain, the company responsible for building development at Wembley Park.

Transport Minister Alfred Barnes performed the original opening of the Olympic Way in 1948 ©Margaret Winter/Quintain
Transport Minister Alfred Barnes performed the original opening of the Olympic Way in 1948 ©Margaret Winter/Quintain

Wembley Mayor Abdi Aden performed the unveiling.

"Before I came to the United Kingdom from Somalia, I knew all about Wembley," the Mayor told insidethegames.

"We used to listen to all the football matches on the radio, it is an inspirational place."

The FA Cup semi-finals begin the busiest month of Wembley’s Centenary Celebrations.

Next month, Olympic Way will host a street party in honour of the Coronation of King Charles III when it will be temporarily renamed King’s Way.

Wembley Mayor Abdi Aden unveils the new plaque accompanied by Margaret Winter, daughter of Walter Steedman, the engineer who designed Olympic Way ©ITG
Wembley Mayor Abdi Aden unveils the new plaque accompanied by Margaret Winter, daughter of Walter Steedman, the engineer who designed Olympic Way ©ITG

Football returns on May 13 with the National League Promotion Final which will decide which side gains promotion to the Football League from the National League pyramid.

The following day, Chelsea meet Manchester United in the Women’s FA Cup Final.

This is followed by a double-header on May 21 featuring the FA Vase and FA Trophy Finals for teams outside the Football League.

Wembley also hosts the three promotion playoffs beginning with the Championship Playoff Final on May 27.

Billed as "the richest match in world football", it will decide the final promotion spot to the FA Premier League.

The FA Cup Final on June 3 provides the finale to the Wembley football season, 100 years after the match was first played at the stadium.

You can read about 100 years of football and other events at Wembley in this week's Big Read