[journeyman]

Sorry got a bit muddled, thought this was a posponed game, ignore topic title.


Born out of a church side, Fulham were the St. Andrew's Church Sunday School and were an early advocate on not playing on the Sabbath, as they were busy attending and had to have notes from their Sunday School teachers excusing them to be able to play. This continued until 1976. The original team had a benefactor who was also the local butcher and he encouraged the team by donating his wares to those who performed well, with early club documents showing that anyone scoring thrice would be granted a Full Ham." Such was the scoring success of some of the players, the team was soon renamed Fulham.
The team's note provoked a move to Craven Cottage in 1896 and much of the ground remains untouched to this day. Situated on the banks of the River Thames, many a football has ended up in the water from a wayward shot or clearance. Early on in their occupation, Fulham used to pay mud-larks (young children who scoured the muddy banks of the Thames for anything worth money) to retrieve footballs, which were so heavy in those days that they rapidly sunk. Four of these young boys lost their lives and a plaque to their memory used to be able to be found just where the current statue of Michael Jackson (a personal friend of current owner Mohammed Al Fayed) stands).
Winning the Southern League twice, the Cottagers achieved League status in 1907, reaching a FA Cup semi-final in the same season, but losing by a competition record semi-final score of 0-6 to Newcastle United. This is when the evil Henry Norris took an interest in the Cottagers. This person was not only responsible for Chelsea's formation, when he turned down the option to move to Stamford Bridge, thus leading the Mears family to form their own team, but he was later behind Arsenal's move away from their native South London home.
They stayed in Division 2 until 1928, when they were relegated to Division 3 South and they had to wait until their 111 goals in 1931-32 got them back to the Second Division, with only Spurs and Stoke City denying them a second successive promotion. With the Second World War interrupting play, Fulham had to wait until 1949 to reach the top flight for the third time and they struggled with only eight wins in 1951-52, that saw them finish 22nd and return to Division 2.
In 1959, Fulham returned to Division 1 and began a golden era, with a tenth place finish in 1960 being their highest until the 2004 team bettered that by one position. Having reached FA Cup semi-finals before and after the war, the team were in danger of becoming a Cup side, but it was their league form which was most worrying, with some close escapes from relegation before they finally succumbed to Division Two's lures in 1968.
It was during this period that Fulham's greatest player Johnny Haynes rules the Cottage. Serving the club for twenty years, his midfield play was stylish and effective and his 52 caps for his country may never be bettered by a Fulham player. Unfortunately, Haynes died in a car crash in 2005 and the Stevenage Road stand was re-named in his honour.
Haynes' Fulham career took in the rise to Division 1, but also included the drop into Division 3 in 1969, leaving the club at as low an ebb as the Thames that lapped at the club's ground's foundations. However, it was never a dull moment at the West London club and two years later they were back in Div. 2, with a litany of former top names being brought to the club under the management of Alec Stock (the prototype for Paul Whitehouse's "Ron Manager" character). Bobby Moore, Alan Mullery, George Best and Rodney Marsh were all brought in to play champagne football, but some of them too the champagne part too literally and became the West London version of the Rat Pack.
It is ironic after their religious beginnings that Fulham were the first team to play on a Sunday against Millwall in 1974.

They were formed in 1879 and turned professional in 1898. Their previous grounds were (13 of them)Star Road, Fulham = 1878-1882
Eel Brook Common = 1882-1883
Lillee Road, Fulham Cross = 1883-1884
Putney Lower Common = 1884-1885
Ranelagh House= 1885-1887
Barn Elms, Barnes = 1887-1888
Purser's Cross = 1889-1890
Stansfield's Field, Fulham Road 1888-1890
Eel Brook Common = 1890-1891
Half Moon Cricket Ground, Putney = 1891-1895
West Brompton = 1895
Craven Cottage = 1895-2001
Loftus Road =2001-2004

Tom Huddlestone made his spurs debut against them.
First Spurs goal against them; Bill Nicholson 04/12/1948
El Tel 01/10 1966, P. Chimbonda 20/01/07,Y Kaboul 01/09/07,
G Bale 01/09/07, V, Chirichles 04/12/13.

We got from them, A Mullery March 1964, J Lacy July 1978,
S Davis July 04, S Malbranque, Dempsey, Dembele all August 2012,
and Sessagnon August 2019.
Players that went to Fulam, Alfie Stokes July 1959, T Dyson June 1965
C Jones October 1968,A Mullery June 1972, D Murphy January 07
and J onomah August 2019.
Our record against them;
P 133
W 70
D 33
L 30
F 233
A 148

Home
P 65
W 42
D 13
L 10
F 123
A 57

Our top scorer against them is Cliff Jones with 13, and in the currewnt squad Kane with 5.

Now we have had a few games under our belt since the original thread posters casn reassess their views, likely team, score, etc.
I will confidently go for 2-0 hoping our defensive frailties have been addressed.

[Roshan]

Tricky Game.
Sure Jose will stick with the same Starting XI he picked against Burnley but I would prefer to have Tanganga,Alderwierald,Rodon, Reguilon as Back Four and start Dele instead of Moura.

Will go for :

Lloris

Tanganga Alderwierald Rodon Reguilon

Hojbjerg NDombele

Bale Dele Son

Kane

[Yidio Yidio]

Tough one to call atm, Fulham are a little unknown in terms of what they do.

Same question is resting our over 30's, keep playing Toby ?

Rest Bale ?

Or take no risks and play them until they can't.

[SpursDan]

We have to play the same starting 11 as the Burnley game...let’s hope we win this as well and get some real momentum going in the league ready for the NLD

COYSSSS

[ChrisPienaar]

Need to keep the momentum going but we play Thursday - Sunday - Thursday - Sunday. All very important games but we need fresh legs. So I think we may be forced into changes sooner or later.

[old grey yid]

Best away day of the year..close enough to crawl back home after one too many..
Day starts on the boat from london bridge down the thames to putney pier.then grab a quick couple on the riverfront before crossing the bridge and having a few in putney high st..

Then in the ground and spend half the time in the toilets in the putney end emptying your bowels ready for the boat back to london bridge pier..by then usually cant remember how to get home 😄😄😄😄
Possibly only newcastle and euro awaydays are better.

Football?..whats that all about .

[journeyman]

Nice one mate brilliant.

[ballyerspur]

Roshan, on 28 February 2021 - 20:46, said:

Tricky Game.
Sure Jose will stick with the same Starting XI he picked against Burnley but I would prefer to have Tanganga,Alderwierald,Rodon, Reguilon as Back Four and start Dele instead of Moura.

Will go for :

Lloris

Tanganga Alderwierald Rodon Reguilon

Hojbjerg NDombele

Bale Dele Son

Kane

Thank you for that Journo. I think we all on here need to adhere to your quote at the end. IMHO it would lead to much more temperate and constructive forum. Again I thank you my friend for your reminder
COYS

[fentonroad]

Sounds as if it might be a push for Bale on Thursday, if he can't make it just push Moura out wide and bring Dele in and keep the momentum going me thinks. If it's not broken....

[Flying_Dutchman]

old grey yid, on 01 March 2021 - 04:50, said:

Best away day of the year..close enough to crawl back home after one too many..
Day starts on the boat from london bridge down the thames to putney pier.then grab a quick couple on the riverfront before crossing the bridge and having a few in putney high st..

Then in the ground and spend half the time in the toilets in the putney end emptying your bowels ready for the boat back to london bridge pier..by then usually cant remember how to get home 😄😄😄😄
Possibly only newcastle and euro awaydays are better.

Football?..whats that all about .

[SteveB]

if Bale doesnt play that is sure gonna pi55 off some Fantasy League players

[Yidio Yidio]

SteveB, on 02 March 2021 - 16:04, said:

if Bale doesnt play that is sure gonna pi55 off some Fantasy League players

Not me, I,m expecting a reaction.....................from Kane.

[Lonspurs]

fentonroad, on 01 March 2021 - 11:52, said:

Sounds as if it might be a push for Bale on Thursday, if he can't make it just push Moura out wide and bring Dele in and keep the momentum going me thinks. If it's not broken....

I'd be surprised if Bale doesn't play a part but we've got a lot of games coming up. Nevertheless, I think Bale needs to keep the momentum going. It's a tricky one because Wales are going to come calling soon and we need to keep him fit.

[tomtom]

Win and we're back within 3 points of 4th. Lose and Arsenal are 2 points behind us on the same number of games.

[journeyman]

if we still harbour a top 4 everything is important to us now, all because we lost or drew stupid games we were really in control of for some length of time, IE like the last palace game dropped two points by letting in an 81st minute equliser!!, it is now when all these slips are telling on us. but we must remain upbeat, we could still make top four, win europa (and that really is winable for us) and we have C/L next year, a lot of posatives really but just a few little hurdles to jump over first starting tonight.

[ChrisPienaar]

This is not just about top 4 it’s about a top 6/7 place. We are currently 4 points behinds Everton and Liverpool in 6th/7th. We need to win to keep pace with the pack. As mentioned above a win and we are 3 from 4th (maybe 4 points from 4th if Everton win)

Then we play palace at the weekend so another chance
to close gaps.

Liverpool play Chelsea today also which is a win win and the Chelsea play Everton on Monday so a very big week up ahead!

COYS

[fentonroad]

ChrisPienaar, on 04 March 2021 - 08:06, said:

This is not just about top 4 it’s about a top 6/7 place. We are currently 4 points behinds Everton and Liverpool in 6th/7th. We need to win to keep pace with the pack. As mentioned above a win and we are 3 from 4th (maybe 4 points from 4th if Everton win)

Then we play palace at the weekend so another chance
to close gaps.

Liverpool play Chelsea today also which is a win win and the Chelsea play Everton on Monday so a very big week up ahead!

COYS

Indeed, 3 points to in any way or form is a must as we can't seem to keep momentum up when we do get a couple of wins. Ideally same line up from last game. No one deserved to get dropped on performance.

[electricpace]

Consistent form is needed , it’s a funny old season though and only City are showing consistency . I think there’s still a good chance we can finish where we want to be if we turn a corner now and go on a run. The signs are there let’s get a win today and then against Palace and see what happens .

[stokesie]

Just hoping we can get some consistency going with regards to passing , creativity and some cohesion .
Need to build up some kind of confidence to the europa cup game . These next two league games should give us the chance to do that , hopefully Jose has got in mind what the starting 11 will be for that tie .

I’m going for a 2-0 win tonight .. just hoping we can kick on from the Burnley game .

[Parklaner]

It’s the hope that kills you