Season Preview 20in20 - Fulham

9 of 20 - The Cottagers

Author

nick lochner
August 01, 2023

For Previous Team Previews: Website.

To Share the CleanSheet - Share this LINK

Are you a Fulham Fan?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

2022/23 Finish - 10th Place

A medium-small sized club that, since 2018 have been promoted to the PL and relegated to The Championship every other year, until this year’s team exceeded expectations and stayed up. Fulham has been in the top, or second, league every year since 1997 with 2 Europa League appearances. FFC has been very quiet in the off-season, with only 1 current player acquisition and a handful of transfer outs.

The Club

Located in Fulham, Central/West London

Craven Cottage, 19,000 capacity

Rough estimates

$70M Annual Revenue (15th worldwide, 7th PL)

$60M Player Payroll

History on the Pitch

  • Highest finish, 7th in 2009

  • FA Cup Runner-Up 1979

  • No major cups outside of FA

Ownership

Shahid Kahn purchased FFC from Mohamed Al-Fayed (Egyptian, London Businessman) in 2013 for $200M. You may recognize Kahn - owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars - a Pakistani American billionaire (94th richest) businessman and sports “tycoon” who made his initial fortune in the Auto-Parts business (Flex-N-Gate) supplying bumpers to the big automakers in Detroit, then becoming Toyota’s sole supplier for pick-ups. Kahn moved to the US at the age of 16 to attend the University of Illinois. He got a job washing dishes for $1.20/hour and stayed at the YMCA for $2/night.

Sponsorship

Biggest Rival - Its not just 1

The West London Derby is the name given to a match when any of the 4 West London teams meet - Fulham, Chelsea, Queen Park Rangers, Brentford. Three of these teams are in the PL this season.

  • Chelsea is considered the main rival. Chelsea’s stadium, Stamford Bridge, is within Fulham and only 1.8 miles from Craven cottage.

  • QPR is considered the second rival, and Brentford third.

    Fulham’s record in the Derby’s versus

  • Brentford 65 Matches 23W 25L 17D

  • QPR 42 Matches 21W 14L 7D

  • Chelsea 81 Matches 8W 42L 23D

The Culture

Beautiful setting and location on the River Thames close to the heart of London, FFC is London’s oldest professional football club. Fulham has been described as charming, not something you hear many soccer clubs described as. Most of the focus around London is with the big clubs with 60,000 seat stadiums and international fan bases. FFC is known as a family club, with many 3rd and 4th generation fans.

Fulham is also known for its connections to American players. Clint Dempsey, Kasey Keller, Carlos Bocanegra and Brian McBride all played at Fulham and the USMNT when few Americans were playing in Europe. Dempsey still holds the record for most EPL Goals by an Amercian, 57. McBride had 40 with the club. Currently American Tim Ream is Vice-Captain and entering his 8th season with the club.

The Hunting Lodge

William Craven built a Hunting Lodge, Craven Cottage, in 1780. The lodge was destroyed by fire in 1888, and Fulham FC bought the land in 1894 and converted the property to its home. They took the name Craven Cottage as its grounds and became known as The Cottagers.

Supporters You May Recognize

  • Marshall Mathers - Eminem

  • Harry Potter

  • Hugh Grant

  • Hugh Laurie

  • Joaquin Phoenix

Song

Ba Ba Ba Na Na Na Na, Our Fulham, Craven Cottage is our home, Now we’re packing up our bags and we’re not alone, We’ve travelled far on land and sea, Now we’re gonna take our place in history...So shout it out from the tin roof top, The Lilywhites we’re gonna give it our best shot, CHORUS Standing tall and proud, We’ll hear it from the crowd, One more time out loud……OUR FULHAM x 3

Game Day Pub Guide

Fan Sites

Official Twitter

@FulhamFC

High Follows on Twitter

@FulhamfcNews (9k)

@FulhamFCUSA (3k)

@CottagersForum (3k)

The Team

The Gaffer

  • Marco Silva (Portugal), 46yo

  • At Fulham for 2 years

  • Ended playing career in 2011 and went directly to managing in Portugal, then moved to Hull City (England) in 2017, Watford 2018, Everton 2018 and then Fulham 2021.

ODDS

  • To Win League +100,000

  • To Be Relegated +333

  • To Finish Top 4 +5,000

  • To Finish Top 10 +333

Roster Notes

Full Roster click link

Projected to finish 15th

  • Tim Ream-Center Back (vice-captain), Antonee Robinson-Left Back.

  • Took Raul Jimenez from Wolves, the only addition so far for the Cottagers.

  • There is concern Fulham will lose Aleksander Mitrovic, Serbia, as he pushes for a move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

  • Tom Cairney, Scotland, Captain.

Reply

or to participate.