Fulham Football Club was Established in 1879 and the Football Club Nickname is The Cottagers.
Fulham is London’s oldest professional football club currently competing in the Premier League. The club was founded in 1879 by a school teacher, a churchwarden, and a group of worshipers at the Church of England. The club has not been very successful in the football league but being one of the oldest clubs in English football, Fulham FC has a huge fan following in England and all around the world.
A Brief History of Fulham Football Club
The Club was established in 1879 at Fulham St. Andrew’s Church when a school teacher and his colleague organized a football team of young boys. In the beginning, the club was named Fulham St Andrew’s Church Sunday School FC, but in 1888 it was changed to Fulham FC. The West London Amateur Cup, which the club won in 1886 after defeating St Matthew’s 2-1 in the Final, was the club’s first-ever trophy.
In 1891, Fulham won the West London Observer Cup by defeating their local rival Stanley 5–3 in a replay match. The team won the West London League title back-to-back in 1892 and 1893. With the aid of these early successes, Fulham was able to draw in local football supporters and quickly rise to prominence as one of the most popular football clubs in London. Why not check out the latest Fulham football news on our dedicated section?
In 1896, Fulham started playing their home games at the Craven Cottage, which is still the club’s home today. It was one of the first purpose-built professional football stadiums in the UK. Fulham’s inaugural game at Craven Cottage was a 4-0 victory over Minerva. Fulham FC is among very few clubs in the UK that can make the claim to be more closely associated with their home.
Fulham FC Nickname
There are a few nicknames for Fulham football club, from The Cottagers to The Lilly Whites, with the addition of “The Whites” that is used by some of the football teams’ fans.
Professional Status and Admission to the Southern League
Fulham became professionally recognized in 1898 after having its home stadium, Craven Cottage, in 1896. After Arsenal and Minerva, Fulham FC became London’s third football club to get professional status. The club also qualified for the Southern League Second Division in 1898. The club won the Second Division championship during the 1901–2002 season, but lost the play-off game and missed out on Division One. From the latest Newcastle futbol24 news to the latest facts about Liverpool FC, we have it all.
Fulham won the Second Division championship for the second time in 1902–03 and also earned a spot in the Southern League Division One. In Division One, the Whites have enjoyed considerable success. The team qualified for the Second Division Football League the next season after winning the Southern League back-to-back in 1905–06 and 1906–07.
Fulham’s Chairman’s indirect role in the foundation of Chelsea
Gus Mears, a businessman who owned a football field in London, met Henry Norris, the chairman of Fulham, in 1904 and offered his football ground for Fulham. Norris declined the offer and made the decision to stay at Craven Cottage. Gus Mears chose to build his own football club rather than rent his field after Norris’ refusal. In 1905, Mears set the foundation of Chelsea which became one of the biggest football teams in the world. We might say that Henry Norris indirectly contributed to the founding of Chelsea.
Football League Era
Following their second Southern League title, Fulham earned a spot in the Football League Second Division. The Whites were only three points away from being promoted to the First Division as they finished fourth in their inaugural season. 1910 saw Fulham defeat Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 to claim the London Challenge Cup. Fulham spent 21 seasons in the Second Division before being relegated to the Third Division South in 1927–1928 after coming in second-to-last in the standings. It was a huge disappointment for the fans.
It took the Cottagers four years to get back into the Second Division. The team won 24 out of 42 games during the 1931–1932 season to win the division and gain promotion to the Second Division. Fulham was promoted to the top tier of English football following World War II, but the team struggled to perform well in the top division and could only stay in the Football League for three seasons. Learn about other teams from the latest Wigan transfers to the Championship goal scorers.
Fluctuating within the Football League divisions
Fulham had been bouncing about the Football League divisions between the 1950s and 1960s. The team was relegated to the Second Division in 1951-52, and after spending seven seasons in the Second Division, they earned promotion to the top flight as Second Division champion in 1958-59. The team developed a reputation for consistently avoiding relegation during this time.
Between the 1950s and 1960s, Fulham had been fluctuating between the Football League divisions. In 1952, the club was relegated to the Second Division, and after spending seven seasons in the Second Division, they earned promotion to the top flight as Second Division champion in 1958-59. During this period the club was constantly battling against relegation in most seasons.
Darkest Days of the Cottagers
Fulham was relegated to the Third Division after a poor 1967–68 season, the club could only win seven matches during the whole season. In the years between 1970 and 1992, Fulham bounced between the Second and Third Divisions. The situation worsened by the mid-80s, and the club experienced a severe financial crisis as a result of which it sold the majority of its star players.
The club was on the verge of going out of business in 1987, but fortunately, a group of ex-players, notably Jimmy Hill, helped Fulham stay in operation. With the creation of the Premier League in 1992, the Football League Division Third was reclassified as Tier 4 competition. In the 1993-94 season, the club was relegated to play the lowest league competition.
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Al Fayed’s Era
The club was saved in 1997 when Mohamed Al-Fayed, an Egyptian businessman, paid £6.25 million to purchase it. In addition to clearing the club’s debt, Al-Fayed signed two qualified managers, Ray Wilkins and Kevin Keegan. Wilkins was appointed as first team manager and Keegan was hired as chief operating officer. Both worked together to rebuild the team and set a goal of joining the Premier League in five years.
After a disagreement with Keegan over team selection, Wilkins left the club in 1998, and Keegan became the first team manager. He assisted Fulham to get promotion to Football League Division 2 in the same season. Keegan signed some of the best players for Fulham including striker Paul Poschisolido who became top scorer in the following season. Keegan left Fulham in 1999 to become manager of the England national team, but his commitment to the team and experience helped Fulham advance to Football League Division 1 that year.
Al-Fayed hired former French Football player Jean Tigana as manager and guided Fulham to their third promotion in five years in the 2000-01 season. After 33 years, Fulham finally attained top-tier status when it was promoted to the Premier League. Fulham is the only English team to cross 100 points in a single season two times. Fulham finished the majority of seasons near the bottom of the standings.
Hodgson’s Era
Fulham had a poor league start in the 2007–08 season; the Whites could only win two games in the first five months of the campaign and were in the relegation zone. Due to the club’s poor performance, Lawrie Sanchez was fired from his managing role, and Roy Hodgson was selected as the new manager of Fulham. Avoiding the club’s relegation was Hodgson’s primary objective.
After a thrilling battle to avoid relegation between Fulham, Reading, and Birmingham City, the Whites finally were able to avoid relegation. Hodgson successfully achieved his target, now the next quest for him was to bring Fulham up on the league table. In the following season, Hodgson led the club to finish seventh in the league, which is still the highest league finish of the club. Fulham also earned qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Why not learn what is an acca in football wagering terms with the F24-7 guide?
In the 2009-2010 season, Fulham finished 13th in the league standings. The club made it to the UEFA Europa League final in the same season. In the final, Fulham faced Spanish giant Atlético Madrid, and after a 1-1 draw at full time, fell to them 2-1 in extra time. In 2010, the League Manager Association recognized Hodgson’s work with Fulham by presenting him with the LMA Manager of the Year award.
Shahid Khan’s Era
In 2013, Shahid Khan, the CEO of Flex-N-Gate Group and owner of the NFL team Jacksonville Jaguars, bought Fulham from Mohamed Al Fayed. As a result of the deal, Khan acquired complete, debt-free ownership of the club. After the transition of ownership, Fulham was relegated from the Premier League in 2013-14. After spending four years in the EFL Championship (tier 2) Fulham was promoted back to the Premier League.
Fulham alternated between the Premier League and the EFL Championship over the course of the last nine years under the Khans’ ownership. In the previous nine years, the club saw three relegations and promotions back to back. The most recent relegation occurred in 2020–21, although after winning the EFL in the following season, the club was swiftly promoted back to the Premier League. The club has lately started competing in the Premier League and is having a very promising season.
Fulham Football Club’s Rivalry
Fulham’s major rival club is Chelsea, the club plays at Stamford Bridge, which is only 1.8 miles from Craven Cottage. Even though Fulham and Chelsea don’t play often, the game is nevertheless referred to as the West London Derby and is one of the most thrilling derbies in English football. In the 79 matches that the two clubs have played so far, Chelsea has triumphed 45 times, compared to Fulham’s nine victories and 25 draws.
Queens Park Rangers are the second-biggest opponent of the Cottagers. The rivalry dates back to the West London Cup, where both clubs frequently faced off against one another. The matches between the two clubs are fiercer and more competitive than other derbies because both clubs are comparable in size. In the 42 matches the two clubs have played thus far, Fulham has prevailed 21 times, QPR has triumphed 14 times, and 7 games have ended in draws. From the Stoke City latest score line to the Arsenal FC honours list, we have it all.
Fulham fans also consider Brentford as their rival. The West London-based club has consistently given Fulham a tough time on the pitch. Both teams have the same level of experience because they have spent the majority of their seasons in the same division. Matches between Fulham and Brentford always drew large audiences and frequently resulted in tension on the field. In their 64 matches, Fulham has triumphed 23 times, Brentford 24 times, and 17 games have ended in draws.
Club’s Net Worth
Shahid Khan, the club’s chairman, bought the club in 2013 for £200 million, and since then, he has put more than £150 million into its infrastructure to make it one of the top clubs in English Football. With an estimated value of £283 million, Fulham Net was listed as the 68th most valuable football club in 2018 by Forbes.
Fulham is one of the wealthiest football teams in England. The club just released its financial report, which reveals that it now has an annual revenue of £163 million and a net worth of £825 million. Fulham’s recent promotion to the Premier League has also raised the club’s financial value. Check out the latest Premier League title odds with our guide.
Interesting Facts about Fulham FC
- A proposal to move Fulham to the site of today’s Stamford Bridge was rejected by Henry Norris, who served as the club’s chairman through the early 1900s. Gus Mears, the person who made the proposal, went on to found Chelsea Football Club. We can say that Norris was indirectly involved in the foundation of Chelsea.
- Fulham earned the professional status in December 1898 and joined the Southern League Second Division. The club started wearing red and white kit during league matches, which was inspired by their fellow London club Arsenal. Later in 1903, Fulham started wearing white and black kit.
- Fulham owns the football stadium known as Craven Cottage. William Craven constructed it as a cottage in 1780; it was surrounded by wooded terrain that was utilized for hunting. Cottage was located at the center circle of today’s stadium. In 1896, Fulham bought the place and built a football stadium.
- Fulham had used eight different grounds as their home including The Mud Pond (1879–83), Lillie Road ground (1883–86), Ranelagh House ground (1886–88), Barn Elms Playing Fields (1888–89), Parsons Green (1889–91), Half Moon (1891–95), and Captain James Field (1895–96).
- While the 1948 Olympic Games were being held in London, Craven Cottage was one of the official football fields utilized to hold various games. At Craven Cottage, England faced off against France in the quarterfinals. England prevailed 1-0. Why not take a look at the next Manchester City games fixtures for 2022-2024?
- ZeshRehman and Kevin Betsy, two former Fulham players, were the only representatives of their nations to play in the Premier League. Betsy was from the Seychelles, and ZeshRehman was from Pakistan.
- Fulham’s chairman Shahid Khan, who bought the club in 2013, also owns Jacksonville Jaguars which is an NFL franchise. Khan also made an investment in the wrestling business. His son Tony Khan is the President and CEO of All Elite Wrestling.
- Sean Davis is the only player who represented Fulham in all top-four professional competitions. He represented Fulham from 1996 to 2004. Davis was introduced by Fulham through their youth system. The club’s youth system has been very successful and it introduced many famous football players.
- Most of the foreign players that played for Fulham were from France. Twenty-nine French players have played for Fulham till today, eight of whom have also represented their nation at the international level, and 23 French players have been a part of Fulham’s starting lineup. Louis Saha, Steed Malbranque, and Steve Marlet are just a few of the noteworthy French players who have represented Fulham. Take a moment to review the latest Arsenal matches to stay ahead in football knowledge this season.
Fulham FC Honours
Fulham has competed in all four divisions of English Football throughout its history, but they have yet to win a significant trophy. Despite being one of the oldest football clubs in English football, Fulham still needs to win a major trophy. In 2010, Fulham had a chance to win the Europa League championship as they advanced to the competition’s final, but the Cottagers lost to Atletico Madrid in the championship game after extra time. In the 1974–75 FA Cup season, Fulham also advanced to the final but fell to West Ham United. Below is the complete detail of trophies and titles won by Fulham.
3 English second-tier titles – The majority of Fulham’s seasons were spent in the Second Division, where the team won the title three times including 1948–1949, 2000–01, and 2021–2022.
2 English third-tier titles – The Cottagers were relegated twice to the Third Division but returned to the Second Division as league champions after each time. The club won two third-tier titles including 1931–32, and 1998–99.
2 Southern League titles – Fulham initially competed in the Southern League, where they enjoyed considerable success. The team twice won the Southern League championship, in 1905–06 and 1906–07.
1 UEFA Intertoto Cup – The club also has a European trophy on its shelf. In 2002, the Cottagers won the UEFA Intertoto Cup final by defeating Bologna, an Italian team, 5-3 on aggregate.
3 London Challenge Cup – the club has won the London Challenge Cup three times including 1909–10, 1931–32, and 1951–52.
The Football Club Manager is: Marco Silva
The Official Website for Fulham Supporters is: https://www.fulhamfc.com/
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The Contact Details for Fulham Football Club are as follows:
Fulham Football Club
Craven Cottage
London
SW6 6HH
