Fulham FC: From England’s Fourth Tier To Europa Cup Final In 14 Years

London, United Kingdom (AHN) – In 1996, Fulham FC finished 17th out of 24 in the fourth tier of English football.

Fourteen years on the club is celebrating one of the most rapid rises in English soccer history and progression to the club’s first ever European final.

The club’s remarkable rise from being on the verge of losing their league status began in February of 1996, when they bravely appointed then captain, Micky Adams as player-manager.

Adams settled into his new role quickly and engineered a quick turnaround in the team’s fortunes.

A good run of results towards the end of the 1995-96 season saw Fulham pull clear of the relegation zone.

But in a telling indication of who far this once illustrious club has fallen came in the celebrations of a 17th place finish, the lowest in the clubs history, which was heralded as a success.

Having ‘acheived’ this Adams set about re-invigorated his squad and masterminded promotion in his first full season as manager.

Adams, and Fulham, were only denied the title after the FA scrapped the traditional deciding factor; goal difference in favour of goals scored, giving Wigan Athletic the crown.

Given then Fulham chairman, Jimmy Hill had advocated that very same policy change, second place could have proved a bitterly ironic pill to swallow.

Despite the denial of silverwear however promotion was more than even the most optimistic Fulham fans could have wished for and the club was on it’s way, although the architect Micky Adams was to play almost no further part.

In the summer of 1997 Egyptian businessman Mohammed Al Fayed purchased the club, partly inspired by it’s proximity to his famous London store, Harrods.

Now flush with cash, expectations rose and a poor start to the new campaign would cost Adams his job as Al Fayed fired the catalyst for the revival in favour of his management “dream team” of Ray Wilkins and Kevin Keegan.

Despite the perceived harshness at the treatment of Adams, Al Fayed’s choice was to prove a wise one.

A year on it didn’t look like it would be after an argument over team selection saw Wilkins resign, handing the full managerial reigns to Keegan in the process.

The former Liverpool and Hamburg hero soon steadied the ship and, aided by a seemingly unlimited transfer budget Keegan guided the club up another level in 1999.

Having taken the club onto the next level Keegan left to takeover the top job in English soccer with his appointment as manager of the national team.

Paul Bracewell was installed in Keegan’s stead but lasted only until March 2000 when, with mid-table mediocrity looming, Bracewell was removed to be replaced by Frenchman Jean Tigana.

Tigana, aided by some inspired signings including a young Louis Saha, led Fulham to their third promotion in five years, leading the club to the Premier League in 2000-01.

Once in the promised land, Tigana was able to lay some Premier League foundations and the club has remained in the top-flight ever since.

Despite maintaining Premier League status since their elevation under Tigana, Al Fayed’s ambition put paid to a series of high profile managers including Tigana, Chris Coleman and former Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez.

With another lowly finish looming Sanchez became Al Fayed’s latest victim in December 2007.

With Sanchez gone, Al Fayed turned to the experience of journeyman manager Roy Hodgson and Fulham hasn’t looked back.

Hodgson’s tenure started with a 2-1 loss to Chelsea on New Year’s Day 2008, but improved results towards the end of the season saw Fulham dramatically avoid relegation.

The next season was much better and a run to the FA Cup Quarter-Finals was coupled with a 7th placed finish seeing the club qualify for the 2009-10 Europa Cup.

The stats boded well for Fulham, which had never lost at home in European Competition, with a record of 11 wins and four draws, although most pundits believed Fulham would do well to make it through the group stage.

The pundits were to bow to the stats.

The club comfortably saw off Lithuanian club Vetra 6-0 on aggregate and Russians Amkar Perm in the qualifying rounds, before emerging unscathed from a group containing FC Basel, CSKA Sofia and Italian giants AS Roma.

Ukranian Champions Shaktar Donetsk were next up for the Cottagers but a 3-2 aggregate win saw the vanquished with another Italian giant in Juventus next up and similarly eliminated.

The Juventus tie saw Fulham comeback from 3-1 down to seal their quarterfinal place, but more importantly it imbued within them a confidence to go on.

German Champions Wolfsburg suffered at the hands of Fulham’s new found belief before a Volcanic Ash affected semi-final tie with another German club, Hamburg saw Fulham complete their remarkable tale.

A 0-0 draw in Hamburg was followed up with a 2-1 win at Craven Cottage clinching Fulham a European final against Athletico Madrid.

From fourth tier to European final in 14 years?

Fulham is the English soccer definition of the American Dream.

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