The Fulham FC Miscellany E-Book

Alex White

• Herausgeber: The History Press
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

Packed with facts, stats, trivia, stories and legend, The Fulham FC Miscellany is the ultimate book of trivia on the Lilliewhites and is a treasure trove of information that you can dip in and out of at your leisure. It will make you smile, laugh out loud, sigh and reflect on the good times and the bad. Written by lifelong fan Alex White, this is a book no self-respecting Fulham fan should be without.

Leseprobe

CONTENTS

Title Page

Introduction

First Match

West London Cup

West London Observer Cup

West London League

Early Friendlies

Grounds

London League

London Senior Cup

Middlesex Senior Cup

Going Professional

The Shrimptons

Fulham’s Boer War Soldiers

Biggest Defeats

Southern League Abandonments

Amateur Internationals

Colours

Corinthians

Revamped Cottage

Fulham’s Eminent Psychiatrist

First Friendly Foreign Opposition

Limited Liability

Fulham’s First International

Biggest Win

Great Danes

First Travel Abroad

Record Defeat in FA Cup Semi-Finals

Albert Wilkes to the Rescue!

London Challenge Cup

Another Final with Spurs

Secretary to the Queen

South Eastern League

Army Band Master

Brothers

Rumpole of the Cottage

Egyptian influence

Skene Returns

Olympic Games

Boxers

Embarrassing Semi-Final Defeat

League Carries on Despite War

Croydon Common

Killed in Action – First World War

Victory Cup

Bromley Easily Beaten

Morse Loses His Arm

Royalty

Tragic Fulham Death

Fulham’s First Great Chairman

Finances 1928 Style

Fulham’s Long-Living Players

The Cardiff Casanova

Clean Sheets

Travers Banned for Life

Cricketers

Fulham Go Dutch

Record Reserve Win

The Lost London Derby

Record VIctory Over Ks

Torquay Hit for Ten

Third Division South Champions

Reserves Triumph at Last

Goals, Goals, Goals!

Bonzo’s Finale

Jimmy Hogan Sacked in Hospital

Tragic Death of Sonny

Debutant Scorers

Biggest Crowd at the Cottage

First Wartime Match at the Cottage

Fulham at War

League War Cup Run

During the War …

More Wartime Experiences

Wartime Internationals

Jones at War

Wartime Deaths – Second World War

Irish League Representatives

Moscow Dynamos Come to Town

Oldest Surviving Players

The Cottagers’ North American Tour

Fulham’s Golden Voice

Juniors

Southern Floodlit Cup

Semi-Final Defeat to Busby Babes

5-A-Side Triumph

Record Goals in FA Cup Tie at the Cottage

Little Bird at the Cottage

Club President

The Iron Man Cometh

First German VIsitors

Macedo is Flown Home

Johnny Campbell

Record Defeat at Molineux

Another Semi-Final Defeat

Boxing Day Triumph

Sixties London Cup Success

Fulham’s First Substitute

Robson Sacked by Fulham

George Cohen Testimonial

Cook Scores First Football League Cup Goal

Record Away Win

Record League Cup Crowd

Eusebio Opens Riverside

PelÉ Comes to Town

Deutsch Bore-Draw

Anglo-Italian Cup

Anglo-Scottish Cup

Boardroom Rumpus

Odd End at the Palace

National Opposition

Oriental Delight

Coldest Night Ever

Record League Cup Defeat

Paris Disappointment

Promotion From Third Division

Hill Saves Fulham From Brink

Public inquiry Undermined

Saving Craven Cottage

Associate Members’ Cup

Penalty Shoot-Outs

Play-Offs

Quickest Goals

Fulham’s Lowest Ebb

Fulham on their Way Back

Cottagers Triumph at VIlla

International Fulham

Israel Undone by the Riddler

What! No Programme?

Van Der Sar’s Debut

Tigana Reunion

Hottest Match

Away Records

The Conway Brothers

The Lowe Brothers

The Goldie Brothers

The Wallbanks Brothers

Abandoned Matches

Chairmen

Champions

Craven Cottage

Educated Players

England Internationals

Record FA Cup VIctory

Father and Son

Football Combination

Football League & Premiership Champions

Football League Cup Finals

Football League Representatives

Greatest Goalscorers

Handbooks & Brochures

Home Records

Internationals at Fulham

League of Ireland

Managers

Mergers

Fa Amateur Cup

Fa Trophy

Fa Vase

Oldest Player

Youngest Player

Opposition Records

Penalties

Relegation

Scottish Internationals

Scottish League Champions

Scottish League Representatives

Semi-Professional Internationals

Sendings Off

Sequences

Consecutive Matches

Shortest Careers

Most Appearances

Transfers (Incoming)

Transfers (Outgoing)

Welsh Internationals

Europa League Dream

Fulham’s Rise to the Premier League

Copyright

INTRODUCTION

This year I celebrate 50 years of watching Fulham. It has had it ups and downs but the last ten years have made up for the years of mediocrity that came before. Being only ten and coming from a family that did not have much money and who were more interested in the arts, I could not afford to watch the club regularly until 1965. I recently worked out that by May 2012 I had seen Fulham’s first team play 1,183 times at Craven Cottage and on top of this are a number of away matches plus reserve and junior matches that I have seen at the Cottage and elsewhere. When I first started watching the Cottagers they were a First Division side with some wonderful players such as the great Johnny Haynes plus England’s World Cup winning full-back George Cohen, John Dempsey, Tony Macedo, Jim Langley, Alan Mullery, Eddie Lowe, Bobby Robson, Tosh Chamberlain and my favourite Scottish International Graham Leggat. It took me some time to recover after the Fulham manager Vic Buckingham sold him to Birmingham City in January 1967 after scoring five goals in his last two games for the club.

Fulham have always been a quirky club with a great history. We may not have won much over the years but there have been many golden moments to remember. However, there have also been some awful memories of incompetent teams and poor management. My own personal rock-bottom moment came at Scarborough on 1 April 1995 when Fulham managed to lose 3–1 to a team that no longer exists. Of the 52 travelling supporters, I knew 38 of them. They were mostly diehards who rarely missed a match home and away.

My greatest moment as a Fulham fan was the amazing comeback against Juventus in the Europa Cup in 2010. After losing 3–1 in Turin and then conceding an early goal in the return leg, Fulham made an amazing comeback to win 4–1, which included a wonder goal from hero USA international Clint Dempsey. Other great moments have been getting to a Wembley FA Cup final for the one and only time in 1975 – I was at Maine Road when John Mitchell scored with virtually the last kick of the match for the only goal of the semi-final replay against Birmingham City. Also Fulham’s rise from the fourth tier to the Premier League in only five seasons had many memorable moments.

From its early days as a church football team, through the golden period of the late 1950s and early ’60s to the 33 year wait for the return of top-flight football in 2001, the Lilliewhites have more than held their own ever since and thanks to the generosity of chairman Mohamed Al Fayed, the club has also reached the final of a major European competition.

I hope you enjoy the book.

Alex White, July 2012

FIRST MATCH

The first known match involving a Fulham side is a 4–2 home defeat against Stanley at Eel Brook Common on 6 October 1883. It now seems likely that although former Fulham footballer and secretary Henry Shrimpton’s book on the formation and early years of the club states that they were formed in 1879, St Andrew’s did not start playing competitive football until 1883 when a cricket club was also formed. There are strong arguments for Fulham’s formation date being 1883 rather than 1879. However, there is no definitive proof for either argument.

WEST LONDON CUP

Fulham won 21 of the 22 games that they played during 1886/87 and scored 87 goals, conceding just 13. That season they beat Oaklands 2–0 to reach the first ever West London Cup final where they played St Matthew’s in February 1887. The match was played at Ranelagh House with a large crowd present. There was controversy before the match as St Andrew’s selected a player called Gamble on the right wing who usually played for St Mark’s College (Chelsea). This was his one and only game for the club and he helped St Andrew’s to a 2–1 victory. St Matthew’s took the lead when Stiles opened the scoring after about 20 minutes but then opposition player Mason broke his collarbone after a clash with Aram and had to leave the pitch. Fulham took advantage of the extra man and scored twice in the last 10 minutes through Jack Howland to win the match. Gamble set up the winner with a fine run down the left and an excellent centre for Howland to head home.

The following season, St Andrew’s lost the West London Cup final to Oaklands after a replay. The first game ended in a 1–1 draw with a goal scored by ‘Tubby’ Carter before a crowd of 600 at the North Kensington Ground. They were outplayed in the replay, losing 4–0 at the same venue, three weeks later. The team was: May; Hobson, Walters; Pearce, Aram, King; Martin, Carter, Andrews, Draper and Maxfield with Newport and Balster replacing Draper and Andrews in the replay. To reach the final they beat Caxtonians 11–0 with goals from Howland (4), Martin (4), Andrews (2) and Aram, and Willesden Junction Institute 7–0 in the semi-finals. Over the next four seasons, Fulham St Andrew’s lost on each occasion to great local rivals Stanley FC before they could reach the final.

WEST LONDON OBSERVER CUP

The West London Observer Cup was sponsored by the local newspaper of that name. In its initial season of 1890/91, Fulham reached the final to play Stanley FC. In the first round they defeated West London Tailors 6–3 then beat Kensal 6–1 at Brondesbury in the semi-final with goals from Abon Sermon (3), Tim Draper and Billy Mugford (2). Both finals against Stanley were played at the Half Moon ground in Lower Richmond Road, Putney. The first final, played on 4 April 1891, ended in a 0–0 draw but Fulham won the replay 5–3 a week later thanks to a hat-trick from Billy Mugford and a brace from Tim Draper. The Fulham team for both games was: Jack May; Jack King, Tom Shrimpton; A. Lovell, Joe Chell, George Pearce; Billy Mugford, Tim Draper, Frank Withington, Abon Sermon, Fred Carter.

The following season Fulham lost 2–1 to Stanley in the final at the Kensal Rise Athletic Grounds after beating St John’s (Hammersmith) 6–0 and Salisbury (Fulham) 3–1 on the way. Their team in the final was: Jack May; Tom Shrimpton, Jack King; Joe Chell, George Pearce, Arthur Newport; Will Sermon, J. Morrison, F. Smith, Fred Carter, Abon Sermon.

Fulham beat St Clement 3–1 and Salisbury (Fulham) 3–0 before being defeated by Queens Park Rangers 3–2 on 22 April 1893 in the final at the National Athletic Ground at Kensal Rise. The Fulham line up this time was: J. May; T. Shrimpton, T. Curry; T. Cardross, A. Newport, J. King; G. Pearce, A. Fearon, F. Withington, W. King and A. Sermon.

WEST LONDON LEAGUE

Fulham won the newly formed West London League in 1892/93, winning 16 of their 18 matches. They beat QPR 1–0 at their home ground at the Half Moon, Putney, and drew 2–2 in the return match. Their biggest win of the season came at Hounslow, who were beaten 6–1. Their side included the King brothers – Jake and Will, Tom & Jack Shrimpton, secretary Arthur Newport, the excellent goalkeeper Jack May, the Revd Gilbert Montague Hall, Tubby Carter and Horace Wilkins.

EARLY FRIENDLIES

Fulham entered a cup for the first time in 1885, but lost to Hendon 9–0 in the London FA Cup. They entered a league for the first time in 1892 when they joined the West London League. Their main rivals before the turn of the twentieth century were Stanley FC who Fulham met many times in cup and friendly matches. Some of their other opposition in the early days had unusual names such as Reindeer, Venetians, Orion Gymnasium, Aldenham Institute and the Royal School of Mines. Millwall Rovers were the first future Football League club to play Fulham in September 1888. They later became known as Millwall Athletic and then plain Millwall, as they are known today. The match with Millwall was abandoned at half time after all three balls that were available had burst, with Fulham leading 2–1.

The Lilliewhites went on their first tour over Easter 1892 when they visited the West Country for the weekend. They met Weymouth, Yeovil and a South Devon XI at the County Ground in Dorchester. On 15 April 1892 they drew 0–0 with Weymouth and the team was J. May; T.W. Shrimpton, W. Ridout; A. Newport, A.T. Norman, J. McKenzie; A. Mason, H.C. Brewer (Highgate Harriers), A. Morris, F. Carter, J. McDonald. Only Jack May, Tom Shrimpton, Arthur Newport, Tom Norman and Fred ‘Tubby’ Carter were actual Fulham players – the rest were ringers as many of the Fulham regulars either could not get time off work or could not afford the trip. The following day a South Dorset XI beat Fulham 2–1 with R. Grant of Weymouth replacing the injured Brewer. On Easter Monday, and after a rest day, Fulham played Yeovil and won 3–1 thanks to goals from Mason and Carter (2).

GROUNDS

Before Fulham started playing at Craven Cottage in October 1896 they played at a number of other ground, most of which were not enclosed. Fulham were not able to take a proper gate until they moved to the Half Moon Ground on Lower Richmond Road, Putney, in September 1891. This ground was between the Half Moon pub on Lower Richmond Road and the River Thames. The club shared this ground with Wasps Rugby Union Club until 1895 when it was redeveloped into the houses which stand there today.

The first pitch that St Andrew’s played on was little more than a muddy field close to where the club was formed at St Andrew’s Church, Star Road, West Kensington. They started to play organised friendly matches in 1883 on Eel Brook Common which was part of a local park and the following year they moved to a ground at Lillie Road, close to the Queens Club. The exact location of this pitch is unknown but it was a different ground than that which had been used for an early FA Cup final that was close to this location. Shortly afterwards the club moved to Lower Putney Common – an open ground on common land.

The football club changed their name to Fulham St Andrew’s to distinguish themselves from the many other clubs called St Andrew’s in London area. They played at Ranelagh House for two seasons from 1886 to 1888 until the site was used for housing. This ground was situated close to the River Thames by the Hurlingham Club and they used the Eight Bells public house in Fulham High Street for changing rooms. The first known match at Ranelagh House was reported in the West London Advertiser for a game with local rival Stanley FC on 23 October 1886. Fulham St Andrew’s won the game 5–0 and the team was given as: Jack May; Jack King, Will Hobson; Wilf Hobson, Bert Aram, Tom Norman; Albert Keefe; Fred Carter, Jack Howland, William Andrews and Billy Balster.

The Ranelagh Club, along with Fulham St Andrew’s, had to relocate in summer 1888 to Barn Elms, Castelnau (an area that was on the opposite side of the river to the present Craven Cottage ground), owing to the redevelopment of their grounds. The club changed their name to just plain Fulham in December 1888 but attendances dropped off due to the difficulties of getting across the river to the new ground, so Fulham moved to Roskell’s Field in 1890 which was close to the Parsons Green tube station. The teams used the Rose & Crown public house as changing rooms but the big drawback at this venue was that the pitch had a tree on it! They returned temporarily to Eel Brook Common in January 1891 as Roskell’s Field seemed to be continually waterlogged and many games had to be postponed, then on to the Half Moon in the summer. This was a properly enclosed ground and local cup finals were often played here. When they lost the Half Moon ground in 1895, Fulham played for a season at great local rivals Stanley’s home ground at Halford Road, Walham Green, before finding a new home at Craven Cottage.

LONDON LEAGUE

Fulham joined the London League Division Two in 1896 but finished only eighth out of nine teams in their first season. The first match was a 6–1 defeat at Brentford and the first match at the Cottage was an 8–0 defeat against their great local rivals Stanley FC. Goalkeeper Jack May was blamed for this heavy defeat and walked out of the club for a while. Fulham did better in their second season when they finished as runners-up, a point behind champions Barnet. E.H. Freeman scored 23 goals in only 16 appearances and Billy Ives scored 11 goals as Harrow Athletic were beaten 13–0, Forest Swifts 9–0 and Orient 6–0. Fulham appeared in the first division of the London League from 1900 to 1904 as they had so few Southern League fixtures. The reserves played in the London League Division Two from 1904 to 1914 and won the title in 1904/05 and 1913/14.

LONDON SENIOR CUP

Fulham entered the London Senior Cup from 1891 to 1899 but never won the competition for the leading amateur sides in London. Their best season was when they reached the fifth round in 1897/98 before losing to Barking Woodville 1–0 at the Cottage after a 0–0 away draw. They had beaten Westminster 4–1, Wandsworth 1–0, Metropolitan Railway 2–0 and QPR 4–3 to reach the fifth round.

Fighting broke out between the fans of the two clubs when Fulham beat Brentford 1–0 in the London Senior Cup on 9 November 1895. Unfortunately, the dressing rooms were some way from the pitch and a number of Fulham players were assaulted trying to get to safety. Alec Frame had scored the winning goal for Fulham in a tempestuous match. Unfortunately Fulham went on to lose 4–3 to Ealing in the next round after being 3–1 up at the interval.

MIDDLESEX SENIOR CUP

Fulham entered the Middlesex Senior Cup from 1891 to 1897 but rarely did well in the competition. Their best season was 1896/97 when they reached the fourth round. They beat Minerva 4–0 in the first round which was actually also the first ever game at Craven Cottage in October 1896. Jimmy Lindsay, Abon Sermon (2) and Eddie Witheridge scored the goals. Fulham won 3–0 at Enfield in the next round with Sammy Aylott scoring twice and Freddie Hollands also on target. However, they then lost 3–1 to London Welsh in the third round (‘Robbie’ Robertson scoring) but were later awarded the tie for reasons unknown. Fulham lost to Ealing 3–1 at the Cottage in the fourth round before a crowd of 3,000, L.J. Moon scoring Fulham’s only goal. This is believed to be Leonard James Moon who played cricket for Cambridge University and Middlesex. Moon was later ordered to play for the Third Grenadiers rather than Fulham, much to his annoyance, after scoring 5 goals in the first two games of 1897/98. He attended Westminster School and later Pembroke College, Cambridge, from 1897 to 1900 and gained a Blue at football. He also played for the amateurs against the professionals in 1905 and appeared for the Corinthians. Leonard played 63 matches for Middlesex CCC between 1899 and 1903 and toured North America with the MCC in 1905. He was killed on active service in Karasouli, Salonika, Greece, on 23 November 1916.