Fulham F.C.

Fulham Football Club, founded in 1879, is London's oldest professional football club. Based in West London, they play their home matches at the historic Craven Cottage, a venue they have called home since 1896. The club's iconic white shirts and black shorts have been their kit since that same year. Fulham currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football, and shares intense West London derby rivalries with Chelsea, Brentford, and Queens Park Rangers.

The club's early years saw success in the Southern League, winning First Division titles in 1905–06 and 1906–07. They joined the Football League in 1907 and spent decades fluctuating between divisions. The post-war era brought a Second Division title in 1948–49, but relegations followed. The 1950s and 1960s were defined by star player Johnny Haynes, whose form helped Fulham stay in the top flight before consecutive relegations dropped them to the Third Division by 1969. They bounced back to reach the 1975 FA Cup final, losing to West Ham United.

After years in the lower leagues, Mohamed Al-Fayed's takeover in 1997 sparked a revival. Fulham won two divisional titles in three seasons, reaching the Premier League in 2001. They won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2002 and were runners-up in the 2010 UEFA Europa League final. However, 13 straight top-flight seasons ended with relegation in 2014. Under current owner Shahid Khan, the club has become a yo-yo team, winning promotion via the playoffs in 2018 and 2020, then securing the Championship title in 2022. They have remained in the Premier League since. [edit]

Fulham began life as St Andrews Cricket & Football Club in 1879, started by a schoolteacher and churchwarden for local boys. Cricket came first, but football took over, and by 1889 the name was shortened to Fulham Football Club. Their original nickname, the Saints, gave way to the Cottagers, a nod to the 1780s Craven Cottage building that still stands on the stadium grounds. The club turned professional in December 1898 and joined the Southern League, winning back-to-back First Division titles in 1905–06 and 1906–07.

After joining the Football League in 1907, Fulham spent years bouncing between the top two tiers. World War II interrupted play, but the club won the Second Division title in 1948–49 under manager Jack Peart. The 1950s and 1960s were the golden age of Johnny Haynes, the elegant inside forward who captained England and kept Fulham competitive in the First Division. After Haynes retired, the club slid into the Third Division by 1969. They rallied to reach the 1975 FA Cup final, where they lost 2–0 to West Ham United, but that near-miss was followed by two decades in the lower divisions.

The modern era began when Mohamed Al-Fayed bought the club in 1997. He appointed Kevin Keegan as manager, and Fulham stormed from the Third Division to the Premier League in just four seasons, setting records for points and goals along the way. The club won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2002 and, under Roy Hodgson, reached the 2010 Europa League final, losing 2–1 to Atlético Madrid after extra time. Relegation in 2014 ended 13 years in the top flight, and a yo-yo period followed. Shahid Khan took over in 2013, and after two playoff promotions and one Championship title in 2021–22, Fulham has reestablished itself in the Premier League under Marco Silva. [edit]