Legendary Fulham supporters.

[robert]

My first Fulham away match was against Millwall in the late 70's and we won 3-1.I can remember being surrounded by Millwall fans giving us abuse.As a small kid I kept my my shut.However,there was a loud Irish stood near me shouting loudly for us whites.Over 40 years ago but recall it vividly.Anyone tell me more about this woman or any other such like legendary Fulham supporters?

[Arthur]

Sounds as if it may have been Mary Doughty, who organised supporters' away travel for many years. A lovely lady. Sadly, she passed away some years ago - I don't think she ever saw us play in the PL, but she would have been so proud.


The accolade of the most legendary supporter in the Club's history surely has to go to Alex Ferguson - the 'Johnny Haynes' of Fulham fans.

He was, sadly, another who departed this earth before we achieved PL status. Everyone who followed us around the country during the 70s and 80s knew him, but there will, I'm sure, be others on here who knew him well and can provide a far more fitting testament than me.

He had, I believe, an unbroken run of attending first XI matches from the mid-1960s that ended up spanning 30 years-or-so. And I don't just mean competitive fixtures; it included every friendly played anywhere in the world. During this time, he also saw numerous youth fixtures here and abroad.

You might ask how he managed this (I did): he was, however, coy about the lifestyle that allowed him so much time to follow the Club he loved. It was said that he combined his travels abroad with undercover work for the M.O.D; whether there was any truth in this, I don't know.

[dannyboi-ffc]

Mary Doughty is definitely up there but I'm pretty sure she saw a fair bit of the prem era. I've met her on many occasions at the Cottage before away days unless I'm thinking of someone else. She may have even seen the European adventure under Woy?  LBNO11 will know better than me though.

She's a great loss to the club

[robert]

Yes I remember Alex also.I got a report that he actually died on the day we beat Chelsea in the Prem so he like Mary must have seen us in the top league.Can anyone else confirm they saw us in the Prem?

[nose]

what a lovely lady
i met her and knew her only slightly on match days and sjhe was always so nice and kind to me
when we were relegated to the bottom league, away at swansea... i sat just behind her..after the game her friends all finally left the stadium but she and I remained, unable to comprehend the fall from grace... i ended up leading her out, she had tears in her eyes and kept looking back at the pitch as if the game could be replayed and we would have survived...  i gave her back to her friends (maybe it was family) and they didn't seem to be able to comprehend her heartbrache...
but she smiled at me and we knew that at least we were kindred spirits in grief!

[Fernhurst]

Alex "The Traveller " Ferguson, is indeed a legend amongst Fulham fans. Wonderful wordsmith describing his convoluted journeys to the back of beyond to watch his beloved club. When reading his dispatches I felt quite jealous of his lifestyle.
There is one story I would also like confirmation of.
When cited for divorce his soon to be departed wife named Fulham FC as the co-respondent ??!!

[bill dando]

Indeed Alex,Arthur,mind you did not do bad yourself mate i still cut a pork pie in four pieces and add tomato ketchup !

[Dodger53]

Millwall away Dec 10th 1977, we won 3-0. My dad had been out the night before for a 'few' drinks with an old navy pal who was a Millwall Fan, they went together and sat in the directors box. As me and my pals are leaving 'keeping quiet' my dad leans over from the stands and shouts my name, as I acknowledge him he shouts out 'what a great result'! cheers Dad... we just about got out alive.

My daughter went to Daryl Rd Primary school in Richmond and one of her friends dad was a director at Millwall, she will be there today.

When I was 14 I went on my first 'Thamesbank Travellers' trip. While waiting for an early morning change of train at Richmond I met Alex Ferguson for the first time, what a character. When I was 17 I went for an interview at the place he worked to do the same type of job, he did do secret work for the MOD but I don't think he went undercover on away trips. He certainly went to ALL games including pre-season friendlies whereever they were and this probably helped towards his marriage failing. Alex became a friend for many years and helped me many times including when I ended up in the East Midlands hospital having an emergency appendix operation on the way back from PNE, the coach had run out of petrol on the M1 when my 'state of ill health' came to the attention of everyone on board. I had to discharge myself the following Friday to make the home game to Brighton, the 5-1 win helped split my stitches - happy memories.

[Tonywa]

Mary Doughty is definitely up there but I'm pretty sure she saw a fair bit of the prem era. I've met her on many occasions at the Cottage before away days unless I'm thinking of someone else. She may have even seen the European adventure under Woy?  LBNO11 will know better than me though.

She's a great loss to the club

As one who was a regular away supporter during the club's days in the lower divisions I knew Mary very well indeed and still see her daughter Barbara at the Cottage from time to time.Mary did see us back in the top division, but died fairly soon afterwards.   She was one of a large group of regulars who  used to sit together on the official club coach (when we only had one plus the Thamesbank Travellers) which also included the late Helen Drinkwater and her husband Den, john Bird, Barbara Bowden, Heather Thomas and Tracey Hubbard, Sandra Coles and her sister Yvonne Haines and several others.  At about the time we began our climb up the divisions I started my own business and that has stopped me going to many away games, though I am still a season ticket holder as I have been for many years.  Many happy memories of days when supporting Fulham was something of a trial, though the many friendships one made with other supporters helped to make it all worthwhile. 

[beijing ben]

Yes I remember Alex also.I got a report that he actually died on the day we beat Chelsea in the Prem so he like Mary must have seen us in the top league.Can anyone else confirm they saw us in the Prem?

I'm sure I remember Alex on the coach during the premier years. I would do three or four away games (by coach) a season and he was always there. I left England in 2006 so the Chelsea thing could be true..

How about the Asian woman, I'm assuming Japanese? She was always on the coach for the away games i went to, decked out in her Fulham gear... In fact, it was always the same people on the coach!

[dannyboi-ffc]

Yes I remember Alex also.I got a report that he actually died on the day we beat Chelsea in the Prem so he like Mary must have seen us in the top league.Can anyone else confirm they saw us in the Prem?

I'm sure I remember Alex on the coach during the premier years. I would do three or four away games (by coach) a season and he was always there. I left England in 2006 so the Chelsea thing could be true..

How about the Asian woman, I'm assuming Japanese? She was always on the coach for the away games i went to, decked out in her Fulham gear... In fact, it was always the same people on the coach!

Hahaha she used to sit near me in the JH, every away game she popped up too. What a legend!

Haven't seen her for a few years though, I hope she still goes

[madffc]

Yes I remember Alex also.I got a report that he actually died on the day we beat Chelsea in the Prem so he like Mary must have seen us in the top league.Can anyone else confirm they saw us in the Prem?

I'm sure I remember Alex on the coach during the premier years. I would do three or four away games (by coach) a season and he was always there. I left England in 2006 so the Chelsea thing could be true..

How about the Asian woman, I'm assuming Japanese? She was always on the coach for the away games i went to, decked out in her Fulham gear... In fact, it was always the same people on the coach!

Hahaha she used to sit near me in the JH, every away game she popped up too. What a legend!

Haven't seen her for a few years though, I hope she still goes

I remember her..was it an inamoto thing?

[Scrumpy]

The Traveller definitely saw us in The Premiership, because I met him on a trip to Athens in the Intertoto. That was the second season in the Prem, I think.

Funny how many of our 'legends' are women so far? I'm no expert, but just to even things up, how about Graham Blackman (?) who seems to go everywhere, Dave (I think) Pearce who must have a record as good as Alex Ferguson's by now.

There's a lady who travels up from Portsmouth area hasn't missed a game in about a decade. Old 'Bob' who is a bit mad, but travels to all games on the coach. The German fella who comes over from Germany for EVERY bloody match. There's a bloke called Dan who's always there in his black cap, and a middle-aged fella with special one hair and beard who works for BR so travels everywhere by rail with a little folder for the programme. And that's just off the top of my head.

I go to about 15 away games most seasons and there are 50+ fans that are there EVERY time! Legends, one and all.

[dannyboi-ffc]

Yes I remember Alex also.I got a report that he actually died on the day we beat Chelsea in the Prem so he like Mary must have seen us in the top league.Can anyone else confirm they saw us in the Prem?

I'm sure I remember Alex on the coach during the premier years. I would do three or four away games (by coach) a season and he was always there. I left England in 2006 so the Chelsea thing could be true..

How about the Asian woman, I'm assuming Japanese? She was always on the coach for the away games i went to, decked out in her Fulham gear... In fact, it was always the same people on the coach!

Hahaha she used to sit near me in the JH, every away game she popped up too. What a legend!

Haven't seen her for a few years though, I hope she still goes

I remember her..was it an inamoto thing?

It started off because of him but she still came for a long time after he left. He never played at the cottage but she definitely had a ST near me when we went home. Haven't seen her for a few years though which is a shame. She was a nice lady

[Fulham Joe]

Big Andy Collins, a mountain of a man also known as Selwyn.

Sadly Big Andy died 3 years ago.

[The Equalizer]

Did someone say Cliffy Dean?

[bobbo]

Mary doughty without doubt. Everybody knew her and I'm sure her daughter followed her , whether the daughter still goes , don't know. I can remember Mary on the trains in the fifties.

[BedsFFC]

Probably because of Mary Doughty that I became such a a fan. As a kid, I didn't really have any FFC fellow fans. I was about 14 and wanted to start going away. My mum took me to the station and we were met by Mary. She basically looked after me for about 2 years. It is one regret that I never met her much when I got older to say thank you.

Just remembered that she sometimes had people she knew in various places (I remember one was definitely Wrexham) and we would visit these peoples houses before the match. Also, outside the ground, a club official would always come and find her and give her the tickets she needed. I didn't pay for an away match ticket for about 2 years.

A lovely lady

[somerset cockernee]

As previously mentioned Cliff Dean must be among them, had the privilege of meeting him a few times at the most obscure places i.e a pre-season friendly at Torquay Utd. many moons ago, also an F.A cup game I think at Exeter. He seemed to be a decent bloke and entertaining to say the least...is he still around ?

[Jims Dentist]

Going back a long time, ERNIE, I think his surname was or is Welch.
First came across him in the 60's standing by the riverside pylon on the putney terrace.
Like many others he migrated to the hammersmith end and stood by the green pole, giving endless hours of entertainment at times when the football was dire.
I won't go into details as to why he was so entertaining, because at times, these days, it coould be controversial, but those that were there will certainly remember him.