Mike W under the spotlight

[dannyboi-ffc]

Morning Ladies and gents.

Over the summer we've asked some FOF members to go under the spotlight and answer some questions. Here's Mike W's profile – he lives way down West and only gets to the Cottage a few times a year but has been a dedicated follower of Fulham since he first saw then in 1959 – when Tom Finney was playing for Preston!


Name: Mike Waring

I have always been a far away supporter in terms of attendance so my visits to the Cottage are always special days.  Over the years my two sons and my wife have attended with me – as a young lad, number two son admitted we were his 'second team' (after Villa) but it was short lived.
Current Favourite Player?: Kevin McDonald

Favourite Ever Player?: Difficult but I suppose it was Tony Macedo.  I was a budding 'keeper at my three London schools – in Kingston, Pinner and Wealdstone – so Tony the cat shades it.  Of that era I remember the characters more than the skills – Jim Langley, Tosh, people like that.  I can also remember the team of the time – Macedo, Cohen, Langley, Mullery, Bentley, Lowe, Key Cook, O'Connell, Haynes, Leggat – straight off the top of my head! How sad is that.
More recently Saha was a marvellous talent and although he was a 'Marmite' character I thought we had the best years of Zamora.  He was probably the best I have ever seen holding up and laying off and he had the right people around him to take advantage.
Favourite ever moment: It has to be Clint's goal against Juventus.  My mate and I bought hospitality in McBride's and arrived early so we could sample the local pubs.  When the goal went in a lady next to me hugged me like I've not been hugged for many a year!  I couldn't watch the Zoltan penalty.
Another personal favourite goes way back to 1960 when Fulham drew 4-4 with Man U at the cottage.  My friend and I were stuck up against the iron railings along the front of the Stevenage Road stand (as was) and told not to move by our respective Dads until the crowds had left.  It's a very clear memory even nearly 60 years on.
I was distraught that Macedo did not play (Hewkins did) but to see Fulham hold their own against the mighty MU was something.  Somewhere I think I still have the programme.
Favourite Ever Goal: Zamora against Juventus.  The ground was deflated after their early goal yet Fulham embarked on calypso football and Bob's equaliser set the tone for the early evening.  It was a tremendous game and a memorable goal for me.  In advance I thought the battle between Zamora and Cannavaro was something to be relished but after the Juve man was dismissed it was all Bob territory

Favourite ever manager?:  I think like others I would go with Malcolm Macdonald.
He raised the profile of the club greatly and put together a really good team for absolute peanuts.  He also had a marketing head and I recall was heavily involved in the rugby league that failed sadly and wrecked our pitch.
But with a makeshift team with some diamonds - Houghton/Ivor/Locke etc. – we had not been closer to the top flight in years.
I put him ahead of the other candidates because he effectively had no money and was always being undermined by the delightful Chairman.
Cookie was another favourite – again his record stands up well in a completely different era and he had a standing start – albeit more money.  Adams was another who did a great job working with very little and of course Keegan – working at the other end of the money spectrum - catapulted us on our way to the Prem.  But Super Mac shades it for me.
Favourite Ever Captain?:  I think I have to say Cookie.  OK, money talks but he was prepared to drop some way down and dictate MAF's dream from the pitch.  Yes, I'll stick with Cookie with Morgs a very close second.
First game?:  Fulham v Preston North End - 1959.  Bus trip from New Malden, walk through the park – all new territory to me as an excited youngster. Stood on the Hammersmith end corner (below what is now the Sky Box).  No cover on three sides of course – and no floodlights.  I remember the flags and the bizarre 'half time scores' board which corresponded to a matrix in the programme.  And it all seemed a long way away but I was 8!  It was only many years later that I realised Johnny Haynes had scored the Fulham goal.
I equally remember listening to FA Cup semi's on the radio – we seemed to play Burnley a lot? We were always nearly there but not quite – twas ever thus!
I also recall our results were always in first due to the early kick off's
Favourite stand of the 4 at the Cottage:  The Haynes Stand (Stevenage Road) of course has been there for ever but I got really fed up not being able to see anything on a sunny day so have graduated to the other side.  Before the all seater my oldest lad and I saw a game against Blackburn (Souness's first as manager) when Riedle missed a pen.  We stood in the Hammersmith – last time I stood at footie – and the only time my lad ever has!
Favourite home shirt/kit?:  The 'Demon' kit.
Favourite away shirt/kit?:  Red and black stripes over various years
Red or black socks?:  Neither. I well recall the unique graduated white socks with black hoops in the 60's.  Long before the days of replica kit my Mum & Dad tried to get me some but were rebuffed by the club as 'players only'.  My Dad also tried to persuade the department manager in Bentalls in Kingston to part with a life size Johnny Haynes cardboard cut-out that was in the store but he was having none of it.
Which badge do you associate yourself with?: Not unhappy with the modern day version – it's quite distinctive.

Favourite Shirt Sponsor?:  Demon

Most underrated player?:  Difficult when you have had years of struggle when solid lads have kept you together and fancy Dan's have come in, taken the glory and money and left.
I'd say Morgs.  He always gave everything and managed to act as the continuity between the old Fulham and MAF's new look approach.
Favourite team to beat?:  I'd love us to be playing in the Prem again so any of them but Chelsea and Man U are particularly pleasing especially as there is a Mourinho connection to both.  I can't stand the man.  It would also be nice to get a result over Everton at Goodison also.

Pre-match drink, post-match drink or both?  After a 2 hour drive a couple of pints in the bar under the Riverside stand usually hits the spot.
Any match-day rituals?:  Obviously I listen to Gentleman Jim and Jamie quite a bit at home but no real rituals.


Best away ground & why?:  Villa Park

I've been there many times with number two son but the only decent Fulham result I recall was the FA Cup win in 1999.  They were pretty good Prem and we were upstarts.  We ran them ragged in the first half and Steve Hayward had a cracking game.  I recall it was the beginning of the end for Cullimore who didn't show up.  Why Fulham ever signed him a few years later I'll never know.
I remember seeing Fulham in some odd places – playing Bristol Rovers at Bath City's ground at Twerton Park – a pitch I had played on years earlier - was a bit different and the old Rovers ground off the M32 (now IKEA) when Teddy Maybank took a fearful rapping from both their  centre half and the home fans.  The away end was right up against the motorway and the pitch was miles away behind a speedway/greyhound track.
A dreadful game when we played in light blue shirts, white shorts and strange coloured yellowish socks against Walsall was another low point!  Rag bag looks complemented by rag bag performance losing 5-1 or something like that.
Have you ever worked for the club? No

What's the one thing that you love most about Fulham?:  Quirky and unpredictable; also I love the ground as do any friends or relations who accompany me on occasions.
Fuhamish moment?
In the Mickey Adams era my good lady bought me a match ball sponsorship as a Christmas present.
It included hospitality and decent seats and my lad and I duly presented ourselves on the chosen day in the Riverside reception.  We were shown to a dining room and .... well that was it.  No one met us, there was no mention of me in the programme.  I asked at the bar if the lady it had been organised through was around to be told 'I don't think she's here today!'
So we had a nice lunch, watched the game from the Directors box and went home. Come Monday Mrs W was on the blower and the state of Fulham's then promotions department became all too apparent – shambles.
It was all duly rectified:  We presented ourselves at another game, went to the middle for the toss up, met Mickey and JH and got an autographed ball – which is now delated but pristine.  Happy days.  All a bit more professional these days I imagine.
What moment in our history would you change & why?:  Events after MAF sold up have been pretty poor really.  We had got used to being a decent performer in the Prem with the odd highlight and 8th, 9th or 10th was probably realistic.
My understanding is he left the club debt free and the new owners got a bit of a bargain in hindsight.  Sad to say, they have been badly advised in my view in what is a pretty unforgiving environment.  Contrast with when MAF came in.  Keegan was shrewd and persuasive and to have 'football people' like Arthur Cox onboard was invaluable.
We saw little of that when the current owners took over and there is still an air of naivety about today I fear.
Tony Khan seems to have embraced his role as (effectively) Chief Executive but my view is he needs some heavyweight 'football people' around him.  Easy to criticise from afar I know but there is simply nothing like experience.  A lap top full of stat's will get you nowhere. 
What is your expectations for next season?:  Getting promotion is top of the list but I am very guarded about what happens if we go up – as I was this year.  We would pretty much need to replace most of the team to exist, let alone progress.  And yet again, while those around us make headway in the transfer market, we dither.
All very Fulhamish!
I hope you enjoy my ramble.

[bobbo]

Nice read and mike you have a very good memory, you started attending just a year or two after I did but you remember so much more. My only disagreement is replacing the whole team if we're promoted, some not all of course are plenty Goode enough.

[RaySmith]

Great read Mike- thanks mate.

I can still name that early 60's team off of the top of me head too.

I also remember the characters at Fulham, like Tosh, bantering with the crowd on the Riverside terracing, where I always stood with my rattle, and him being yelled at by the  great JH when he squandered one of his  brilliant passes, or fired a cannonball  into the crowd - though Tosh scored  some great goals too.

We are so privileged to have witnessed that era at  Fulham.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Great read Mike- thanks mate.

I can still name that early 60's team off of the top of me head too.

I also remember the characters at Fulham, like Tosh, bantering with the crowd on the Riverside terracing, where I always stood with my rattle, and him being yelled at by the  great JH when he squandered one of his  brilliant passes, or fired a cannonball  into the crowd - though Tosh scored  some great goals too.

We are so privileged to have witnessed that era at  Fulham.

Absolutely, we were indeed privileged, never to be forgotten.
I agree with almost all that Mike W has written.
The one thing I have to take issue with, is how we could handle promotion. Well there are a few of our players that are good enough, if they had quality players brought in to reinforce them.
But a great post nonetheless, thanks Mike.