Is this Fulhams biggest game in history?

[NorfolkJim]

I think yes, because of what is at stake. Even the Europa League Cup final - which I think was Fulham's greatest sporting achievement - didn't come with the rewards of victory this time or the costs of failure. Hope the players don't feel the nerves that I do.

[bill taylors apprentice]

The winning of a competition such as the FA Cup etc is an honour for the Club for ever more.

The play off final is a manufactured event that does'n't stack up as well in the history books.

But its more the effect this game has on the winners and losers that makes it stand apart, a loss doesn't just mean a big day ends in disappointment, it can effect the very future of the Club!

[Sherlock]

I dont think so. Financially the rewards are huge obviously. But winning promotion is so easily reversed with a relegation. Winning the Europa League would never have been taken away, and we'd be singing about it still and for many years to come. If I had the choice of winning that game or this one in Fulham's history, I'd choose Europa in a heartbeat.

[mrmicawbers]

Pompey was pretty important. Saturdays significant in the fact it's a Wembley appearance first for some Fulham fans.My big worry is if we don't win the team will break up and the manager may leave.So definitely up there.

[Mitch]

Depends if you define success in football by the riches it brings you or the level of trophy won. It's not even close to Hamburg for me in terms of a success. The fact it is at Wembley is what makes it most special.

[F(f)CUK]

What it means is a steady continuation of our building programme against a major rebuild. So much relying on one game, including money, means yes it probably is our most important game.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Nobody can take away the magnificent achievements of the FA Cup Final 1975 and the Europa Cup Final 2010, and as has already been mentioned that 1 0 victory at Portsmouth to save us from relegation felt like a Cup
Final. Not forgetting the huge FA Cup semi finals in 1958 and 1962 and 2002 when we were under dogs once again.
However, as I stand here reflecting on this day 23rd May 2018, in three days time on the 26th May 2018, could be written in Fulham FC Folk Law until the end of time.
Because not only due to the size of the audience thanks to Sky Sports or our first visit to the New Wembley. But also because of not only what's at stake if we win, but also what's at stake if we lose.
There is a huge difference.
If we win, it's the glory, it's the Premier League with all the financial gains, and they are enormous, and publicity and status, and of course greater memories to take home.
If victory on Saturday does not come our way for some bizarre reason, then the danger of course is, will it signal the break up of a great and glorious team, with our manager being tempted elsewhere, and the concern of losing our key players who would have held their own in the Premier League, and we are back to square one.
A massive difference of where we will be depending on the scoreline.
The comfort for me is the fact that we are there at Wembley on Saturday on merit. By playing the kind of football the purists drawl over, and other teams can only dream about.
As opposed to the FA Cup Final and the Europa Cup Final, and to a certain extent, that unforgettable day at Portsmouth, where we were massive underdogs.
This Saturday we are not, far from it, we are no longer underdogs. Some would say it's even Steven, others would say we edge it as favourites because we are the better footballing team, with pace, energy, youth and the ability to score goals from any part of the pitch. Even the stats analysts should say it's in our favour, not that you can rely on stats to win a match for you.
All the pressure is on Aston Villa, for so many different reasons, whereas whether we like it or not, we are little old Fulham, but with the comfort of knowing that most of the country will be behind us on the day.
Plus, we should all be going to Wembley with the confidence of knowing we are more than good enough, we are not there to make up the numbers.
So as opposed to the other great occasions we have had. We go there as the better footballing team, without any feeling of being second best because we are who we are.
As we know, its all on the day, and in the mind, it will either be Black or it will be White.
But whatever happens we will still be Black and White and very proud.

[Count Flapula]

Financially undisputably; honour / prestige-wise, no.

Financially it's comparable to winning a Premier League final day relegation scrap, so depends how you define "big / important", so I refer you to the sentence above.

[Woolly Mammoth]

It's a massive window for Fulham FC on Saturday, the biggest ever window for Fulham as far as their status in English Football is concerned.
Therefore the club/teams desire, appetite and hunger to reach the Premier League should outweigh anything our opponents can throw at us.

[bog]

It's a massive window for Fulham FC on Saturday, the biggest ever window for Fulham as far as their status in English Football is concerned.
Therefore the club/teams desire, appetite and hunger to reach the Premier League should outweigh anything our opponents can throw at us.

+1


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[Take Me Home MAF]

Simple answer - No.

That evening in Hamburg was, and remains the biggest game.

[Andy S]

I think it is too early to judge. History will say what game is the biggest. Obviously it is a big game but how big cannot be decided yet

[Jimpav]

I'm going with Hamburg.

It was a genuine cup final and we were playing for a European trophy.

Hamburg was more than just one night though, it was the culmination of 10 months of brilliant memories and exciting football that will stay with me to this day.

Summer nights, under the lights, brushing aside Vetra on a balmy August evening, feeling contorted with rage when AJ was bodychecked by Perm, effectively ending his Europa campaign.

Murphy daring us to dream with a win against Basel. Hangelands header and Schwarzers penalty save, blowing the tiles off the cottage roof, before Roma bought us down to earth with their last minute equaliser.

Dancing through the snowy streets of Basel, singing until we were hoarse, as Christmas came early for us.

Mesmerised by Shaktars Brazillians- before Zamora stunned them with a thunderbolt of his own.

The crushing disappointment of defeat in Turin, followed by a reverse fixture and goal that I dream of to this day.

Standing up because I still believed against Hamburg before Gera made us laugh, cry and sing simultanously.

Our Europa final captured the imagination of the press, and with it the heart of the nation. It was a fairytale story that I genuinely believe we will never see repeated again.

This was without doubt the biggest game in our history.