Friends of Fulham

 
Results

I hope there's more to come!

 
Aston Villa 0-1 Fulham


Fulham have been promoted to the Premier League after beating Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Captain Tom Cairney was their goalscorer, finishing neatly underneath Villa goalkeeper Sam Johnstone after latching onto Ryan Sessegnon's pass midway through the first half.

A fractious game ended with Fulham down to 10 men after centre-back Denis Odoi was sent off for two bookable offences - both for fouls on Jack Grealish.

Villa were furious that Ryan Fredericks escaped a card during a first-half tangle with Grealish, the Fulham right-back landing studs first on Grealish's leg, while the Villa man was later booked for a lunging tackle on Cairney.

Several Villa penalty appeals were also waved away by referee Anthony Taylor, including one in second-half stoppage time when Grealish fell under a challenge from Matt Targett.

The game opened up after the interval, with Villa much more incisive and Grealish looking most likely to find a reply.

However, the midfielder headed over the bar under pressure from Marcus Bettinelli and then saw his mazy run thwarted by a combination of the Fulham goalkeeper and Kevin McDonald.

Odoi's red card invited further pressure, but Fulham held firm during a late Villa onslaught to clinch a win that is worth an estimated £160m - a figure which financial experts Deloitte say could rise to as much as £280m if the Whites survive for more than one season in the top flight.

Captain Cairney secures promotion

It was perhaps fitting that Sessegnon and Cairney, the two shining lights in an impressive Fulham team this season, combined to score the goal that sent them back to the top flight after a four-year absence.

The pair were two of the three nominees for the EFL's Championship Player of the Season award, which was won by teenager Sessegnon.

The 18-year-old winger had been largely anonymous early on, but he found space in the centre of the Villa half and picked his pass perfectly to find the onrushing Cairney, who slotted coolly into the net.

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/76EE/production/_101764403_fulhamvilla9.jpg)
Ryan Sessegnon and Tom Cairney celebrate after combining for Fulham's winning goal

Sessegnon could have doubled Fulham's lead before half-time but his back-post header was directed straight at Johnstone, while he almost set up Stefan Johansen for a second goal midway through the second period.

"We've suffered for three years, not just in the second half," said Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic, who won promotion as Watford boss in 2015 but left the Hornets before he got the chance to take charge of them in the Premier League.

"It's not been easy since I've been at this place. We've shown with our style that we can be one of the best Championship teams, and we've shown we can be solid, organised and fighting altogether for a clean sheet."

Fulham back in the big time

Fulham's transformation from mid-table underperformers to promotion winners has been one of the feature points of the Championship season.

Defeat at struggling Sunderland on 16 December left them 12th in the table, 18 points behind the top two. Twenty-three unbeaten matches later, they were on the brink of automatic promotion and, had they won their final game at Birmingham, they would have finished second behind champions Wolves.

There was to be no repeat of last season's play-off disappointment, though. The Whites saw off Derby over two legs in their semi-final before beating Villa at Wembley.

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/15D02/production/_101764398_fulhamvilla2.jpg)
Tom Cairney wheels away in delight after putting Fulham ahead midway through the first half

While many have played their part, two January loan additions have been critical to their success. Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has netted 12 goals in 20 appearances and given the team a physical presence up front, while the arrival of Southampton left-back Targett has allowed Sessegnon to push further forward and excel in a more advanced position.

Fulham spent 13 successive seasons in the top flight before their relegation in 2014 and the hope is that the nucleus of this team, helped by the financial backing of owner Shahid Khan, can see them become an established Premier League club again.

Their possession-based style has been as eye-catching as anything on show in the second tier and that brand of football should transfer well to the higher level, although there is very little top-flight experience in Fulham's ranks and that is likely to be an area that Jokanovic will look to address in the next couple of months.

Fredericks should have been sent off - Bruce

On another day, Villa could have been awarded at least one penalty and had a man advantage for more than an hour.

In particular it was the Fredericks incident, which occurred right in front of the two dugouts immediately after Cairney's winning goal, that most angered Villa boss Steve Bruce.

"There were big decisions that went against us," said the former Manchester United captain, who failed to win a record fifth promotion from the second tier.

"For me, the boy should have had a red card very early. It was right in front of the referee and the fourth official, and for me he stamps on him.

"Nobody wants to see people sent off, but when it's as deliberate as that, he deserved a red card.

"There might have been a penalty in the second half, but what we can't disguise is that we didn't do enough in the first half.

"You just need a break and unfortunately we didn't get it."

What next for Villa?

Many Villa fans will look back at this season and wonder what might have been.

What if talismanic midfielder Grealish had not sustained a freakish kidney injury that caused him to miss the first three months of the campaign?

What if striker Jonathan Kodjia had not suffered another long-term injury that wrecked his second season with the club?

And what if a possible season-defining 4-1 win over leaders Wolves in March, which left them four points off second place with 10 matches remaining and looked to have kick-started an automatic promotion push, had not been followed by miserable defeats by lowly QPR and Bolton?

Villa have spent heavily in the past two seasons in their bid to return to the top flight, but they will have to cut their cloth accordingly as they prepare for a third successive season in the second tier.

Grealish was their stand-out performer at Wembley. He was outstanding, almost scored one of the best goals ever in a play-off final and did not deserve to be on the losing side.

His consistent form in the second half of the campaign has been a huge positive for Villa and he is sure to be a target for Premier League clubs this summer, so keeping the 22-year-old at Villa Park will be paramount to Bruce's side mounting another challenge for promotion next season.

"The discussions have got to be had above me to say what we've got and what we haven't got," said Bruce, who added it is up to veteran captain John Terry to decide whether he will play on at Villa Park next season.

"Of course there will be speculation about Jack. Personally, I would like him to stay. Another year with us would do him the world of good.

"We'd love to have given him the platform of the Premier League and we haven't, but he's playing regular football week in and week out. We'll see what happens."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44178427

 
Head Coach Reaction

Slaviša Jokanović was pleased his side got their just rewards for a fine season when they defeated Aston Villa at Wembley.

A 1-0 win in the Play-Off Final saw Fulham return to the top flight, and rightly so according to Jokanović.


"We've shown we are one of the best Championship teams," he said. "We showed we can be solid, organised and work altogether for a clean sheet. The last 20 minutes [with 10 men] all we were thinking about was not conceding.

"This is a really important victory for us. We deserved it. It's not easy to play at Wembley, there is a lot of pressure.

"We know what is ahead of us. The Premier League is the best and most competitive league, and we must be clever.

"One important improvement is now finished, and now we must show ambition to be a Premier League team."

Tom Cairney delivered a real skipper's display, working relentlessly and scoring the game's only goal with a cool finish.

"The last two years Cairney has been fantastic," Jokanović stated. "The beginning of the season we had to find a solution for his knee problem, but when he came back he played like we remember last season.

"Today he was crucial, he's captain of the team. He showed the quality and personality to bring the team to the Premier League, and he's an important player for us."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/may/26/head-coach-reaction-play-off-final

 
Everyone Is Saying The Same Thing About Ryan Sessegnon And The Sky Commentators

(http://beta.ems.ladbiblegroup.com/s3/content/808x455/1b3e3e225b09d8a3c6ca337c067ed4ce.png)

If you haven't heard already, Fulham sensation Ryan Sessegnon is just 18-years-old.

Not like Sky Sports commentators have mentioned it...

Sessegnon created Fulham's opening goal at the Championship Play-Off final with an exquisite through-ball to Tom Cairney who slotted home.

A chance for the commentators to mention Sessegnon's age.



http://www.sportbible.com/football/news-reactions-everyone-is-saying-the-same-thing-about-sessegnon-and-the-commentators-20180526

 
People are absolutely drooling at Ryan Sessegnon's play-off final assist


The youngster continues to impress when it counts

Ryan Sessegnon is just 18 years old. This is a fact which is repeated by every commentator who watches him and every supporter who is lucky enough to see him play. But it is also worth bearing in mind considering just how extraordinary a player he already is.

He's enjoyed a stunning season for Fulham, scoring 15 league goals in the process, and if his assist in the first half of the Championship play-off is anything to go by, he has no plans to slow down any time soon.

Receiving the ball from deep, Sessegnon took one touch to take the ball away from the defender, another to seamlessly skip away from a Snodgrass challenge and then opened up his body beautifully to slide through a gorgeous pass to the oncoming Tom Cairney, who tucked the ball into the goal.

Unsurprisingly, the response to such a move was sheer awe for a player who looks set to be world class.



https://www.joe.co.uk/sport/people-are-absolutely-drooling-at-ryan-sessegnons-play-off-final-assist-180798

 
'Ryan Fredericks got away with murder': Aston Villa icon Lee Hendrie fuming Fulham defender escaped punishment for stamp on Jack Grealish

    Lee Hendrie claimed Ryan Fredericks should have been sent off in the first half
    Fredericks appeared to deliberately stamp on Jack Grealish after losing the ball
    The incident happened right on the touchline but the referee did not take action
    Hendrie said: 'Something has to be done. He has got away with absolute murder'

Aston Villa icon Lee Hendrie has claimed Fulham defender Ryan Fredericks 'got away with absolute murder' after he escaped a red card for a stamp on Jack Grealish during the first half of their play-off final.

Fredericks was dispossessed by the Villa midfielder right next to the touchline after 28 minutes and appeared to deliberately stamp on him as he tried to win the ball back.

Grealish was left rolling around on the floor in pain after. The incident happened in front of the fourth official and Villa manager Steve Bruce, who waved his arms in appeal, but the referee opted not to take any action with Fredericks even avoiding a caution.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/26/18/4CA6F27B00000578-5775019-image-m-9_1527356196826.jpg)
Lee Hendrie claimed Ryan Fredericks should have been sent off for stamping on Jack Grealish

Hendrie, however, was left incensed by the decision and insisted he should have been given his marching orders. 'The more it is slowed down the more it is a red card,' he told Sky Sports.

'It is as simple as that and it is right in front of the fourth official on the byline, something has got to be done there surely. He has got away with absolute murder.'

Former Fulham midfielder and team-mate of Fredericks, Sone Aluko, reluctantly agreed with Hendrie's evaluation.

'When I first saw it I didn't think so, but every time I watch it, it gets worse,' he conceded.

'It does look bad and it is a bad place to do it as well so he is very lucky to get away with that.'

Later on in the match Grealish himself almost earned a red card for a brash sliding challenge on Tom Cairney - who scored the only goal of the game in the first half.

This time it happened right in front of the referee and he brandished a yellow card to the Villa man despite heated protests from the Fulham players for a red.

Instead it was Fulham who were reduced to 10 men in the second half, with Grealish again involved. Denis Odoi went flying into the Villa midfielder and received his second yellow card.

Villa, sensing their numerical advantage, went on the hunt for an equaliser but their search became increasingly desperate and Fulham managed to hold on to earn promotion back to the Premier League.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/26/18/4CA71F2300000578-5775019-image-m-19_1527356724614.jpg)
Fulham appealed for Grealish to be sent off later for challenging Tom Cairney - he was booked



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5775019/Ryan-Fredericks-got-away-murder-escaping-red-card-stamp-Jack-Grealish-Hendrie.html#ixzz5Gg9iuGbD
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 
Championship play-off final: Fulham beat Aston Villa 1-0 at Wembley to secure promotion back to the Premier League


Fulham are back in the Premier League.

The Cottagers beat Aston Villa 1-0 in Saturday's Championship play-off final at Wembley, courtesy of Tom Cairney's first-half goal.

Fulham had Denis Odoi sent off with 20 minutes remaining but the ten-men held firm to seal the club's return to the top-flight after a four-year absence.

Captain Cairney will claim the plaudits for scoring the winning goal but Fulham's 18-year-old sensation Ryan Sessegnon was very much the architect.

Finding space outside the Villa box with 23 minutes on the clock, Sessegnon took one touch, evaded one challenge and played an inch-perfect ball between two defenders for Cairney, who didn't have to break stride as he ran forward and cooly slotted past Sam Johnstone first time with his left foot.

(https://talksport.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/gettyimages-962703276.jpg?itok=LZoq8xMD)

(https://talksport.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/gettyimages-962703528.jpg?itok=24pPH78i)

After a disappointing first-half showing, Villa emerged stronger in the second half.

Jack Grealish looked the most likely to fashion an equaliser and came close to doing so, when he embarked on a brilliant mazy run before seeing his shot blocked by Marcus Bettinelli.

Grealish was then taken down by a clumsy Odoi challenge that led to a second yellow card for the Fulham man and an anxious conclusion.

Yet Fulham showed grit to match their skill to win and leave Villa, on the 36th anniversary of their European Cup triumph, facing another season in the Championship - and the financial ramifications that brings.

For Fulham, this victory will bring about at least £160million of additional revenue but, most importantly for their supporters, a return to the elite of English football

LINE-UPS

Aston Villa: Johnstone, Elmohamady (Kodjia, 77), Chester, Terry (c), Hutton, Snodgrass, Jedinak (Onomah, 77), Hourihane (Hogan, 82), Adomah, Grealish, Grabban. Subs not used: Bunn, Bree, Whelan, Bjarnason.

Fulham: Bettinelli, Fredericks, Targett, Ream, Odoi, Cairney (c), McDonald, Johansen (Norwood, 72), Kamara (Kalas, 77), Mitrovic, Sessegnon. Subs not used: Button, Fonte, Ayite, Piazon, Christie.

RED-CARD: Odoi (70 minutes)



Read more at https://talksport.com/football/championship-play-final-fulham-beat-aston-villa-1-0-wembley-secure-promotion-back-premier#2hOfIiKsY227UEHL.99

 
Fulham promoted to Premier League as Tom Cairney strike seals £160m win for 10-man Cottagers

Fulham have been promoted back to the Premier League after captain Tom Cairney scored the only goal to settle the Championship play-off final against Aston Villa.

Cairney found the net in the first half at Wembley to secure promotion for Fulham after four years in the Championship.

In front of watching Aston Villa fan Prince William, Slavisa Jokanovic's side had to hold on with 10 men for the final 20 minutes after Denis Odoi was sent off.

But Fulham withstood some late Villa pressure to ensure they will be playing in the Premier League next season.

The result means former Chelsea captain John Terry will not be playing in the Premier League next season.

Fulham owner Shahid Khan at Wembley to watch the west London club secure a victory that means their fans can look forward to top-flight football again.

Ryan Sessegnon has said it is his dream to play for Fulham in the Premier League and promotion means the 18-year-old looks set to stay at Craven Cottage.

Sessegnon capped a fine season by being involved in the only goal when he set up Cairney to score after 23 minutes.

Victory felt sweet for Fulham, who missed out on automatic promotion on the final day of the regular season when they lost at Birmingham.

Fulham have deserved to go up for the football they have played this season and they started the game with real confidence.

They controlled possession early on and made their dominance count on 23 minutes with the only moment of quality in the first half

Sessegnon played a clever ball through to Cairney inside the area and the midfielder calmly opened up his body and slotted the ball home with his left foot.

(https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2018/05/26/17/cairneygoal3.jpg?w600)
Decisive: Cairney's strike proved decisive (AFP/Getty Images)

Fulham continued to control the game after the goal but Ryan Fredericks was fortunate to escape punishment when he appeared to stamp on Jack Grealish.

Sessegnon headed straight at Johnstone before Villa wasted a great chance to level at the end of the first half.

Robert Snodgrass lifted a clever free-kick to Grealish inside the area but the Villa playmaker fired over from a tight angle.

Villa struggled to find rhythm in the first half but they came out a different side in the second half and missed a golden chance to equalise shortly after the restart.

Albert Adomah whipped a dangerous cross into the area and Grealish got to the ball before the onrushing Marcus Bettinelli but headed over.

Grealish started to have more of an impact on the game and he almost scored a wonderful solo effort after a mazy run past four Fulham defenders.

He shot straight at Bettinelli but Fulham were on the back foot and it was all Villa.

Grealish wanted a penalty when hit shot his Denis Odoi on the arm inside the area but referee Anthony Taylor waved away protests.

(https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2018/05/26/18/FulAV2605c.jpg?w600)
Marching orders: Denis Odoi leaves the field following a second bookable offence (PA)

Fulham were reduced to 10 men on 70 minutes when Odoi was sent off after he was given a second yellow card for a foul on Grealish.

But Fulham withstood late Villa pressure to secure promotion.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-promoted-to-premier-league-as-tom-cairney-strike-seals-160m-win-for-10man-cottagers-a3849076.html

 
Fulham promoted to Premier League after play-off win over Aston Villa

So numerous are the consequences of a play-off victory, that it is impossible to parse in the aftermath. Best, then, to concentrate on the occasion. Inside a Wembley so loud that eardrums were under threat, and with the temperature rising on the field, Fulham kept their cool. Claiming a first-half lead that they refused to give up under relentless second-half pressure, the Cottagers edged past Aston Villa and have returned to the Premier League.

The winning goal was scored by Fulham's captain, Tom Cairney, and assisted by their teenage prodigy Ryan Sessegnon. To see these two young men celebrate with the trophy, Cairney still taking deep breaths to stay calm some 20 minutes after the final whistle, was a reminder of what this team has achieved. Largely shorn of big names, they have outplayed most of the division this season. Now, in front of 85,243 people, they played like the national stadium was their own back yard, and saw the job to completion.

This was a triumph for the club no doubt, but also vindication for their manager, Slavisa Jokanovic. Promoted to the Premier League with Watford three years ago, he left (read: was edged out) before coaching a single game in the top flight.

t is unlikely such an outcome will happen again, though. Jokanovic is trusted by Fulham's owner, Shahid Khan – the man who intends to buy Wembley Stadium for himself – and this time, he will surely be rewarded not with the elbow but a new contract this summer.

"It's not easy to come to this place to decide what we fought for these past few years," Jokanovic said. "It was a really important victory for us and we deserved it. It's not easy to play with lots of pressure, with lots of young players, and on the other side lots of experience. It was the first experience for me [of the play-off final], the first for 18-year-old players, but we played with character and expression.

"I am personally satisfied because this is our project. This Fulham is my club, my staff, our way for trying to get a team promoted. We needed two-and-a-half years. First year not to be relegated, second to start building the team.

"This year we improved a little bit more and came back after a bad beginning. Now we must adapt ourselves, we must know that the Premier League is the most competitive league and we must be clever. I will think about the new season in a few days. But tonight I will drink some beers."

The decisive goal came in the 23rd minute, with Sessegnon cutting in off his inside-left position to meet a forward pass from Kevin McDonald. The teenager took a heavy first touch but was alert enough to chase it down. He won a 50-50 with Conor Hourihane to recover possession, and then turned and sized up the situation in an instant. He picked out the perfect pass between John Terry and Alan Hutton. Cairney read it, ran onto it and calmly placed it under the Villa goalkeeper Sam Johnstone from 10 yards out.

(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/2ae8eeb4de73493f29ff7730e6732ae86d35d822/194_208_4400_2640/master/4400.jpg?w=620&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=bbac9994e0a8c79eae2e1dccbe2bd9ca)
Tom Cairney latched onto Ryan Sessegnon's through ball to give Fulham the lead. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/BPI/Rex/Shutterstock

Villa had only flickered in the match to this point and had no response for the rest of the first half. Words were shared in the dressing room and Steve Bruce's men returned to give it their all in the final 45 minutes. They were led by Jack Grealish, Villa's own young talisman, who reminded everyone of the potential that has always been in his play.

A solo slalom from the 22-year-old on the hour nearly ended in the most glorious of equalisers, but after beating four Fulham defenders his shot was deflected into the body of goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli.

Fulham were reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes remaining, after Denis Odoi was dismissed for a second caution for fouling Grealish, a marked man throughout. It presented a potential opportunity for Villa to exploit, but they spurned it by throwing too many attackers on the field and losing their composure. Fulham's, for their part, never wavered for a moment.

(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/7e32c0a9667a762103a3f80d7ba758ec8a07a395/0_128_3776_2266/master/3776.jpg?w=620&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=8f095f1e9a0ba7c367ba172a60de3b56)
Denis Odoi was shown a second yellow card for a wild tackle on Grealish, which left Fulham facing a nervy last 20 minutes. Photograph: Paul Currie/BPI/Rex/Shutterstock

"They set out to rough up Grealish, it was part of their game plan," said a shell-shocked Steve Bruce. "But we didn't do enough around Grealish. The second half was much better from us but to be brutally honest it wouldn't have been too hard.

"The feeling now is utter disappointment for everybody and the next hard part is where we go from here. But let's not forget we're Aston Villa, we're a proud club, a big club with big history. I'm really upset for everyone but I'll roll my sleeves up and go for it again."

Time ticks on and those questions about next season will soon press for both clubs. But matches of this scale do not come along for these clubs or their supporters that often. The task is to make the most of them and, regardless of the outcome, both teams can feel they did their best.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/may/26/aston-villa-fulham-championship-play-off-final-match-report

 
Ryan Sessegnon scout report: Fulham youngster shows why he should snub Tottenham and Liverpool interest

A player of Sessegnon's age and talent cannot be rushed. He needs time to further grow, and as a Premier League player at Fulham this will be the prime opportunity he needs to do just that

Ryan Sessesgnon's coming of age has been a sight to behold – for both Fulham fans and neutrals alike. After making the headlines in his first year as a senior at the Cottage, this season has been confirmation of the youngster's ever-growing talents: 46 appearances, 16 goals, seven assists and an average of 1.6 chances per game to his name. 'Up-and-coming' no more, Sessegnon has announced himself in style and now stands as one of the hottest prospects in English football.

More than this, his ascension has been a breath of fresh air: from tales of washing his own kit to taking the local bus to training, Sessegnon's humility marks a welcome contrast to the usual egos that dominate the sport. When recently asked what makes the youngster so special, captain Tom Cairney replied immediately: "It's his mentality. It's a one-off."

This attitude is reflected in his style of play. Driven, tenacious and selfless, Sessegnon's influence was clear to see after six minutes of play here at Wembley as he tracked back with his trademark pace to reclaim possession with a well-timed sliding challenge.

It was Fulham's goal, though, which served as a reminder of his maturity. Having picked up the ball outside Villa's box before driving into space, the 18-year-old opted against going for glory – as other players his age may well have done – but instead played in Cairney with a perfectly weighted dissecting pass. The Fulham captain delivered, directing the ball into the back of the net with a cultured stroke of his left foot.

It's because of moments like these that teammate Tim Ream has likened Sessegnon to a "35-year-old veteran" this season, while manager Slavisa Jokanovic has made deliberate efforts to describe the full-back as a "man" rather than a boy. "I try to avoid calling this man a kid, because he is in an important business and what he is doing, normally a kid cannot do," he said ahead of today's game. Indeed, Sessegnon's decision-making on the pitch, both with and without the ball, belies his tender age, pointing to a player with a bright future ahead of him.

After once again impressing today, with his touch and intelligent play keeping Aston Villa's defenders busy, the question now is what comes next for the youngster? Sessegnon has insisted that he wants to play in the Premier League with his boyhood club, and given his rise through the ranks at Fulham it's not hard to imagine him staying put for another season at least.

But make no mistake, the suitors will come. Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United were all linked with the player last summer and are expected to return in the coming months. Whether a move away from Fulham at this point in his career will serve in his best interests remains unclear though. The 18-year-old has come on leaps and bounds this season, liberated by the switch to the left wing which has handed him the licence to roam forward and threaten opponents' boxes with his speed and positional intelligence. Jokanovic has nurtured his talent, pushing him gently in the right direction all the while being conscious not to push him too much. Why, then, risk this development in joining a club like Tottenham or Liverpool where his opportunities are likely to be limited?



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/ryan-sessegnon-transfer-latest-updates-liverpool-tottenham-manchester-united-a8370856.html

 
Fulham win at Wembley to return to Premier League

Fulham 1 Aston Villa 0

---

Tom Cairney's goal won the play-off final for Fulham at Wembley and took them back to the Premier League.

The Whites, who played the final 20 minutes with 10 men after Dennis Odoi was sent off, dominated a one-sided first half.

The all-important goal came on 24 minutes, when Cairney latched onto a sublime, defence-splitting pass from Ryan Sessegnon and slotted past keeper Sam Johnstone.

The all-important goal came on 24 minutes, when Cairney latched onto a sublime, defence-splitting pass from Ryan Sessegnon and slotted past keeper Sam Johnstone.

Fulham keeper Marcus Bettinelli then saved with his legs to deny Grealish after the midfielder had superbly evaded four Fulham challenges.

Already under pressure, Fulham were forced to work even harder after Odoi's challenge on Grealish earned the defender a second booking.

They stood firm to clinch a return to the top flight after a four-year absence – but not before a heart-stopping moment when ex-Villa's Brentford striker Scott Hogan headed wide in injury time.

Fulham: Bettinelli, Fredericks (Christie 83), Odoi, Ream, Targett, McDonald, Cairney, Johansen (Norwood 73), Kamara (Kalas 77), Sessegnon, Mitrovic.
Subs not used: Button, Fonte, Ayite, Piazon.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-win-at-wembley-to-return-to-premier-league

 
Aston Villa vs Fulham, Championship play-off final player ratings: Tom Cairney shines at Wembley

We run the rule over the two teams as Fulham return to the Premier League

Tom Cairney's first half strike sees ten-man Fulham promoted to the Premier League through the play off for the first time.

Ryan Sessegnon drifted into a central area and slotted the ball to Cairney who drifted behind Alan Hutton and slotted the ball in with a very precise finish from inside the box.

Having been booked in the first half, Denis Odoi made his team defend their lead with ten men for the last 20 minutes when he picked up a second card for a foul on Jack Grealish.

Fulham were perhaps lucky to keep all ten players on the pitch in the first after Ryan Fredericks appeared to tread on Jack Grealish when he was on the ground, but the referee did not see.

Lots of what Villa did well came through Grealish and after the break they looked a much better side.

Grealish almost scored on of the great goals when he wriggled through three challenges with the kind of skill you associate with Lionel Messi or Mohamad Salah. When he got into the box his shot from the left side was saved.

The young Villain became just that when Grealish lunged in on Cairney, and was lucky to just receive a yellow card.



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/aston-villa-vs-fulham-championship-playoff-final-player-ratings-premier-league-ryan-sessegnon-tom-a8370901.html

 
Heartbreak for Aston Villa, as Fulham earn Premier League promotion
Irish international Cyrus Christie was involved in the London side's triumph.

FULHAM BEAT ASTON Villa 1-0 to secure their place in the Premier League during today's Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Tom Cairney got the only goal of the game with a clinical finish on 23 minutes.

Villa were given a boost in the final stages, as Denis Odoi was sent off for a second yellow with 20 minutes remaining.

However, Slaviša Jokanović's men held on to secure a crucial victory.

There was Irish interest as far as both sides were concerned.

Cyrus Christie came on as a late substitute for the Londoners, while Conor Hourihane started for Villa.

Scott Hogan and Glenn Whelan were also on the bench for Villa, with the former replacing the injured Hourihane after 82 minutes.

"I am so excited for my club, for these supporters. We showed we could follow the style that we followed for the past two years, in this stadium," Jokanovic said.

"I'd have preferred to do the job with automatic promotion but, to be promoted at this place in front of these fans, I have to be satisfied."

Fulham's financial windfall from increased revenue could rise to £280 million if they go on to survive for one season among the elite.

Yet even their American billionaire owner Shadid Khan knows it is the prestige of playing Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool next season that matters far more than the extra cash in his bulging bank account.

It was an unforgettable evening for Fulham, who were making their first appearance at Wembley since losing the 1975 FA Cup final against West Ham.

And Khan was celebrating from the stands of what could soon be his personal property as he negotiates a deal to buy the iconic stadium from the Football Association.

There was only misery for Villa as they missed out on promotion on the 36th anniversary of the club's famous European Cup final victory over Bayern Munich.

Villa, owned by Chinese businessman Tony Xia, paid the price for a limp first half and are faced with a third successive season outside the Premier League, a stark reality given a reduction in the parachute payments could lead to the sale of their stars.

"We were disappointed with the first half. We didn't do enough to ask them real questions," Villa manager Steve Bruce said.

"Ryan Fredericks should have been sent off. We just needed a break, but we didn't get one."

No manager has won more promotions to the Premier League than the four amassed by Bruce, whose team included former Chelsea captain John Terry.

But although Fulham had an average age of three years younger than Villa, there was no sign of stage-fright from Jokanovic's team.

- Adventurous Fulham -

Jokanovic had vowed to take advantage of Villa's veterans, labelling them "an old and tired team, they are going to show some weaknesses".

Villa failed to heed that warning and Fulham fulfilled their manager's prediction as they took the lead in the 23rd minute.

Fulham winger Ryan Sessegnon has caught the eye of Premier League clubs during a dazzling campaign and the 18-year-old sensation was the catalyst for his team's opener.

Coming in from the left flank to steal possession in midfield, Sessegnon showed maturity beyond his tender age as he looked up and slipped a pin-point pass to Cairney.

The Scotland midfielder had timed his run perfectly, leaving Villa's defenders trailing in his wake as he slotted a cool left-footed finish into the far corner of Sam Johnstone's net.

With emotions still running high after Cairney's goal, Fulham got lucky when defender Ryan Fredericks avoided a red card after appearing to deliberately stamp on Grealish.

Grealish fluffed his lines early in the second half, heading over from a good position.

Villa were finally clicking into gear and Grealish embarked on a dazzling run through the Cottagers defence, but Fulham keeper Marcus Bettinelli was equal to his shot.

Fulham defender Odoi was dismissed when his reckless foul on Grealish earned a second yellow card in the 70th minute.

But Villa lacked the cutting edge to take advantage and Jokanovic's men were soon celebrating their return to the big time.



http://www.the42.ie/fulham-earn-premier-league-promotion-4037506-May2018/

 
Captain Tom Cairney sends Fulham into Premier League


Championship play-off final, Wembley - Aston Villa 0 Fulham 1 (Cairney 23')

Tom Cairney's first-half goal was enough to secure Fulham's place back in the Premier League with victory over Aston Villa in an enthralling Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Aston Villa's experienced defender John Terry was caught flat-footed as Ryan Sessegnon released the 27-year-old with a splendid through-pass who then finished with aplomb on 23 minutes.

And despite having Denis Odoi sent off with 20 minutes remaining, the Cottagers held on to claim the £170m prize – and return to the big time after a four-year exile.

Steve Bruce – who was hoping to achieve a record fifth promotion – watched his side make a bright start, but they were sluggish after conceding the opener.

Villa were much improved after the break, with the tireless and talented Jack Grealish playing an influential role in midfield. It was the 21-year-old who went closest for Villa – heading over from close range before being denied by Marcus Bettinelli from close range.

In a feisty and fiercely-contested game, a red card was also likely and it was Fulham's Odoi who was shown his marching orders for a second bookable offence after a foul on Grealish.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Fulham held on to secure their place back in the Premier League for 2018/19.

(https://i.eurosport.com/2018/05/26/2342947-48757710-2560-1440.jpg?w=700)
Tom Cairney - Aston Villa-Fulham, Wembley Stadium - Championship Play off final 2017-2018 - Getty ImagesGetty Images

TALKING POINT
Just reward for daring Fulham: Victory for the Cottagers was more than deserved after a memorable season in the Championship, in which Slavisa Jokanovic's side were unfortunate to lose out on an automatic place on the final day. Fulham - who tasted defeat in last season's play-off semi-finals - produced an incredible run of form after Christmas which almost propelled them back into the big time, only to lose to Birmingham on matchday 46. They weren't to be denied, however. After a thoroughly impressive semi-final victory over Derby, this young, inexperienced side outplayed a wily Villa team.

Looking forward to next season and if Fulham can keep a hold of Sessegnon and persuade Newcastle to give up Aleksander Mitrovic then they have every chance of staying up. At the very least, they will lighten up the Premier League with their free-flowing, risk-taking football.

(https://i.eurosport.com/2018/05/26/2342982-48758410-2560-1440.jpg?w=700)
Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon celebrates promotion to the Premier League Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'BrienReuters

MAN OF THE MATCH

After scoring and laying on an assist in the semi-final, Ryan Sessegnon produced the defining moment in the Wembley final. He may only be 18 years-of-age, but the young Englishman has all of the makings of a top-class player. Just how far he can go is anyone's guess – but now he is a Premier League player you can be sure the world will be watching.

PLAYER RATINGS

Aston Villa: Johnstone 6, Elmohamady 6, Chester 5, Terry 5, Hutton 6, Snodgrass 6, Hourihane 6, Jedinak 6, Adomah 7, Grealish 7, Grabban 5. Subs: Hogan 5, Onamah 5, Kodjia 5.

Fulham: Bettinelli 7, Fredericks 7, Odoi 6, Ream 7, Targett 7, McDonald 7, Cairney 8, Johansen 7, Kamara 7, Sessegnon 9, Mitrovic 7. Subs: Norwood 6, Piazon, Kalas 6, Christie 5.

KEY MOMENTS

23' – GOAL! Aston Villa 0-1 Fulham: It's beautifully worked, as Sessegnon carves open the Villa defence to slide through Cairney who picks his spot and slides the ball into the bottom corner. Sessegnon, so often the goalscorer, is the provider on this occasion. Only 18 years old, but what a talent. Villa switched off, the youngster found space in midfield, got his head up and poked through an inch-perfect pass to Cairney who finished with aplomb.

30' - CONTROVERSY! Fredericks appears to stand on Grealish - right in front of Bruce - and the Fulham full-back is fortunate to stay on the pitch.

39' – ASTON VILLA CHANCE! Snodgrass' dinked free-kick catches Fulham by surprise - and Grealish is through on goal! But the youngster, from an acute angle, lifts his shot over the top of the bar from close range.

50' - ASTON VILLA CHANCE! Adomah's in-swinger finds Grealish who gets himself in front of the Fulham goalkeeper but heads over the top of the crossbar. Grealish showed great desire to get there, but should have scored.

56' - FULHAM CHANCE! Excellent movement from Mitrovic as he finds space to meet Targett's devilish cross, but glances his header wide from close range. That was a great opportunity to put the game to bed.

60' - ASTON VILLA CHANCE! Grealish drives Villa forward. He keeps going and going and going, skipping past multiple Fulham defenders. He's closing in on the goalkeeper but his shot is saved by Bettenelli in spectacular fashion. What a goal that would have been.

70' - RED CARD - FULHAM ARE DOWN TO 10! It's late, it's clumsy - Odoi is shown a second yellow card for a needless foul on Grealish. The Belgian defender was Fulham's hero in the play-off semi-final, but now he has given his manager a headache.

KEY STATS

    Slavisa Jokanovic is the first non-British or Irish manager with two promotions to the Premier League.
    Fulham have won promotion via the play-offs for the first time in their history, in what is their fourth attempt.
    Denis Odoi is the first player to be sent off in the Championship play-off final since Gary O'Neill for QPR v Derby in 2014.
    Ryan Sessegnon had a hand in all three of Fulham's play-off goals, scoring one and assisting two.
    The team scoring first in the Championship play-off final has gone on to win promotion on each of the last six occasions in which the final hasn't been goalless – the last time a team failed to win having scored first was Cardiff in 2010 against Blackpool.
    Fulham played just their second match at Wembley - they lost their previous visit in the 1975 FA Cup final against West Ham.



https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/championship/2017-2018/_sto6772457/story.shtml

 
Aston Villa 0 Fulham 1: Cairney secures Premier League return

(https://images.cdn.fourfourtwo.com/sites/fourfourtwo.com/files/styles/image_landscape/public/tom-cairney-cropped_n8wwxu6uxl9o1x8in2zmypjft.jpg?itok=kOQadfQd&c=87b6d99828d88c1b8ffe17a08d24fc7d)

Tom Cairney's goal at Wembley sent Fulham back into the Premier League at the expense of Aston Villa.

Fulham sealed promotion to the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa in Saturday's Championship play-off final.

Tom Cairney's first-half goal was enough to send Slavisa Jokanovic's side back into the top flight, four years on from their relegation, despite Denis Odoi being sent off with 20 minutes remaining.

Just five points separated these teams in the 2017-18 table and there was little to split them during a fiercely competitive clash at Wembley, in which in-form Jack Grealish and Ryan Fredericks were both fortunate to escape red cards.

Cairney's strike deservedly gave Fulham the lead, the midfielder combining with rising star Ryan Sessegnon before finishing with aplomb, and Aleksandar Mitrovic could have doubled the advantage with chances either side of half-time.

Villa improved after the break and were unsurprisingly dominant after Odoi's dismissal for a second yellow card, but Steve Bruce's side created little to worry Marcus Bettinelli in the Fulham goal despite their man advantage.

After winning a game reportedly worth £160million, Fulham can now prepare for a return to the riches of the Premier League, along with Wolves and Cardiff City, while Villa are facing a third-straight season in the second tier.

Fulham looked the more settled from the outset and deserved to take the lead on 23 minutes, which they did in fine style. Sessegnon manoeuvred into space on the edge of the Villa box and slid the ball between John Terry and Alan Hutton to Cairney, who slotted past Sam Johnstone.

Their early control was put at risk when Fredericks appeared to stamp on Grealish after winning a 50-50 challenge, although the officials did not punish the Fulham full-back.

Steve Bruce's side were struggling to get a foothold in the game and survived a nervy moment when Mitrovic almost stole the ball from Johnstone, while a Grealish shot over the bar was the best chance they mustered before the break.

Mitrovic glanced a header wide early in the second half but there was a marked improvement from Villa, with Grealish deserving better after dancing his way through the defence only to be denied by Bettinelli.

Villa's midfield star was becoming frustrated with his physical treatment, having been fouled six times in the first half alone, and he was the second player lucky not to be sent off after a reckless lunge on Cairney.

The game was becoming more and more ill-tempered and Odoi took things a step too far, his poor challenge on Grealish earning him a second booking, having received a first-half yellow for a foul on the same player.

Villa poured players forward to try to take advantage but the equaliser eluded them, allowing Fulham, who missed out on automatic promotion by just two points, to celebrate in the London sunshine.



https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/aston-villa-0-fulham-1-cairney-secures-premier-league-return

 
Fulham Promoted to Premier League With Championship Play-Off Win vs. Aston Villa

(https://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/743/946/hi-res-660dc3aacb35e4bbe0a5c63cc9a95871_crop_north.jpg?h=533&w=800&q=70&crop_x=center&crop_y=top)
IAN KINGTON/Getty Images

Fulham achieved promotion to the Premier League by beating Aston Villa 1-0 in the 2018 Championship Playoff final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday in London.

Captain Tom Cairney scored the winner in the 23rd minute after being played through by rising star Ryan Sessegnon. Fulham held onto their lead despite playing the final 20 minutes with 10 men after Denis Odoi received a second yellow card for a foul on Villa's Jack Grealish.
   
Sessegnon Is as Good as the Hype Suggests

The most highly touted player in the country gave a masterclass at Wembley. Sessegnon delivered a superb performance during the first half, showing pace, technique and vision.

Sessegnon has made such contributions the norm. He's been particularly effective during the Cottagers' play-off run, per Squawka Football:

It's little wonder Goal.com's Chris Burton has reported Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are showing interest in the precocious wide man.

Sessegnon rarely lacked confidence at Wembley, showcasing deft touches, intelligent reading of the game and a bullish willingness to take players on. He tormented right-back Alan Hutton during the opening 45 minutes but switched sides on occasion too.

It speaks volumes about Sessegnon's potential he was able to deliver such an assured display in a match of this magnitude.
   
Red Card Inevitable Amid Grealish Punishment

For all their style going forward, Fulham weren't bashful about getting physical defensively, particularly when dealing with Villa schemer Grealish. Odoi paid the price when he was booked for a second time in the 70th minute after becoming the latest Fulham player to chop Grealish to the floor.

Fulham could have been down to 10 in the first half after this stamp by Ryan Fredericks on Villa's 22-year-old No. 10:

It was just one incident in a rough opening 45 minutes for Grealish.

After the break, he began tying Fulham defenders in knots, though.

His twisting, turning runs created many shooting opportunities, and last-ditch tackles denied Grealish more than once.

Ironically, while he'd survived some rough treatment long enough for Fulham to be punished, Grealish himself was lucky to still be on the pitch. Moments before Odoi was sent packing by referee Anthony Taylor, Grealish only received a yellow card for a reckless lunge on Cairney.

It could have been a moment the Cottagers were left to rue, but their reduced numbers eventually withstood Grealish's craft.
   
John Terry's Chelsea "Clause" Thankfully Won't Come into Effect

Prior to the game, there was talk 37-year-old centre-back John Terry may extend his contract with Villa, provided he would be allowed to decide whether he faced former side Chelsea in the event of promotion.

The Daily Telegraph's John Percy reported Terry's new deal would see manager Steve Bruce let the former Blues skipper choose to play against his old club or not next season.

The idea didn't not go down well with many, with Paddy Power among the first to welcome Fulham's lead making this idea a non-starter:

Terry hadn't had the best start to the match, anyway. After the goal was conceded, he committed himself into a challenge with Cairney and left space for a runner in behind, a situation Fulham failed to make the most of.

Cairney Proves There's More to Fulham than Sessegnon

Sessegnon is the star, but he's far from alone in Fulham's gallery of attack-minded players. Cairney is another gem, and his well-timed run into the box and composure in front of goal was the deciding factor here.

Scoring goals has become a happy habit for Cairney on the watch of manager Slavisa Jokanovic, per Sky Sports Statto:

Sam Dean of the Daily Telegraph highlighted that Cairney too would likely have drawn Premier League interest had Fulham not won the game:

What's Next?

Losing key talents should no longer be a worry for Fulham after a well-deserved return to England's top flight for the first time since 2014. Jokanovic will likely hope a good slice of the £200 million winning this final is worth is available to add further quality.

As for Villa, Bruce faces a tough challenge tweaking a veteran squad to make a stronger push for promotion. Grealish is a player he can build around, but Terry's leadership is likely to be missed.



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2778033-fulham-promoted-to-premier-league-with-championship-play-off-win-vs-aston-villa

 
Fulham win playoff final to return to Premier League


Tom Cairney's first-half strike ends four-year absence from top flight for Cottagers at expense of Aston Villa

Fulham will return to the Premier League for the first time in four years in August after beating Aston Villa 1-0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium.

Tom Cairney (pictured above) scored the only goal of the match on 26 minutes when he raced on to Ryan Sessegnon's defence-splitting pass and finished calmly past Sam Johnstone.

Villa applied concerted pressure in the second half and Fulham's Denis Odoi was dismissed on 70 minutes for a foul on the impressive Jack Grealish.

But Fulham, who finished third at the end of the regular season, held on to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2013/14.

Slavisa Jokanovic's side follow Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cardiff City from the second tier into the top flight.

They can look forward to discovering their opponents for the 2018/19 campaign when the fixture list is released at 09:00 BST on 14 June.



https://www.premierleague.com/news/694017

 
Fulham's Cairney scores to put the Londoners into the Premier League and £300m windfall coming their way as they beat Aston Villa at Wembley in Championship play-off final

(https://static.wixstatic.com/media/260178_a9f1b4a6c2dc4567b592acb9a35cb933~mv2_d_3264_2448_s_4_2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_657,h_493,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/260178_a9f1b4a6c2dc4567b592acb9a35cb933~mv2_d_3264_2448_s_4_2.jpeg)

Fulham are back the big time with £300million in their back pocket after beating Aston Villa 1-0 at Wembley Stadium this afternoon to win the Championship Play-off.

Villa were poor in the first half but pushed the Londoners all the way and even then, after Fulham's Denis Odoi was sent off for two bookable offences, they could not find their way through a impenetrable Fulham back-four.

Is this the end of an illustrious career of Villa skipper John Terry? He wanted to bring the Midlanders into the top flight, but it's another season for them in the second tier.

Fulham, by contrast can look forward to the likes of Manchester City and United and Chelsea to Craven Cottage next season.

They were the better footballing side but Villa have to take great credit - they nuts did nit have the cutting edge needed.

A first half strike by man of the match Tom Cairney was they difference between the sides and the

The £300million match was never going to be a tame affair.

While the opening exchanges yielded few chances on goal, the intensity and strength of tacking suggested that no quarter of the pitch was going to be surrendered easily.

Villa's James Chester was first in Anthony Taylor's book on nine minutes for a wayward tackle.

A poor kick out by Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli allowed Villa a half-chance but Lewis Grabban was unable tom latch onto a Joe Grealsih through ball and the chance slipped away for a goal kick on 14 minutes.

A slashed at left-footer by Robert Snodgrass three minutes later, from just outside the Fulham penalty area, failed to trouble the Londoner's goal.

Fulham's first effort on goal, on 21 minutes saw a quick turn and shot by Aboubakar Kamara demo the edge of the Villa area. The ball dipped late, but inched over Sam Johnstone's crossbar.

The breakthrough for Fulham came a minute later when Ryan Sessegnon produced a sensational defence-splitting though ball, which Tom Cairney latched onto,  and the midfielder slotted cooly home with a deft left-footer that was beyond the grasp of Johnstone.

Quite how Ryan Fredericks got away without even a talking too after stamping on Grealish on 30 minutes is anybodies guess. The incident happened right on the half-way line by the dugouts and while Fredericks was rightly called for pulling the midfielder's jersey, there was no call for the right-back to jump over him and land with his left foot straight on the thigh of the now prone player.

Sessegnon almost reaped the benefit of a glancing header by John Terry, but the left lack's own header went straight into Johnstone's midriff.

A well worked freekick by Villa on 39 minutes almost saw Grealsih lash the ball home from an acute angle, but instead he hacked the ball well over Bettinelli's goal.

There were no changes by either side at half-time

The first effort of the half fell to Fulham, Stefan Johansen's, low drive, lacked the required power and Bettinelli easily sniffled the ball.

Grealish had a great chance five minutes in, but his glancing header after a late-run, beat Johnstone, but skipped over his crossbar.

Fulham hauled themselves back into the game after Villa's early pressure play, and Aleksandar Mitovic trailed a glancing header. he too saw his effort sneak wide of Johnstone's goal.

A sensational weaving, mazy run by Grealish on 61 minutes, almost brought the Midlanders level. But Bettinelli managed to kick the goal-bound effort away.

A claim for a penalty when Grealsih smashed the ball into Denis Odoi was waved away by Taylor.

That frustration led to Grealish cutting Cairney in half with a very late challenge which he was lucky to escape with just a yellow card.

On a quick break by the Londoners, aided by Sessegnon, Johansen  crashed a right footer over the crossbar.

With 20 minutes left on the clock, Odoi, already yellow-carded saw another and a red when he fouled Grealish, who had slipped past him.

Oliver Norwood came off the bench to replaced Johansen as Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic looked to plug the hole left by the departing Odoi.

Despite the man disadvantage, Mitrovic managed a shot on target, which was deflected away for a corner

Next off for Fulham was Kamara, and he got a booking for slowly exiting the pitch, on came Tomas Kalas.

Steve Bruce replaced Elmohamady for Kodjia and Jedinak for  Onomah.

Villa's last throw of the die saw Scott Hogan replace Conor Hourihane.

Ryan Fredericks was replaced by Cyrus Christie.

Fulham ran the clock down effectively and deserved their victory.

Teams: Villa, Johnstone, Chester, Snodgrass, Grealish, Hourihane, Jedinak, Hutton, Terry, Elmohamady, Adomah, Grabban

Subs: Whelan, Hogan, Bree, Onomah, Bjarnason, Kodjia, Bunn

Fulham: Bettinelli, Fredericks, Sessegnon, Odoi, McDonald, Johansen, Cairney, Ream, target, Mitrovic, Kamara,

Subs: Button, Fonte, Ayite, Norwood, Piazon, Christie, Kalas



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/2018/05/26/Fulham%E2%80%99s-Cairney-scores-to-put-the-Londoners-into-the-Premier-League-and-%C2%A3300m-windfall-coming-their-way-as-they-beat-Aston-Villa-at-Wembley-in-Championship-play-off-final

 
Play-Off Final: Captain Cairney carries Cottagers up

Fulham book Premier League return with Wembley win against Aston Villa

(https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/playoffs-2018/tom-cairney-up-1440.jpg/Large)

Fulham have been promoted after winning the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final 1-0 at Wembley Stadium.

Fulham started the brighter and got their reward midway through the first half. Ryan Sessegnon slotted Tom Cairney through on goal, and the Cottagers captain made no mistake, sliding the ball beyond Sam Johnstone.

That remained the scoreline at the half-time whistle, but the second half began at a frantic pace, with Steve Bruce's words seemingly ringing in the ears of his Villa players.

Jack Grealish was a driving force and he should have equalised, heading over from Albert Adomah's teasing cross. The local lad would continue to be frustrated, going on a mazy run before Fulham's stubborn defence blocked his path.

The Villans were presented with a lifeline when Denis Odoi picked up a second yellow card and was subsequently dismissed with 20 minutes remaining, but Fulham held firm to win 1-0 and book their Premier League return.



https://www.efl.com/news/2018/may/play-off-final-captain-cairney-carries-cottagers-up/

 
Everyone's making the same joke about John Terry and Chelsea after Fulham beat Aston Villa in the play-off final

(http://cdn.caughtoffside.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/john-terry-770x461.jpg)

There are few things in football that can unite fans as much as seeing John Terry sad.

Remember, this is the man who stepped up to take the winning penalty in the 2008 Champions League final – and missed; this is the man who arranged to be subbed off in the 26th minute and have everyone do a lap of honour for him in his final game for Chelsea.

Most recently, the Guardian are among sources who reported the former England captain wanted a clause to avoid playing his old side Chelsea in the Premier League were Aston Villa to win promotion this season.

Luckily for him, he need not worry about suffering such a heart-wrenching ordeal as Fulham beat Terry's Villa side 1-0 in today's Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Predictably, everyone is now making the precise same joke about it as the trolls pile on to the 37-year-old over his outlandish and overly sentimental request...




http://www.caughtoffside.com/2018/05/26/john-terry-trolled-over-chelsea-clause-as-aston-villa-lose-to-fulham/

 
Fulham head back to Premier League after Cairney strike sinks wasteful Villa

LONDON: Fulham are back in the Premier League after a lone 20th-minute goal from match of the match and captain Tom Cairney defeated Aston Villa in the promotion play-off at Wembley.

Villa were left to rue missed opportunities as they prepare for a third consecutive season in England's second tier.

Scotland international Cairney gave Fulham the lead from the first real chance of the game, converting an assist from Ryan Sessegnon.

The latter went close to doubling the lead on the half-hour mark after Aboubakar Kamara's cross from the right deflected off John Terry but he headed straight at the Villa goalkeeper.

The second-half saw more urgency from Steve Bruce's Villa but Grealish missed two opportunities and they could not even take advantage agter Fulham's Denis Odoi was sent off for a second yellow card.

#################



http://keirradnedge.com/2018/05/26/fulham-head-back-to-premier-league-after-cairney-strike-sinks-villa/

 
Fulham 1 Aston Villa 0 - Wembley heartache for Steve Bruce and his team

Full time from Wembley after Aston Villa lose to Fulham

Aston Villa suffered Wembley heartache in the most crushing of circumstances as they were beaten by Fulham in the play-off final.

Tom Cairney - a man Steve Bruce once let go when he was manager of Hull City - scored the only goal of the game that proved to be the difference.

But the richest and most important game in world football had so much more.

A sending off for Denis Odoi, crunching challenges that could have warranted further dismissals. penalty appeals at either end, and an almight battle from start to finish.

This was a game both sides were desperate not to lose but after 90 minutes of gripping, fast-paced action it was Fulham who progressed to the Premier League with Villa left wondering what might have been.

What if Jack Grealish had scored one of his two wonderful opportunities?

What if Steve Bruce had set up more attack-minded in the first-half rather than trying to contain Fulham?

What if Robert Snodgrass has tested the goalkeeper with a free-kick in the last minute?

All ifs, buts and maybes now, of course, as the real question is how to Villa recover from this - a fourth successive final defeat at Wembley.

The FA Cup and League Cup no-shows were painful but this latest setback was the toughest to take and arguably the most damaging.

What happens to this group of players next season as Villa face another season in the Championship?

Loanees Robert Snodgrass, Lewis Grabban and Sam Johnstone will head back to their parents clubs and are unlikely to return.

John Terry's future is now uncertain, and both Grealish and James Chester will be the subject of increased interest from the top-flight.

There was a clear game-plan that Villa tried to stick to early on but it just didn't work.

Fulham dominated possession and quickly wore down the ageing claret and blue legs, taking the lead in the 23rd-minute.

Stefan Johansen fired a diagonal ball into Ryan Sessegnon and he skipped past Conor Hourihane's challenge.

The flying winger then ripped Villa's defence apart, slotting a pass in between Alan Hutton and John Terry for Cairney to run onto.

Fulham's top performer timed his run perfectly before opening up his body and sliding past Sam Johnstone.

It was a cruel blow that silenced those who had travelled down from Birmingham and there was to be no recovery,

Slavisa Jokanovic's talented side continued to dominate thereafter as Villa relied too heavily on Grealish to make an impact.

The Villa man carried the ball out of dangerous areas, won fouls all over the pitch, but just didn't have enough creative support around him.

By the midway point of the first-half he had been up-ended five times and Ryan Fredericks was seriously lucky to avoid a sending-off when he appeared to stamp on his shin close to the dugout.

Grealish rolled around in pain, Bruce and his assistants questioned the officials but no punishment was issued.

It was almost double-trouble soon after when Terry diverted a cross into Sessegnon's path at the back-post but the teenager headed straight into Johnstone's hands.

Villa's first sight at goal quickly followed.

A well-worked free-kick from Robert Snodgrasss found Grealish but his half-volley flew over the crossbar.

By half-time Villa were reeling.

They looked distinctly average against a fired-up Fulham side who stuck to their principles of playing attractive, attacking football.

Whether they had the guts and guile to grind out the victory was the only question, but a professional performance after the break proved they had.

Villa had chances to make a difference.

Adomah crossed for Grealish who looked certain to score but the ball cannoned off his shoulder rather than his head and then over the bar.

Then Villa's main man went on a weaving run but his close-range effort was deflected off Tim Ream allowing Marcus Bettinelli to save.

After Villa had a penalty appeal turned down, despite Odoi appearing to handle in the box, Grealish was lucky to stay on the pitch himself.

He crunched into Cairney - clearly frustrated from being kicked from pillar to post himself - creating a melee between both sets of players.

Referee Anthony Taylor decided that it was only a yellow card and Grealish survived,

Ironically it was a challenge on Grealish that then saw Odoi dismissed for a second yellow.

That was supposed to make life easier for Villa but they just couldn't make the man advantage count.

Josh Onomah, Jonathan Kodjia and Scott Hogan were all introduced to spark further life into the trailing side but they couldn't turn things around.

Snodgrass had a free-kick late on that he sent wide and Hogan headed off-target, too.

Grealish also had another penalty appeal as he was bundled over but it was given.

When the final whistle was blown, the pain and realisation kicked in.

Grealish dropped to his knees, Terry looked to be holding back the tears and Bruce cut a lonely forlon figure on the sidelines.

Another year in the Championship now beckons.

TEAMS:

Villa (4-5-1) Johnstone, Elmohamady (Onomah, 77) Chester, Terry, Hutton, Snodgrass, Hourihane (Hogan, 82) Jedinak. Adomah, Grealish, Grabban (Kodjia, 77) Subs: Bunn, Bree, Whelan, Bjarnason.

Fulham (4-3-3-) - Bettinelli, Fredericks (Christie, 82) Ream, Odoi, Targett, McDonald, Cairney, Johansen, Kamara, Mitrovic, Sessegnon. Subs: Button, Fonte, Ayite, Piazon,

STAR MAN: Grealish



https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-1-aston-villa-0-14711055

 
Aston Villa 0-1 Fulham: Tom Cairney fires Cottagers into Premier League

Fulham are back in the Premier League after Tom Cairney's goal helped them see off Aston Villa 1-0 in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Cairney struck midway through the first half in a fierce-tempered occasion on Saturday, with the Cottagers having to see through the final 20 minutes with 10 men following Denis Odoi's dismissal.

Slavisa Jokanovic's side, who lost in the semi-finals last year, return to the top flight for the first time in four years, landing an estimated £170m windfall in the process, while Steve Bruce will have to wait for a record fifth promotion to the Premier League.

Team news

Fulham were unchanged from the second leg of their semi-final victory over Derby, while Aston Villa made just one change as Ahmed Elmohamady came back in at right-back for James Bree.

The pattern of the game was set from the off as Fulham dominated possession and Aston Villa sat deep to absorb pressure, but with just 23 minutes on the clock, the side in white managed to find their way through.

Ryan Sessegnon came in from the left flank and caused problems, slipping a fine ball between Alan Hutton and John Terry to find the run in behind of Cairney, who showed superb composure as he rolled the ball past Sam Johnstone.

Fulham had the lead but were maybe a little lucky not to be down to 10 men six minutes later. As Ryan Fredericks and Jack Grealish tussled for the ball, the Villa man went to ground and the Fulham defender appeared to stamp on his opponent. Nothing, however, was given by the referee.

Grealish came out of the incident unscathed and could easily have given Villa the equaliser with their biggest opening of the game shortly after the break. Albert Adomah cut inside and curled an inviting ball right into the heart of the Fulham area for his team-mate, but Grealish could not get a clean head on the ball under pressure from Marcus Bettinelli and his effort curled over the bar.
Player ratings

Aston Villa: Johnstone (6), Elmohamady (6), Chester (6), Terry (6), Hutton (5), Snodgrass (5), Hourihane (6), Jedinak (6), Adomah (5), Grealish (8), Grabban (5)

Subs: Hogan (n/a), Onamah (n/a), Kodjia (n/a)

Fulham: Bettinelli (7), Fredericks (7), Odoi (4), Ream (8), Targett (6), McDonald (7), Cairney (8), Johansen (7), Kamara (6), Sessegnon (7), Mitrovic (6)

Subs: Norwood (n/a), Kalas (n/a), Christie (n/a)

Man of the match: Tom Cairney

A red card seemed inevitable with so many rough challenges and it came with 20 minutes to go.

A rash high boot from Odoi, who scored the winner in the semi-final against Derby, caught Grealish - who could have been sent off earlier for a wild lunge on Cairney - leaving the referee no choice but to show him a second yellow card.

For Villa, 36 years to the day since their European Cup triumph, there would be no promotion to celebrate.

They will play in the Championship next season for the third-consecutive campaign.

Post-match stats

---

    Fulham have won promotion via the play-offs for the first time, in their fourth play-off campaign.

    Fulham have won a match at Wembley for the first time, losing on their only other visit there in the 1975 FA Cup final (0-2 v West Ham).

    Since 1988-89, the side finishing third in the second tier has gained promotion via the play-offs more times than any other position (11/30 - 37%).

    Fulham will play in the Premier League for the first time since their relegation in 2014 under Felix Magath.

    This was the sixth successive season in which at least one side failed to score in a Championship play-off final.

    Aston Villa have now lost five of their last six games at Wembley (W1), conceding 12 goals in the process.

Man of the match - Tom Cairney
It's an obvious thing to say but goals do win games and Cairney showed unbelievable composure with the way he took his in the first half. It was a match filled with incidents but in the end, the Scotsman's finish was the difference between promotion and devastation.

The managers
Steve Bruce: "We didn't do enough in the first half. We were too deep and too respectful and didn't do enough with or without the ball to create any real pressure on Fulham. Whether it was the occasion or the heat, who knows? But we just didn't do enough.

"But there were big decisions that went against us too. [Fredericks] for me should have had a red card early on, it was right in front of the referee and the fourth official. No one wants to see a spectacle ruined but when it's deliberate as that he deserves one."

Slavisa Jokanovic: "We showed with our style that we can be one of the best Championship teams. Then we were solid, organised and fighting altogether for the clean sheet in that last 20 minutes. The team stuck together and showed great fight.

"It's a really important victory for us and I think we deserve it after the last couple of years. It's not easy playing at Wembley with some many young players and under such pressure, especially when Villa had so much experience. But we showed the quality and desire to be successful."



http://www.skysports.com/football/a-villa-vs-fulham/389284

 
Aston Villa 0-1 Fulham: Cottagers promoted to the Premier League as Tom Cairney fires 10 men up

The Cottagers return to the top flight after a four year absence after beating the Villans at Wembley

Poor old Prince William – talk about always the best man but never the groom.

A week after his part in the supporting cast at Harry and Meg's wedding, the Duke of Cambridge watched his beloved Aston Villa pipped in the £170 million promotion shoot-out.

Skipper Tom Cairney's beautifully-executed goal fired 10-man Fulham back into the Premier League after a four-year absence.

As the most watchable team in the Championship for the last two years, and their mixture of silk and steel in the moment of truth, Slavisa Jokanovic's men deserved their keys to the treasure chest.

Jokanovic held his nerve spectacularly on the run-in to guide Watford through the loft hatch in 2015. Mysteriously, he was jilted by the Hornets, ostensibly over failure to agree terms to extend his short-term contract.

(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article12602503.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Aston-Villa-v-Fulham-Sky-Bet-Championship-Play-Off-Final.jpg)
Tom Cairney of Fulham lifts the trophy (Image: Clive Mason)
(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article12602454.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/FBL-ENG-ASTON-VILLA-FULHAM.jpg)
(Image: AFP)
(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article12602455.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Championship-Play-Off-Final-Fulham-vs-Aston-Villa.jpg)
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article12602441.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/FBL-ENG-ASTON-VILLA-FULHAM.jpg)
(Image: AFP)

Better late than never, Jokanovic will now get the chance to coach a team in the penthouse.

And on only their second appearance at Wembley, 15,279 days after their first – the 1975 FA Cup final defeat by West Ham – this time there was only joy instead of Alan Taylor awaiting them.

But for Villa, there was only heartbreak on the 36th anniversary of the club's finest hour - winning the European Cup.

Manager Steve Bruce, who somehow kept going through the unimaginable grief of losing both his parents in the space of three months, deserved a moment of solace through the pain.

But on the final whistle he stood alone in his technical area, barely able to comprehend the latest cruel hand fate had dealt him.

(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article12602418.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Championship-Play-Off-Final-Fulham-vs-Aston-Villa.jpg)
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article12601832.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Aston-Villa-v-Fulham-Sky-Bet-Championship-Play-Off-Final.jpg)
(Image: Getty Images Europe)

All Villa's experience and streetwise know-how was not enough on the day, and former England captain John Terry's 34th appearance at Wembley for club and country will almost certainly be his swansong.

At the richest game in club football – financially, it knocks the Champions League final into a cocked hat - the first goal was always likely to be critical.

And after 22 minutes of tedious shadow boxing, with temperatures nudging 95 degrees on the pitch, Fulham's breakthrough was supplied by their two most valuable assets.

Ryan Sessegnon's deft turn and incisive pass cut Villa open through their inside left channel and Fulham skipper Cairney, whose run into the box had not been tracked, steered his left-foot shot calmly beyond Sam Johnstone.

The only Villa player to get a kick in the opening half-hour was England Under-21 international Jack Grealish. He was kicked off the park – and in one instance, Ryan Fredericks was lucky to stay on the pitch.

(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article12601826.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Aston-Villa-v-Fulham-Sky-Bet-Championship-Play-Off-Final.jpg)
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article12601827.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Championship-Play-Off-Final-Fulham-vs-Aston-Villa.jpg)
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

Right in front of the dugouts, Fredericks appeared to be guilty of trampling without due care and attention at best, and a cynical stamp at worst, on Grealish. The Fulham defender was fortunate that referee Anthony Taylor neither saw any malice nor had the option of VAR interference.

Alan Hutton's robust challenge on Aboubakar Kamara was also best viewed with the curtains drawn and from behnd the sofa, but Villa struggled to get a foot in where it really mattered.

It took them 39 minutes to register a meaningful shot, although they were not far away from an equaliser when Grealish blazed over from a tight angle from a clever Robert Snodgrass free-kick.

Villa's best player should have done better with a close-range header, under pressure from Fulham keeper Marcus Bettinelli, five mintues after the restart.

(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article12602289.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Aston-Villa-v-Fulham-Sky-Bet-Championship-Play-Off-Final.jpg)
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article12602292.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Aston-Villa-v-Fulham-Sky-Bet-Championship-Play-Off-Final.jpg)
(Image: Getty Images Europe)

And Grealish, embarking on a mazy solo run, was only denied one of the the great Wembley goals by Marcus Bettinelli's last-ditch intervention, although his enthusiasm ran away with him with a poor challenge on Cairney, which deserved at least Taylor's sanction of a yellow card.

Then Fulham were reduced to 10 men for the last 20 minutes, Denis Odoi taking the walk of shame for a reckless challenge on the irrepressible Grealish. If Odoi's first booking was harsh, he could have few complaints about the sequel.

With the egg timer down to the last few grains of sand, Grealish looked unlucky to be denied a penalty as he tumbled under Matt Targett's untidy escort.

But this was Fulham's day, and for Villa the financial pruning required for a third season below stairs could be painful.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/match-centre/aston-villa-fulham-playoff-result-12600235

 
Newcastle United's Mitrovic leads Fulham back to the EPL

After going on loan from Newcastle United in January, Aleksandar Mitrovic has led Fulham to promotion.

Fulham FC defeated Aston Villa today to win the EFL Playoff final, returning them to the Premier League for the first time since 2013. Newcastle United's Aleksandar Mitrovic was a key player in this match and over the last few months to push the Cottagers back to the top flight of English soccer.

In the 1-0 Fulham victory over Aston Villa, Mitrovic started at striker and played the full match. He drew two fouls and fired three total shots. Tom Cairney, a former Newcastle United target, buried the lone goal.

Mitro, a massive fan favorite of Toon Army, scored 12 goals and tallied an assist for Fulham after going on loan in January. He was struggling for match time at Newcastle, thought to be because he didn't follow Rafa Benitez's instructions. Arriving back in the Championship, he helped put Fulham on his back and push them to the top of the table.

Since departing Tyneside, there has been speculation on his long-term future. He is a powerful, passionate player, but Rafa prefers a striker to follow his orders and do more than simply crash towards the goal. Fulham seems to be interested and Mitrovic doesn't appear opposed to extending his stay in London.

Newcastle United will need to find a club willing to pay his rumored price tag of 15 to 20 million. If Fulham or another side is comfortable with that price, I would be shocked if the Magpies didn't move him. They could also wait until after this summer's World Cup to see if his value rises. He is in the Serbian squad and scored six goals for them in qualifying. If he has a stellar showing on the global stage, his value could continue to climb.



https://newcastletoons.com/2018/05/26/newcastle-uniteds-mitrovic-leads-fulham-back-epl/

 
Fulham returning to English Premier League after four years away

Fulham secured a return to the Premier League after four years away and a windfall of at least $300 million by beating Aston Villa 1-0 in the promotion playoff final on Saturday (Sunday NZT).

Tom Cairney netted probably the most lucrative goal he'll ever score by calmly sidefooting home a finish in the 23rd minute at Wembley Stadium, ensuring Fulham joined Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cardiff in getting promoted from the League Championship.

Villa, seeking to get back in the top flight after a two-year absence, dominated the second half - and Fulham's players bid to defend their lead was made even harder when defender Denis Odoi was sent off in the 70th minute for a second yellow card.

They succeeded, and will play in the Premier League for the first time since relegation in 2014 ended 13 straight seasons in the world's wealthiest and most-watched division.

By winning the sport's richest single game, Fulham guaranteed future additional revenue of at least 160 million pounds ($308 million) from prize money and broadcast deals, according to the sports business group of accountancy firm Deloitte.

That figure could rise to in excess of 280 million pounds ($538 million) if the club from southwest London survives its first season back in the Premier League.

Fulham finished third in the regular season, making it the highest placed of the four teams that entered the playoffs. It is owned by Shahid Khan, who recently placed an offer to buy Wembley for about 600 million pounds ($1.15 billion).

Ryan Sessegnon set up the goal for Cairney with a pinpoint through-ball, continuing his influential role for Fulham this season and especially in the playoffs. The 19-year-old left-sided player is widely regarded as one of the most talented youngsters in the English game and he will be able to test himself on the country's highest stage next season.

- AP



http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/football/104244774/

Aston Villa miss out on promotion, fall 1-0 to Fulham in play-off final

The Claret and Blues came up short Saturday at Wembley Stadium, falling 1-0 to Fulham and failing to return to the Premier League.

Aston Villa will play at least one more season in the Championship.

One defensive lapse at the back in the first half was the key moment, as Alan Hutton got caught for Ryan Sessegnon to play Tom Cairney through, giving Fulham the only goal in a 1-0 decision at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Villa were admittedly second-best in the first half, but they weren't out of it at the break — while Fulham had much of the ball, they only created one or two clear-cut chances, and entered half-time with the lead after a good, but not overwhelming display. The Claret and Blues sat back and absorbed pressure, a decision that Steve Bruce will now likely be criticized for by Villa supporters.

A first-half flash point came after Fulham's goal, when Ryan Fredricks stamped on Jack Grealish right in front of the fourth official, but got away with it. Instead of being reduced to 10 men, the Cottagers were able to continue on.

Villa came out of the second half with guns blazing and finally got their attack going throughout the last 45 minutes of the match. The best chance probably came around the hour mark, when Grealish dribbled past three defenders but hit his shot straight at Fulham keeper Marcus Bettinelli, who really wasn't tested much all match.

In truth, Grealish could've been sent off a few minutes later for a rash challenge he received a yellow for, but referee Anthony Taylor finally sent a player off around 70 minutes, when Dennis Odoi was shown red for a second yellow-card offense. Villa had no fewer than four half-penalty shouts denied by the referee over the course of the 90 minutes, but none were overwhelmingly convincing.

Steve Bruce threw on attacking power in the final 20 minutes, chasing the match with Jonathan Kodjia, Josh Onomah and Scott Hogan coming on for Ahmed Elmohamady, Mile Jedinak and Conor Hourihane, respectively, but the Claret and Blues couldn't find a breakthrough and the goal to force extra time.

On the balance of the season, Fulham have been rewarded. The Cottagers were clearly one of the three best teams in this division and their league position next season will dictate that. Villa were, as difficult as it is to swallow, a clear fourth-best this season.

We now enter the offseason, and this one could be the most important in the club's history. Tony Xia's gamble on achieving promotion by the end of this season didn't come off, and the club could be in serious trouble with Financial Fair Play regulations next campaign. It's almost certain that Lewis Grabban, Robert Snodgrass, John Terry and Sam Johnstone have all appeared in a Villa shirt for the final time, and Alan Hutton's contract is also up this summer. Combine that with likely Premier League interest surrounding Jack Grealish and the need to generate profit this summer to avoid FFP penalties, and the Villa team that takes the pitch next in August will look very different from the one that was out at Wembley today.



https://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2018/5/26/17398522/championship-play-off-final-fulham-1-villa-0

 
Fulham secure the richest prize in world football as they beat Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final
Aston Villa 0 Fulham 1

(https://cdn-02.independent.ie/incoming/article36949402.ece/66bdb/AUTOCROP/w620/download%201.jpg)



Fulham stormed back into the Premier League, as Tom Cairney's Wembley winner shattered Aston Villa hearts in a nail-biting Championship play-off final.

Slavica Jokanovic's Fulham secured the £200m windfall up for grabs in the richest game in world football, as they rocked Villa on to the back foot with a fine first half display and then clung on to secure a famous victory.

Amid several second half flash points, Denis Odoi was shown a red card for Fulham after a reckless challenge on Villa's Jack Grealish, but the man advantage was not enough to give Steve Bruce's side a route back into the game.

Redundancies for key staff and cost cutting are now likely to be on the agenda at Villa after their Wembley failure, while Fulham can fund the rebuilding of their Craven Cottage home with the cash that will roll in from their Premier League elevation.

Those stark facts highlight just how important this game was for both sides, with the agony etched onto the faces of Villa players as they failed to hide their agony at the final whistle a painful end to what has been a tough season for Bruce, who has mourned the death of both of his parents in the last few months.

There was to be no fairy tale ending for Villa and they only had themselves to blame after a poor first half showing handed Fulham all the incentive they needed to push for the win.

John Terry (below) has been the king pin of the Villa defence over the course of this season, but he veteran centre-back was exposed as the highly-rated Ryan Sessegnon picked out a perfect pass to send Cairney in on goal after 23 minutes.

He has time to think about the gravity of his moment to shine on the Wembley stage, but held his nerve to slide the ball past Villa keeper Sam Johnstone to give this Play-Off final its opening goal.

In what was Fulham's first Wembley appearance in 43 years, supporters of the London club duly toasted the goal as if it was a game clincher, yet Villa have warning that they would not surrender without a fight as they battled back in the final 10 minutes of the first half.

While a Villa side that featured the silky talents of Ireland midfielder Conor Hourihane and the impish skills of Jack Grealish, who famously turned down the chance to play for Ireland, failed to catch fire amid a deflated first half display, they had a chance to draw level five minutes before the break.

Grealish found space in the box as he was picked up by a cleverly worked Robert Snodgrass free-kick, with the youngster fluffing his lines on the big Wembley stage as he blasted the ball over the bar from the angle.

Fulham were fortunate to reach half-time with all eleven players still on the field after Ryan Fredericks stamped on Grealish in full view of the match officials, yet Villa's grievances over that decision were tempered by the lack of quality they had served up in the first half.

Lacking a focal point in their team with Ireland striker Scott Hogan left on the bench, Villa's attempts to grind out a win against a more energetic and youthful Fulham side had come up horribly in what was a limp first half display from Steve Bruce's side.

Grealish had another chance to draw his side level as he challenged Fulham keeper Marcus Bettinelli to a 50th minutes cross, as Villa started the second half with more intensity and intent than they showed before the break.

There was no doubting who Villa's dangerman was and Grealish showed his class again with a brilliant mazy run on the hour mark that ended with a fine save from Bettinelli.

Tempers frayed as Grealish ploughed into Cairney with a feisty challenge that could have resulted in a red card for the young playmaker, yet it was Fulham who went down to ten men when Odoi was shown a second yellow card for a wild challenge on Grealish.

Ten-man Fulham had a great chance second the decisive second goal when Aleksandar Mitrovic blasted over the bar with the goal at his mercy after 74 minutes, with the tension in this game reaching boiling point as the game entered its final quarter.

The prize at stake in this game was worth so much more than just promotion to the Premier League, with the cash windfall that it brings with it meaning so much to the future of both clubs.

"After we missed out on promotion last season, a lot of people wrote us off. We got a lot of stick. But football won today," declared match winner Cairney.

"I've been playing the whole season not fully fit. My knee still hurts not, but my manager said he needed me so I just played. I'll need the summer to rest and get fit."

As ever, the ramification from the Championship play-off final will rumble on for many years to come and for Fulham, the glory is all theirs.



https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/fulham-secure-the-richest-prize-in-world-football-as-they-beat-aston-villa-in-the-championship-playoff-final-36949391.html

 
Hammers miss out on £13m pay day

West Ham missed out on a £1m promotion bonus as Fulham beat Aston Villa in the Championship Final, the result means Villa are less likely to fork the £12m valuation the Hammers previously put on their player.

Villa lost 1-0 at Wembley today despite Hammer Robert Snodgrass playing for the full 90 minutes. Snodgrass is now expected to report for pre-season training at West Ham following the end of his season-long loan with the Midlands club who failed at the last hurdle.

Manuel Pellegrini will have a look at Scottish winger before making a final decision whether he will remain in the squad, be sold or be shipped out on loan again.

The win for Fulham also makes unlikely that previous Hammers targets Ryan Fredericks, Tom Cairney and Aleksandar Mitrovic will be available now. Each were scouted when David Moyes was in charge.

The good news is we see the return of a much loved London Derby including an awayday to Craven Cottage by the river.



http://www.claretandhugh.info/hammers-miss-out-on-13m-pay-day/

 
Cairney carries Fulham to Premier League

Agony for Aston Villa as they miss out in Wembley showdown.

(http://sport.bt.com/images/cairney-carries-fulham-to-premier-league-136427447162936601-180526192615.jpg)

Fulham are back in the big time after winning a thrilling Sky Bet Championship play-off final against Aston Villa, with Tom Cairney ending their four-year Premier League absence in a pulsating encounter.

Saturday may be the day of the Champions League final but the financial implications of the second-tier showpiece – worth at least £160million of additional revenue to the victor – dwarfs the Kiev showpiece.

Fulham were favourites with the bookmakers – and perhaps the neutrals – on their first trip to Wembley since 1975, and emerged 1-0 winners against Steve Bruce's Aston Villa after clinging onto Cairney's first-half strike.

(https://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/a34992f43fe04470fe183363cfd4e50dY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI3NDQ1MTA3/2.36706998.jpg?w=640)
Fulham's Tom Cairney celebrates promotion (Barrington Coombs/EMPICS).

Denis Odoi's sending off 20 minutes from time led to a jittery end for Slavisa Jokanovic's Whites, but they dug deep to secure the biggest financial prize in world football on a day to cherish.

The decisive blow came midway through the first half as Fulham offered a glimpse of the football that has earned so many plaudits this term, with 18-year-old Ryan Sessegnon superbly threading through Cairney to fire home.

Villa looked ripe for the taking as skipper John Terry struggled but Bruce, a man who knows a thing or two about promotion, got them firing in the second half.

Jack Grealish was a constant thorn in the side and saw a mazy run ended by a fine stop, before being taken down by a clumsy Odoi challenge that led to a second yellow card and an anxious conclusion.

Yet Fulham showed grit to match their skill to win and leave Villa, on the 36th anniversary of their European Cup triumph, facing another season in the Championship – and the financial ramifications that brings.

The Cottagers, by contrast, could earn £280million in extra revenue if they survive next season in the top flight after winning at the ground owner Shahid Khan hopes to buy.

Villa fan Prince William was among the 85,243 in attendance on a baking Wembley day, where intensity from the stands translated onto the pitch.

Villa worked hard during the opening stages as Robert Snodgrass found Albert Adomah and Conor Hourihane saw a half-hearted penalty appeal ignored.

But Fulham managed to contain Villa and burst into life two minutes after Aboubakar Kamara's deft touch and looped effort went over the bar.

(https://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/1c31b1f711d16aa41c1fec342e259a48Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI3NDQ1MjUy/2.36706704.jpg?w=640)
Ryan Sessegnon played his part for Fulham (Barrington Coombs/EMPICS).

Teen sensation Sessegnon showed awareness and a maturity that belied his years to thread through Cairney, whose low first-time finish beat Sam Johnstone.

Kamara and Sessegnon had attempts either side of a break in play after Ryan Fredericks trod on Grealish, whose quick feet lead to a booking for Odoi as half-time approached.

The boyhood Villa fan fired over when the resulting free-kick when it was quickly taken.

Sessegnon headed over before the break as Villa's defence struggled, but Bruce's men started the second half on the front foot as Hourihane charge down a Fredericks clearance to get the claret and blue hordes on their feet.

Grealish raced to head just over with the goal gaping before Hourihane's cross-shot threatened, but Fulham were looking dangerous on the break and Aleksandar Mitrovic nodded wide.

Grealish looked Villa's biggest threat and came close to drawing his side level in the 60th minute, jinking inside and out on a run before Marcus Bettinelli denied the attacking midfielder.

The 22-year-old and the Villa fans were incandescent when handball appeals against Odoi were ignored – anger that bubbled over as he launched into an overzealous challenge on Cairney that led to a booking and on-field commotion.

Kevin McDonald and Kamara had penalty appeals overlooked either side of Stefan Johansen flashing over 20 minutes from time.

Odoi missed the ball and instead wiped out Grealish, collecting a second booking to leave Fulham a man light.

Mitrovic saw a close-range effort blocked as tensions mounted, with substitute Oliver Norwood flying into a superb challenge to deny Hourihane.

Fulham were running out of energy as the clock wound down, with Snodgrass and Scott Hogan having attempts before a late Grealish penalty claim and the welcome sound of the full-time whistle.



http://sport.bt.com/football/cairney-carries-fulham-to-premier-league-S11364274471689

 
Fulham promoted after 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in Championship Playoff final

Ten-man Fulham were able to hold onto a 1-0 win thanks to a Tom Cairney strike in the first half.

(https://realsport101.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018-05-26T181152Z_678905653_RC1FCB8232D0_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-FUL-AVA-768x423.jpg)

Reuters/CARL RECINE

The Premier League awaits Fulham for the first time since the 2013-14 season as they beat Aston Villa in a heated encounter at Wembley.

Villa were left to rue some missed chances, with Jack Grealish particularly guilty.

Fulham executed a perfect tactical plan in the first half as they nullified Villa and dominated possession. Ryan Sessegnon threaded the needle superbly for Tom Cairney to score the only goal of the game on 23 minutes.

However, Steve Bruce sent his team out with renewed vigour in the second half and they dominated proceedings from there.

Denis Odoi was then sent off for a second yellow on 70 minutes after he fouled Grealish – but the London side could hold on for a crucial victory.

First half key

(https://realsport101.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018-05-26T162725Z_984342774_RC1B01E98C00_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-FUL-AVA-1600x923.jpg)
Reuters/CARL RECINE

Often in these high-pressure games, the winner can be determined from who starts the brightest.

In this game, Jokanovic was able to get his tactics spot on as his possession game suffocated Bruce's boys in the first half.

Mitrovic lead the line superbly while Cairney, Johansen, and Sessegnon continued to torment the Villa defence.

For Villa, these early struggles left them without any momentum and they struggled to create any real opportunities during the first period.

Missed chances for Villa

While the first half belonged to Fulham, the second most certainly was dominated by the Villains.

Bruce must have put a rocket up his team as their intensity rose considerably and their creativity increased tenfold.

Grealish perhaps had the best opportunities but he could not get past Bertinelli in the Fulham goal.

The red-card for Fulham left them with a lot to do and a Villa onslaught seemed inevitable, but to the credit of the Cottagers, they rarely looked troubled during the final 20 minutes of the game.

Fulham edged the game in most areas, with more shots, shots on target, corners, and possession. For Villa, this will feel like a missed opportunity.

What they said

Tom Cairney
"A lot of people gave us a bit of stick but football won today, football won. It's been a hard season for me, I've been playing all season not fully fit. I've had to miss a lot of training sessions to get through games, the manager said he needed me so I've played."

Ryan Sessegnon
"It's been a fantastic season and to top it off for promotion, there's nothing better than that."

Aleksandar Mitrovic
"Unbelievable, a dream come true. We have brought this club back to where it should be and we're very proud. I'm so tired right now, like never in my life, I swear. I can't feel my legs."



https://realsport101.com/news/sports/football/fulham-promoted-after-1-0-victory-over-aston-villa-in-championship-playoff-final/

 
Tom Cairney The Hero As Fulham Are Promoted Back To The Premier League



Fulham were promoted to the Premier League after a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley.

Tom Cairney scored the only goal of the game in the first half, slotting the ball into the far corner after a terrific assist from Ryan Sessegnon. Slavisa Jokanovic's men had Denis Odoi sent off in the 70th minute, but they held on to secure a return to the top flight after a four-year absence.

The pattern of the match was set early on, with Fulham looking to get on the ball and dominate possession while Villa focused on keeping a compact defensive shape. Kevin McDonald dropped between centre-halves Tim Ream and Odoi to allow Fulham's full-backs to push forward, and Cairney and Stefan Johansen created clever angles for passes into midfield.

Villa struggled to mount any meaningful attacks before the opener, with Albert Adomah – usually their chief counter-attacking outlet – forced to spend most of his time tracking the surging runs of Fulham right-back Ryan Fredericks. Jack Grealish showcased his ball-carrying ability by drawing fouls from a host of opponents, but Villa were overly reliant on the 22-year-old and lone striker Lewis Grabban was left isolated at the top of the pitch.

Fulham, conversely, were fluid and fluent, knocking the ball around confidently and regaining it quickly when possession was ceded. They had their reward midway through the opening period when Sessegnon drifted infield and slid a tremendous pass through to Cairney, who coolly side-footed the ball past Sam Johnstone to give the Cottagers the lead. Alan Hutton was caught too high and John Terry was guilty of ball-watching, but the teenage Sessegnon showed brilliant composure and awareness to pick out his captain.

Steve Bruce's side improved in the final 15 minutes of the first half, albeit without creating many clear-cut chances. Their best opportunity came when Grealish fired the ball over the bar after being picked out by Robert Snodgrass' chipped free-kick, but that was one of only two shots Villa registered before the interval.

They made a brighter start to the second period, showing far greater intent both in and out of possession. Robert Snodgrass headed a difficult chance over and Grealish, under pressure from Marcus Bettinelli, did the same after a dangerous run in behind the Fulham backline. The Cottagers struggled to deal with several crosses into the box, with the lively Adomah becoming increasingly involved on the left flank.

Jokanovic's men decided to take a leaf out of their opponents' book soon after, Aleksandar Mitrovic escaping the attention of John Terry and flashing a header wide from the centre of the box. That was a let-off for Villa, who again pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Grealish fed Grabban but the striker took too long to sort his feet out and could not get a clean shot away, before Grealish tested Bettinelli after a superb run through the middle of the pitch.

Villa, roared on by their supporters behind the goal they were attacking, continued to pile on the pressure, but Fulham were able to take some of the sting of proceedings when Grealish was booked for a reckless tackle on Cairney. Johansen should have done better after being found by Sessegnon, before a powerful run from Kamara brought about hopeful appeals for a Fulham penalty.

Referee Anthony Taylor was right not to take any action – Hutton did not touch the Frenchman – and he made another correct decision seconds later when Odoi was shown a second yellow card for a wild foul on Grealish.

Despite their numerical disadvantage the next opportunity fell Fulham's way, Mitrovic lashing a shot over from Fredericks' driven cross. The classy Cairney was at the heart of the Londoners' efforts to keep possession whenever possible, but they gradually sunk deeper as the clock ticked closer to 90.

Substitute Jonathan Kodjia put himself about at the other end but Villa struggled to turn possession into open-play chances, with one of their better opportunities coming when Snodgrass curled a free-kick wide of the post. Scott Hogan failed to get a meaningful connection on Adomah's cross before Grealish went down in the box under pressure from Ream, but Fulham held on to earn themselves a place in next season's Premier League.



https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/tom-cairney-the-hero-as-fulham-are-promoted-back-to-the-premier-league

 
Ryan Sessegnon proves he can handle the pressure after making his mark at Wembley with assist that has taken Fulham to the Premier League

    Ryan Sessegnon delivered on the biggest stage as Fulham won at Wembley
    He showed he could live with the pressure after assisting Fulham's winning goal
    At just 18 he's had a prolific year and attracted the interest of many big clubs

He washed his own kit in one charming moment and in the short space of another he took Aston Villa to the cleaners. For good measure, he might just have smeared a handful of mud into Tottenham's transfer plans as well.

A time will inevitably come when Ryan Sessegnon cannot keep up with the escalating expectations thrown his way, but for now it truly is a case of so far, so, so good.

Not that this was his best game. Far from it. It wasn't Sheffield United away and a Tuesday night hat-trick. And it wasn't Derby at home in the play-off semi-final second leg, when he scored one and made another to set up this £170million game of snakes and ladders.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/26/21/4CA751D000000578-5775147-Ryan_Sessegnon_stepped_up_to_deliver_a_game_winning_promotion_cl-a-3_1527365022691.jpg)
Ryan Sessegnon stepped up to deliver a game-winning, promotion-clinching assist for Fulham

In fact there was only one moment that gave validation to the ranting and raving. But it was the strength of the moment and the scale of the match, given he made the gut-punching contribution of the richest game in football.

Big game player? It was a big game and he was the player who set up its single defining act when he made the goal for Tom Cairney 23 minutes in.

The context was there, so now consider the content. Stefan Johansen got the move going with what was a lashed pass across the field from just inside Villa's half. It came at a horrible height and a horrible pace – not a great pass, all told.

But Sessegnon met it coming the other way, cutting in from the left flank and taking a touch to control. He evaded a wild lunge at speed from Conor Hourihane, caught sight of Tom Cairney on the right and pulled off a quite exceptional delivery.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/26/21/4CA6977400000578-5775147-Sessegnon_did_not_have_his_best_game_but_a_moment_of_brilliance_-a-4_1527365023195.jpg)
Sessegnon did not have his best game but a moment of brilliance put in Tom Cairney to score

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/26/21/4CA6E11F00000578-5775147-The_18_year_old_was_involved_in_all_three_goals_that_Fulham_scor-a-5_1527365023336.jpg)
The 18-year-old was involved in all three goals that Fulham scored in their three play-off games

Sessegnon placed it right to find the space between John Terry and Alan Hutton; he paced it even better to meet the run of Cairney. An excellent finish, for sure, but one that was only possible because of the brilliance of the assist. Touch, awareness, execution, speed of foot, speed of thought – a lovely little package wrapped into one flurry.

With it, the statistics and the hype can just keep ticking. Of Fulham's three goals in the play-offs, Sessegnon was involved in all three. That's a nice look.

But crunching the numbers into such a small scale undersells him – 16 league goals this season. Eight assists. So, he has been immense, good with the data and a flying colours pass on the eye test - a scorer from wide positions, a regular provider, a frequent wrecking ball with his speed, a wonderful attacker. At barely 18, he has so much to offer beyond the obvious.

Take the fifth minute as an example. He tracked back and played a fine tackle on Robert Snodgrass. Later in the match he switched from the left flank to the right and then back again – a tactical weapon.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/26/21/4CA6B84500000578-5775147-He_has_demonstrated_he_can_live_with_the_pressure_and_promotion_-a-2_1527365022663.jpg)
He has demonstrated he can live with the pressure and promotion could help Fulham keep him

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/26/21/4CA6BBC900000578-5775147-Tottenham_had_shown_interest_but_promotion_means_he_will_likely_-a-1_1527365022661.jpg)
Tottenham had shown interest but promotion means he will likely stay at Fulham next year

Of course, in these moments it is possible to eulogise too much. The whole tale told on Tuesday by the club's CEO, Alistair Mackintosh, is a case in point.

If anyone hasn't heard it by now, it goes along the lines that Sessegnon had a doping test after a night game and by the time he was done everyone had left, including the kit man. Sessegnon took his kit home, washed it and ironed it before returning it.

Nice, obviously. Over-played in its use as an antidote to football's rotten culture of greed and self-interest? That too.

But he is a fine player, a very fine player, and one born two years after John Terry made his debut. With any luck, he will keep getting better for a while yet.

Tottenham already want him and they would have had him quite easily had this game gone south. For 170 million reasons, and a few more besides, Fulham can be glad it did not.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5775147/Sessegnon-proves-handle-pressure-assist-takes-Fulham-Premier-League.html#ixzz5GgYZ8vRf
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 
Fulham back in Premier League with playoff win over Villa

LONDON (Reuters) - Fulham returned to the Premier League after a four-year absence as Tom Cairney scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in the Championship playoff final at Wembley on Saturday, the richest game in world football.

Cairney's first-half goal was decisive as Fulham, owned by U.S. billionaire Shahid Khan, held on to their narrow lead despite having defender Denis Odoi sent off after 70 minutes as tempers began to fray on a sultry afternoon.

The win secures the west London club a windfall of at least 160 million pounds ($212.91 million) as they look forward to joining Championship title winners Wolverhampton Wanderers and second-placed Cardiff City in the top flight next season.

Fulham, who failed to claim automatic promotion when losing to Birmingham City on the final day of the regular season as they finished third in the table, celebrated with their joyous fans as they sealed a lucrative place among the elite.

"After we missed out on promotion (in the playoffs) last season, a lot of people wrote us off. We got a lot of stick. But football won today. Football was the winner," Cairney said.

With the stakes so high it was no surprise that the match was a frenetic affair in the opening stages.

Fulham, whose style of play under Serbian manager Slavisa Jokanovic earned plaudits this season, were the first to settle and scored from the game's first piece of quality football.

Teenager Ryan Sessegnon received the ball midway inside Villa's half, evaded a tackle, and turned to play a through ball that Cairney calmly slotted past keeper Sam Johnstone.

VILLA RESPOND

Villa, led by former England and Chelsea defender John Terry, were dreadful in the first half but they revived after the break.

Jack Grealish suddenly got involved in the game and he forced a save from goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli after a superb slaloming dribble through the Fulham defence.

Villa also had a penalty appeal turned down but Grealish was lucky to escape a red card with a reckless tackle on Cairney.

Odoi's clumsy attempt to win the ball off Grealish earned him a second yellow card and left Fulham to survive the last 20 minutes and five minutes of stoppage time with 10 men.

Villa threw everything forward in the nail-biting closing stages but Fulham held on without too many alarms.

Defeat ended Villa manager Steve Bruce's hopes of a record fifth promotion to England's top flight.

According to the Deloitte Sports Business Group, the playoff winners are guaranteed 160 million pounds, potentially rising to 280 million if they avoid relegation next season.

Fulham will earn 95 million pounds next term, as part of the Premier League's huge broadcasting rights deal, and up to 75 million pounds in parachute payments in 2019-20 and 2020-21 should they fail to stay up.



https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-ful-ava/fulham-back-in-premier-league-with-playoff-win-over-villa-idUKKCN1IR0NM?rpc=401&

 
Southampton: Targett and Fulham gain Premier League promotion

Matt Targett and Fulham triumphed in Saturday's Championship play-off final at Wembley with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa.

The Left-Back – on loan at Craven Cottage from Southampton since January – played his part in the game over the 90 minutes and the Cottagers would run out deserving winners overall.

Tom Cairney's goal after 23 minutes was enough to see Fulham win despite a late red card for defender Denis Odoi, and they will join Wolves and Cardiff as opponents for Southampton in the Premier League next season.

This game was in fact his second appearance at the national stadium this campaign after featuring for the Saints in their 5-2 defeat to Spurs back in December.

He has enjoyed a successful season in London and will surely be interested in a permanent move away from St Mary's after experiencing his first sustained burst of first-team football.

The £160m in extra revenue that promotion provides Fulham will give them the opportunity to strengthen their squad over the summer transfer window, and could see them make an offer for Targett after his highly successful spell.

He is a player of Premier League quality after some impressive showings for Saints, and he often grabbed any opportunities that came his way with both hands.

However, he is second-choice behind England international Ryan Bertrand and may feel that he needs to move to further his career. After representing his country at u21s level, Targett could even push himself into the reckoning for the senior team with regular Premier League game-time.

He could even be joined by fellow academy graduates Harrison Reed and Sam McQueen in leaving St Mary's before the start of 2018/19.

It is also possible that Ryan Bertrand may move on from Southampton this window, so Targett may be recalled and take up a bigger role ahead of next season.



https://saintsmarching.com/2018/05/26/southampton-targett-fulham-gain-premier-league-promotion/

 
Fulham must look beyond Premier League survival as bright new era beckons for Slavisa Jokanoic's men

After a four-year exile Fulham are back in the Premier League. What comes next should hold no fear for them.

Under Slavisa Jokanovic the Cottagers have been perhaps the best footballing side in the division at their peak, which they hit so often during the stunning 23-game unbeaten run that took them from mid-table to the cusp of the playoffs.

Had it not been for the hangover from last season's defeat to Reading in the play-off semi-finals, which dogged Jokanovic's men for most of the autumn months, they probably would not have needed to go about their promotion push the hard way.

This victory at least gave Fulham fans a day out at Wembley, something they had been waiting 45 years for. Some might be happy to wait another half-a-lifetime to avoid the nerves that came with Villa's second half assault.

(https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2018/05/26/19/jokanovic2605a.jpg?w600)
Style and substance: Jokanovic's men clinched Premier League promotion playing brilliant football (REUTERS)

Defeat was a doomsday scenario for Fulham. Had Villa beaten them to promotion the Cottagers would have found themselves carrion for Premier League vultures.

Tom Cairney, courted by West Ham and Newcastle, had acknowledged as much in two separate interviews with Standard Sport during the season. Before the trip to Birmingham on the final day of the regular season, when Fulham blew their chance at automatic promotion, the captain said: "It is now or never because we've got some good players and a few teams might be after them in the summer.

"To keep this team together, we need to do it [get promoted] now. I just think we are attracting a lot of attention and so are our players."

That much has been achieved, and it is highly likely that the core of this team will take the field in the Premier League in August. Ryan Fredericks will need to put pen to paper on an extension and the Cottagers will need to hold firm in the face of what could be silly money from European suitors for Ryan Sessegnon. But the club have always been confident that if they go up they will take this squad with them.

Similarly it seems likely that key loanees Matt Targett and Aleksandar Mitrovic, unwanted by Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez and available at £20million despite his exploits since January, will be retained.

The question then becomes how these players cope with the Premier League. For proof that Jokanovic's men ought to have no difficulty with the step up to the top flight you need look no further than Cairney's brilliant opener.

(https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2018/05/26/17/cairneygoal3.jpg?w600)
Patient build-up: Cairney's opener was straight out of the top drawer (AFP/Getty Images)

Fulham patiently moved the Villa defence to where they wanted them before the ball was flashed forward swiftly into Sessegnon's feet. The moment the 18-year-old turned Cairney made his move, slipping behind Alan Hutton to collect a perfectly-placed through ball.

A composed finish from the Cottagers' skipper put the finishing touch on a superb goal, but the sort of strike Fulham have scored on numerous occasions throughout the second half of this season. This was no moment of inspiration - just a side playing at their level.

That Hutton and John Terry, both of whom have more Premier League games to their name that the entirety of this Fulham team combined, should offer an indication as to the quality that cut through the Villa backline. It was the sort of move that would be too much for many a top flight side.

There is certainly room for improvement in this Fulham side. Jokanovic never quite found the third man to play alongside Sessegnon and Mitrovic: Aboubakar Kamara adds an element of chaos and his lung-busting run with 20 minutes to go nearly won a penalty but Fredericks came under a torrent of pressure without a right winger ahead of him who would offer him any protection.

Denis Odoi's red card could have earned himself an infamous place in Fulham history had Villa taken their chances and it was not the first time in recent weeks that the 29-year-old, who in mitigation was pressed into an unfamiliar centre-back role midway through the campaign, has looked the player most likely to cost his side.

With at least £160million filling their coffers next season there should be. There is no need for an overhaul to make this side Premier League-worthy.

If Fulham want to look for a marker as to what they can achieve in the top flight they would do worse than to note what was achieved by Swansea on their arrival in the Premier League, or indeed what Bournemouth's proactive brand of football has brought them in recent years.

Those sides firmly debunked the idea that keeping it tight at the back is the best way to survive after promotion and you cannot imagine a manager like Jokanovic abandoning his principles, not with a cadre of exceptional talent at his disposal.

They may not have got to display all that against Villa, who were admirable in defeat and have a Premier League talent of their own in Jack Grealish, but Saturday was about getting the job done. That they did, and they can look forward to a bright new era knowing they could make a real impression on English football in the coming months.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-must-look-beyond-premier-league-survival-as-bright-new-era-beckons-for-slavisa-jokanoics-men-a3849081.html

 
Fulham 'deserved' promotion to the Premier League says Slavisa Jokanovic

Fulham beat Aston Villa 1-0 in the final, just a year after losing in the semi-final

Slavisa Jokanovic said that his Fulham team "deserved" to be promoted into the Premier League after completing their impressive season with a complete performance at Wembley in today's play-off final.

Fulham beat Aston Villa 1-0 in the final, having lost the semi-final last year, and Jokanovic spoke with a powerful sense of vindication following all his hard since leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv to join Fulham two and a half years ago.

Fulham played good football in the first half before defending well in the second half, but Jokanovic said promotion was about more than just today, it was about years of hard work and good performance.

"We didn't just suffer in the second half, it's about the last three years," Jokanovic said. "It's not easy coming to this place, trying to play with the style we have followed for the last few years. But we have shown with this style we are one of the best Championship teams. And, at the end, we can be solid, organised, and fight together for a clean sheet."

Fulham's style and inexperience were doubted but Jokanovic delighted in proving the doubters wrong here today now that his team have been promoted. "This was really important for us, we deserved it," he said. "This team has shown many important things. It's not easy to play at Wembley, under much pressure, with many young players, some 18 year olds, but we showed personality and a desire to be successful."

There have been some tough moments over the years but all that hard work paid off today.

"I must be satisfied, this is our project, Fulham is my club, my staff, and it's our way of trying to get promoted. In the first year it was about not getting relegated, in the second year we built the team, we didn't get the opportunity to play here at Wembley, but this year we improved a bit more and it was important ot come back from the start of the season, which we didn't start well. We had a great January transfer window, we brought in two or three really important players."

okanovic also thanked American owner Shahid Khan for his leadership over the last few years. "Mr Khan is a great owner, a great man and a brilliant mind," he said ."He has many important businesses, I don't need to teach him anything, he is clever enough, as he has shown 100 times in his life."



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/championship-playoff-final-fulham-premier-league-epl-efl-slavisa-jokanovic-a8370981.html

 
Fulham must show Premier League ambition, says Slavisa Jokanovic

Slavisa Jokanovic has called on Fulham to show ambition as they prepare for a return to the Premier League.

Tom Cairney's goal was enough to help them see off Aston Villa in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final on Saturday at Wembley, meaning Fulham will return to the top flight for the first time in four years.

"I know what is ahead of us," Jokanovic said following his team's triumph. "The Premier League is the best and most competitive league in the world and we must be clever and show the ambition of the Premier League team.

"I'm personally very satisfied because this Fulham was the project of my club and staff. The first year we were fighting not to be relegated and in the second year we started to build the team. We were unlucky last season not to have the opportunity [to play at Wembley].

"This season we didn't start well then we had a great January where we brought in three really important players who gave us an important push.

"[Aleksandar] Mitrovic made an important impact but [Matt] Targett has too. He gave us the opportunity to push Ryan Sessegnon further forward and now he's our top scorer."

Fulham dominated the first half at Wembley but had to see out the final stages with 10 men of a feisty encounter after Denis Odoi picked up a second yellow card.

Jokanovic was proud of the resolve his side showed to hold off Villa's onslaught.

"We showed with our style that we can be one of the best Championship teams," he said. "Then we were solid, organised and fighting altogether for the clean sheet in that last 20 minutes. The team stuck together and showed great fight.

"It's a really important victory for us and I think we deserve it after the last couple of years. It's not easy playing at Wembley with some many young players and under such pressure, especially when Villa had so much experience. But we showed the quality and desire to be successful."

Jokanovic also singled out match-winner Cairney after his goal fired Fulham to promotion. The club captain has had opportunities to leave the Cottagers but could now play for them in the Premier League next season.

"The last two years he has been fantastic," said Jokanovic. "He was crucial today and is the captain of the team. He showed the quality and personality to help bring the team into the Premier League. He's important for us and he will be there."



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11386506/fulham-must-show-premier-league-ambition-says-slavisa-jokanovic

 
This time there's no taking it away from Slavisa Jokanovic, he's going to be a Premier League manager

The Serb won his second promotion to the Premier League, and this time he's staying put

This time, Slavisa Jokanovic will get his chance.

Promotion with Watford was sweet but his departure before getting to take charge of a Premier League game was bitter. This time, however, Jokanovic won't be clearing out the office of a top-flight manager during the warm summer days, instead he'll be preparing for life in the dugout of the world's richest football league.

Fulham's promotion owes so much to many factors but Jokanovic's influence has been enormous. He picked up a club threatened with relegation to the third tier, struggling with the hangover of having dropped out of the top flight and – to use the Serb's own words – a little depressed.

This time, Slavisa Jokanovic will get his chance.

Promotion with Watford was sweet but his departure before getting to take charge of a Premier League game was bitter. This time, however, Jokanovic won't be clearing out the office of a top-flight manager during the warm summer days, instead he'll be preparing for life in the dugout of the world's richest football league.

Fulham's promotion owes so much to many factors but Jokanovic's influence has been enormous. He picked up a club threatened with relegation to the third tier, struggling with the hangover of having dropped out of the top flight and – to use the Serb's own words – a little depressed.

On the day, the fan favourite flew around the field from centre-forward playing the only way he knows – harrying, chasing, haranguing – as Fulham outplayed Aston Villa and closed out the game even with ten men.

At Wembley, in playoff finals, the season that has gone before means nothing. Unless, that is, you are a team like Fulham. The Cottagers played the best football all year and it was clear in their performance against Villa just how settled they were, how comfortable in possession and how dangerous on the ball.

Steve Bruce probably had the stronger XI but Jokanovic had the better team, coached into a superior unit and boasting a couple of outrageously talented individuals. Ryan Sessegnon's pass and Tom Cairney's subsequent finish crystallised that element of Fulham. But genius doesn't flourish without structure to put it in a position to succeed. Jokanovic has done an outstanding job for Fulham and his reward won't be stolen away from him this time.

It's been a long time coming, but he is a Premier League manager at last.



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fulham-slavisa-jokanovic-championship-playoff-final-promotion-aston-villa-a8370926.html

 
Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic was right about Aston Villa

The Cottagers chief's words hurt - but he called it correctly

Anthony Taylor's final whistle signalled the end to another season of failure for Aston Villa.

Manager Steve Bruce – brought in to provide the promotion quick fix – couldn't reach the Premier League for a fifth time.

As Fulham's players raced towards their fans, one even holding a smoke bomb above his head, Villa's players fell to their knees.

There were tears from some as they failed to hide the anguish felt by every play-off final loser.

While those around him dropped, Bruce stood tall in the technical area for a period of reflection at the end of what has been a gruelling season for the Villa chief.

As managers often say, "It's back to the drawing board" for Bruce and his team of lieutenants.

That 'drawing board' is where this game was lost, though.

While Fulham arrived at Wembley with an identity and a clear way of playing, few of us were aware which Villa would turn up – even those of us who've watched Bruce's team every week this term.

When Villa are at their best they're in the opposition's faces and fighting for every ball – but hard work alone isn't enough to win promotion.

There's a popular saying amongst football coaches and players which is written on the walls of virtually every training ground in the country: "Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard."

Fulham were the bookies and pundits' favourites ahead of kick-off due to the exciting array of players at Slavisa Jokanovic's disposal.

Tom Cairney, whose goal proved the difference, was a class above every Villa player bar Jack Grealish.

Ryan Sessegnon is freakishly talented – but youngsters need chances and Jokanovic has given him one. Sessegnon wasn't even pulled once Fulham went down to 10 men. The recently-turned 18-year-old has his manager's full confidence.

Jokanovic enraged Villa's fanbase prior to the match, saying Villa are an 'old and tired team'.

The Serbian was spot on. He'd seen something the rest of us hadn't and his team exploited it on the biggest stage.

Villa, with the bigger wage bill and vastly more experienced squad, were relying on the latter alone to pull them through.

In the end, Fulham's talented squad worked hard enough to undo Villa's nine months of good work and ensure the 83 points they racked up over 46 hard-fought matches went to waste.

It's not always the case, but Jokanovic's philosophy and Fulham's talent prevailed over Villa's old heads.



https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-manager-slavisa-jokanovic-right-14711288

 
5 Things we learned from Fulham's win over Aston Villa

Cairney the hero for Cottagers.

(http://sport.bt.com/images/5-things-we-learned-from-fulhams-win-over-aston-villa-136427447470836601-180526195637.jpg)

Fulham secured promotion to the Premier League with a 1-0 victory in their Championship play-off final against Aston Villa.

Despite being under pressure throughout the second half, Tom Cairney's first-half finish proved enough for their often-promising season to end in glory.

Here, Press Association Sport analyses five things learnt from Wembley.

1. Ryan Sessegnon is ready to thrive in the Premier League. He was already expected to attract significant interest from bigger clubs and the 18-year-old further enhanced his growing reputation with the superb pass that created Cairney's goal on such a high-pressure stage. If Fulham can retain Sessegnon and Cairney, they will have two significant assets as they build for next season.

2. Aston Villa are capable of responding by securing promotion next season. A moment of quality ensured Villa will remain a Championship team for at least the coming 12 months, but in Steve Bruce they have a manager who has overseen numerous promotions, and the core of their starting XI will remain one of the strongest in the division.

3. John Terry is unlikely to play Premier League football again. The defender only ever appeared likely to return to the English top flight with Villa. Aged 37, even if he remains with them and they secure promotion in 12 months' time, a further year at the highest level will by then most likely be beyond him.

4. Fulham may have to adapt. The form of Slavisa Jokanovic's team during the second half of the season perhaps made them the strongest in the Championship, and their expansive, attacking football means they have numerous admirers. Villa regardless created chances that superior teams would have taken, so Fulham could prove at risk by playing that same way in the Premier League.

5. Fulham have struck gold. Promotion to the Premier League is estimated to be worth an additional £160million, spread over three years, which obviously would make a significant difference to either team. If they prove capable of surviving one season, that could even increase to £280million.

(https://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/94710800e431bcfbe2834dcde79a3ea9Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI3NDQ3MDYw/2.36707387.jpg?w=640)
Happy days at Fulham (John Walton/PA).



http://sport.bt.com/football/5-things-we-learned-from-fulhams-win-over-aston-villa-S11364274474859

 
Tim Ream: Fulham aiming to 'prove ourselves' in Premier League after promotion

Fulham defender Tim Ream says he and his teammates are ready to "prove ourselves" in the Premier League after beating Aston Villa 1-0 in the promotion playoff final at Wembley on Saturday.

The United States international helped Fulham keep a clean sheet despite his center-back partner Denis Odoi's sending off in the 70th minute.

Ream's only Premier League experience came in 13 games for Bolton Wanderers in 2012, after he left the New York Red Bulls in MLS. And after seven season in the Championship, he said he was already looking forward to the next test.

"I don't know that you can describe what the feeling is right now and the emotions, and the release of everything that's gone on this season, in the second half of the season," Ream told Sky Sports. "There's not many better feelings than this.

"It's incredible. I had a taste of it what, six years ago now, and I wanted to get back ever since. It's the top of the top. Now to be back there and to get a change again to prove ourselves against some of the best in the world, there's nothing better.

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic recognised that his team will have to invest in their side to ensure survival after winning promotion.

"I personally must be satisfied. This is our project, this Fulham is my club, my staff. We needed two and a half years," he said. "We must adapt ourselves; we know what is ahead of us. The Premier League is the most competitive league and we must be clever.

"That [January] transfer window was successful and gave an important push for the team. We must show ambition to be a Premier League team, show ambition with [transfer] money too.

"We believe we can play this way, but we must know what characters and what players we need. We must try and dominate against teams we believe we can dominate."

Tom Cairney's 23rd-minute goal was the difference as Fulham capped a remarkable turnaround in the second half of their season to join Wolverhampton and Cardiff in the Premier League next season.

"A lot of people said we had to change the way we play and gave us a lot of stick," he said. "I've been playing all season not fully fit. I just need the summer to rest get fully fit then take on the Premier League.

"We knew we weren't going to shrink in this environment. In my eyes in the last two years we have been the best team in this league."

Cairney added: "It feels like an out of body feeling. I got a feeling that they wouldn't score and it would be our year. It's a dream come true. I believe what we are doing here is special and I've said for a while that we've been playing Premier League football in the Championship.

"We went on a 23-game unbeaten run. We've been the best team in the league and although we didn't get automatic promotion, we blew teams away."

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who scored 12 league goals after joining on loan from Newcastle midseason, spoke of his pride after giving everything.

"We are very proud and proud of Fulham today. Unbelievable day," the 23-year-old Serbian said. "We score a goal and today we get a red card. I'm so tired right now I don't feel my legs "We are really happy and proud."

Information from Press Association was used in this report.



http://www.espn.co.uk/football/fulham/story/3510606/tim-ream-says-fulham-aiming-to-prove-ourselves-in-premier-league-after-promotion

 
Fulham's teenage sensation Sessegnon ready for Premier League

LONDON (Reuters) - Appropriately it was teenager Ryan Sessegnon's astute pass that paved the way for Fulham to reach the Premier League promised land with a Championship playoff win on Saturday.

Sports News
May 26, 2018 / 9:32 PM / Updated 11 hours ago
Fulham's teenage sensation Sessegnon ready for Premier League
Martyn Herman

4 Min Read

LONDON (Reuters) - Appropriately it was teenager Ryan Sessegnon's astute pass that paved the way for Fulham to reach the Premier League promised land with a Championship playoff win on Saturday.
Soccer Football - Championship Play-Off Final - Fulham vs Aston Villa - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - May 26, 2018 Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon celebrates promotion to the Premier League Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien

The 18-year-old has earned rave reviews for his performances this season, with speculation rife about which top-flight side would secure his signature in the close season.

But after Fulham's 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley he can grace the Premier League in a white Fulham shirt next season after all — thanks to the minimum 160 million pounds ($212.91 million) windfall the club can now look forward to.

Defeat would have put huge pressure on Fulham to sell the left back, who scored 16 Championship goals this season.

The west London side's triumph has changed everything.

Sessegnon and Tom Cairney, who scored the winner, will still be targeted over the coming months but Fulham, and billionaire owner Shahid Khan, have the financial muscle to resist overtures for a player many felt deserved an England World Cup call-up.

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic, who also took Watford into the Premier League, could also find himself a target after taking the Londoners up playing stylish football.

The Serbian will expect some funds to strengthen the squad in the close season — as well as keeping the club's best players like Sessegnon and 27-year-old Cairney.

"This is a really important victory for us. We deserved it. It's not easy to play at Wembley, there is a lot of pressure," said Jokanovic. "We know what is ahead of us.

"The Premier League is the best and most competitive league, and we must be clever.

"One important improvement is now finished, and now we must show ambition to be a Premier League team."

CAIRNEY PRAISED

Jokanovic was full of praise for captain Cairney who has been playing for much of the season with a knee injury.

"The last two years Cairney has been fantastic," he said.

"The beginning of the season we had to find a solution for his knee problem, but when he came back he played like we remember last season.

"Today he was crucial, he's captain of the team. He showed the quality and personality to bring the team to the Premier League, and he's an important player for us."

While Fulham look ahead to a return to the top flight after a four-year absence, Steve Bruce's Villa side are condemned to a third year of second-tier football.

"It's been difficult this season financially, so we understand. We've been saying that for the last 12 months," the experienced Bruce said. "The decisions have got to be had above me to say what we've got and what we haven't got.

"Defeat is difficult. We've come close this year and we'll try again."

Whether or not 37-year-old former Chelsea and England skipper John Terry and highly-rated midfielder Jack Grealish, 22, remain at Villa Park is another matter.

"Of course there will be speculation about Jack. Personally, I would like him to stay. Another year with us would do him the world of good," Bruce said.

"We'd love to have given him the platform of the Premier League and we haven't, but he's playing regular football week in and week out. We'll see what happens."



https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-ful-ava-quotes/fulhams-teenage-sensation-sessegnon-ready-for-premier-league-idUKKCN1IR0QH?rpc=401&

 
Fulham's scintillating football set to invigorate tired Premier League

Slavisa Jokanovic's side play the kind of front-foot football that makes them welcome Championship play-off winners

The deafening sound as Fulham celebrated promotion under the Wembley arch gave a whole new meaning to white noise, for Slavisa Jokanovic's slow-burning, swaggering side had finally got over the line. A couple of months ago, Jokanovic had insisted that dreams were to be had in the bedroom but he woke with his team triumphant and many topless at the end of Fulham's first game at the national stadium since 1975. His players, showered in gold confetti, guzzled champagne as they bounced on a hastily erected stage still feeling the effects of the mass pile-on at full-time.

The often ice-cool Jokanovic erupted with joy, thumped the air with both fists, later hoisting the trophy airborne while Shahid Khan, the Fulham owner intent on buying Wembley for £900m, puffed his cheeks. Victory was theirs, Wembley possibly his. Khan, who is worth around £7bn, moved from Pakistan to the United States with $500 in his pocket and here Fulham exited with a jackpot that could be worth £280m if they stay up next season.

For now, as Jokanovic said when asked about the future of Ryan Sessegnon and retaining on-loan striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, it is all about enjoying what his attacking team have achieved. This fearless, rip-roaring Fulham team, along with the champions Wolverhampton Wanderers, will reinvigorate a Premier League that has grown a little tired and musty. Promotion is vindication for the glorious front-foot manner in which Fulham have flummoxed countless teams this season. They will do the same next season but they are not naive. "We must try to dominate against teams we think we can but we must be realistic in the future," Jokanovic said.

The risk, as typified by Denis Odoi's wild kick on Jack Grealish to pick up his second yellow card, is that they can sometimes overindulge but they are mightily good fun. Tom Cairney, the twinkling Fulham captain, just about held back the tears in interviews pitch-side. "After we missed out on promotion last season, a lot of people wrote us off," he said. "We got a lot of stick. But football won today. Football won."

Cairney harnessed his role not only as the team's protagonist but its artist too – probing, prowling, twirling away from challenges, stroking passes across the canvas and, ultimately, adding that all-important finishing touch. Before Cairney slotted home, time appeared to stand still as he readied himself to meet Sessegnon's cute, weighted ball. For a team that froze on the final day of the regular Championship season, in turn forcing them into the play-offs, they displayed enormous steel, fight, and plenty of personality here.

Much of the talk in the buildup to this match had revolved around Villa's big-game experience yet Fulham showed they have anything but a soft underbelly. They were perfectly capable of time-wasting and utilising other dark arts, just like the rest of them. Mitrovic, one of three key January signings, put in another classy performance too, summed up by a sublime touch to control Tim Ream's pass. How other clubs must wish they had pushed the boat out as Fulham, then languishing in mid-table, did to land Mitrovic from Newcastle United, as well as Matt Targett from Southampton.

Any worry that Fulham would buckle at the thought of the occasion or wilt under pressure evaporated. "We must adapt ourselves and know what is ahead; we must know it is the Premier League, the best and most competitive league," Jokanovic said. "We must adapt and be clever, we must not make one step back. To show ambition we are going to need to show the money too."

Sessegnon, who turned 18 this month, has been rightly lavished with praise all season. Yet on the opposite flank, Ryan Fredericks was again mightily impressive, with both occasionally helping out the other to double up on Albert Adomah and Robert Snodgrass. Between them, they gladly hoovered up danger and it was only Grealish, the dancing Villa playmaker who Fulham failed to mute. His bewitching second-half surge upfield did deserve to finish with the ball rippling the net.

Other than that, Villa asked few questions, by which point Fulham had answered all those thrown at them. The exciting thing is the project Jokanovic referenced in his post-match comments is just beginning for this Fulham side.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/may/26/fulhams-scintillating-football-set-to-invigorate-tired-premier-league

 
Tom Cairney describes promotion feeling as 'an out-of-body experience'

Fulham matchwinner Tom Cairney described winning promotion with Fulham as "an out-of-body experience" after beating Aston Villa.

Cairney struck midway through the first half in a fierce-tempered occasion on Saturday, with the Cottagers having to see through the final 20 minutes with 10 men following Denis Odoi's dismissal.

"It feels incredible, it feels like an out-of-body feeling," Cairney told Sky Sports.

"I swear, in that last minute when the ref blew the whistle and we were defending with 10 men for 20 minutes, I had a feeling they wouldn't score. It was our time, it was going to be our year."

Cairney has been earning rave reviews in Slavisa Jokanovic's side, who lost in the semi-finals last year.

His 91 per cent passing accuracy in the Championship this season is the best of any recorded by a player in the EFL - and Premier League clubs have been linked with a move for him.

Cairney has been aware of the interest but is delighted to have made it to the big league with the west Londoners.

"It's a dream come true," he said.

"For the last year, 18 months or so I've been linked with a few clubs and people have been questioning what I was doing, but I've signed a contract extension for a reason.

"I believe what we're doing here is special, what the gaffer is doing is special. I've said for quite a while we've been playing Premier League football in the Championship and I'm so happy we get to play Premier League football in the Premier League."

Cairney said he believed "football" had triumphed at Wembley.

"When we didn't get promotion at the end of the season, a lot of people wrote us off and said we had to change the way we play," he added.

"People gave us stick but football won today."



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11386614/tom-cairney-describes-promotion-feeling-as-an-out-of-body-experience

Cairney steers Fulham into the Premier League
by Dan on May 27, 2018

Days like this don't happen to Fulham. The Whites, famously making their first visit to Wembley in 43 years, are usually runners-up in finals. But Slavisa Jokanovic's side are different. They shrugged off the disappointment of failing to clinch automatic promotion at Birmingham City earlier this month, overcame a one-goal deficit against Derby in the play-off semi-finals, and produced a performance that married potency with sheer tenacity to see off Aston Villa under unimaginable pressure.

That the goal that clinch their return to the top flight after a four-year absence came from the left boot of Tom Cairney was fitting. The Fulham captain, the fulcrum of this easy-on-the eye side, was crestfallen following the agonising play-off exit at the hands of Reading last year, tearfully applauding the travelling support after the final whistle as the Royals fans invaded the pitch. He was magnificent this afternoon, driving Fulham forward, and clinically slotted the decisive goal under the advancing Sam Johnstone from ten yards. Cairney was found by a wondrous pass from Fulham's teenage prodigy Ryan Sessegnon, who made light of a heavy touch after attempting to control Kevin McDonald's pass, beat Conor Hourihane and spun before threading a brilliant ball between John Terry and James Chester.

The goal was what Fulham's fast start merited, but Jokanovic's men could have been three-up by the half-time interval. Sessegnon headed straight at Johnstone at the back post after a mistake from Terry, whilst the excellent Aleksandar Mitrovic, who led Terry a merry dance for much of the afternoon, slammed a shot against the Aston Villa goalkeeper when he should have done better. Villa, for all their experience, were muted as an attacking force on the big occasion – with only Jack Grealish offering a significant threat to Marcus Bettinelli's goal, but the gifted midfielder spooned a clever free-kick from Robert Snodgrass well over the bar just before the break. Bruce was furious that Ryan Fredericks escaped after a late lunge at Grealish just after the Fulham goal, but the Villa man was fortunate not to see red himself for a terrible tackle on Cairney in the second half.

Fulham had dictated both the tempo and the play in the first 45 minutes, but the pattern of the second period was entirely different. Jokanovic's men began brightly, with Chester toeing a dangerous Mitrovic centre clear with Sessegnon waiting to pounce, and Stefan Johansen forcing a save from Johnstone, but Villa were soon pushing the white shirts back. Albert Adomah found far more room than in the first half and whipped over a number of threatening crosses, but first Snodgrass and then Grealish failed to find the target with headers.

Villa were becoming far more adventurous and then almost found an equaliser when an incredible slalom run from Grealish took him past four Fulham defenders and into the penalty area, but Bettinelli was equal to his deflected shot. Shortly afterwards, the Villa playmaker went studs-up into Cairney sparking a mini-melee outside the Fulham box but was only cautioned by referee Anthony Taylor, who was also to way away decent penalty shouts for both sides.

Fulham spurned two good chances to double their lead when in quick succession, McDonald glanced a header wide from a corner, and then Sessegnon did brilliantly to play in Johansen but the Norwegian's rising drive flew over the crossbar as Terry and Chester converged on him inside the box. It looked as if Jokanovic's side could rue those misses when Odoi received his marching orders after catching Grealish in the chest to earn a second booking, but their confidence never wavered despite Villa ending the contest with three strikers on the pitch as Bruce threw on Jonathan Kodija and Scott Hogan.

The Londoners had to absorb a barrage of late pressure but Bettinelli had little to do in a nerve-shredding final quarter of an hour, although substitute Ollie Norwood produced a sensational block to deny Hourihane inside the area. Fulham's defence, superbly marshalled yet again by the peerless Tim Ream, survived five anxious minutes of added time unscathed, sparking joyous celebrations in front of Fulham's delirious 38,o00 fans.

ASTON VILLA (4-1-4-1): Johnstone; El Mohamady (Kodija 77), Hutton, Terry, Chester; Jedinak (Onomah 77); Hourihane, Grealish, Snodgrass, Adomah; Grabban (Hogan 82). Subs (not used): Bunn, Bree, Bjarnason, Whelan.

BOOKED: Chester, Grealish, Jedinak, Hutton.

FULHAM (4-3-3): Bettinelli; Fredericks (Christie 82), Targett, Odoi, Ream; McDonald, Johansen (Norwood 72), Cairney; Kamara (Kalas 77), R. Sessegnon, Mitrovic. Subs (not used): Button, Piazon, Ayite, Fonte.

BOOKED: Odoi, Kamara.

SENT OFF: Odoi (70).

GOAL: Cairney (23).

REFEREE: Anthony Taylor (Wythenshawe).

ATTENDANCE: 85,243



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/05/cairney-steers-fulham-into-the-premier-league/

 
Jokanovic ready for Premier League challenge


Fulham head coach says that with 'ambition' Cottagers can cope with demands of PL following playoff final win

Slavisa Jokanovic says Fulham are aware of what lies in store next season after earning promotion to the Premier League with a Championship playoff final victory over Aston Villa on Saturday.

Captain Tom Cairney scored the only goal of the match to help Fulham return to the top flight for the first time in four years.

And Jokanovic says that with the right approach the west Londoners have what it takes to adapt to the requirements of the Premier League when the 2018/19 season gets under way on 11 August.

"We know what is ahead of us," the head coach told Fulham's official website. "The Premier League is the best and most competitive league, and we must be clever.

"One important improvement is now finished, and now we must show ambition to be a Premier League team."

Jokanovic also paid tribute to Fulham's match-winner, Cairney.

"Today he was crucial, he's captain of the team. He showed the quality and personality to bring the team to the Premier League, and he's an important player for us."



https://www.premierleague.com/news/694113

 
Newcastle fans want Aleksandar Mitrovic sold after Fulham promotion

Newcastle United-owned Aleksandar Mitrovic featured for Fulham in the Championship playoff against Aston Villa on Saturday.

Newcastle United fans want the club to sell Aleksandar Mitrovic after the striker helped Fulham win the Championship playoff final against Aston Villa on Saturday evening.

Mitrovic featured for Fulham in their 1-0 win against Villa at the Wembley Stadium in London in the Championship playoff final.

The Serbia international striker moved to the Cottagers on loan from Premier League side Newcastle in the January transfer window.

The 23-year-old former Partizan and Anderlecht has been a huge success at Craven Cottage, and Newcastle fans want Mitrovic to move to Fulham on a permanent contract in the summer transfer window.

(https://cdn.hitc-s.com/i/970/aleksandar_mitrovic_of_fulham_controls_the_ball_under_pressure_f_791720.jpg)

Mitrovic, who earns £60,000 per week as salary according to Spotrac.com, has failed to impress Newcastle manager Benitez, and it would make sense for him to make his loan deal at Fulham permanent.

The Serbian striker has done relatively well in the Premier League for the Magpies, and given his success at Craven Cottage in the Championship, Fulham would be wise to snap him up if Newcastle are willing to sell him this summer.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/05/27/newcastle-fans-want-aleksandar-mitrovic-sold-after-fulham-promot/

 
Fulham boss demands club now 'show the money' – Aleksandar Mitrovic at the top of his list

Aleksandar Mitrovic helped Fulham to win at Wembley, now the manager demands the necessary funds to buy the Newcastle striker and others.

What a three months for Aleksandar Mitrovic.

His loan spell at Fulham has produced 15 wins, three draws, and only two defeats.

No wonder the Cottagers are desperate to sign him on a permanent deal.

The 15th Mitro win for Fulham came at Wembley, the West London team streets ahead of Villa in terms of ability and style of football.

Once Cairney scored after 23 minutes the outcome rarely looked in doubt.

Fulham had dominated the opening quarter and fully deserved the lead.

A red card for Odoi with 20 minutes remaining gave Villa some late encouragement but the Fulham keeper never really had a save to make.

The 12 goals from Aleksandar Mitrovic were key to Fulham's excellent late run to third place and whilst he managed no goals in any of the three play-off matches, he played his part in all of the games.

Now of course thoughts will turn to the transfer market and with promotion now secured, the Fulham manager has demanded that the club's owner shows ambition, saying 'we're going to need to show the money too.'

Jokanovic has already repeatedly made clear that he wants to sign Mitro on a permanent deal and will surely want to try and get the deal done ASAP, to head off competition from elsewhere.

With his Fulham form having raised the Serbian striker's profile, Fulham will surely need to offer in the region of £15m to £20m if they are going to keep the Newcastle loan forward.

Slavia Jokanovic:

"We have shown we are one of the best Championship teams.

"We showed we can be solid, organised and work altogether for a clean sheet.

"The last 20 minutes [playing with 10 men] all we were thinking about was not conceding.

"This is a really important victory for us and we deserved it.

"It's not easy to play at Wembley, there is a lot of pressure.

"We know what is ahead of us.

"The Premier League is the best and most competitive league, and we must be clever.

"One important improvement is now finished, and now we must show ambition to be a Premier League team.

"To show the ambition, we're going to need to show the money too.

"We believe we can play this way but we must know what characteristics of players we need.

"In general we must try to dominate against some teams that we believe we can dominate against and be realistic [against others].

"We must know what our plan is  and what are the characteristics of the players we need for the future."

Steve Claridge talking to BBC Sport:

"(At Half-time) Fulham are playing more how we'd expect them to play.

"Villa have one up front in Lewis Grabban but their wingers are more worried about Fulham than going forward.

"To say Grabban is isolated is an understatement.

"They look like they're waiting to make a change but they'll never get back into it this way.

"They need to be more positive.

"(70 minutes in) I think the red card was a little bit harsh.

"I think the first one was one where the referee saw the challenge but not if Denis Odoi got the ball – but the second (yellow) one was a ridiculous challenge, not the kind of challenge you should make.

"(after final minute) You have to say, overall, Fulham have deserved this.

"Certainly when it was 11 v 11 they had the majority of the best chances and have certainly negated Villa since the sending off."

"Villa took a half to get going.

"I don't quite know what the game plan was – for 45 minutes, they were tepid in the extreme.

"Then they pushed the widemen on and created more opportunities, but even in those periods, Fulham were still the better team.

"Fulham stuck together in what was a bitty game. They did enough to see it out in a game littered with mistakes."




https://www.themag.co.uk/2018/05/fulham-boss-demands-club-now-show-money-aleksandar-mitrovic-top-list-newcastle-united/

 
Frederick and Grealish should have been sent off | Aston Villa 0 Fulham 1

Fulham celebrated promotion back to the Premier League this weekend after beating Aston Villa 1-0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

An ill tempered game ended with the eventual winners with a man down when centre-back Denis Odoi was sent off for two bookable offences – both for fouls on Jack Grealish. Earlier Villa were incensed that Ryan Fredericks escaped a red card during a first-half clash with Grealish, the Fulham right-back appearing to step, studs first, on Grealish's leg, but referee Anthony Taylor only deemed it a yellow. Later, in the second half, the Villa midfielder himself was booked for a lunging tackle on Cairney.

The Ref Online's Mark Halsey gave us his take on all three big talking points:

    Fredericks stamp – Absolute red card all day, Anthony Taylor simply didn't recognise the severity of the challenge. His fourth official Kevin Friend, however, should have seen the incident, he's right there and he's got to advise Anthony of the stamp which was clear act of violent conduct. It happened right in front of the technical area, Steve Bruce saw it so why hasn't Kevin? Having said that Anthony really should also be recognising these challenges. He's part of the UEFA elite referees group and if he wants to consider himself up there with the best referees in Europe, then he's got to protect players in those situations better, he failed to do so.
    Grealish late lunge – It was with excessive force, endangering the players safety, so again it should have been a red card. Once more Taylor's recognition of careless, reckless, and reckless with excessive force foul challenges wasn't what it should have been.
    Denis Odoi sent off – Two cautions, both were for reckless foul challenges, both were correct. The defender can have no complaints and you have to give Taylor credit for applying the law, unfortunately he wasn't consistent throughout the game.

If Anthony is to be successful within the UEFA elite, in the Champions League, he'll need to do better at stamping his authority on games, being more decisive, and showing courage when serious foul play and violent conduct incidents occurs.

At the moment we can see why Michael Oliver is so far ahead of everyone else. Hopefully Anthony will look back and learn from this performance, recognise where he went wrong and look to improve. This is where good quality coaching can help but unfortunately we are lacking in this area, and that is not the fault of the referees.

They all make errors, the best know how to deal with them, park it, learn from it, and move on.



https://theref.online/frederick-and-grealish-should-have-been-sent-off/

 
Fulham's promotion forces Chelsea into important decisions on loanees

After a four year hiatus, SW6 derbies will return to the Premier League. Fulham's return forces Chelsea to make necessary and belated decisions about Lucas Piazon, Tomas Kalas and their top-rated youth.

Lucas Piazon and Tomas Kalas spent the last two years nearly in sight of but far from the thoughts of Stamford Bridge. Both players were regulars in Fulham's XI and crowd favourties at Craven Cottage. In two seasons Kalas played as many games (76) for Fulham as he did in his two year loan – from 2011-13 – at Vitesse. Piazon "only" made 58 appearances, scoring 12 goals and nine assists.

Fulham's return to the Premier League should be doubly fortunate for this duo. Chelsea can only have one player on loan at a given Premier League team. They will either need to sell these players to Fulham, sell them to another club or give them their opportunity at Stamford Bridge. Another loan would be intolerable. The players would be right to reject it and force a transfer.

Piazon has a much greater chance of ascending to Chelsea's first team. The Blues need more wingers, and Piazon has proven himself to be what they need. He primarily plays on the right, meaning he can challenge and provide depth for Willian. He is also comfortable on the left, where he can take Pedro's place as depth or as the starter when Eden Hazard plays as a No. 10.

Chelsea already have a surplus of centre-backs. Despite Tomas Kalas' exemplary record on his loans, there is simply little room and little hope for him to break through. Fulham have wanted to buy him for the last two seasons, and Chelsea have stubbornly and foolishly refused to sell. The Blues denied Kalas his Premier League desserts when he helped Middlesbrough earn promotion in 2016, kicking him back to the Championship with Fulham. Kalas is happy at Fulham and Fulham are happy to have him. He has earned this transfer many times over.

Chelsea should also move both players out of the loan army to make room for the next generation of loanees. Kalas and Piazon are evidence of Fulham's value as a loan partner. Chelsea should move them to a permanent status somewhere so another player can take their place on loan at Craven Cottage.

Mason Mount and Jay Da Silva are the best candidates to represent the loan army in west London. They have earned a loan at a club like Fulham every bit as much as Tomas Kalas and Lucas Piazon have earned a permanent station somewhere. They are both coming off particularly strong seasons on loan, and both look ready for Premier League football.

Mount has the advantage of playing first-tier football, so while the transition to the Premier League may be easier for him, it also means he may be ready to jump right to Chelsea. If he is not yet ready for Chelsea's first team, he needs only a year in the Premier League to finish his development. Gareth Southgate would particularly enjoy watching Mount and Ryan Sessegnon play together for an entire season.

Despite being out of the top flight for four years, Fulham still have the character and culture of a Premier League mainstay. Their goal will be a mid-table finish, not survival. This is the sort of mentality that will be crucial for top prospects like Mount and Da Silva. Piazon and Kalas flourished under Slavisa Jokanovic not only because he trusted them, but because he treated the team like a displaced Premier League team. He managed the team as if they were already in the top flight, and their reward was Saturday's promotion.

That is the mindset Chelsea need their loanees to develop, along with their technical and tactical skills. Jokanovic is no slouch in building those attributes, either.

Fulham's return to the Premier League is great news for the league and the fans. Something just seems right about them being in the top flight, and there's always such a great feel to the west London derbies. So much less acrimonious and banter-laden than, say, north London derbies.

A side benefit of Fulham's return is forcing Chelsea's hand on their loan strategy. Chelsea have spent the last few seasons content with stashing players here and there and everywhere. They will not be able to do that with Craven Cottage any longer. For once they must make real decisions around some of their most valuable and closest-to-home loanees.



https://theprideoflondon.com/2018/05/27/chelsea-fulham-promotion-loans/

 
Fulham v Aston Villa: play-off final player ratings

Fulham are back in the Premier League. Tom Cairney's goal at Wembley gave them victory in the play-off final, taking them into the top flight after a four-year absence. Here's how we rated each Whites player in the win against Aston Villa.
Marcus Bettinelli: 6

Produced a fine save to deny Jack Grealish at 1-0 up in the second half.
Ryan Fredericks: 7

Attacking threat often forced Grealish to defend and abandon his attacking instincts.
Tim Ream: 6

A calm presence in a defence that was under consistent pressure throughout the second half.
Denis Odoi: 5

Produced a potentially-crucial block from Lewis Grabban's close-range shot but was sent off following a second yellow, which invited pressure.
Matt Targett: 6

Unusually offered little going forward, largely because of Villa's second-half response.
Kevin McDonald: 7

Midfielder provided the discipline his team required as they sought to stretch Villa.
Stefan Johansen: 6

Wasted a fine chance to put Fulham 2-0 up, settle their nerves and arrest Villa's momentum. But overall he did well in midfield.
Tom Cairney: 8

His composed finish gave his team the lead they deserved and provided the platform for victory.
Aboubakar Kamara: 8

Came close to scoring, at 0-0, with a promising chance he created for himself, and was unfortunate not to be rewarded with a goal.
Ryan Sessegnon: 8

Again demonstrated his potential and vision with the superb through-ball that created Cairney's goal.
Aleksandar Mitrovic: 7

Did well to hold the ball up against an experienced defence, and drew the challenge from which James Chester was booked.
Oliver Norwood: 8

Brilliant, late challenge denied Conor Hourihane from a dangerous position. Tomas Kalas and Cyrus Christie also did well defensively when they later came on as as substitutes too.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-was-fulham-aston-villa-ratings

 
Slavisa Jokanovic creates history after leading Fulham into the Premier League

Fulham are promoted to the Premier League after Tom Cairney's first half goal gave them a 1-0 Championship Play-Off Final victory over Aston Villa.

Their win meant the pre-match comments of Whites boss Slavisa Jokanovic, who unusually described Villa as "an old and tired team" before stating his intention to put John Terry "under pressure from strong and fast players" went unpunished.

Before the game, there was talk of the Serb's remarks backfiring on him and Aston Villa's big-game experience coming to the fore, not without good reason. Eight of the starting eleven had featured in play-off finals and that's without including the pedigree of John Terry, whose elite career meant he never needed to.

There was also concerns about whether Fulham, who employ a process-driven approach which requires extra self-assuredness, could execute their possession-based performance on the big stage.

Those concerns held weight early on, when Villa pressed intelligently, forcing midfielder Kevin McDonald and defender Denis Odoi into the occasional slip.

Fulham though didn't lose faith in their plan and after growing into the contest, Tom Cairney netted a crucial 23rd-minute opener. Stefan Johansen played a clever reverse pass to Ryan Sessegnon, who escaped Conor Hourihane's delayed challenge to worm inside and slot through for Cairney to finish smartly.

From Steve Bruce's perspective, the goal raised concerns. Alan Hutton, who had been tasked with watching Aboubakar Kamara, was too slow to switch his concentration to Cairney's run. Centre-backs James Chester and Terry, who had looked rock-solid in the semi-final win over Middlesbrough, were both slow to react; was Slav right after all?

Normally, his side can manage leads in the second half by keeping the ball. Due to the unique nature of the contest though, they were pinned back: Villa re-started the game with far more vigour and intensity than we saw in the latter stages of the first half.

Hourihane gained a grip on the midfield while Albert Adomah posed a threat down the left, the latter's cross headed just over the bar by Jack Grealish. The attacking midfielder is known less for his aerial prowess and more for his silky footwork, which we saw just before the hour mark, when he escaped numerous Fulham defenders only to be denied by Marcus Bettinelli from close-range.

Villa looked set to turn the screw when Odoi was given a second yellow after a rash challenge on Grealish during a feisty period.

Ironically though, the Cottagers managed proceedings in the second half better with 10-men than with 11. It might have raised a few eyebrows when Kamara, who had nearly won a penalty out of his counter-attacking qualities, was taken off, but holding midfielder Oliver Norwood made some vital challenges and one or two cynical fouls when needed.

The Midlanders came closest when Robert Snodgrass curled wide with a late free-kick but otherwise, Bettinelli's goal went surprisingly unchallenged, condemning Villa to defeat.

The Villans have made progress this season and there are better characters around the club, for which Bruce deserves credit. The next step though is to establish a more coherent playing identity, the absence of which has sometimes been accounted for by moments of individual quality.

By contrast, Fulham are more deserving of their place in the Premier League. Having won the hearts of many neutrals in the Championship with their free-flowing play, they now have an opportunity to take on England's elite.



http://www.thesackrace.com/news/27th-may-2018/slavisa-jokanovic-creates-history-after-leading-fulham-into-the-premier-league