Renaming the Riverside Stand - Al-Fayed Tribute (merged threads)

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

signed  medal
20 of us so far

[zzamora]

I think I'm in a minority of one in not liking this idea - but no offence intended to those who are, and obviously if it did get going, and there's lots of support for it, then so be it (at least it would be better that it came from fans, than from the man himself; I just hate those egotistical folks who rename stands/grounds after themselves - much as Dave Whelan has been great for Wigan, in what mad, egotistical world does it seem a good idea to put a huge rotating DW outside the ground!?).

Anyway, back to my objection: I just think grounds should reflect the history on the pitch (as in the Johnny Haynes stand) or the location.  Admittedly, that might give us the 'Lost to a Spawny Goal in Hamburg', the 'Alan Taylor' (ouch) or the 'AutoWindscreens Shield Semi-Finalists (Southern Section)' stand... .

Another minor objection: Mo (and I am really grateful for what he's done for the club) doesn't really need anything named after him - he's not exactly starved of publicity; a REALLY radical step, which would be a real departure (and I can't see it happening), would be to name the stand after an ordinary fan (perhaps picked at random from a pot of nominees - e.g. I never knew her, and wouldn't want to presume, but someone like Mary, who organised the coach travel for years, is the sort of figure I'm thinking of).

Anway, whatever it ends up being called, the main thing is that the stand gets built, so Craven Cottage can be even better ... .

Arguably Al-Fayed is an integral party of our on pitch history. You avatar shows yourself at the Europa League Final- would you have been there without Al-Fayed?

And its to honour the man that has not only saved our club but rebuilt it back to the great hay days of Johnny Haynes- he's as much deserving of a stand as the Maestro is.

[finnster01]

I think it should be called "The FatFreddysCat Stand"  098.gif

[The Bronsons]

I think it should be called "The FatFreddysCat Stand"  098.gif

From what I've heard about his love of beer and sausages, shouldn't that be "The FatFreddy'sCat Recline"?

[VicHalomsLovechild]

Micheal Jackson Memorial Stand anyone? (shame we don't have a moonwalking smiley  :016:)

[Mitch]

Got a little excited and thought Georgie Thompson had signed it...turns out it's just George. Still, thanks!

[Mitch]

Without Mo we wouldn't be were we are today. I think we can all agree that even if the club didnt re-name it, something like this shows our appreciation. He isn't a young man and far too often we wait until someone has gone before commemorating (Sp?) them; lets see if we can show our appreciation to MAF whilst he is still around.

[finnster01]

Well, we did commemorate Johnny Haynes with a statue and named a stand after him. If that is the criteria to get a stand named after you, I believe Michael Jackson is next in line... :014:

[zzamora]

63 people and its been going for about 5 hours... not bad!

[Tomo]

Mitch I am the aforementioned George Thompson.  075.gif

[Mitch]

Mitch I am the aforementioned George Thompson.  075.gif

You don't have a sister do you? :P

[Mitch]

Well, we did commemorate Johnny Haynes with a statue and named a stand after him. If that is the criteria to get a stand named after you, I believe Michael Jackson is next in line... :014:

...and that was after he had gone. Let's celebrate someone now.

[Burt]

Micheal Jackson Memorial Stand anyone? (shame we don't have a moonwalking smiley  :016:)

Got this smiley, which may be appropriate:

090.gif

[Tomo]

Sadly not, and if I did I doubt she'd be called Georgie.

[Burt]

Signed  :yay:

[Ron Sheepskin]

Signed too.

Top work lads - proves what some have said on another thread about the younger generation of Fulham fans.  065.gif

[manxman]

signed!!!

[Dan in Notts]

Arguably Al-Fayed is an integral party of our on pitch history. You avatar shows yourself at the Europa League Final- would you have been there without Al-Fayed?

And its to honour the man that has not only saved our club but rebuilt it back to the great hay days of Johnny Haynes- he's as much deserving of a stand as the Maestro is.

That's all absolutely true, and I do think it's intrinsically different to if there'd been an Al Fayed stand within a couple of years of him arriving.  It also makes the world of difference that this is, as the responses to this thread show, a popular feeling from fans. As I (hope) is clear from my post, I'm not trying to be mean-spirited about it, nor to do down the good efforts of those who've set up the opinion poll, though I appreciate it might read like that: I've a preference for stands to be named after players, etc. but if there's a chairman who deserves a stand named after him it's certainly Al Fayed.

[White Noise]

Signed.

Will give it a bit of a plug on Twitter too.

[Travers Barney]

Signed with gusto. 

We are the whites