Thursday Fulham Stuff (04/04/13)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Berbatov shows Manchester United what they are missing vs QPR. In-Depth Analysis of former Tottenham Hotspur man

There are few players one would pay money to see in the current climate. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani the usual suspects, but there are those believing Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov is also deserving of a place on that list.

His performances leading the front line or when dropping back leaves footballing connoisseurs salivating at the capabilities of the elegant Bulgarian. Against Queen's Park Rangers on Monday night, adding a further nail into the relegation coffin of the west London side in the 3-2 win, he was again at his brilliant best.

The opening five minutes, however, was a period Berbatov will swiftly want to forget as the Cottagers frontman failed to win his only aerial duel in the 5th minute against Clint Hill. A -4, in that case, was completely deserving of the striker.

However, all was quickly forgiven over the next 10 minutes. Not necessarily springing into life – that isn't exactly his style – but rather improve significantly between the 5th and 15th minute saw Berbatov attain a 33 Performance Score, opening the scoring in the 8th minute and completing four of his five attempted passes.



Berbatov added his second, albeit from the penalty spot, in the 22nd minute and garnered a further 67 performance points between the 15th minute and half time. Granted, the goal pushed his score higher, but by making his one take on successful, winning one of his two aerial duels and completing 75% of his passes in that period meant his first half score of 96 was completely deserving.



Yet, it wasn't the most impressive of second half performances for Berbatov. With QPR forcing their way back into the encounter on the stroke of half time through Adel Taarabt, and Loic Remy adding a second just six minutes after the interval, the 32-year-old was required to hold up the ball in order to alleviate the pressure on the defence, even more so following Steve Sidwell's red card in the 79th minute.

But, Berbatov completed just 75% of his second half passes and even though one was key, it wasn't the ideal figure for a player of his quality. On top of that, the Bulgarian committed four fouls to add to the pressure on the defence, three of which came in the Fulham half.



Overall, ending the encounter with a score of 77 was perhaps warranted. Berbatov enjoyed a successful first half, but the drop in performance was evident following the restart. Nevertheless, his fifth and sixth goals in six games ensured that Fulham have all but secured their top flight safety this season.



http://blog.squawka.com/2013/04/03/berbatov-shows-manchester-united-what-they-are-missing-vs-qpr-in-depth-analysis-of-former-tottenham-hotspur-man/201304036880?

[WhiteJC]

 
Keeper Chase?
   
Earlier this week we ran an article whereby Martin Jol intimated that his two back-up keepers, Stockdale and Etheridge were keen to play regular first team football!

The synopsis being that one may move on this summer with the other being sent out on loan, thereby leaving a gap, in the goalkeeping department, to be filled.

To that effect, it`s natural that Fulham should be linked with a possible replacement but it hasn`t taken long for someone to be lined up.

According to rumours, Fulham are taking a strong interest in the Bulgarian keeper. Nikolay Mihaylov

Twenty-four years of age, Mihaylov is currently on the books of FC Twente and, in 2007, moved to Liverpool but left after being refused a work permit.

Could this be one to keep an eye on?


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=314933#ixzz2PSkuDawU

[WhiteJC]

 
Sidwell Appeal Rejected

Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing on Wednesday, Steve Sidwell has had his claim for wrongful dismissal rejected.

Sidwell was dismissed for Serious Foul Play during our game at home to Queens Park Rangers on 1st April 2013.

The player's three-match ban will therefore commence with immediate effect, meaning he will miss our trips to Newcastle United and Aston Villa, as well as our SW6 derby against Chelsea at Craven Cottage.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/april/03/sidwell-appeal-rejected?

[WhiteJC]

 
HammyEnd Interviews: Dallas Cup Captain Jack Grimmer {Exclusive}
by FPTAYLOR on APRIL 3, 2013


Picture: Fulham's U19′s were led to victory in the prestigious Dallas Cup by centre half and captain Jack Grimmer

Before a few weeks ago, I had never heard of the Dallas Cup and now, I feel as though I've heavily missed out. A prestigious and physically gruelling youth tournament that has helped to chisel and develop some of the greatest players to grace the game, a list that includes, Raul, David Beckham, Michael Owen and Clint Dempsey to name just a few. Previous English winners of the Dallas Cup include Liverpool in 2008, Nottingham Forest in 2002 and West Ham in 1992. They have now been joined by English under 18 Premier League winners Fulham who would go on to triumph in the Dallas Cup in emphatic style, proving why we are all excited about where our academy is going.

The captain of the impressive under 19 Fulham side that would go all of the way in the tournament told me about his and the squad's experiences in Dallas. Jack Grimmer has earned plaudits for his performances for Fulham's under 21 side and had a very successful week out in America personally. A centre back that when growing up modelled himself on old fashioned centre halves and fellow Scots Alex McLeish and Willie Miller admitted the majority of the squad did not know what to expect, with him also praising the tournament, "It was honestly the best tournament I've played in as a player so far. We didn't know what to expect but had only heard good things, so we went out with an open mind and thankfully done well in the matches. It was also obviously an honour for me to be captain! As well as the tournament, the week in general was brilliant. We got time to go to the outlets for some shopping to get some down time."


Picture: A victorious Jack Grimmer (right) holds the Dallas Cup trophy with teammate Ryan Williams (left)

The excitement grew within the Fulham fan base as the tournament continued, and it didn't go unnoticed, Grimmer added "[The support was] overwhelming to say the least! I've had a lot of tweets giving the whole squad support which is brilliant. It shows how much the fans care for the club regardless of the ages playing. We really appreciated all of the support we got from everybody back home." One of the interesting things about seeing our highly acclaimed side in the Dallas Cup was seeing how well they dealt with different styles of play from around the world. The Scot would add "It was different compared to playing against EPL teams for the u21s, but I was slightly more used to it because I have played International games with Scotland for a few years now. All the players adapted well and listened to what our coaches told us throughout the competition."

With the Dallas Cup being an under 19 tournament, a few of our squad players had already been integrated into the under 21 side which gave as an advantage in experience. The enthusiastic captain agreed; "Well obviously as a player playing with and against better players' week in and week out helps you improve, so yes I think this helped. The squad had a real good mix of older and younger players. One of the best parts about the squad was the togetherness." He also was full of praise of Steve Wigley and appreciated each Fulham coach has provided in his development: "I was coached by Ray Lewington when I first arrived and as you'd expect each coach has their own style and way of doing things. I'm thankful to each of them in my own way for each thing they've taught me. Both Steve and Kit are top classes coaches hence why they are both on the international scene too. I hadn't been coached much by Steve until the trip so it was nice to finally get some time under him. He definitely knows how to get the best out of his players."

After answering questions about the squad's time in the Dallas Cup, Jack Grimmer was kind enough to answer more questions about his personal career. The natural leader showed clear goals and a mature head when asking what his aims for the rest of the season and the year ahead, "Personally my ambitions are to knuckle down and keep working hard and of course to break into the first team!" 19 year old Grimmer was in fact a joy to talk to and spoke very intelligently about his idols and the experienced provided by the first team, "Players always offer advice and pointers. Experience is priceless! I've looked up to good old fashioned centre halves like Alex McLeish and Willie Miller from my time at Aberdeen. Now I base my game around the centre halves at Fulham. They also show a great example of how it should be done! It's brilliant Brede recently signed on." Upon finishing the interview I asked Jack whether he had a message for Fulham fans and he replied with "I just really hope I can do them proud and fill the shirt that so many great players have played in."

I and the others at HammyEnd.com cannot thank Jack Grimmer enough for this interview and must say he was first class during it admitting he was glad to help us. I hope we see him and the rest of the squad parade the trophy during the next home game which is interestingly against Chelsea. We should be very proud of our squad and hope that this is the first of a double with the under 18s on the journey for back to back Academy League titles.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2013/04/hammyend-interviews-dallas-cup-captain-jack-grimmer-exclusive/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Hangeland hails Schwarzer impact

BREDE Hangeland reckons veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer still has plenty to offer Fulham.

The Whites captain signed a new two-year deal this week, while keeper Schwarzer is also in talks about extending his stay at Craven Cottage beyond the end of the campaign.

The 40-year-old Aussie saved a penalty in Monday night's west London derby win against strugglers QPR, which all but guaranteed Premier League survival for Martin Jol's men.

And the defender has paid tribute to Schwarzer's contribution in SW6.

"He has saved three penalties this season," said Hangeland. "I think he has probably saved more penalties than he has let in.

"He made some incredible saves on top of that. He's definitely a really big player for us and has been since he came here."

Hangeland also heaped praise on Fulham frontman Dimitar Berbatov after his two-goal blast against Rangers took his tally to 13 for the season.

"He is an incredible player for us," added the Fulham skipper.

"A lot has been said about him but he has scored 13 goals now and we are just delighted to have him.

"He holds the ball up so well and does special stuff every game. He has scored a lot of goals and we are very lucky to have him in the team."



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2013/04/03/82029-33111703/?#ixzz2PSlxWlj0

[PLB]

"Berbatov added his second, albeit from the penalty spot, in the 22nd minute"

Hmmm

[WhiteJC]

 
FREEVIEW: Pack The Park For Fulham

United fans are being given the chance to fill even more of St. James' Park on Sunday, from just £5.

Alan Pardew's men take on Fulham in the Barclays Premier League (3pm kick-off) but the Cottagers have not taken up their full allocation of tickets for the fixture.

So Newcastle have extended the area of home support on Level 7 at the stadium and are selling seats in this section, priced at £20 for an adult and £5 for concessions - fantastic value for a top flight match.

For information on how to buy tickets, click here


http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20130403/freeview-pack-the-park-for-fulham_2281670_3131063?

[WhiteJC]

 
Barry Mealand: 1943-2013

Fulham Football Club was saddened to learn of the death of former Whites defender Barry Mealand.



A full-back, Mealand came to the Cottage as an amateur in 1959. He signed as a professional in October 1961 and made his debut in a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa in the same month. He went on to feature in a further six games that season.

A reliable reserve to the likes of George Cohen and Jim Langley, Mealand, who suffered a broken leg in a game at Arsenal in 1965, played his final game for Fulham in a 3-1 loss at Everton in May 1968.

He left SW6 in August 1968, joining Rotherham United for a fee of £7,000. In total, he made 35 appearances in his time at Craven Cottage.

Barry had been battling a debilitating illness for the past 14 months but sadly died on Tuesday afternoon.

The thoughts of everyone at Fulham are with Barry's family and friends.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/april/04/barry-mealand-1943-2013?

[WhiteJC]

 
Picking out a minor detail from Fulham vs QPR

Just quickly, because this is a small detail.

On Monday night, Fulham's victory was largely attributed to Dimitar Berbatov's composure and QPR's individual errors – but accrediting the result just to those two factors has done a couple of people a disservice.

The penalty was what it was, and Christopher Samba is actually quite unlucky: he doesn't know that Ashkan Dejagah is right behind him, and his trip on the Iranian is really just the product of an instinctive, yet unfortunate, reaction.

More importantly though, look again at Fulham's second. That, too, has been chalked down as a Samba blunder, but watch how hard Damien Duff works to unsettle the centre-back and force him into losing possession.

Three stills from that incident:







Take nothing away from Berbatov, because his subsequent finish is wonderfully classy, but it's irritating when a goal is described as being the product of an error, thereby taking credit away from a more subtle contribution from an attacking player.

Duff doesn't do anything revelatory, but there are still plenty of players who would have just dropped back into a more passive position and allowed Samba to play a long-ball out of defence.

Additionally, if you must allocate blame, then surely Jose Bosingwa warrants a share of it for putting his teammate in difficulty in the first place – the safe back-pass would have been to Julio Cesar, and the poke to Samba is nothing more than an abdication of responsibility. Additionally, watch Bosingwa after he's played that pass; he doesn't give Samba a return passing option, instead he pretty much stands still. It doesn't exactly scream 'commitment to the cause'.

Anyway, well done to Damien Duff for chasing what would have been a lost cause.


http://thepremierleagueowl.com/picking-out-a-minor-detail-from-fulham-vs-qpr/

[WhiteJC]

 
Mihaylov claims Prem interest

FC Twente goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov claims to have been targeted by Fulham, but says they are not the only interested party.


Nikolay Mihaylov: Was a January transfer target for Fulham

The Cottagers are said to have made an approach for the Bulgarian shot-stopper during the winter transfer window.

They saw their efforts to do a deal knocked back as Twente would have been left with little time in which to find a replacement.

It remains to be seen whether Fulham will return in the summer, with Martin Jol having expressed a desire to bolster his keeping ranks.

He will, however, not be alone in chasing Mihaylov's signature should a second move be made for a man who took in three years on Liverpool's books before heading for Holland in 2010.

The 24-year-old keeper told De Telegraaf: "There are more clubs interested than just Fulham.

"However, at the moment I want to focus fully on my job at Twente."



http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/165/8616735/mihaylov-claims-prem-interest?

[WhiteJC]

 
Brede: Fulham blessed to have Berba

Brede Hangeland says Dimitar Berbatov and Mark Schwarzer have been big players for Fulham all season after their displays against QPR.

The Fulham skipper was full of praise for the veteran duo as they combined to help the Cottagers virtually assure their Premier League safety in Monday's west London derby. Berbatov converted an early penalty and capitalised on an error from Christopher Samba not long afterwards to take his goal tally to 13 for the season. "He is an incredible player for us," said Hangeland. "A lot has been said about him but he has scored 13 goals now and we are just delighted to have him. "He holds the ball up so well and does special stuff every game. He has scored a lot of goals and we are very lucky to have him in the team." Schwarzer made a key save to stop a Loic Remy penalty early in the second half with QPR threatening a comeback and the Australian went on to make a number of impressive saves in the closing stages as the 10-man Cottagers held on after Steve Sidwell's harsh red card. Schwarzer saved spot kicks against Arsenal and Stoke earlier this season and Hangeland was thankful to see him come to Fulham's rescue again. "He has saved three penalties this season," said Hangeland. "I think he has probably saved more penalties than he has let in. "He made some incredible saves on top of that. He's definitely a really big player for us and has been since he came here."


http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/brede-fulham-blessed-to-have-berba-1570885.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Hannover move to fight off Fulham interest in Diouf



Hannover 96 are trying to convince Mame Diouf to sign a new contract amid interest from Fulham.

The striker failed to make the grade at Manchester United and was sold to the Bundesliga club in 2012 following a disappointing loan spell at Blackburn.

Diouf has flourished since the move, though, and has netted 15 in 29 appearances so far this season.

This has led to interest from Martin Jol at Fulham, who believes he can get the 25-year-old on the cheap this summer.

Diouf's contract expires in 2014 and Hannover have started negotiations over a new deal - while Borussia Dortmund are also monitoring the situation.



Read more: http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/130404/hannover-move-fight-fulham-interest-diouf-194983?#ixzz2PVIFkDBO
Follow us: @talksport on Twitter
Read more at http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/130404/hannover-move-fight-fulham-interest-diouf-194983?#SO0MyL1DFCm5SfIE.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Deserved Champions

Fulhamfc.com caught up with Academy Director Huw Jennings following the Under-19s triumphant return from the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup.

First of all Huw, congratulations on the Under-19s' success at the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup. Prior to the team's departure you set clear intentions of going out there and doing well – you must be extremely pleased?

We're delighted with the outcome, and I think the boys were deserved champions. As we know, the tournament itself, features a variety of teams from across the globe and many different styles of football. To come out on top is, of course, especially pleasing and is a continuation of the excellent work that has taken place in recent years. We know how well these lads can play, so we were quietly confident that we could be successful in Dallas. But tournament football can be unpredictable, you can never be sure. So the play so well, and consistently, was testament to the group – both players and staff both on and off the field.

You've been very complimentary too, on the way our boys conducted themselves away from the pitch. How important was that to see?

It's extremely important, because they were out there representing the Club and, as the Barclays Premier Academy champions, England as well. From start to finish, they were a real credit. Twelve days is a long time to take a big group away, and it has to be said, the management of that was very smooth. We kept them busy when they weren't playing and training, and I think all that were involved will take a lot away with them. We paid a really uplifting visit to the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, where the boys did tremendously well. It's fair to say that the group bonded, and throughout, showed their spirit and determination both physically and mentally. I'd also like to pay thanks and tribute to the staff that made the trip, and also to our Academy Administration Co-ordinator Charlotte Bellamy who accepted the massive undertaking of preparing our trip – their support was very much appreciated.

The team turned heads en route to the Final and won many admirers along the way. Do you think some underestimated how good this group of players are?

I think that, going into the tournament, people were possibly more familiar with the style and skill of the Brazilian and Mexican teams, then of course you had Manchester United in there as well. I actually think we [as a nation] underestimate how high the levels are in this country. When you face the likes of Coritiba and Fluminense, you tend to think 'wow, it's a team from Brazil'. But the reality is that they should be thinking 'crikey, we're playing a team from England'. I've said before, that in this country we have young players that are as good as any anywhere in the world. Perhaps we need to remember that?

The 5-1 victory over the very highly-rated Kashiwa Reysol in the Final certainly underlined that quality, though...

The Japanese were very good, particularly in the way that they moved and used the ball. Technically, they were very impressive. Kashiwa knocked out Manchester United, which was no mean feat, and controlled most of their matches on the way to the Final. When you consider the fact that they had longer to recover from their Semi-Final, and unlike us, they didn't have to play extra-time and then take part in a penalty shootout, the 5-1 win was doubly pleasing. They had a lot of talent, but so do we. I think they were shocked by our energy and ability to win the ball back, and on top of our own ability to move the ball and create chances, they struggled to find a response.

And in terms of the players' personal development how do you measure success from the trip to Dallas?

Regardless of the final outcome, it was about their development and how they progress. They can certainly use the experience as a means to helping further their personal career, and in demonstrating that they can cope in tournament football will undoubtedly stand them in good stead. It's invaluable, and something that you just can't replicate in domestic matches and training. Throughout, we showed great resilience and even won a penalty shootout – something that's not synonymous with English teams. They recovered exceptionally well in a short space of time, and coped admirably with a variety of different pitches and contrasting weather conditions. Everything they faced, they dealt with.

You set the players various challenges; you wanted the older boys to lead by example and the younger ones to show what they could do. Both groups didn't disappoint did they?

In putting together an Under-19 squad for the tournament, we had to mix some of the younger players from the Under-21 group with the majority of our Under-18s. So quite a few hadn't trained or played alongside one another before, but very quickly, a real team spirit and camaraderie was forged. The spine of our team was very strong, and I think a perfect example of leading by example was our captain Jack Grimmer. His performances and leadership was immaculate, and I'm sure the younger players learned a lot from playing alongside him. When we initially brought Jack down from Aberdeen, we did so having recognised that he had real leadership qualities – something that doesn't come naturally to every player. He was one of the standout performers, and we were thrilled with his contribution. Stephen Arthurworrey did well alongside Jack in the heart of our defence, and after two knee operations he's starting to get back to where he wants to be. At the other end, Cauley Woodrow also impressed, scoring six goals and at times, playing like a Trojan horse in the way that he chased lost causes. The younger players made an impact too, and the likes of Solomon Sambou, Emerson Hyndman, Jordan Evans and George Williams certainly played their part too. The youngest of the group, Marek Rodak, who is still a schoolboy, also deserves a special mention. He speaks little English, and has only recently arrived at the Academy, but made a number of key saves throughout and made a very important penalty stop in the Semi-Final.

Adding international success to the recent domestic achievements certainly bode well for the future. The hard work continues doesn't it?

We can't overvalue the success of this tournament, as great an honour as it was, because, at the end of the day, it's about getting players into the First Team. It's also something that we need to demonstrate over time, which we are certainly starting to do following the league success in 2011 and 2012. We do think that, in due course, we will have players ready and pushing for a place in the thoughts of Martin Jol – which is very encouraging. That said, make no mistake, the success in Dallas will be a big part of that continuation. International tournaments play a big part in the development of almost every player in our Academy. In turning our attentions back to the domestic programme, both the Under-18s and Under-21s still have quite a few matches to play and both want to finish their respective seasons strongly. Steve [Wigley] and Kit [Symons] will make sure that the boys return to their day jobs and concentrate on what they now have to do.

The success of the Dallas Cup has naturally led some to enquire about the possibility of Fulham taking part in the NextGen Series – which for those that aren't familiar with the format is a tournament for the best youth teams in Europe...

To be honest, I think we're slightly cautious of taking on too much in terms of competition. The NextGen Series is fantastic, and I'm sure there are many benefits, but at the same time I'd be worried that it would also have a negative effect. I would be a little anxious that our players would miss out on crucial training as a result of the travelling. What's more likely, is our support of adding a European element to the Under-21 programme, I think that's something that would work best for us. But we will have to wait and see. I did watch the NextGen Series with interest, though, as three English teams made the Semi-Final. Aston Villa beat Chelsea to be crowned champions, with Arsenal finishing fourth following the Third Place Play-Off defeat against Sporting Lisbon. That reinforces the opinion that many share with myself, that English teams are well and truly on the march in academy football.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/april/04/huw-jennings-dallas-cup?

[WhiteJC]

 
Inside St James' Park

Newcastle United fan Martin Hall gives us an insight into the home camp ahead of Fulham's trip to St James' Park on Sunday.

What are your views on Newcastle's season so far?

I've got mixed feelings. In the league we've struggled and haven't been able to find any consistency with our results, which is partly due to the amount of injuries we've had to key players throughout the season. Our away form has been pretty shocking, too. One win away all season against Aston Villa tells its own story. We're currently 15th with seven games to play so we're approaching a crucial stage with two winnable home games coming up. If we manage to get six points in the next couple of games, we'll pretty much guarantee our Barclays Premier League status for next year. Anything less and I think it'll be a really nervous end to the season. The big plus has been our return to European football after five years. Whilst I think the additional European games has stretched our squad and not helped injury-wise, it's been great competing in the UEFA Europa League and having some big European nights back at St James' Park.

It's become something of a French Revolution up there under Alan Pardew hasn't it?

Oui! I've been impressed with all of our French singings, with the exception of Gabriel Obertan, and I thought it was a nice touch to have a French-themed day at our recent home game against Southampton to welcome the new boys. With our Chief Scout Graham Carr working to Mike Ashley's financial model, I think he's unearthed some real quality from France who have arrived at a good price and with a hunger to do well in the Premier League. The French guys have gelled with the players we already had at the club; I've supported us for the best part of 24 years and I don't think I've seen a Newcastle side with a team spirit like this since the heady days of Kevin Keegan's entertainers in 1995/96.

You were busy in the January transfer market – how have the new boys fared?

They're settling in well. To get five signings of that quality for approximately £18m in a notoriously tough January window was pretty amazing. Moussa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran and Mathieu Debuchy have settled in pretty much straight away and have strengthened our first team in areas we were lacking. Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Massaido Haidara have featured more in the Europa League but, from what I've seen of them, they both look like they'll push on and challenge for starting spots in the Premier League next season too.

How much of a loss was Demba Ba?

Seeing Demba score the type of goal he did for Chelsea against Manchester United on Monday did remind me of what we're missing. We've missed Ba's goal threat and he's still our top scorer for the season on 13. Papiss Cisse's form this season has been patchy at best but with Ba leaving we've been able to move him back to centre-forward instead of wide on the right as part of a front three where he was wasted. If Cisse can add some more consistency to his game, I think he'll return to the player that lit up the Premier League during the second half of last season.

Who have been your star players this season?

This is a tough one as we've had injuries to all of our star players from last season for significant periods of time, and have never really had a settled side. I'd say our most influential player is Yohan Cabaye as he dictates our play and has an eye for a defence-splitting pass. With Fabricio Coloccini currently injured, Alan Pardew handed Cabaye the captain's armband at Swansea City, which could prove a masterstroke, as I think now we have his best mate Debuchy at the club we could be looking at a future Newcastle captain for the long term. Other solid performers for us this season have been Tim Krul, Davide Santon and, when fit, Steven Taylor.

The match between the two sides at the Cottage earlier this season was a cracker. What sort of game are you expecting on Sunday?

I was at the game at Craven Cottage and I felt we were pretty unlucky not to come away with a draw as both sides were evenly matched. If we manage to get a positive result in Portugal on Thursday, hopefully this will restore some confidence after getting a lesson at Manchester City last weekend. Fulham will be coming in to this game quite relaxed I think after beating Queens Park Rangers on Monday and I expect Newcastle to come out the blocks quickly to try to score a couple in the first half, so when fatigue sets in during the second we're not chasing the game. I expect a close game, though, decided by the odd goal.

Which player do you fear most in the Fulham squad?

Can I fear two? Dimitar Berbatov is an obvious choice as he's a genuine threat and capable of producing moments of sheer brilliance. I've read before that he used to support Newcastle whilst he was growing up in Bulgaria due to his love of Alan Shearer so I hope he has an off day. Damien Duff always seems up for games against us and tends to play well; I expect him to relish playing in front of 50,000 Geordies booing his every touch.

For those Fulham fans making the trip, what can they expect when they visit St James' Park?

One of the things I've always loved about St James' Park is that the stadium is in the city centre, so any fans coming up by train can enjoy a short walk to the ground. Once they get to the stadium they can expect to be out of breath by the time they get to their seats as the away section is in level seven which, trust me, takes quite a fair few flights of stairs to get to. Once fans are up there, though, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city which makes the climb worthwhile. It might not be too great though for anyone who doesn't like heights. The atmosphere always tends to be electric and I think the crowd at St James' will be up for it as the match represents an opportunity for us to take one step towards safety. 

Where's the best place for a pre-match pint?

There's plenty to choose from (it is Newcastle after all) but I'd recommend any away fans staying clear of most bars next to the ground like The Strawberry as it'll be packed with Geordies. I'd recommend having a pre-match drink at any number of pubs/bars next to the train station. The Head of Steam and The Forth have a great selection of beers and ales and are pretty decent for food. A cheaper alternative would be a Wetherspoons that's a short walk from the station too.

What's the one song Fulham fans are bound to hear?

One thing you're always guaranteed to hear at the game are anti-Sunderland songs. They might even air a new chant about a certain Italian bloke who's just gone there, but I'll leave it at that. My all-time favourite though is the simple 'stand up if you hate Sunderland' which sees most home fans stand up in unison. Love it.

Score prediction?

We desperately need to get a win to avoid being sucked back into the relegation battle. With Fulham all but securing their Premier League status for another year and a similar away record to ours, I'm going to say 2-1 to Newcastle. Howay the lads!


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/april/04/inside-st-james-park?

[jmh]

Berbatov shows Manchester United what they are missing vs QPR. In-Depth Analysis of former Tottenham Hotspur man

Nothing against Berbatov, but:  United are 15 points clear at the top of the table and have scored 11 goals more than anybody else.  I doubt SAF is crying himself to sleep last night bemoaning Berba's absence.