Wednesday Fulham Stuff (21/10/15)...

[WhiteJC]

 
How Do Fulham Fare In The BBC's 2015 Survey?
   
The BBC's Price Of Football survey for 2015 was released on Thursday and as ever they looked at everything from the price of tickets through to the price of pies to determine how costs in football are changing for the supporter year on year.

Of course the Premier League figures highly in their 'results' (albeit Swansea City apparently declined to take part in the survey that featured 230 odd UK and European sides and Manchester United failed to supply pie etc details) and the headline prices they picked out, but from the details available they found out that shirt prices rose an average of 4.8% in the UK game, and for the top flight 50 outfield shirts were released with an average of £49.68 cost. Ten clubs also released a third shirt.

Long gone are the days it seems of two season's worth of shelf life whilst advertising your club and their sponsor.

This is the fifth such Price of Football survey undertaken and it does show that largely changes have been made in the game when it comes to individual costs to follow your chosen team, as whilst there are few reductions on previous years - there does seem to be a standard freeze largely when it comes to some aspects of the game.

With recent FSF away day ticket price cap protests, costs for season ticket holders in general have gone down, but match day goers, especially top flight, have seen a rise of 6.5% even on the cheapest tickets available which has now broken the £30 mark for the first time on average.

Across all five divisions the average cost is said to be £22 and whilst few may have noticed physically compared to last year which showed an almost double inflation rise in ticket prices since 2011 - this year's survey shows that 70% of tickets have been frozen or in some cases reduced.

For the Premier League that applies to two thirds of clubs, and with the protests and focus on pricing over the last few years they obviously respond with ticket complexities and the fact that there's a record 96% occupancy in stadiums and far from the next generation being put off, 40% of those attendees are aged 18-34.

Their own research said that season ticket holders in the top flight (accounting for two thirds of seasonal attendance) paid only £32.50 (adult) and £10 (junior).

The Football League recently released their own figures for the first time as well, with the average in all three divisions being £14.08 - (Championship: £15.65, League One: £11.72, League Two: £11.58).

Of course where you sit on the fence in terms of clubs as a whole doing more to make the game more affordable is down to you, especially with the new television deal yet to kick in and whilst clubs like Everton can be looked at with a real terms 23% discount on season ticket costs compared to a decade ago, you can look at Manchester City were charging £62 back in 2013.

There is a supply, success and demand element associated though - but it does seem in most cases the concerns of fans are now being listened to and stringent efforts are being made on that front even though arguably a lot more could be done.

It appears it's at the cost of additional items like merchandising where the clubs are making up that shortfall - and non season ticket holders with the cheapest available match day ticket averaging a 20% uplift - £5.12.

So as is usual, some are gaining and others are losing out, but with early bird offers, away travel subsidy schemes and other such ideas coming out in recent times, at least the 'cost' has been acknowledged and acted upon now so it is a start but only a start.

To see the full club by club price comparison please click here and for more details in general about the survey please (further links available on the BBC to different pieces focusing on different aspects of the survey) as well as individual club results please click here

So what does this mean for Fulham in particular.

The full results showed:

Cheapest Season Ticket: £259
Top Price Season Ticket: £839
Most Popular Season Ticket Tier: £0-100
Season Early Bird: Yes
Cheapest Match Day Ticket: £25
Top Price Match Day Ticket: £45
Most Popular Match Day Ticket: £11-20
Match Day Early Bird: Yes

Programme: £3.50
Pie: £3.90
Tea: £2.20
Adult Shirt: £44.99
Junior Shirt: £34.99

Cheapest Adult Away Ticket: £20
Top Price Adult Away Ticket: £25
Subsidised Away Tickets: No

In relation to the rest of the division and in general, it means Fulham's prices compare as follows:

Match Day Tickets:
Cheapest - the cheapest is 20% above the Championship average.
Most Expensive - the most expensive is 22% above the Championship average.

Season Tickets:
Cheapest - the cheapest ticket is 22% below the Championship average.
Most Expensive - the most expensive is the highest in the Championship.

Price Paid To See A Home Goal: It's a cost of £8.30 per goal putting Fulham eleventh cheapest in the Championship on that basis.

Most Popular Ticket Price Range (Championship): £21-30

Adult Shirt: 2% above Championship average.
Junior Shirt: 4% above Championship average.

Programme: £0.48 pence above the Championship average.
Pie: £0.63 pence above the Championship average.
Tea: £0.12 pence above the Championship average.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=418080#ixzz3pBRaHziV

[WhiteJC]

 
WITH RÖSLER GONE, WHO SHOULD START FOR LEEDS AGAINST FULHAM

With Uwe Rösler sacked, the big question is who will take charge of Leeds for their game against Fulham Tuesday night. It's been reported that Steve Evans prefers playing a 4-4-2 so there's likely to be at least a couple of changes.

In net we only have one real option so of course Silvestri will play. There are however a few decisions to be made at the back.

Full backs – With Charlie Taylor out of the game expect Berardi to continue at left-back. The right-back debate is a more interesting one, obviously Byram is the best option there but Cellino clearly didn't like him playing so Wootton is another option. However with the arrival of Evans and Cellino being banned I think we'll see Sam Byram play, thankfully.

Centre backs – With Liam Cooper seemingly injured (nobody will tell us how bad it is) Sol Bamba is going to be partnered by either Scott Wootton or Bellusci. If Rosler was still here then Bellusci would play however Evans is a fan of Wootton after signing him for Rotherham, he wanted to sign him permanently too. I personally think Wootton will start tomorrow.

Midfield pair – If we do play two in midfield then I expect it will be Luke Murphy and Lewis Cook that will play because they suit each-other the best. Alex Mowatt doesn't have the legs to play in a midfield two and Adeyemi doesn't offer anything going forward, I suppose it depends how defensive we want to be.

Wide players – This is quite a tricky decision but with Dallas out of form and fitness with Leeds at the minute I can see Evans going with Jordan Botaka and Will Buckley. Botaka is a must start, the only player with the exception of Cook that looked like creating anything, whereas if Buckley starts he needs to show that he's still got something about him.

Strikers – Obvious I know but it's almost certainly going to be Chris Wood and Mirco Antenucci up-top. We don't really have any other options to be fair but I think Wood will benefit by having a partner, he's been out of form recently.

In all honesty it's hard to predict what will happen in this game but wouldn't it just be typical Leeds if we went and battered them? Let's hope so.



http://leedsallover.com/with-rosler-gone-who-should-start-for-leeds-against-fulham/?

[WhiteJC]

 
£11 million for ex-Leeds hero Ross McCormack? Cheap at the price, says Kit Symons

Whites boss hails 'fantastic bit of business'


On the hunt: Ross McCormack

Fulham not only did well to secure hotshot Ross McCormack at £11million - they did well to get him at any price, according to his manager.

Eyebrows were raised, notably Sean Dyche's at Burnley, in summer 2014 when Whites paid a record Championship fee for the forward (see gallery) who was all but a one-man goal machine at Leeds for three seasons.

But McCormack has been the one constant in two middling seasons for Fulham with 19 last campaign, and seven so far this. He hopes to make it eight or more when his former team are the visitors to Craven Cottage tomorrow night.

Various sniffs to prise the Scotland international away have come and gone, and Kit Symons is delighted.


Good business: Kit Symons

He said: "Ross was signed before I took over, but getting him in the building was a fantastic bit of business.

"He's delivered last season in a struggling side, and he's delivered again this time.

"Time will tell just how well he ends up doing.

"But a lot of Championship strikers are going for big, big money now. I think maybe Ross's signature for the fee raised a few eyebrows. It wouldn't now - it's the going rate."

Fulham and McCormack are hoping to put right the wrongs of a 3-0 home defeat to United in March (see above gallery).

Bizarrely, Whites won the away fixture 1-0 in December thanks to a Hugo Rodallega strike on the hour mark (gallery below).


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/11-million-ex-leeds-hero-10294828?

[WhiteJC]

 
Kit: Focus On Us

Kit Symons believes his Fulham side have enough about them to see off the threat of Leeds United on Wednesday, regardless of any potential 'new manager syndrome' they may have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cte6GmoPD68

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/october/20/manager-video?

[WhiteJC]

 
Leeds United boss Steve Evans provides fitness update on Charlie Taylor and Liam Cooper

Leeds United take on Fulham on Wednesday night, in what will be Steve Evans' first game as manager.

Leeds United manager Steve Evans has informed BBC Radio Leeds that Liam Cooper will be on the team coach which travels to Fulham on Wednesday.

Cooper looked in agony during Leeds' match against Birmingham City at the weekend, as he hobbled off the pitch with a knee complaint.

However, the centre-back has made a quick recovery, and Evans has confirmed that he will be part of the squad which goes to Craven Cottage in midweek.

"I'll give you a surprise, Liam Cooper will be on the team coach for Fulham," Evans revealed. "He trained this morning. I have seen the pictures on television on Saturday evening, and you see the boy come off like that [and you worry].

"But I've had a good chat with him and he's done a good fitness session with the medical team, who have seen fit to say he's good enough to go on the coach. If he's not involved at Fulham, he'll certainly be involved against Bolton. That's great news."

Cooper's return to Leeds' team will be a major boost, as he has been one of their more reliable performers in the centre-back role throughout the season so far.

It wasn't all good news on the injury front for the Whites, though, as Evans suggested that Taylor could still be out for at least another fortnight.

The left-back missed Leeds' match against Birmingham, and he is still undergoing scans to assess the severity of his problem.

"Charlie's just about a period of time," Evans added. "We're talking two or three weeks. He has to have a scan and make sure there's no potential damage going towards the spleen."

Leeds go into their game against Fulham on Wednesday sitting in 18th place in the Championship, and having lost their last three games.


http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2015/10/20/leeds-united-boss-steve-evans-provides-fitness-update-on-charlie/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Leeds United: Cooper heads for Fulham but Taylor awaiting scan

CENTRE-BACK LIAM COOPER has travelled down with Leeds United to Fulham after making a quick recovery from the knee injury that led to Saturday's 2-1 loss at home to Brighton and Uwe Rosler's final game in charge.

Left back Charlie Taylor, though, will be out for between two or three weeks as he continues to recover from a virus.

Cooper went down in pain with six minutes remaining of Saturday's clash at Elland Road and hobbled off with Leeds having used all three of their substitutes.

The 24-year-old looked to be heading for a notable spell on the sidelines but Evans revealed that Cooper was on his way to making a quick recovery and travelled with the team to London this afternoon having trained at Thorp Arch in the morning.

Wednesday night's Championship clash at Craven Cottage marks Evans' first game as head coach at Leeds and the Glaswegian said: "I'll give you a little surprise as Liam Cooper is going to be on the team coach as he trained this morning.

"The medical team have looked after Liam.

"I have seen the television pictures on Saturday, where you see the boy struggling like that but I have had a good chat with him and he has had a good fitness session with the medical team.

"Liam seems fit enough to say he's good enough to go on the coach and as an experienced manager you see how he is tomorrow.

"If he's certainly not involved at Fulham then he will certainly be involved when we go across to Bolton on Saturday. That's great news.

"Charlie is just about a period of time and we are probably talking two or three weeks.

"He just has to have scan and make sure that there's no potential damage going towards the spleen, that's the technical term.

"All I know is it's two or three weeks."


http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/latest-lufc-news/leeds-united-cooper-heads-for-fulham-but-taylor-awaiting-scan-1-7525922?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham v Leeds

SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
Venue: Craven Cottage Date: Wednesday 21 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 live and BBC local radio; text commentary on the BBC Sport website

Fulham will be without defender Tim Ream (knock) for a second straight game but James Husband is available.

Defender Husband is expected to return to the starting line-up after being ineligible to face his parent club Middlesbrough last Saturday.

Leeds hope to have Liam Cooper fit for Steve Evans's first game in charge.

Defender Cooper suffered a knee injury in last Saturday's 2-1 home defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion but has travelled with the team to London.

MATCH FACTS

Fulham have kept five clean sheets in their last eight meetings with Leeds, losing all three games in which they've conceded.
The away side won both meetings between these two last season, including a 3-0 victory for Leeds at Craven Cottage. It was their biggest away win of the campaign.
There has not been a goalless draw at Craven Cottage in the league since August 2011. The 84 games since then have produced 271 goals (3.2 per game).
Leeds have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last nine league games, losing each of the last three.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34524613

[WhiteJC]

 
Tim Ream unavailable for Fulham's clash with Leeds

Fulham manager Kit Symons remains without Tim Ream for Wednesday's visit of Leeds after the defender suffered an injury on international duty with the USA.

Symons could also be without goalkeeper Andy Lonergan, who faces a late fitness test having come off during Saturday's 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough with a leg injury.

Scott Parker is in contention to return after remaining on the bench on Saturday, as are George Williams and Matt Smith after building up their fitness.

With no suspensions, Fulham otherwise have a fully-fit squad to choose from. Leeds' new head coach Steve Evans has confirmed defender Liam Cooper will travel with the squad.

Cooper has made a quicker than expected recovery after being forced out of last weekend's home defeat to Brighton with a knee injury, but Evans may choose to rest him until Saturday.

Defender Charlie Taylor missed out on Saturday due to a virus and is expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks.

Evans has no other injury or suspension issues, with defender Sam Byram, winger Will Buckley and midfielder Luke Murphy all pushing for recalls to the starting line-up.


Read more at: https://www.clubcall.com/leeds-united/tim-ream-unavailable-for-fulhams-clash-with-leeds-1785900.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham V Leeds United

Fulham manager Kit Symons remains without Tim Ream for Wednesday's visit of Leeds after the defender suffered an injury on international duty with the USA.

Symons could also be without goalkeeper Andy Lonergan, who faces a late fitness test having come off during Saturday's 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough with a leg injury.

Scott Parker is in contention to return after remaining on the bench on Saturday, as are George Williams and Matt Smith after building up their fitness.

With no suspensions, Fulham otherwise have a fully-fit squad to choose from.

Leeds' new head coach Steve Evans has confirmed defender Liam Cooper will travel with the squad.

Cooper has made a quicker than expected recovery after being forced out of last weekend's home defeat to Brighton with a knee injury, but Evans may choose to rest him until Saturday.

Defender Charlie Taylor missed out on Saturday due to a virus and is expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks.

Evans has no other injury or suspension issues, with defender Sam Byram, winger Will Buckley and midfielder Luke Murphy all pushing for recalls to the starting line-up.

Sky Bet odds

Fulham are Sky Bet's 11/10 favourites to deny Steve Evans victory in his first match since taking over from Uwe Rosler as Leeds boss. United won this fixture 3-0 last season - a 40/1 shot this time - but other than that it is a fixture the Cottagers have dominated of late. Fulham can be backed at 3/1 to win with both teams scoring, while a win to nil is an 11/4 shot. With both sides winless in their last three matches Sky Sports Football League pundit Ian Holloway expects it to finish in a 1-1 draw at odds of 5/1. Former Leeds skipper Ross McCormack heads the betting in the first scorer market at 9/2 and you can get 11/4 on the Scottish international scoring in a home win. Chris Wood is 9/4 to score anytime for the visitors.


http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/match-preview/339668/-?

[WhiteJC]

 
Behind Enemy Lines
Tuesday 20 October 2015 17:00
Adam Pope, Sports Broadcaster for BBC Radio Leeds, dissects what has been a busy couple of days at the club, and looks ahead to Wednesday's encounter at Craven Cottage.


What did you make of Uwe Rosler's departure on Monday?

The timing was a shock because the chairman had backed him very solidly, saying a few weeks ago that Rosler was the best man for the job of building for promotion next season. The fact it has happened is no surprise as Massimo Cellino is known as 'Il mangia allenatori' (the manager eater). There's now been six permanent coaches at Elland Road since Cellino arrived 18 months ago.

How do you expect Steve Evans to fare?

Steve's reputation is based on keeping Rotherham up. Leeds fans will expect far more than that so he will have to satisfy them that he can manage a huge club, and some quality young players in particular, without having the resources to bring many in. Within those parameters I honestly cannot say how he will do. His press conference saw him very honoured to have the job and he will throw everything at it.

What do you think had been the problem for Leeds this season?

Instability is the long term problem and that is exacerbated by an impending ban for the chairman again. Poor defending and goalkeeping has been the issue on the pitch.

What's a realistic target for Leeds now?

The squad is capable of a top-10 finish which is what Rosler was trying to achieve. I will stick by that in terms of the squad's capacity but it really depends if they have a coach long enough to mould them.


Which players have been impressing you?

Left-back Charlie Taylor is now out with a virus but he has been superb this season. Liam Cooper (pictured) at centre-back has also started to find real form.

Do you think the managerial change will help or hinder Leeds on Wednesday?

All we can expect is a positive response from the players who, to be fair, performed well but were unfortunate to be beaten by Brighton [in the previous match].

What have you made of Fulham so far this season?

I thought you would be higher up the table by now to be honest. The point at Middlesbrough made me sit up. I always liked Ross McCormack and Matt Smith at Leeds, whilst Luke Garbutt is a great talent.

Where do you expect the key battles to be played out?



Leeds' defence has to be stronger, so if Cooper is fit then his form will hopefully help to improve it alongside Sol Bamba. So I think Moussa Dembélé v Bamba is a key contest. It will be interesting to see if Evans deploys a different system to Uwe Rosler before and goes with two strikers in Chris Wood and Mirco Antenucci.

Have you been to the Cottage much before?

I have been once and that was last season where Leeds survived a battering to run out 3-0 winners! It was a positive experience and I think the ground is brilliant. I miss the grounds with character which I used to frequent growing up in the 70s and 80s.

How do you see Wednesday's game going?

Leeds will probably go hell for leather at Fulham under Evans! It really could be anything in terms of scoreline. However, if the wingers produce a final ball then Leeds have a great chance.

What score prediction are you going for?

Happy if Leeds come away with a point at the moment. 1-1.

Tickets for Wednesday's game are still available to buy, priced at just £20 adults and £10 juniors. (Prices increase by £5 on matchday).


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/october/20/behind-enemy-lines?

[WhiteJC]

 
FULHAM: COOPER TRAVELS, TAYLOR SIDELINED
Steve Evans provides team news ahead of Craven Cottage trip...

Steve Evans has confirmed that Liam Cooper is in contention for Wednesday night's trip to Fulham after travelling down with the squad, despite limping off with injury during the closing stages of Saturday's home loss to Brighton.

Cooper was forced off with just five minutes remaining on the clock at Elland Road following a clash inside the United half, meaning the hosts were forced to end the game with 10 men having used all three substitutions.

Evans says the centre-back will be assessed ahead of the game on Wednesday but insists he will "certainly be involved" at Bolton if he is unable to feature at Craven Cottage.

"I'll give you a little surprise as Liam Cooper is going to be on the team coach as he trained this morning,"

Evans said. "The medical team have looked after Liam. "I have seen the television pictures on Saturday, where you see the boy struggling like that but I have had a good chat with him and he has had a good fitness session with the medical team.

"Liam seems fit enough to say he's good enough to go on the coach and as an experienced manager you see how he is tomorrow.

"If he's not involved at Fulham then he will certainly be involved when we go across to Bolton on Saturday. That's great news.

" Full-back Charlie Taylor, meanwhile, is set to be sidelined for "two to three weeks" after missing the visit of Brighton with a virus.

Evans said: "Charlie is just about a period of time and we are probably talking two or three weeks.

"He just has to have scan and make sure that there's no potential damage going towards the spleen, that's the technical term.

"All I know is it's two or three weeks."


- See more at: http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article/1ljvm7xuv32741vou837fej8b4/title/fulham-cooper-travels-taylor-sidelined?#sthash.nltySvFF.dpuf

[WhiteJC]

 
ROSS MCCORMACK'S WORDS COME BACK TO HAUNT LEEDS

The following statement "No longer the Leeds United I fell in love with" was at the forefront of most jokes when Leeds, at times, looked like they were improving under the guidance of Neil Redfearn. In fact it seemed like a bizarre comment with all the young talent coming through and a kind of stability in the background. Now Ross McCormack's words seem more relevant than ever...

It's kind of ironic now that next month Leeds will take on Rotherham with the same two managers in attendance but in opposite dugouts (unless of course Cellino gets fed up of Steve Evans by then too) and also Leeds go to Fulham on Wednesday night to face their former captain who, like many, was driven out of Elland Road by a mad man.

Even the most deluded should by now realise that this is not defendable, this is not funny, and this is clearly an egotistical maniac who's gone power crazy. His inability to not interfere with team selection is shocking and his antics in the press is embarrassing; how can a manager work with this? To be honest, you can almost judge Steve Evans for taking the job, no matter how confident he may be in his ability to do it.

What's worst for me is the chairman's ability to poison the fans against players. To a certain extent Bates did it, particularly with Jonny Howson's contract situation but his return to Elland Road last season proved how he is still thought of in a positive light by Leeds fans. McCormack is one example of fans choosing Cellino over a player who, at the time, gave his all for the shirt. Now rumours (probably facts) surfaced that picking Sam Byram spelled the end for Uwe Rosler; this is a lad who won our player of the season a while back, now resorted to a barracking in the media for not accepting a reduced terms contract and fans actually thinking this is alright! His form has not been good but being taken apart in the press by your chairman and statements surfacing that he didn't want him picked aren't going to lead to an upturn in form are they!

None of this is alright. Carry on like this and we won't have anyone who will want to manage the club, play for the team or even support the club anymore. A 2,000 away ticket cap has now taken away what is a huge enjoyment to fans who want to follow Leeds United and enjoy themselves, what enjoyment can we get out of going to watch us play at Elland Road after all? Cellino has punished the fans with an idea which is never going to work.

What's worse, it has come out that Cellino KNEW he would be banned and did all this in a last ditch effort to stamp his authority on the club before he was removed once more. It really is comedy gold. Now it's hard to believe there were any good intentions with the ticket cap. We all know how annoying Sky are and the problems they have caused fans when it comes to attending game so one could be forgiven for understanding Cellino's frustration (but not his pointless point of action) now it's all but certainly come out as a petty response to his ban, something the Football League won't bat an eyelid at.

If this trend continues, then they'll be no one left at our home games and who could blame them? Who would want to put money into a club where the chairman is using it to pay managers out of their contracts every few months! In fact, the amount of compensation that we'll have been dishing out in the last year we could have probably bought a few more centre backs with...

Even the most die-hard Cellino supporter must know now that his reign is now effectively terminal. This is, after all, the season he said we would win promotion or he would say that he has failed is it not? Well Massimo, already it looks as though you have failed.

How many "mistakes" can Cellino make? How long until enough is enough? How long until it's us saying that this is no longer the Leeds United we fell in love with? Cause it's sure getting close to that point for me...

Reporter – Daniel Howard



http://rightinthegarykellys.com/mccormacks-words-come-back-haunt-leeds/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Awaydaze

After all the upheaval of the last few days it might be a bit of a relief to get back to some football. Our visit to Fulham is tomorrow night, with a 7.45 kick-off, and if you can't get down to London there is always the beamback at Elland Road.

As you probably know, Craven Cottage is by the Thames in South-West London. By road you need to take junction 15 off the M25 onto the M4, which becomes the A4. Keep following the A4 signs for 11.5 miles till you get to the Hammersmith Flyover Junction, then take the exit marked A306, A315, A219. From the following roundabout follow signs to Putney Bridge, which will bring you into Fulham Palace Road.

You are now just over a mile from the ground and from here you might as well think about parking in the first spot you see, parking on the streets near to the ground is restricted to one hour 'pay & display' on matchdays, even in the evening, and this is strictly enforced by an army of traffic wardens. It's probably less hassle to park at a tube station further out and complete your journey by underground.

The nearest tube station to Craven Cottage is Putney Bridge (on the Wimbledon Branch of the District Line) which is only a ten minute walk away, Turn left out of the station and then immediately turn right into a street called Ranelagh Gardens, then just keep going in this direction, keeping the Thames on your left as you cross the main road and go through Bishops Park.

En route you will pass the 'Eight Bells' which is popular with away fans, and alternative is 'The Temperance' which you'll a few minutes walk further along Fulham High street, going away from the river. 'The Crabtree on Rainville Road (10 minutes from the ground) welcomes away supporters, but diehard CAMRA enthusiasts will probably head for 'The Bricklayer's Arms', in Waterman Street, just the other side of the river in Putney.

There is also a selection of alcohol available inside the stadium, which even includes cans of Tetleys! The High Street is also the best bet for takeaways, which you might need to use, as the food inside the ground is expensive, though quite tasty and with generous portions.

When I first came to 'the Cottage' in the 1980s there was terracing at both ends, with the one for visitors naturally being open to the elements, but in the years since the club have had to comply with the Taylor report by replacing them with new stands. And the away fans are still in the same place today, with our allocation being about 2,700 seats in the Putney End, out of a total stadium capacity of 25,678.

One disappointing feature in a stand built only a decade ago is the number of supporting pillars that partially block the view from the away seats, but at least we now get a roof. Next to us is a section which is designated as 'neutral', so fans of both clubs can mix, and surprisingly it seems that still applies for this game, so it could be worth a try if you haven't got a ticket in the Leeds end. The Fulham website says that "all other stands are open to Fulham supporters only."

To our right is the building known as the 'Cottage', which thankfully has survived amongst all this modernity as a reminder of an earlier age. But technically this is just a pavilion, as the original cottage was demolished many years ago.

Unusually for a Leeds game it's been classified as 'Category B', with adults at £25, Over 65's/Under 22's £20 and Under 17's £15, though there are also a number of 'restricted view' tickets at a discount of £2 discount on the above price. Fulham are another club to add a ridiculous £5 to the price of tickets sold on the day, which isn't exactly the way to attract casual supporters.

As the future is concerned, the Club have now received planning permission to redevelop the Riverside Stand (the one to our left, which dates back to 1972). This would increase the capacity of Craven Cottage to 30,000, but no firm time scales have been announced as to when this will take place, so it's likely this will have to wait until Fulham get back into the Premier League.

Some of this rubbish came from www.footballgroundguide.com

Get two free £10 bets on Fulham v Leeds United (or other matches) by opening a new account at William Hill. Place an initial bet of a minimum of £10 and William Hill will give you two £10 bets. You must enter the promotional code ''F20'' when signing up as a new customer.



http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/leedsunited/news/40786/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Chris Wood v Ross McCormack: How Leeds and Fulham strikers compare

After Leeds United's Monday meltdown which saw a manager sacked and the owner banned, it would be just their luck to see former captain Ross McCormack plunge them to further lows.

New boss Steve Evans will hope his side can repeat their win at Craven Cottage last season under Neil Redfearn, which saw McCormack taunted by away fans as he was substituted.

Leeds sold McCormack for £11 million and he had a slow start to his Fulham career, but this season has begun the campaign in better form.

He has one more goal than current Leeds striker Chris Wood, although has played one game more, making their goal ratio hard to split.

What is unusual for McCormack is that he does not have a single assist to his name so far in 2015/16, having provided nine in his debut season for Fulham.

Wood has one and is vastly superior in the air, winning more than three aerial duels per game compared to McCormack who is yet to win any in 11 games this season. He of course can point to strike partner Matt Smith, also of Leeds United, whose power in the air makes him ideal foil for the Scotsman.

McCormack has a better scoring ratio of 17 to 11 per cent of his shots on target being converted, but where he really stands out is landing his efforts on goal in the first place. He tests the goalkeeper with 57 per cent, while Wood's 14 per cent is woefully low.


http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2015/10/20/chris-wood-v-ross-mccormack-how-leeds-and-fulham-strikers-compar/?

[WhiteJC]

 
LUFC Fulham v Leeds United - Match Officials
   
Keith Hill is the man in charge when Leeds United visit Fulham on Wednesday evening.

The Hertfordshire official has taken charge of 12 games so far this season showing 42 yellow cards and 3 reds.

His last game involving Fulham was in February when they drew 0-0 at Millwall.

This will be the second game this season for Hill, in a game involving Leeds. He was in charge of their Capital One League Cup tie at Doncaster Rovers in August. He sent off Leeds midfielder Lewis Cook in the first half in a game Leeds lost on penalties.

Referee: KEITH HILL (Hertfordshire)
Assistants: Daniel Cook and John Busby
Fourth Official: Andrew Madley


Read more: http://www.leeds.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=418319#ixzz3pBZ1pKl4

[WhiteJC]

 
Five things destined to happen as Leeds United take on Fulham

Ahead of Leeds United's visit to Fulham, here's a look at five things we expect from the fixture...

The Steve Evans era is set to begin at Leeds United, as the former Rotherham boss begins trying to repair the side's confidence after a poor run under Uwe Rosler.

They begin with a midweek fixture away to Fulham, who are five places above them, but just two points separate the two teams.

Here is a look at five things we expect to happen in Evans' first game in charge, win, draw, or lose...

Leeds will have a player sent off

Steve Evans has told his team he wants to see aggression in his players, who have often been too timid especially in their home displays. Well it's probable there will be one player who takes his instructions too far and gets sent off for a late challenge. Note: Giuseppe Bellusci is fit to play and could feature.

Steve Evans will issue an impassioned defence of said player

If a player is red carded, don't expect Evans to be critical. He will respond by backing the offender whether right or wrong, simply glad the team is buying into his methods. Expect blame on the referee, and not the player concerned.

Ross McCormack or Matt Smith will score

It's been a rough week for Leeds, and this could continue if their former players come back to haunt them. Leeds sold McCormack and Smith to Fulham last season, but in their last clash at Craven Cottage both players underperformed as the Whites eased to victory. Whatever the result, don't be surprised to see one get on the scoresheet.

Fans will chant for Neil Redfearn

Steve Evans may be winning over some fans, but it will take a long time to get the backing of the entire crowd. When Leeds won last season it was Neil Redfearn who led them to victory, and his subsequent departure from the club remains a sore point. Owner Massimo Cellino is seen as the main part of the problem at Leeds, and chanting for Redfearn will be an expression of dissatisfaction towards him rather than a direct reflection on Evans.

Evans will have a touch line bust-up

Steve Evans might have mentioned it once or twice, that he won't let Leeds play without fight. There is no better way for him to get his message across than by ranting and raving from the touchline in an attempt to gee up his players. Expect the officials to bear the full brunt, especially if the game starts slipping away from the Whites. Fulham boss Kit Symons would be advised to steer clear.


http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2015/10/20/five-things-destined-to-happen-as-leeds-united-take-on-fulham/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Leeds United Factfile

Fulham return to Craven Cottage on Wednesday evening after a three-week hiatus to take on Leeds United in the Sky Bet Championship.


The opposition

It was a busy start to the week for Leeds as head coach Uwe Rosler was relieved from his post and replaced by former Rotherham United boss Steve Evans.

Poor home form hadn't helped Rosler's cause, with Leeds one of only two sides in the division not to have won on their own patch this season. The latest disappointment came at the weekend when Bobby Zamora struck late on to earn table-toppers Brighton & Hove Albion a 2-1 win at Elland Road.

Conversely, their away form has actually been fairly good, as they've taken eight points from five matches played on their travels.

Team news

Liam Cooper limped off in the closing stages of the defeat by Brighton, but is expected to travel to SW6. Charlie Taylor missed that game with a virus and is expected to sit out the meeting with Fulham, too.

Ticket information

Tickets are still available for supporters to buy, priced at £25 for adults and £15 for juniors.

Weather

It should be dry at the Cottage come kick-off on Wednesday evening, but expect plenty of cloud cover. Temperatures will be around the 13 degree mark.

Coral match odds

Fulham: 21/20

Draw: 23/10

Leeds: 27/10

Last time we met

Fulham were left stunned at the Cottage as a dominant display against Leeds proved fruitless, with the Yorkshiremen triumphing 3-0. The Whites bombarded the visitors' goal in the first half but fell behind to Sam Byram's header five minutes before the break. We were the better side in the second 45, too, but goals from Sol Bamba and Mirco Antenucci secured victory for Leeds. Kostas Stafylidis was sent off for Fulham early on in the second half having received two yellow cards inside a minute.

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/october/21/leeds-united-factfile?

[WhiteJC]

 
Never Forgotten

Ten years after his untimely death, Wednesday's official matchday programme against Leeds United pays tribute to the ultimate Fulham legend – the one and only Johnny Haynes.

A true one-club man, he made 658 appearances for the Whites and also played 56 times for England. He was - quite simply - 'The Maestro'.

Johnny's widow Avril pens the foreword to the tribute programme, whilst his former teammates Alan Mullery, John Dempsey, Johnny Key, Barry Lloyd and Rodney Marsh recall what it was like to play alongside such a talent.

"Johnny was more demanding about himself than of other players," said Marsh. "He demanded perfection. I watched him one day at Craven Cottage when he was training and he stayed out afterwards until he'd hit 10 consecutive penalties against the stanchion. He'd hit it every single time in the same place, by the way. If he missed one, he'd start all over again.

"Our groundsman would always groan when he saw Johnny staying behind as he was the only player he didn't dare tell to get off the pitch!"

Other highlights in the only matchday magazine that matters - which is also available to download digitally from 9am on Wednesday - are:

Chairman Shahid Khan looks ahead to an important week for Fulham
Manager Kit Symons eyes progression up the table
Captain Scott Parker speaks of his delight at being back in the First Team fold after injury
James Husband is the main interview - he recalls being released by Leeds at the age of 16
Andrew Lonergan answers some random questions in the Name Game
Former Leeds forward Joe Jordan remembers his stint at Elland Road
Gus Uhlenbeek waxes lyrical on his spell in SW6
Les Strong tells us his memories of Haynes
And we continue to take a walk down memory lane to the 1998/99 promotion-winning season

Priced £3.50, the 84-page publication is available from various sellers on Stevenage Road from two hours before kick-off. Or order it online from ProgrammeMaster.

For just £1.99, the programme is also available as a digital download with added video content from 9am on Wednesday, so whether you're at home or away, you need never be without it on your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, PC or Mac via Apple's Newsstand or Pocketmags.

Or to ensure you don't miss a single copy of the official matchday programme, purchase an annual subscription. Head here for full details.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/october/21/never-forgotten?

[WhiteJC]

 
Kingston University Partnership

The Club are delighted to announce today a new partnership with London's Kingston University.

The partnership was announced to 30 people representing businesses from the Kingston and Surrey area at a breakfast networking event held at the Club's Motspur Park Training Ground on Wednesday morning.

Fulham Football Club, its Foundation (Fulham FC Foundation) and Kingston University showcased the positive work that has been carried out over the past six months at the breakfast event, where the focus of the work is engaging with local businesses from the Kingston and South West London areas.

Fulham FC Chief Executive Officer, Alistair Mackintosh, and Kingston University Vice-Chancellor, Julius Weinberg, were speakers at the event and talked through some of the projects undertaken whilst welcoming the representatives from local businesses to link into this new innovative partnership.

Fulham Football Club and Kingston University have already collaborated on a few projects which have involved students from many of the University's faculties.

The Faculty of Business and Law has worked closely with the Fulham FC Foundation to create, by using the popularity and appeal of football, a health programme for young people in Surrey. The aim is to deliver more workshops and encourage physical activity among participants in some of the borough's deprived areas.

This month, students from the University's Department of Journalism and Publishing were invited to Motspur Park to interview Fulham FC First Team players. The students also attended an Barclays Under-21 Premier League fixture at Craven Cottage, home of Fulham FC, to practice writing match reports.

Other initiatives have included research into an innovative pilot which targets overweight males aged over 35, an expansion of Fulham FC Foundation's recent work on employability which includes a new foundation degree, targeted workshops for unemployed local young people and developing a pilot programme which uses football to support more students who come from families with no previous experience of higher education.

Speaking at the launch, Alistair Mackintosh, Chief Executive of Fulham Football Club said: "We are delighted to formally launch this partnership between Fulham FC and Kingston University. This is a result of hard work from many employees from both organisations and I'm delighted that, as a Club, we are open and inclusive by creating many platforms to engage with local people. I'm sure that as the partnership develops, we will see further co-operation of mutual benefit in the future."

Professor Julius Weinberg, Kingston University's Vice-Chancellor, added:

"Our partnership with Fulham Football Club creates opportunities for students, staff and young people in the area. I am delighted to be working with a club that shows such strong commitment to community development and using the power of sport to generate enthusiasm for education."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/october/21/kingston-partnership?

[WhiteJC]

 
Steve Evans should recall these three Leeds United players against Fulham

Steve Evans takes charge of his first Leeds United match against Fulham later this evening.

With Steve Evans gearing up to take charge of his first Leeds United game on Wednesday night at Craven Cottage, we take a look at three players he should restore to the starting line-up against Fulham.

Mirco Antenucci

Evans has already commented, suggesting on the club's official website that he will play a 4-4-2 formation with Leeds, and that tactical switch should see Antenucci come into the team.

The Italian striker had to play second fiddle to Chris Wood under Uwe Rosler, when there was just one striking place in the team, but he should benefit from Evans looking to form a partnership up top.

Antenucci has proved to be an excellent finisher during his time with Leeds, and if Evans can find a way to provide him with plenty of service, he should be a valuable asset.

Sam Byram

The youngster's head may have been turned by rumours over his future, but it seems a waste to leave him on the bench while he is still at the club.

Byram is one of Leeds' finest talents, and he should be handed the right-back slot in the team - even if Gaetano Berardi has been consistent this term.

Will Buckley

Buckley's start at Leeds hasn't gone according to plan, but there can be no doubting his quality at Championship level.

Buckley has been a huge threat in the second-tier before, and it may be that he just needs time to adapt to playing at that level again.

The Sunderland loanee hasn't played much football recently, but Evans would be wise to keep the faith with him, if he does want to make Leeds a more aggressive team.

Jordan Botaka has looked lively in a Whites shirt so far, but Buckley is likely to be more disciplined, and if the Yorkshire outfit want to break out of their current slump, that willingness to defend is likely to be vital against a Fulham side who have ample quality going forward.


http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2015/10/21/steve-evans-should-recall-these-three-leeds-united-players-again/?