Have we ever introduced ourselves?

[LBNo11]

...to both TTT aka Alb (I'm two ton Ed from Twickenham) and Jim© welcome to Friends Of Fulham, as you are already established fans you should feel at home here as we have a good mix from all the message boards who look in and post here. Rarely any problems despite the inevitable odd flare up - but the mods on here are very hands on.

Apart from the forum there is the 'Shirts' / Home page http://www.friendsoffulham.com/ with other features to peruse at your leisure, such as the links page that shows you all know Fulham related sites, the Fulham 'stuff' link which takes you to all manner of things Fulham such as history, famous fans, bibliography, avatars, desktop wallpapers etc.,

Finally on matchdays where you are unable to attend, we have the chatroom, if you use this it is probably better to open on a new tab so you can follow what is being said onn the match thread also.

Hope you both contribute and enjoy - may the FoF be with you..!

[The Equalizer]

I'm Two Ton Ted, I live in Teddington and I drive the Baker's van.

Only 1 of those statements is true.

I also am known as Alb, saw my first game in 1978 v Tottenham, (1-1, Greenaway equaliser, very wet), and have some input with those raggy arsed troubadours Emergency Bitter.

I'm a better bass player.  :HD:

[barnes201272]

Hi all,

My name is Dave , I live in Gaiberg Germany , been a Fulham supporter since the days of Eddie Lewis , so you already guessed it I'm a yank as well . I at one time was a active poster on the official board and tiff but have been gone for so long with travels to the mid-east and such .But I am back now for good and from what I've seen on the other boards, I have not missed much . Good to see a lot of old names on hear I remember from back in the day and the people hear are civil , and by the way what happened to the white witch?  Well I love petrol station beer "FAXE" and playing guitar and of course Fulham FC . And if anyone gets to Germany I'm always happy to buy a pint for a fellow Fulham fan.

[SteveT]

Ok, I'm Frank (the Steve in my username is a nickname, too long winded a story but features a certain Steve Earle) and I live on the English Riviera (Weymouth!).

Born in southern Spain but moved to the UK with my parents when I was 2 and then to Putney at age 5.

Started going to the cottage with my dad around '68/69, as we by then had only been in UK for about 6 years my dad's English still needed some work and being an excitable chap he would often be heard swearing at the ref in gutter Spanish if things weren't going our way. Particularly remember going one evening with dad to see Santos at the cottage and my dad shaking Pele's hand and jabbering at him in Spanish thinking that Pele would understand him! The smile on my dad's face will stay with me til the day I die.

Still go regularly and now have two boys of my own, 18 & 22, who are as mad about the club.

Sorry to have gone on!

[malcbridger]

Hi everyone, I am an exile living in Belgrade (the last 6 years) and as an ex season ticket holder in the enclosure

I desperately miss match day experiences so much.

I was born in Carshalton, my late Father (a staunch Fulham fan since the 30's) took me to my first match around 1965, I think

against Liverpool. I particularly look back fondly to the Conway, Earle, Barrett era although much of that time was spent in the

old 3rd division. I came over to London last year and my Brother managed to get me tickets for the Man U and Wolves games

which was fantastic. I took my Serb Red Star pal to the Wolves game and did a nice Putney pub crawl!

I will be over for my Mum's 80th at the end of July and my Brother has got me a ticket for the next Europa game and I can't

wait to be inside the Cottage again.

When I originally left the U.K six years ago, I went firstly to Egypt (before marrying my Serb girlfriend and coming over here).

Their was plenty of games left on my season ticket and it was a real wrench to miss the games, anyway, I was sitting outside

the 'Pirates' bar in Sharm el Sheikh and we were the live game on their big screen. It was so weird to see my Brother sitting

there next to my empty seat, so clearly. Regards to all. COYW...

[LBNo11]

...malcbridger, good to see an old name still around, and thanks for the story. Was it '65 or '66 when Les Barrett got attacked by the Liverpool fan on the pitch? I think it was 1966. We had some great players, in Les, Jimmy, Steve, Stan, Fred etc., but we plumetted down the tables and had players too good for the third, but zero investment to get other quality players to take us back up - very frustrating.

Enjoy the homecoming and please post again...

[SteveT]

I think i may have bumped into you in Rome, i was with a yank . If your dad was in Rome as well then yes he is very excitable, had me in hysterics with his rants about cheating Italian bar stewards. Estepona?
[/quote]

It wasn't us in Rome but it's weird because we are originally from Estepona!

[malcbridger]

Thanks LB for the positive words (i've given up with the 'other' forum due to complete boredom with with the insults, general inanity of the content). Thanks FFC for the Serbian link, i'll check it out. Cheers.

[Mitch]

As i new to FOF today I thought I'd introduce myself.

Have been posting on TIFF on and off since my teens and keen to use both boards.

I'm 24, from Windsor working in estate agency (sorry!) and born into a family where both sides support Fulham, so I didn't have much choice. One Grandfather was an avid Fulham fan and had trials as a lad (alonside George Cohen, so as a right back he wasnt getting in!) and my Dad started taking me in the Micky Adams promotion season. It's been all positive ever since then!

I guess anything else will come out in the wash ;)

[ffcwickford]

I am Jonathan Baines and post on the TIFF board under my own name, but as I and Barra got a bit of stick on that board last Thursday I have been reading but not posting since then - at 52 maybe my skin is not as thick as it use to be and being accussed of not being a true Fulham fan and talking nonsense about the supposed transfer targets hurt a little more than I thought!

Anyway here goes! My Dad was born in Alperton and like many of his peers just after the Second World War went the Cottage one week and to the Bridge the next. Taken to my first game at The Cottage in 1965 against Liverpool - instantly hooked!

I started working in London in August 1977 and got my first Season Ticket have had one every year since as has my brother David! We both lived in Luton with our parents then, I moved to Wickford in Essex in 1983 hence 'ffcwickford' where I have been ever since. My long suffering missus understands but doesn't forgive the third person in our marriage - the last time she went to a game was the fateful game at the Baseball Ground in 1983 and vowed never again!

My son Robert was introduced at the tender age of 14 months and used to play football at the bottom of the Hammersmith Terraces with any of the kids who had a football! I think Lily Allen used to run around the bottom of the Stevenage Road at the corner of the Hammersmith but I do not remember him ever joining in with her! 

Lost him once when we were playing against Cambridge in 1990, and got a Tannoy announcement to collect him from the Cottage much to my embarrassment and the amusement of those scattered around the ground!

Have had a roller coaster relationship with this fantastic club, cried against Lincoln in 1982 and against Derby in 1983 and again against Swansea in that disasterous year, laughed out loud trying to hold back the tears when we lost to bottom club Torquay and bought the Rothmans Guide to Non League Clubs from WH Smith.

Never in a million years would I have guessed a benefactor such as Mohamed Al Fayed could bring so much joy to the Fulham Family in such a short space of time. When I look back at the first few issues of David Lloyds TOOFIF and read the We Can Dream... cartoons - truth really is stranger than fiction!

[LBNo11]

...welcome Jonathan, I'm glad you have decided to join, I have read your posts on TiFF (t-f-i) over the years. I hope you feel at home here after a while. Don't forget to look at our 'Shirts (Home) page as there is more to this site than a message board only...

[ffcwickford]

Thanks LBNo11,

Thats much appreciated!

I am not saying who, (but Les Barrett was one of his peers!)  but I was chatting with a genuinely lovely ex-player after the Crusaders game last Thursday - don't ask long story! - and he said your memory is fantastic, I played in that Liverpool match in 1965, how did I play? I replied, quite well if I remember correctly!

However, we got to discussing the game vs Preston in 1971 which I was also at, where we lost 0-1 to a Ricky Heppolette screamer, they were champions and we finished runners up after that game - last home or game of the season (having been promoted after the game with Bradford the previous Tuesday!). I said what happened as we had been on such a run and the tiltle was ours for the taking!

Suffice to say they had been 'out on the lash since Wednesday lunctime and a lot of them didn't even know where the pitch was, let alone the bloody ball'!

Now those were the days!

[PipBritFFC]

Hi everyone

I've been a long time lurker since 2008 (I found this site after I got fed up reading rubbish on the offal) and I thought it was high time that I made myself known!

I'm a local boy born and bred.  I was born in West London hospital, went to St Thomas' primary school on Estcourt Road and the London Oratory School in Fulham Broadway behind scumford bridge!

Our local scout group on Burnthwaite Road used to get tickets to some Fulham Games,  and first football match must have been around the early 1990s at the cottage watching us play Huddersfield. I can remember us tuning up one saturday at the ticket office to collect the tickets for a match against Plymouth when a couple of the ground staff turned up and said "you must be our ball boys" which came as a complete suprise! I was standing at the Putney end just to the left of goal.  As part of the Half Time entertainment we all were involved in a penaty shootout, I was first up and scored!  I also remeber my dad taking me to see us play liverpool in the league cup where we lost 3-1.

I have been a season a season ticket holder since 2008/9 seated in H1, and have loved every minute of it.  I was at most of the home games in our europa cup run, and went to Hamburg for the final.

I have to say I love this forum, it has been my first port of call for all things Fulham for the last 3 years and I look forward to adding my thoughts in the future!

[LBNo11]

... 076.gif PipBritFFC, and please, ignore my clicque and feel free to post and make this site richer by your added contributions,

Enjoy...

[The Equalizer]

Hi everyone

I've been a long time lurker since 2008 (I found this site after I got fed up reading rubbish on the offal) and I thought it was high time that I made myself known!

I'm a local boy born and bred.  I was born in West London hospital, went to St Thomas' primary school on Estcourt Road and the London Oratory School in Fulham Broadway behind scumford bridge!

Our local scout group on Burnthwaite Road used to get tickets to some Fulham Games,  and first football match must have been around the early 1990s at the cottage watching us play Huddersfield. I can remember us tuning up one saturday at the ticket office to collect the tickets for a match against Plymouth when a couple of the ground staff turned up and said "you must be our ball boys" which came as a complete suprise! I was standing at the Putney end just to the left of goal.  As part of the Half Time entertainment we all were involved in a penaty shootout, I was first up and scored!  I also remeber my dad taking me to see us play liverpool in the league cup where we lost 3-1.

I have been a season a season ticket holder since 2008/9 seated in H1, and have loved every minute of it.  I was at most of the home games in our europa cup run, and went to Hamburg for the final.

I have to say I love this forum, it has been my first port of call for all things Fulham for the last 3 years and I look forward to adding my thoughts in the future!

Hey PipBrit - if you went to St Thomas's and Oratory there's every chance we either know some of the same people, or even eachother! If you don't mind me asking, how old are you? I know a load of guys who went to both of those schools who are around 34/35 years old.

[Scrumpy]

Hi everyone

I've been a long time lurker since 2008 (I found this site after I got fed up reading rubbish on the offal) and I thought it was high time that I made myself known!

I have to say I love this forum, it has been my first port of call for all things Fulham for the last 3 years and I look forward to adding my thoughts in the future!

Welcome mate. It amazes me how long people lurk in the background before joining in and posting. I can't keep my gob shut long enough. I read this forum one day, and then joined the next!

[Quills]

Hello all

Been posting on the board for a little while now but never quite noticed this thread, so an introduction is long overdue, with apologies.

I'm a 30 something lawyer and season ticket holder in the Johnny Haynes.  I'm also female, but as I've got an unhelpful user name and am close to six foot in real life I'm used to people getting confused so I don't take offence.

I came to Fulham through rather a circuitous route, having been born in Manchester, lived in Liverpool, and grown up on the Isle of Man, where the lack of a local team does tend to encourage glory supporters (although our national team did beat Burnley once - the Burnley players stayed at the hotel where I had a summer job as a receptionist and were all identically rude and unpleasant).  My first Fulham game was actually at Loftus Road!  I must confess I didn't go to another one for quite some time.  Thankfully I kept the faith and finally made it to Craven Cottage once I moved to London and now hate missing a game.

My own sporting background is mainly rowing and rugby, and I can get excited about most sports that don't involve cars or motorbikes.

Really enjoying the board so far - it's a real improvement on all the Dempsey fan baiting and homophobic abuse on the offal.  Nice to see some knowledgeable fans who aren't hung up on how the crowd isn't noisy enough or the club isn't spending enough money etc.  I'm still getting to grips with the vast array of smiley faces though - but I'll get there!

078.gif (I just like that one!)

[NYCk]

Loved reading everyone's intros. My story goes like this:

My dad was born just off Munster Road and has been going to the Cottage since about 1938, and like many used to go to Chelsea one week, Fulham the next until money and family life got in the way. He and mum are STH in the JH stand and have been for years. His family was bombed out of the area by the Luftwaffe and moved to Southfields, where I was born & raised. My first game was Feb 75, the first of those four FA cup games against Clough's Forest. Didn't start going regularly until about 82 and then went consistently until I left the country in April 96 (bad timing from an FFC POV) and moved to New York City (hence my handle).

Followed us remotely from there, thankfully the web made that easier and as well as frequenting most of the bars in town, watched many games via dodgy web feeds, and Gentlemen Jim became like a member of our family. I used to make it back for 2-3 games a season. Met my wife (had a second wedding reception in the Riverside stand), and had two kids there before moving back to London three years ago.

Lucky enough to live in East Sheen/west Putney area now and so can go to most home games. Got a ST for the first time last season and am enjoying my time in the Hammersmith End, sitting near where I used to stand with my mates in the 80s. My 9yo is now a committed fan after a brief flirtation with Man Utd when we moved back and my 7 yo is coming round too.

Hamburg was one of the best experiences I've had a as a fan, a long way from the days of Bulstrode & Fulham Park Rangers. Was tough missing most of our rise through the divisions but am now able to enjoy the fruits of that.

Was on TIFF from the TFI days and occasionally on the Exiles board when I was one, but will be frequenting this one from now on.

[LBNo11]

...good to have you both on board Quills and NYCk, I enjoyed reading your introductions, this is one of the best threads on FoF...

[FMC]

Hi all, my name is Frank, I'm another lurker who reads the board and only very ocasionally posts (and I remember The Lurkers and them hanging out in Beggars Banquest record shop on the North End Road!)

Like many others on here Fulham born and bred, when to St Augustines primary then London Oratory (still hate it after all these years!!). Lived on West Kensington Estate before moving to Kent and now Southampton. First went to the cottage in 1972 but this was a world cup qualifier for NI versus Cyprus due to NI troubles (NI won 3-0). Been a Fulham fan ever since, regular through late 70s to early & mid 80s before attending less and less once I moved out of Fulham. Get to games when I can but work, economics and family life make it difficult. Always Fulham, never anyone else, can't persuade the missus and kids though - they're all Saints season ticket holders (hence I have no money to get to FFC except when they play Pompey!).

Couldn't get to Hamburg because of jury service - almost got done for contempt of court trying to get out of it to get there!