Have we ever introduced ourselves?

[jms]

Have just been directed to this by 'Burt' on another thread, and assumed, as I've been following this message board for a good few years, that I'd introduced myself.
So have just scrolled through 17 pages to find that I have never contributed to this thread, and as I'm one of the first members of the recently formed 'FOFers' Brighton gang, thought I'd better remedy it so that anyone who joins us has some idea of what they're letting themselves in for  :021:
Firstly, I'd like to say how fantastically moderated this board is. This is not a 'creepy message' to get accepted, it is simply a comment from a woman who loves her football team, and rarely finds anywhere 'online' in football that isn't full of witless and too often offensive comments. I usually feel very comfortable with the community who use this particular 'sounding board' and that's down to the moderators and the contributors. If there women out there reading this message board, please make yourself known. You are not alone.
My name is Jenny. My Dad took me to watch Fulham in 1959, when I was 10 years old, and from the moment I walked up the stairs of the Stevenage Road Stand and saw the emerald green pitch, smelt the mixture of hotdogs and cigarette / pipe smoke and sat on the wooden benches, where our seat numbers were marked out in white paint....... I was in love !
Then there was Graham Leggat, still after all these years, the player I put above all others. He started my love of fast, brilliant wingers. Conway; Barrett; Houghton; Steed; ......and overlapping full backs.....Cohen ( the greatest ) ; Langley; Parker; Rufus; Finnan ; Reither.
I've stood on the Riverside; sat on the Riverside; stood at the Putney end;  sat once at the Putney End; Juventus ! ; stood during the macdonald / lewi days just in front of the green pole; sometimes sit these days in H4 in the seats, just to the left of the top of the centre staircase, with supposed restricted view, and no one sitting directly in front of us...so actually, great view !
But I love the Johnny Haynes Stand best of all, and if I can get a seat in B block, just by the staircase, then that's where some of my ashes will be left under the seat when I go.
Yes I love this club, and want to be positive about it during these most depressing times.
There is no other football club in the world that is so Fulhamish.....and most of our supporters seem to be pretty decent too.
COYW 049:gif

[One Martin Thomas]

Starting watching Fulham over 20 years ago.  Dad and Uncle took me to my first match in the third tier and that was it.  Julian Hails was my favourite player in those days.  The AC Milan away shirt with GMB sponsor.  Loved it.

Going to Fulham was my favourite thing in the whole world.  Growing up in Sussex, no one in my school could watch their team as I did (Liverpool and Manchester are a long way away).

Games that stick in my mind: Swansea in FA Cup with Paul Broker making a debut.  Liverpool in league cup with Sean F lobbing Grobelaar.  Beating Luton in League Cup with Jim Stannard the hero in the penalty shout out.  I would also add Tigana's first league match away to Birmingham City.

I can also remember standing outside the Cottage with my Dad waiting for the gates to open and two posh ladies riding past on their bikes.  One said to the other "Oh darling, I had no idea that you lived near a football club.  How ghastly for you !"  It was unbelievable.

I have lived in France for quite a few years and miss the Cottage.  I do love my club and I am heart broken to see us drop the way we are.  No pride, no passion.  Jol totally lost.

Forever Fulham !!!

[Hong Kong Fulham fan]

Hi all,

I am a Fulham fan living and working in Hong Kong.

I have been following Fulham for years and even with 6000 miles separation between me and Craven cottage I still have a season ticket in the Hammersmith end. I get to approx 10 games a season and luckily we have all the premiership matches broadcast live, so I don't miss a match.

I'm coming over next week to watch the Villa game so hope to see some of you in the pubs before hand.

COYW.

[Simon1983]

Hi, I'm Simon , 30 and live close to the ground . Lovr Fulham and have season ticket in nye hammy end . Thanks for allowing me to contribute and engage with the debate :)

[rockieroad]

Hello fulham friends,

Name is Anthony (20 years old). I'm an American whose been a supporter for about only about 2ish years. Love the vibe this club gives off and of course I'm a huge Dempsey fan. Hopefully I will be a regular poster here. :D

[YankeeJim]

Hello fulham friends,

Name is Anthony (20 years old). I'm an American whose been a supporter for about only about 2ish years. Love the vibe this club gives off and of course I'm a huge Dempsey fan. Hopefully I will be a regular poster here. :D

Bit of advice, don't defend Dempsey. If he nails a hat trick some will complain.
BTW, like your ice cream.

[One Martin Thomas]

Starting watching Fulham over 20 years ago.  Dad and Uncle took me to my first match in the third tier and that was it.  Julian Hails was my favourite player in those days.  The AC Milan away shirt with GMB sponsor.  Loved it.

Going to Fulham was my favourite thing in the whole world.  Growing up in Sussex, no one in my school could watch their team as I did (Liverpool and Manchester are a long way away).

Games that stick in my mind: Swansea in FA Cup with Paul Broker making a debut.  Liverpool in league cup with Sean F lobbing Grobelaar.  Beating Luton in League Cup with Jim Stannard the hero in the penalty shout out.  I would also add Tigana's first league match away to Birmingham City.

I can also remember standing outside the Cottage with my Dad waiting for the gates to open and two posh ladies riding past on their bikes.  One said to the other "Oh darling, I had no idea that you lived near a football club.  How ghastly for you !"  It was unbelievable.

I have lived in France for quite a few years and miss the Cottage.  I do love my club and I am heart broken to see us drop the way we are.  No pride, no passion.  Jol totally lost.

Forever Fulham !!!

Thanks for my shirt !  That's the one I loved so much.  First ever Fulham shirt !!!!!!  Very special to me .

[LBNo11]

...you're welcome...

[One Martin Thomas]

Gone back to Mum's for Xmas and found my old programmes in their season files.  Found my first match programme: Fulham v Torquay (Xmas 1991).  Team:

Jim Stannard,
John Marshall,
Martin Pike,
Mark Newson,
Jeff Echardt,
Glen Thomas,
Simon Morgan,
John Finch,
Sean Farrall (as it is spelt on back of programme - oh dear),
Gary Brazil,
Peter Scott

No Julian Hails  :012:

Was very young.  I do not remember the score but 2 - 1 is in my head.  I remember the snow and how cold it was.  But that was it for me.  Fulham all the way and I took it quite seriously from a young age....

I found amongst my souvenir programmes:
:021:a hand written letter from Jimmy Hill answering my letter about business ideas to sell more shirts (quite impressed that he replied as I was not that old). 
:021:I have a letter from Government Office about the Cottage and redevelopment from 1995 (I must have written pleading for the ok which would have been the 15 000 stadium and flats on river - R Weston got his way again).
:021:there is somewhere a reply from a letter I wrote to Micky Adams.  I remember being so worried when MAF came in that Micky would be soon gone, I wrote him a "keep the faith" letter and told him on behalf of us all that we loved him and appreciated what he was doing.  He actually replied that he had concerns about his future !!!  Great guy !!!

:merry christmas: everyone and thanks site.  Love it !

[Burt]

Keep 'em coming... Some great reads in this thread. Welcome to all the recent joiners!

[Berbs]

Hi guys, another new Bulgarian supporter here :) I am a director of a financial company in Bulgaria and a big fan of Berbatov. I have been going through the posts here for some time and recently decided to join your community. I hope Berba will stay at Fulham for the next few years to enjoy him every week :)

[panixs]

Hi guys
Im a long time lurker that has decided to come out the woodwork. Ive been supporting fulham since 94 when I was nine. Used to have a season ticket when I lived in the south but gave it up when i moved to the midlands.

[eloc]

im Rob, been a fulham fan since 2009, and in 2010 i went to fulham v blackburn over my spring break. Being from Houston, Texas ( a couple hours drive from the nac) Dempsey is what originally got me interested in the team, but seeing the atmosphere sold it. i thought college football fans were nuts, but theyve got nothing on soccer fans. im probably one of the youngest here at 22, but i hope i can contribute!

[Blanco]

Hi, my name's Joe.

My granddad(from putney) and nan(from fulham) supported FFC. My dad therefore carried on the tradition and now here I am at 20 years old and suffering just as much as they did. I've been a fan since my dad took me to my first game when we were in the second division. Unfortunately I can't remember which game it was  :016:. All I remember is my dad sitting me on the bars while he held me and stood and watched the game. I moved to Spain when I was 9-10 and have continued supporting the whites. Whenever I go back I go and see a game.

I will always be a Fulham fan. Wherever I live and whichever division they are in.  049:gif

[Tony.Lee]

Born and bred in London, started following Fulham when I was still in primary school back in 2000, followed them since. Get funny looks when I mention a Fulham fan, seeing as everyone in college supports either United, Arsenal, Tottenham or West Ham.

Representing for the East End.

[JDH101]

My name is Jamie and I was born and raised on the streets of Fulham, Harbord street to be exact, a stones throw away from the ground.

I'm 37, moved out to LA with work 9 years ago and now find myself with a wife and a fulhamite who's 8 months old and crawling faster than Scotty Parker can run.

Its tough watching the games out here in California, like Ridge Rider said, there can be some early starts, but once I'm up and I've got my cup of tea on the go it quickly becomes my favorite part of the week.

I'm a diehard, its in my blood. When you've travelled to Swansea in the back of a van to see your team lose and get relegated to the lowest division, it helps you to put our current plight into perspective.

I've been posting on this site for a few months now and already loving the debate and opinions. I've already started to notice a few posters who I think talk sense.

Thanks for site - It really helps a lonely Fulhamer in LA keep in touch with fellow fans.

[Nick Bateman]

I come from Godalming in leafy Surrey

:airfix:

No need to swear Airfix!

[Craving the cottage]

Hi, my name's Jarrad and I've been a Fulham fan for nearly ten years (tenth season since my dad started bringing me as a kid). Bought an ST for this season for the first time and have already commited to next season whether we stay up or go down. Whilst I'd much rather stay in the Premier League, I view a season in the Championship as an exciting tour and a chance to visit some new grounds, wouldn't mind visiting Elland Road for a start.

I live East of Fulham near Crystal Palace, so it looks all geared up for a finalè between my most geographically local team and the team I love! Up the Fulham!

[FFC1971]

Hi, I was born and lived in Fulham for early childhood. Attended Craven Cottage for the first time as a child in the Fulham v PNE title showdown in 1971. Fell in love with the club and along with my elder brothers, Fulham became a regular feature of my life.  Social and group pressure finally got to me at the age of 14/15 and started to watch the Arsenal (I know... my "mates" just didn't want to come to the cottage !) The Northbank just wasn't the same and so I decided that I would rather watch the whites on my own.

My job took me away from attending football until I retired in 2009/10 season and obtained a season ticket. What a great year to return to the cottage !!! Been a season ticket holder ever since and have just renewed for next season, and I cannot wait. COYW

[Shredhead]

My name is Jamie and I was born and raised on the streets of Fulham, Harbord street to be exact, a stones throw away from the ground.

I'm 37, moved out to LA with work 9 years ago and now find myself with a wife and a fulhamite who's 8 months old and crawling faster than Scotty Parker can run.

Its tough watching the games out here in California, like Ridge Rider said, there can be some early starts, but once I'm up and I've got my cup of tea on the go it quickly becomes my favorite part of the week.

I'm a diehard, its in my blood. When you've travelled to Swansea in the back of a van to see your team lose and get relegated to the lowest division, it helps you to put our current plight into perspective.

I've been posting on this site for a few months now and already loving the debate and opinions. I've already started to notice a few posters who I think talk sense.

Thanks for site - It really helps a lonely Fulhamer in LA keep in touch with fellow fans.

I like your 'signature' at the bottom of your post.  It would work for Dejagah - he deserves one.