Friday Fulham Stuff - 13/03/20...

[WhiteJC]

Report: Aston Villa rival Fulham and West Brom for striker Karlan Grant

Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham have been linked with Huddersfield Town's Karlan Grant.

According to West London Sport, Aston Villa, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion are all keen on signing Karlam Grant this summer.

The Huddersfield Town man has been in decent form despite the Terriers' Championship struggles this season.

He has netted 16 league goals, including three in his last three games.

Grant's form has attracted plenty of interest over the past few months.

According to the Examiner, Huddersfield turned down a £15 million bid in January with the club confident he will be worth more this coming summer.

Grant joined the Yorkshire club in 2019 and penned a three-year deal.

But current Aston Villa boss Dean Smith almost signed him for Brentford. West London Sport claim Smith is a big fan and wanted Grant while the striker was at Charlton Athletic.

Villa may have looked at him at January as the club lost Wesley to injury.

The Villans managed to sign a replacement in Mbwana Samatta. However, with just seven goals scored in their last seven Premier League games, Dean Smith's side now find themselves in 19th position and struggling for form.

Villa, who now eye Grant for this summer, reportedly face competition from Midland rivals West Brom and promotion hopefuls Fulham.

West London Sport claim the Cottagers, who are third in the Championship, will look to sign Grant regardless of what division they are in next season.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/03/11/report-aston-villa-rival-fulham-and-west-brom-for-striker-karlan/

[WhiteJC]

'Parkerball' has quashed these two Fulham stars: Comment

'Parkerball' is the act of playing many short passes (often sideways) in football matches, dominating possession, but rarely excelling.

Coined by Fulham fans and adorned by Scott Parker, 'Parkerball' has had its fair share of critics. From the get-go in the Championship, Fulham adopted this very distinct style of play. At times they've been unplayable, a joy to watch even, but those times have been sporadic at best.

The ex-England and Fulham midfielder has split opinion this season, and his main critique has been the simple fact that, given the players he's got at his disposal, he's under-performed in his role. The likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic who's so often dragged his side through tough Championship fixtures, Tom Cairney, Anthony Knockaert, Kevin McDonald and many more.

Fulham really should be storming the league with the team they have, but it's not like their star players haven't performed well – Parker's persistence with his style of play has crippled some of the talent in his ranks, none more so than Ivan Cavaleiro and Bobby Reid.

Two players who were performing in the Premier League last season, and two who've proven themselves in the Championship before. Both joined on season-long loans before the start of the season and they, along with the loan-acquisition of Knockaert, showed Fulham's strong intentions after their Premier League relegation.

Parker's in a high-pressure role right now, heightened by the board and the fans' expectations of an immediate return to the Premier League. But even sitting in 3rd-place of the table, six points off the top-two and looking nailed on for a spot in the top-six, the mood has been relatively subdued at Craven Cottage throughout Parker's maiden campaign in management.

It's as though Fulham are being held back by this almost neutral style of play enforced so persistently by Parker, and their last outing at Bristol City showed that. They were up against a Robins side who've been shot of form but for the first 70-minutes at least, they were the better team.

Fulham's negativity was highlighted when, instead of one of their midfield players launching a counter-attack for the likes of Cavaleiro or Aboubakar Kamara to latch onto, they maintained a steady pace, allowed Bristol City to get back behind the ball, and ended up passing the ball from side to the side before they lost it.

Players like Cavaleiro are built for counter-attacking football, whilst Reid was once again played out-of-position. He's a poacher, but Parker insists on playing him on the right of a midfield three. He did so at the start of the season and it made Reid inept, but when he played him alongside Mitrovic towards Christmas, the goals started coming, and Fulham started flowing.

Cavaleiro and Reid are both permanent figures at the club now, and they're not the only two who've seemed to struggle under Parker. They hold clear Championship, if not Premier League quality, but playing in such a negative Fulham team has seemingly drained them of any confidence they had.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/parkerball-has-quashed-these-two-fulham-stars-comment/

[WhiteJC]

Exclusive: Andy Couzens breaks down the hurdles facing Leeds United & Fulham, alongside West Brom promotion prediction

Andy Couzens has been looking at the three-way automatic promotion battle developing between Leeds United, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham in the Sky Bet Championship.

Leeds currently sit in the driving seat in terms of promotion, with West Brom a single point behind them in second and Fulham a further six adrift in third.

Despite a healthy advantage over third-place, Leeds host Fulham in a crunch clash at Elland Road next Wednesday, with that fixture potentially a deciding factor in the automatic promotion race.

For Leeds, it is the last time they will face any of the current top-six, but for the Cottagers it is a different story, with a meeting with Brentford to come before then. Additionally, Scott Parker's side will face Nottingham Forest and West Bromwich Albion in April.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World this week, Couzens stressed that Leeds have the easier run-in, with Fulham's fixtures against those in-and-around them very hard.

"We've got a decent run-in," Couzens told FLW. "It isn't easy, but it is decent.

"Fulham have got some very hard fixtures: Brentford this Friday, then Leeds. I think in total they've still got to play four of the top-six."

All eyes in the promotion race will be on Fulham's meeting with Brentford on Friday night, but Leeds will be preparing for a tough trip to Wales on Sunday, with Cardiff City waiting for Marcelo Bielsa's side.

Couzens continued: "The game on Friday is massive and Leeds will have eyes on that, but it's a tough fixture for them down at Cardiff on Sunday.

"I'd take four points from these next two games; go to Cardiff and get a result and then beating Fulham at Elland Road would lay down a real marker." 

West Brom currently separate Leeds and Fulham in the Championship table, but Slaven Bilic's side have been faltering in recent weeks and dropped points against Swansea City on the weekend gone by.

However, to Couzens, they are the best side Leeds have seen this season at Elland Road, with the former Whites man suggesting if you finish ahead of the Baggies, you'll likely be promoted.

He concluded: "For me, West Brom are the best team that have visited Elland Road this season and they'll come strong.

"If you finish ahead of them, you'll be promoted this season."



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/exclusive-andy-couzens-breaks-down-the-hurdles-facing-leeds-united-fulham-alongside-west-brom-promotion-prediction/

[WhiteJC]

Report: Newcastle and Fulham want to sign Nigerian defender Jamilu Collins

Transfermarkt have claimed that Newcastle United and Fulham are rivalling a number of European sides for Paderborn defender Jamilu Collins, with the Nigerian set to enter the final 12 months of his current deal.

Collins, 25, has impressed in the top tier of German football. Clocking up 21 league outings for Paderborn, the 13-time Nigeria international has laid on two assists from the left flank and even scored, netting against Bayern Munich.

Fulham are closing in on a return to the Premier League, while Newcastle are likely to be after a left-back once again this summer. Jetro Willems and Danny Rose are only on loan at The Toon, with Rose's deal not including a permanent option.

Mainz, Hertha Berlin and Schalke are also keen on Collins, who could be available for a bargain £2.6million.

TBR's view – Newcastle desperately need a left-back

And Collins could be the answer. Certainly, such a small fee would certainly entice owner Mike Ashley and Collins boasts plenty of pace that would see him impress in Steve Bruce's counter-attacking style.

Whether he is good enough for the Premier League, is a different story. But at such a bargain price, surely he is worth the risk. Certainly, Collins would be a much better option than Paul Dummett.



https://tbrfootball.com/report-newcastle-and-fulham-want-to-sign-nigerian-defender-jamilu-collins/

[WhiteJC]

The Lowdown: Norwich City U23s

The Under-23s host Norwich City at Motspur Park on Friday in search of a fifth consecutive win in all competitions.

This game will be played behind closed doors as a precautionary measure in order to restrict and safeguard areas within our training facility owing to measures addressing Covid-19. We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.

Form

Fulham:

Mark Pembridge and Colin Omogbehin's side continued their superb run of form on Monday, coming back from behind against Charlton Athletic to progress in the Premier League Cup.

Norwich City:

The visitors have struggled to pick up points recently and have dropped to 11th in the league table after losses against West Ham Utd and Manchester Utd. A win could potentially see the Canaries go above the Young Whites on goal difference.
Last Time Ou

Fulham took the three points in the reverse fixture with goals from Jaydn Mundle-Smith and Matt O'Riley helping the side to a 2-1 win.
He Said

Manager Mark Pembridge hopes his side can continue their positive form on Friday night.

"We've had a level of consistency over the past three or four weeks and hopefully we can keep that going.

"We've got a steady team, there haven't been many changes in and out of the team. The boys have worked hard together on and off the ball and we're reaping the rewards."
FFCtv

This game will not be streamed on FFCtv.




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/march/12/the-lowdown-norwich-city-u23s

[WhiteJC]

Judgement Day With No Fans? – Pre-Fulham Podcast From the Pub

Brentford are due to travel to Craven Cottage on Friday for the big West London Derby. Or are they? With the coronavirus scare hitting pandemic levels, the word on the Beesotted streets made the crew question whether the match would take place this weekend.

he Beesotted crew assembled in enemy territory – The Distillers Pub in Hammersmith (on the border of Fulham) – to discuss The Sheffield Wednesday trouncing. How coronavirus is likely to affect the football league over the next few months. Plus Fulham fan Abdul joined us in the pub to discuss all things Fulham and Benrahma's winking.
In the pub
Billy TheBee Grant
Dave Laney Lane
Matt The Allard Allard
Dr Katie Bee Graham
Abdul from Fulham



https://beesotted.com/judgement-day-with-no-fans-pre-fulham-podcast-from-the-pub/

[WhiteJC]

Double Nomination

Scott Parker and Aleksandar Mitrović have been nominated for Manager and Player of the Month, respectively.

An off-day against Barnsley aside, February was a productive month for Fulham as we claimed four wins and two draws to keep ourselves in the automatic promotion hunt.

Of our nine goals scored last month, Mitrović provided five – three of which were winners – to take his total for the season to 23.

His competition comes from two other players who had a prolific February, Birmingham City's on-loan striker Scott Hogan and former Whites forward Cauley Woodrow, while Wigan Athletic midfielder Sam Morsy is also in contention.

Parker is up against the two men in charge of the only sides above us, Marcelo Bielsa and Slaven Bilic, while Wigan boss Paul Cook has also been recognised for guiding his team up the table.

The winners will be announced on Friday.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/march/12/double-nomination

[WhiteJC]

Could it be a case of advantage Fulham?

This all looks pretty fatal on the football front. Are Brentford and the rest about to be dealt a hammer blow? The confirmed positive test for Coronavirus of Olympiakos and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis had already thrown the Championship, and beyond, into doubt. Whilst large crowds were still able to see Liverpool and Spurs exit the Champions League this week, last night's  game between Manchester City and Arsenal (who were recently beaten by The Greeks in the Europa league) had already been postponed and the number of games being played behind closed doors is accelerating across Europe. Whilst there is no word as yet given our huge game at Fulham tomorrow (not to mention the visit of West Brom to Griffin Park on Tuesday) could a tipping point be imminent ?

The Nottingham Forest players and staff have all been tested with results coming back negative. Even allowing for that good news, things suddenly feel very close to home. With public gatherings such as St. Patrick's Day parades and schools being cancelled globally, surely it can only be a matter of time before we follow our friends in Europe and the shutters start to come down? What could that mean for Brentford?

Forest getting the 'all clear' at least means that for now everybody is operating on a 'level' playing field. Will it be BAU and a full house for Brentford at Craven Cottage (the three sides of it that are open) on Friday? Will games start to go ahead to the sound of piped crowd noise and empty seats? This, something we witnessed on Tuesday in the Champion's league game between Valencia and Atalanta. It was a surreal experience although still infinitely better than watching Tottenham capitulate. Not that having that famous Anfield '12th man' helped Liverpool, either. 

The 'closed doors' option is not a route that I hope we are forced down. If for no other reason it will give Fulham a huge advantage  – playing in empty stadiums devoid of atmosphere something they are used to week in, week out.

At worst, players will start to be taken ill at some point and then we have that most terrifying of situations – the EFL forced to make a decision. That, something they struggle with at the best of times, let alone when the situation warrants serious action. Are games forfeited? Put on hold? The season potentially wiped or stopped dead in it's tracks? Sides forced to put out a starting XI of healthy players, regardless as to whether they come from the heart of the first team squad or the depths of the reserves. These, all options I've heard touted and just any one of a number of options that may or may not come in to play at some point.

There are no answers here. Mainly because nobody knows what will happen. Martin Hardy in The Times reports this morning that actions to force all football matches in England to be played behind closed doors could be triggered as early as today. They suggest that there will be additional measures put in place to allow fans to still watch as much as possible over the internet and TV but clearly this will be an ersatz, if necessary, experience. You can read that piece, here.

I submitted my programme article for Tuesday's game between The Bees and West Brom earlier. I don't know if that will even be published or read. I hope it is and not for any egotistical reasons – it's the usual nonsense with obligatory reference to the godawful Mrs. Browns Boys – but more because it means we are still in a BAU scenario. This may all start to settle soon, now that people are washing their hands (seriously, they weren't before?) and have ample supplies of both dried pasta and toilet roll. Or things may get messier for the foreseeable (the U.S. now imposing a European travel ban for 30 days). Whatever happens, at best I suspect we'll see the season run well beyond it's scheduled finish in an attempt to wrap things up as smoothly as possible.

That's the sporting side. Underpinning all of this is a very real human cost. People are being taken ill. Nobody wants that, to see cases accelerated or the situation worsening any more. Let's not forget about those who are dying in all of this. Sport will always very much play second fiddle to a genuine medical crisis. When we hit that point, if not already, remains to be seen. From a sporting perspective, the next few days could very much impact how the rest of our season is going to play out.   

Until then, it's Fulham on Friday. Our paltry allocation of 1700 fans sure to make themselves heard above the coughing and clappers. Here's hoping we are still able to go ahead as normal.

Whatever normal is these days.



https://nickbruzonslastword.wordpress.com/2020/03/12/could-it-be-advantage-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham starlet reveals how he has learned from first-team ace this season

Young Fulham striker Martell Taylor-Crossdale has given insight into the benefits of training with a striker like Aleksandar Mitrovic, since making the move to Craven Cottage from Chelsea in the summer.

He joined Scott Parker's set-up after his contract expired at Stamford Bridge and whilst he is yet to break into the first-team picture, he insists that some of the lessons learned from his established teammate have been invaluable.

"It was a great opportunity for me to get in there and see how these lot work from day-to-day," he said on training with the first-team, in a recent interview with Goal.

"It is a very high standard and demanding so you have to be at it every day. You have got to learn from the first team. When I was there, I was taking little notes from Mitro (Mitrovic) and learning off him really.

"I want to take things from him. He has scored over 20 goals already this season so to be close to him and learn off him and train like him can help me."

Taylor-Crossdale made the move across West London from Chelsea during the January transfer window, turning down a move to Germany with Hoffenheim in the process.

So far, he has been largely limited to under-23 action but was handed his first-team debut towards the end of their League Cup clash with Southampton at Craven Cottage back in August.

With the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has scored 23 goals already this season, and Bobby Decordova-Reid in front of him in the first-team picture, it was always unlikely that the 20-year-old would establish himself straight away.

Friday night sees Fulham take on Brentford in what could be a crucial match in the promotion race at Craven Cottage as the Whites look to narrow the gap on the top-two.

The verdict

There cannot be a better player to learn from, as a young striker in the Championship, than Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Serbian is technically one of the best in the division, but in terms of his positional intelligence, he is miles ahead of everyone else, always knowing exactly where to put himself in the box.

Hopefully it is those traits that Taylor-Crossdale has soaked up during his time with Mitrovic, as it is often what is hardest to learn.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-starlet-reveals-how-he-has-learned-from-first-team-ace-this-season/

[WhiteJC]

Cairney: Exciting Times

Tom Cairney insists there's all to play for this season, and wants to right the wrongs of Griffin Park this Friday.

Was it two points dropped at Ashton Gate?

I think so, in a way. It was a good performance overall and we dominated large parts of the game, so you could say it's two points dropped, but hopefully come the end of the season they won't matter too much.

What was your opinion on the penalty shout in stoppage time?

At the time, as weird as it sounds, I couldn't really tell because the ball came to me fast and the 'keeper came to me fast. But after watching it back you can see why you'd want it given because he came through me first and then got the ball, so maybe we can feel a bit aggrieved not to get it. It reminded me a bit of Marek's against Barnsley with the way they got their penalty, but we just didn't get the rub of the green which was disappointing.

Do you feel like you've been hitting top form, personally, in the last few matches?

I think I've played well recently and have hit a good run of form. The team's been playing well as well, so I've enjoyed it but now just hope we can keep on picking up points and keep playing well.

After what happened at Griffin Park, do you feel you owe yourselves a good performance against Brentford, as well as the fans?

Yeah, definitely. When you have bad games throughout the season against certain teams you want to try and correct it in the reverse fixture, and Friday will be no different. I'm sure the atmosphere will be good with it being a derby game. We know what situation we're in, we need to put pressure on the teams above us, so three points would be massive on Friday.

They're only four points behind us, so we need the win to extend that gap in addition to closing the one between us and the top-two...

Yeah I think you want to make sure you don't drop below third, get away from Brentford in fourth and close the gap on the top-two. It's going to be an exciting finish, but this is what we play football for, to be involved at this end of the table and have something to play for towards the end of the season. It's exciting times.

Only nine games left but considering who they're against, it's all still to play for...

As the chasing team, you want to play the sides above you because it's an opportunity to take points off them and gain on them at the same time. Even though when we're playing them they'll be must-win games, the pressure's also on them not to lose.




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/march/12/tom-cairney-exciting-times

[WhiteJC]

Tony Harrington handed tomorrow's derby against Fulham

Match Officials confirmed for trip to Craven Cottage

Referee: Tony Harrington

Assistant Referees: Timothy Wood and Daniel Leach

Fourth Official: Charles Breakspear

Tony Harrington will be the man in charge of our Friday night trip to Fulham.

All nine of Harrington's Brentford games have been in the second tier, with four of the last five coming on the road. Included in those four games were away wins at Burton Albion and Rotherham United.

The Cleveland official's only game this season was November's unforgettable 7-0 victory over Luton Town at Griffin Park, which saw us awarded two second-half penalties.

In total, Harrington has taken charge of nine Brentford games which have ended with three wins, two draws, and four defeats.

So far this term, Harrington has brandished 71 yellow cards and three reds in 28 matches.

Fulham 2019/20

428 fouls – 15th in Championship

63 yellow cards – 10th in Championship

3 red cards – 4th in Championship



https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/march/ref-watch-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Notes from March meeting with FFC

On Tuesday 10th March at 16:00, the Fulham Supporters' Trust met with Fulham FC via video conference following the postponement of the previous day's meeting.  The face to face meeting had been cancelled as part of the Club's plans to safeguard the players during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Club was represented by:

    Alistair Mackintosh (CEO)
    Darren Preston (COO)
    Carmelo Mifsud (Communications Director)
    Katy Brecht (Head of Ticketing)
    Nicola Walworth (Supporter Relations Manager)
    Charlie Harris (Communications Assistant)

The FST was represented by board members:

    Tom Greatrex (Chair)
    Ian Clarke (Vice Chair)
    Gerry Pimm (Secretary)
    Derek Brewer

HOW IT WORKS

In the light of fast moving coronavirus developments, much of the meeting focused on planning and communications in this area. We were also able to discuss a small number of extra topics. If any member has raised an issue that it was not possible to discuss in the time available then please do contact us again in good time before the next meeting.
TOPICS DISCUSSED

The following topics were raised and discussed:

    Coronavirus
    Health emergency during Preston match
    Ticketing and season tickets
    Bag policy
    AOB

CORONAVIRUS
Planning and communications

The Trust introduced co-opted board member Derek Brewer, who is heavily involved at ECB in Cricket's response to coronavirus. We offered to share information and participate in planning and communications as appropriate. The Club agreed to keep in touch on this topic.

The Trust will provide to the Club a list of the issues that will impact most on supporters, so they can be reflected in communications and any FAQ that is produced.
Motspur Park and Craven Cottage

The Club explained that they are following all government guidance on coronavirus, particularly as Motspur Park and Craven Cottage are 'high performance' workplaces. For this reason the following measures have been taken:

    Limiting attendance of non-Club staff on site
    Extra precautions around the players on match days
    Additional player education

Further precautions and measures are being implemented for all Club staff such as

    Questionnaires on travel
    Flexible working
    Use of other Club offices

As a result of these measures, some Foundation activity has been impacted. The Club are looking for alternative venues for some Foundation activities.
Games behind closed doors

The Club and the Trust discussed the possibility of matches being played behind closed doors. The Club said that they are very keen to keep fans at the Cottage, but as previously mentioned will adhere to official advice. The Trust explained our understanding that decisions could be taken at short notice by the DCMS. In response to questions about planning for this eventuality, the Club explained that they have a working group focusing on contingency scenario planning but hoped this would not come to pass. The Club will seek guidance from the EFL as appropriate.

The Trust asked if FFCtv has the capacity to be made available to all supporters in the event that games are played behind closed doors. We are aware of EFL plans to upgrade the iFollow platform, but Fulham use a different system. The Club said they are in contact with the FFCtv service provider (Stream) on this topic.
Games continue with crowds

Should games continue with crowds, the Trust asked what measures the Club planned to take to help reduce coronavirus risk, particularly at the upcoming Brentford fixture. We asked specifically in the areas of hand hygiene and catering.

The Club explained that they are attempting to source alcohol hand rub/sanitser but that this is in short supply. They committed to ensure that hot water, soap and paper towels were available and topped up as appropriate in the Craven Cottage toilets.

The Club said they are considering making the stadium fully cashless, including catering, ticketing and the stadium store. This will eliminate the handling of cash and the associated potential virus issues. The Trust said we felt this was a sensible policy in the circumstances.

The Club further explained that all stewards and caterers will be reminded of the hygiene standards required of them.
Communications

The Club and Trust agreed that timely communication on the impacts of coronavirus on football was essential, particularly if any decisions were made regarding behind closed doors fixtures. The Club agreed to involve the Trust in the communications process and that it would continue to reiterate Government advice in the matchday emails.

back to topic list
HEALTH EMERGENCY DURING PRESTON MATCH

During the recent home match with Preston, a Fulham supporter in the Hammersmith End was taken seriously ill. The Trust asked if the Club had received an update on the health of the supporter.

The Club said the individual concerned is making a good recovery and will hopefully soon be discharged from hospital. The Club explained that they have remained in touch with the patient and various players have been in contact via video call (personal visits not being possible due to coronavirus precautions).

The Trust asked if a debrief had taken place and if so, whether there are any learnings for the Club, supporters and medical teams. The Club said that a full debrief would take place at the next home game, but that all concerned seemed to acquit themselves well. The medical team was on site in 3 minutes with stewards and supporters providing assistance.

back to topic list
TICKETING AND SEASON TICKETS
Leeds coaches

The Trust thanked the Club for providing £5 coaches to the midweek fixture at Leeds in response to a request at the previous meeting. We asked about the take-up of the offer and the Club revealed that four coaches would be travelling to Leeds, two each from Craven Cottage and Motspur Park.
Ticketing system

Some members have asked whether the online ticketing system can store credit card details so that they don't have to be re-entered for each transaction. This is common on many other ticketing systems but the Club explained that it is not currently available via Ticketmaster and nor are PayPal transactions. They added that other Clubs who use Ticketmaster have also asked for this facility.

The Trust enquired as to the current status of the contract with Ticketmaster, particularly as a common complaint from members is the inability to be able to select individual seats for away matches.  The Club explained that the current contract runs until June 2020 but has been extended for 12 months until June 2021, during which time it will go to tender.

Regarding the specific issue of selecting away tickets, Ticketmaster will next year introduce a 'Stadium share' scheme whereby all Clubs using the Ticketmaster platform will be able to make their seat plans available and therefore allow away seat selection. This will allow Fulham fans to select away seats for any Club who also use Ticketmaster.
Season tickets 2020-21

The Trust followed up on the question asked at recent meetings regarding season ticket pricing and timing for the 2020-21 season. The Club reiterated that they do not plan to make a decision on season ticket pricing until next season's division is known. It is clear from this that there will be two pricing models but we won't know the prices until May.

back to topic list
BAG POLICY

The Trust is aware from a recent Premier League Network meeting of a plan to limit bags being taken into Premier League grounds (Manchester United, for example, already have this policy). We asked if the Club is aware of this policy and will implement it.

The Club explained that it will comply with any league wide policy but doesn't plan to make any changes at present. The Club does already provide a bag store for which no charge is made. The definition of a 'large' bag is made currently by the Club but that may change in accordance with League rules.

The Club further explained that bag policy is constantly reviewed in line with prevailing anti-terror legislation.

back to topic list
AOB
Forever Fulham videos

The Trust thanked the Club for providing free to air videos of the Forever Fulham recipients, as requested at the February meeting.
'Standby' Sky games

The Trust asked whether the Club was aware of any policy from TV broadcasters to designate matches as 'standby' TV matches, dependent on the outcome of other games. We were aware that Cardiff announced in January that one of their home matches might be moved for TV depending on the outcome of a League Cup tie. The reason for the question was to try to determine available TV slots for the WBA away game (Chelsea are still in the FA Cup but scheduled to play live on TV the night before our fixture at the Hawthorns).

The Club said it was not aware of any such policy.
Other matters

Given time constraints and pressing matters, further items of AOB were deferred to a future meeting.

back to topic list

The meeting closed at 16:55.




https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2020/03/notes-from-march-meeting-with-ffc-2/

[WhiteJC]

Aston Villa, Fulham and West Brom all eyeing swoop for Huddersfield Town striker Karlan Grant

Aston Villa, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion are all said to be eyeing a swoop for Huddersfield Town striker Karlan Grant according to West London Sport.

Grant has scored 16 goals so far this season despite the Terrier's struggles and he could be set for a switch away from the John Smith's Stadium with the trio of clubs interested in securing his services.

The striker is under contract at Huddersfield until 2022 but they could be tempted to part ways to avoid losing him for a substantially lesser fee months down the line.

However, should they be open to offers for Grant, any potential suitors would need to make a huge bid with them seeing him as their main prized asset.

Grant is originally from London which could put Fulham in pole position to sign him but with West Bromwich Albion looking set for promotion and Aston Villa looking perilously close to relegation bar an upturn in form, it could leave the Baggies in good standing.

The 22-year-old has plenty of Football League experience with him having made 80 league appearances for Charlton Athletic, whilst also spending time on loan at Cambridge United and Crawley Town.

Since joining Huddersfield in January 2019 he has scored 20 times in 46 appearances for the club. Grant has also played for England at youth level but also qualifies for Scotland through his mother.

West Brom are six points ahead of the Cottagers in the race for promotion to the Premier League whilst Aston Villa sit 19th in the Barclays Premier League.



https://the72.co.uk/158853/aston-villa-fulham-and-west-brom-all-eyeing-swoop-for-huddersfield-town-striker-karlan-grant/

[WhiteJC]

Leeds United: Fans roast Fulham failure to sell out allocation for Elland Road trip

According to an update by Leeds United's official account, the top of the table home clash against Fulham next week at Elland Road will be played in front of away fans that could only sell a portion of their away ticket allocation – resulting in swathes of Whites fans laying into the London club given the significance of their bout.

Fulham, who are seven points behind Marcelo Bielsa's league leaders, currently lying third in the Championship table, prepare for one of their biggest games of the season in the hopes of making a return to the Premier League – with a win at Elland Road potentially helping them catch up to second-placed West Bromwich Albion who currently occupy the last automatic spot.

However, as per this club update, the Cottagers have seemingly failed to sell out their away allocation for the bout next week – resulting in many supporters roasting their promotion rivals.

One fan even blasted the news as 'tinpot of the highest order' and 'embarrassing' – find all of their best comments down below.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/championship/leeds-united/leeds-united-fans-roast-fulham-failure-to-sell-out-allocation-for-elland-road-trip/

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Commemorative Shirt to be worn at Craven Cottage

Get your own Commemorative Shirt as a memento of our Farewell Griffin Park season

The Bees are wearing our Commemorative Shirt on Friday evening against our West London rivals Fulham. Thomas Frank's men have had some memorable moments in this limited-edition kit this season including their 3-2 comeback at Griffin Park against Millwall and emphatic 5-1 victory over Hull City.

More than 1,500 of these limited-edition shirts have already been purchased and they are continuing to sell fast. They are available either online or at our Club Shop for £60* Adults and £50* Juniors so don't delay and buy yours now.

Produced by Technical Supplier, Umbro, our Commemorative Jersey features a stylized crew neckline in spun poly fabric with printed tonal blue stripe, a gold woven crest and 'Farewell Griffin Park' back neck sign-off.

*Shirt personalisation, shorts and socks are not available to purchase.

To celebrate the ground's 116-year history we have also produced a limited edition framed Commemorative shirt that has signatures of the First Team squad and Head Coach Thomas Frank. Only 116 of these framed shirts have been produced and they continue to sell fast.



https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/march/fulham-blue-kit-12.03.20/

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'Invaluable', 'Waste of space' – These Fulham fans are torn over selection debate ahead of Brentford clash

Fulham host Brentford in the Championship tomorrow.

After a string of impressive substitute appearances, Aboubakar Kamara was rewarded with his first start in four against Bristol City last weekend.

He'd come off the bench to set-up Aleksandar Mitrovic goals in both the 1-1 draw at Derby and then the 1-0 win over Swansea, before scoring a goal of his own in the 2-0 win over Preston at the end of last month.

At Ashton Gate though, Kamara didn't have the same impact – he had a decent game but he, like his Fulham teammates, couldn't really break down a resilient Bristol City.

So should Kamara keep his starting spot against Brentford tomorrow? It's a huge game in the race for promotion, and Scott Parker has a number of options on the wing.

We asked Fulham fans of the Facebook group 'FULHAM DIE HARD FAN GROUP' what they think, and here's what they had to say:

Dana Matassa: No. Better off the bench. Start Knockaert.

Mark Elgar: Yes, so unpredictable, not even he knows what he's going to do!

Ross Nuttall: I do like the guy but I would play him in the last 35 minutes.

Maureen Grimwood: He is not a 90-minute player. He is an invaluable substitute at 60 or 70 minutes!

Roger Burbridge: No, it should go to Kebano. As long as Knockaert doesn't start because he is just a waste of space.

Stephen Murray: Kebano

Alf Russell: Yes.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/invaluable-waste-of-space-these-fulham-fans-are-torn-over-selection-debate-ahead-of-brentford-clash/

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Fulham favourite assesses Brentford clash

Fulham's Tom Cairney has given his view on tomorrow night's Championship clash against Brentford.

Scott Parker's side host Brentford tomorrow night, in what's become a huge game in the race for promotion to the Premier League. Fulham currently sit in 3rd-place, four points ahead of 4th-place Brentford, who won the reverse fixture 1-0 at Griffin Park.

Cairney, 29, was on hand last time out to score the equaliser at Ashton Gate – he found the net in the 84th-minute to take a point back to Craven Cottage with his eighth Championship goal of the season.

Speaking to www.fulhamfc.com about tomorrow night's fixture, Cairney is hoping to return the favour to Thomas Frank's side:

"When you have bad games throughout the season against certain teams you want to try and correct it in the reverse fixture, and Friday will be no different."

Fulham and Brentford are relative neighbours in West London, and tomorrow night under the Craven Cottage lights could make for a feisty affair:

"I'm sure the atmosphere will be good with it being a derby game," continued Cairney. "We know what situation we're in, we need to put pressure on the teams above us, so three points would be massive on Friday."

Both teams have had some mixed results in recent weeks, but with Brentford coming off the back of a 5-0 win at home to Sheffield Wednesday, they'll be hoping they can take advantage of an often-clumsy Fulham defence.

But Cairney has been a real leader on the pitch of late, and he along with the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic will be gunning for a win to keep the heat on the top-two.

The verdict

It's bound to be a really entertaining game tomorrow, and one that could prove pivotal come the end of the season. Fulham have the chance to go seven clear of Brentford tomorrow, and they'll need their skipper in peak form if they're to do so.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-favourite-assesses-brentford-clash/

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How the promotion picture could change this weekend as Leeds United's rivals get head start

A look at how the table could change this weekend

Leeds United may have to play catch-up in the promotion race this weekend as their visit to Cardiff City will round off what promises to be another fascinating weekend at the top of the Championship table.

There are nine games of the season remaining and while the coronavirus pandemic has placed a huge question mark over the conclusions of the campaign, it will be business as usual from a preparation point of view until official announcements are made.

Leeds make the long trip to south Wales looking to chalk up a sixth win in a row, with their recent fine form seeing them move back to the top of the Championship table.

But will they still be there at the end of the weekend? And what twists and turns will we see during the next round of fixtures?

Here's a look at what could happen.

Fulham vs Brentford, Friday, 7.45pm
The weekend will start with a bang, as Fulham host Brentford in the Friday night match.

It's third against fourth at Craven Cottage in front of the Sky Sports cameras, with both sides knowing they need a win if they are to keep touch with the top two.

Defeat for Brentford would leave them seven points adrift of Fulham and a minimum of ten points behind the top two with eight games to go. While their automatic promotion hopes would not be dead and buried, they'll be in a position where they need snookers to catch the top two.

From the Fulham perspective, defeat would see Thomas Frank's side move to within a point of them, while the top two could potentially move nine clear. Again, they would be running out of time to play catch up.

West Brom vs Birmingham City, Saturday, 12.30pm
Another of Leeds' main rivals also play early, as West Brom get Saturday's action going with a lunchtime derby against Birmingham City.

A win for Slaven Bilic would see the Baggies move two points clear of Leeds at the top, with a better goal diffrerence.

That goal difference currently stands at +27 to Leeds' +26, so a draw, which would see them move level on points with Leeds, would also mean that Leeds will be knocked off top spot.

The best-case scenario is clearly that the Baggies are done over by their local rivals and Leeds kick-off against Cardiff still leading the way.

Sheffield Wednesday vs Nottingham Forest, Saturday, 3pm
Sabri Lamouchi's side have won just one of their six matches since beating Leeds last month and sit level on points with Brentford. Should the Bees and Fulham draw and Forest win, they will be in the thick of the chasing pack again.

A win for Forest is vital and they will fancy their chances against an out-of-sorts Wednesday side. The best-case scenario for Forest would be ending the weekend seven points off the automatics. A 13-point gap to second is the other side of that coin.

Luton Town vs Preston, Saturday, 3pm
A run of three straight defeats has all but ended Preston's hopes of gatecrashing the top two as a 14-point gaps has emerged, meaning their priority now is maintaining their place in the play-off places. A trip to relegation-threatened Luton Town is therefore a must-win game, with Bristol City, Millwall, Cardiff City, Blackburn Rovers and Swansea City all within three points of them.

Cardiff City vs Leeds United, Sunday, 1pm
The final Championship fixture of the weekend will see Leeds head to south Wales, knowing exactly how their promotion rivals have fared.

The ideal situation will see them kick-off still ahead of West Brom with the potential of opening up a four-point lead at the top of the table.

In terms of that all-important gap to third place, Fulham could be within four points by the end of the weekend, but if everything goes Leeds' way, that buffer could be extended to ten points, with just eight matches remaining.

But as we all know, trying to predict the twists and turns of the Championship is a mugs game...



https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/how-promotion-picture-could-change-17910499

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Chairman suggests Fulham could try to sign 23-year-old linked with Celtic move

Ivan Toney is being linked with Neil Lennon's Celtic side, but Fulham are also said to be keen on the target-man.

Peterborough United co-owner Darragh MacAnthony has suggested that Celtic could face competition for Ivan Toney, if Aleksandar Mitrovic's sale goes through.

The Daily Record claim that Celtic have been scouting Toney, as Neil Lennon's side look to improve their attacking options for next season.

But Celtic's task of getting hold of Toney, if they do make a move, may not be easy.

MacAnthony has suggested that Fulham see Toney as their first choice to replace Mitrovic, if the Serbian leaves them.

MacAnthony also claimed that Posh could find it very difficult to keep hold of Toney in the summer, as he could land a huge pay rise by moving elsewhere.

Toney has scored 26 goals for Peterborough this season, and if he could replicate those sorts of figures at Celtic it would be extremely exciting.

Toney possess great power and aerial presence, and he could be a natural replacement for Odsonne Edouard, if the French striker is to leave Parkhead.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/03/12/chairman-suggests-fulham-could-try-to-sign-23-year-old-linked-wi/

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Fulham vs Brentford preview: Championship clash live on Sky Sports Football
Watch live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm; kick-off is at 7.45pm

Fulham face Brentford in the Sky Bet Championship on Friday night, live on Sky Sports Football.

Team news

Joe Bryan missed out against his former club Bristol City last Saturday due to a hamstring injury and he could be out again for Fulham. Josh Onomah will be absent due to a knee problem, while Alfie Mawson is also out with a knee injury.

Terence Kongolo is sidelined for the rest of the season with a foot injury, while Harrison Reed was back in training last week and Maxime Le Marchand (back) is close to a return from a long-term foot injury.

Pontus Jansson could return to the heart of the Brentford defence after missing two months due to a hip injury. Mathias Jensen is still a few weeks away from a return to the squad after getting injured against Blackburn last month.

Sergi Canos returned to training recently as he recovers from a knee injury he sustained against Nottingham Forest in October. Kamohelo Mokotjo, Nikos Karelis, Ellery Balcombe and Marcus Forss remain on the injury list.

Recent form

Fulham's automatic-promotion hopes have been hampered by a run of just two wins in their last six games. Last time out they scraped a late 1-1 draw at Bristol City.

Brentford ended a run of five games without a win by thumping Sheffield Wednesday 5-0 last Saturday at Griffin Park to boost their own slim hopes of finishing in the top two.

What the managers said...

Fulham's Scott Parker: "It's a massive game for us, a London derby against a team that's just behind us in the table, a team who when we played them earlier in the season put in a very good performance against us.

"I felt that day we were a little bit off it, but I think they were well worthy of the three points. They've done very well this year, so there's a big task ahead of us. There's always challenges ahead, and Friday will be that certainly."

Brentford's Thomas Frank: "Every game has its own history. But this game's important, it's a local derby. They're one of the best teams in the divisions and I'm looking forward to it."

Talking point: The race for the Golden Boot

While Fulham and Brentford will be going head to head to boost their promotion bids on Friday night, there is also an individual battle set to take place between Aleksandar Mitrovic (23 goals) and Ollie Watkins (22) for the Championship Golden Boot.

The ultimate goal for both will be to be playing in the Premier League next season, but to pick the individual gong, too, would be a nice addition.

Opta stats

Fulham have won just one of their last 18 home games against Brentford in all competitions (D10 L7), a 1-0 victory back in April 1990.

Brentford are looking to complete a league double over Fulham for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

This is the first London derby played on Friday the 13th in the Football League since August 2010, when Charlton Athletic won 3-1 away at Leyton Orient in League One.

Fulham have registered 506 sequences of 10+ passes in open play this season, 153 more than the next highest side which is Brentford (353).

Brentford have won just two of their last 10 away games in the Championship (D4 L4).

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who is the Championship's leading scorer this season (23 goals), has won more points with his goals than any other player in the competition in 2019-20 (23 pts won).

Prutton's prediction

I feel like I've said this a few times lately, but this is close to a must-win game for Fulham if they want to catch the top two. By Saturday lunchtime they could be nine or three points off West Brom - and nine points may just be too much with eight games to go.

Brentford got back to winning ways by thumping Sheffield Wednesday last weekend, but it's probably just about too late for them for automatic. At the very least they need to guarantee they finish in the top six. There should be goals in this one, so I'll go for a score draw.

David Prutton predicts: 2-2 (14/1 with Sky Bet)




https://www.skysports.com/football/fulham-vs-brentford/preview/409794