Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 31/03/20...

[WhiteJC]

Losses are nothing new for Fulham

The Swiss Ramble analyses Fulham's financial results for 2018/19. They reduced their loss from £45m to £20m. However, the club still lost money, despite revenue rising £100m from £38m to £138m following promotion, as competing in the Premier League increased expenses by £63m, while profit on player sales fell £11m to £3m.

The main driver of the £100m revenue increase was broadcasting, which rose £87m from £22m to £109m, due to the significantly more lucrative Premier League TV deal, though commercial also grew £8m (88%) to £18m, while gate receipts were up £3.7m (53%) to £10.7m.

Revenue will dramatically fall in 2019/20 to around £65-70m, despite parachute payment. The £43m parachute payment is much higher than £4.6m solidarity payment that most Championship clubs receive. Fulham will only get two years of parachutes, as they were relegated after just one season in the top flight.

TV money included £102m from the Premier League. Received £83m equal payment (50% domestic deal, 100% overseas and commercial) plus £4m merit payment (25% domestic, based on league position) and £16m facility fee (25% domestic, based on number of times shown live). 79% of club revenue came from broadcasting, though to be fair this is far from unusual in the top flight. In fact, 13 of the clubs in the Premier League earn more than 70% of total income from TV and seven clubs were even more reliant than Fulham on this revenue stream.

Despite the significant growth, the £138m revenue was one of the lowest in the Premier League, though ahead of Bournemouth £131, Cardiff City £125m and Huddersfield £119m (Burnley £139m in 2017/18 still to publish). For some perspective, Manchester United £627m was almost half a billion higher.

While the £20m loss is not great, it should be noted that over half (nine) of the 17 Premier League clubs that have so far published 2018/19 accounts lost money. In fact, Fulham's loss is actually the smallest reported, significantly better than Everton and Chelsea (both above £100m).

Profit on player sales fell from £14m to just £2.5m, mainly David Button to Brighton and Cauley Woodrow to Barnsley. This is the second lowest profit from this activity to date in the 2018/19 Premier League, miles below the likes of Chelsea £60m, Leicester City £58m and Liverpool £45m. The club have only averaged £8m a year profit from player sales in the last six years. This had looked to be on the rise with £17m in 2017 and £14m in 2018, but dropped to just £3m in 2019. That said, profit will be higher in 2020 after the sale of Ryan Sessegnon.

The club spent an amazing £120m on player purchases, which was not only a club record by some distance, but was the fourth highest in the Premier League. Also more than Fulham spent in the previous six years combined.

Gate receipts rose by 53% (£3.7m) to £10.7m, despite five fewer home games, as average attendance increased from 19,910 to 24,371. Revenue still only 15th in Premier League, but was boosted by relatively high (London) ticket prices. Unsurprisingly, crowds were much lower in Championship, but 2019 was also around 1,000 below last time in Premier League in 2014. Club held Premier League prices at same level for most season ticket holders, but some unrest following steep increases for new ST holders and match day tickets.

Commercial income rose 88% (£8.5m) from £9.6m to £18.1m, though this includes £0.4m 'compensation'. This increase placed Fulham 13th in the Premier League, which is pretty good going, though Big Six earned between £275m and £111m. Will shrink in Championship. The club signed a 'record' two-year shirt sponsorship deal with Dafabet in 2018/19 (reportedly worth £3m a year), replacing Grosvenor Casinos, while the kit deal with Adidas has been extended until 2023. Also had a new sleeve sponsor in the Premier League with trading firm ICM.

Losses are nothing new for the Cottagers, as the last time they made a profit was in 2011. In fact, they have only made money twice in the last 22 years. Losses have accelerated since Shahid Khan bought the club in July 2013, amounting to £160m in the last six years (averaging £27m a year).

Wages shot up 70% (£38m) from £54m to £93m, though prior year was inflated by 'substantial' promotion bonuses, so the underlying increase was even higher. Furthermore, the wage bill was actually £24m (35%) more than the last time Fulham played in the Premier League in 2014. The £93m wage bill was 15th highest in the Premier League (compared to 17th highest for revenue).

Interestingly, just above Wolves £92m, who enjoyed a much better season on the pitch. Will decrease in Championship following departure of some high earners and relegation clauses. The wages to turnover ratio dropped (improved) from 142% to 67%, the club's lowest for many years (it was 75% in the Premier League in 2014).

Work started on expanding Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage at end of the season, which will increase capacity from 25,700 to around 30,000, at a cost of £80m.

Gross debt is less than £1m, despite Shahid Khan loaning an additional £49m in 2019, as he converted this into equity. An incredible £424m of debt has now been 'written-off' in this way in the last 8 years: £212m by Khan plus £212m by former owner Mohamed Al Fayed.

One question posed by a fan is whether it is still possible to make substantial profits in the first year in the Premier League which was once the case.



https://footballeconomyv2.blogspot.com/2020/03/losses-are-nothing-new-for-fulham.html

[WhiteJC]

Autism Awareness Week

For Autism Awareness Week 2020, Disability Officer Katy Shephard caught up with 28-year-old Hannah Lawrence, an Assistant Coach for the Foundation.

Hannah, who lives with Autism, first started with Fulham FC Foundation as a Volunteer just over six years ago. At the time, the Foundation were looking for volunteers to help on the Active Autism Programme. Despite having no prior experience working with children, and being nervous about the changes to her schedule, Hannah stepped up to take on the role.

"When I first started to volunteer, of course I was scared and nervous at the same time, as I didn't know how the children would be with having a new face around. After a few months I got used to it and so did the kids."

Hannah became a regular, reliable face at Active Autism sessions, and after a few years of coaching, Hannah was given the opportunity to complete her Level 1 in Football Coaching. Reflecting on the opportunity, Hannah said: "When I got told that I was able to do the level 1 I was over the moon, scared and nervous as I thought I wasn't going to get through it and pass... but I did!"

Participants attending Hannah's sessions have developed immensely in the time that she's been coaching. The chance to take part in sessions that are tailored to their needs means a great deal to the participants, as well as the coaches. For Hannah this became something very personal, helping her to develop her own skills as a coach and build her self-esteem and self-confidence.

"Being involved with these sessions means so much to me, as they boost up my confidence, which I didn't have much before," she said. "This also gives me a chance to achieve my dream to become a fully qualified football coach and work with kids with special needs."

Ahead of the 2018/19 season, Hannah completed a Coach Assessment to become an Assistant Coach at the Foundation. Since September, she's become a staple in delivering disability provision in SEN and mainstream schools, as well as supporting Pan Disability Football Hubs.

"Now that I have been given the chance to have my work increased, it is very exciting and somewhat scary at times," she explained. "I work in a mainstream school as an assistant coach, but I'm used to working with children with additional needs.

"I believe that the more sessions I do, the more confident I will get! In the future I would like to be able to proceed onto the level 2 course and also be able to run my own sessions without any help, but that that will take time!"

Fulham FC Foundation would like to congratulate Hannah on her achievements thus far, and wish everyone a happy Autism Awareness Week 2020.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/march/30/autism-awareness-week

[WhiteJC]

Aleksandar Mitrovic – story behind the Championship's top marksman on a mission

Aleksandar Mitrovic is the Sky Bet Championship's most prolific striker so far this season as he targets a return to the Premier League.

The 25-year-old Serbia international's goals have helped to propel Fulham into the thick of the race for promotion, behind top two Leeds and West Brom, and underlined his goalscoring prowess.

Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look at a man on a mission.

What is his background?
Smederevo-born Mitrovic burst on to the scene as a teenager in his native Serbia at Partizan Belgrade, having cut his teeth at their affiliate club FK Teleoptik, and was top scorer as they won the league title for the sixth successive season in 2012-13. His form for Partizan earned him a £4.3million switch to Belgian side Anderlecht, the club from which Newcastle signed him for £14.5million in July 2015. He joined Fulham on loan in January 2018 and completed a permanent transfer to Craven Cottage six months later for an initial £22million.

Does he have anything to prove?
To his fans – of which there are many, both at home and in west London – no. Something of a cult hero on Tyneside, he enjoys a similar relationship with the faithful at Craven Cottage, where the song "Mitro's on Fire" has become a regular refrain. However, he managed just nine goals in his first top-flight season with the Magpies – at the end of which they were relegated – and ultimately then manager Rafael Benitez decided loan signing Salomon Rondon was a better option and sanctioned Mitrovic's move to Fulham, for whom he had played a key role in their successful 2017-18 promotion campaign.

How is he going about that task?
Very impressively. Despite his 11 Premier League goals, Fulham were relegated after just one season, but he has set about the task of helping to restore their fortunes in determined style. When the season was suspended, he had scored 23 goals in 34 Championship appearances and added eight more in just five outings for his country to go with the nine in 10 he had managed during the previous campaign.

What are his strengths?
Mitrovic is a striker who thrives on service rather than mobility or trickery. Put the ball into the right areas and he will score goals. A physical presence who has no issue with throwing his sizeable frame in where it hurts – the red card offences which blighted his early career in English football appear to have dried up – he has bullied defences both in the Championship and on the international stage and would clearly relish another chance to prove he can do it in the top flight too.

How key is he to Fulham?
Scott Parker has been at pains to remind people that the Serbia international is still only 25 and in many ways, is still learning the game in a third different country. However, the fact that he has started 34 of the club's 37 league games to date with only suspension and an ankle injury interrupting his run illustrates his status. Parker has described the frontman as "an absolute animal" and "the talisman".



https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/aleksandar-mitrovic-story-behind-championships-top-marksman-a-mission

[WhiteJC]

NEW PODCAST: Three old Farts and a 40 year old

Fulham fans, if you've a little time on your hands right now, then have a listen to the latest Friends of Fulham FOF'cast.

"Three old Farts and a 40 year old"

On this episode, Forum members Donald Love, Scott Tanfield, John Cummins and Roger Penycate discuss all things Fulham, during this COVID19 isolation period.

Remember to also check out the other topics over at the Friends of Fulham Forum

https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0



https://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=1129

[WhiteJC]

Autism Awareness Week: Hannah's story

This week is Autism Awareness Week. We kick off the week with a great story from Fulham FC Foundation...

Hannah, who has Autism, has not only built up her self-esteem and confidence with Fulham FC Foundation but is also well on her way of achieving her dreams of becoming a fully qualified football coach.

The 28 year-old first started with Fulham FC Foundation as a volunteer just over six years ago. At the time, the Foundation was looking for volunteers to help on the Active Autism Programme. Despite having no prior experience working with children, and being nervous about the changes to her schedule, Hannah stepped up to take on the role.

She said: "When I first started to volunteer, of course I was scared and nervous at the same time, as I didn't know how the children would be with having a new face around. After a few months I got used to it and so did the kids."

Hannah became a regular, reliable face at Active Autism sessions, and after a few years of coaching, Hannah was given the opportunity to complete her Level 1 in Football Coaching.

Reflecting on the opportunity, Hannah commented: "When I got told that I was able to do the Level 1 in Football Coaching course I was over the moon, scared and nervous as I thought I wasn't going to get through it and pass... but I did!"

Participants attending Hannah's sessions have developed immensely in the time that she's been coaching. The chance to take part in sessions that are tailored to their needs means a great deal to the participants, as well as the coaches.

For Hannah this became something very personal, helping her to develop her own skills as a coach and build her self-esteem and self-confidence.

She added: "Being involved with these sessions means so much to me, as they boost up my confidence, which I didn't have much before.

"This also gives me a chance to achieve my dream to become a fully qualified football coach and work with kids with special needs."

Ahead of the 2018/19 season, Hannah completed a Coach Assessment to become an Assistant Coach at the Foundation. Since September, she's become a staple in delivering disability provision in SEN and mainstream schools, as well as supporting Pan Disability Football Hubs.

"Now that I have been given the chance to have my work increased, it is very exciting and somewhat scary at times," she explained. "I work in a mainstream school as an assistant coach, but I'm used to working with children with additional needs.

"I believe that the more sessions I do, the more confident I will get. In the future, I would like to be able to proceed onto the Level 2 course and also be able to run my own sessions without any help, but that that will take time."

#AutismAwarenessWeek



https://www.efltrust.com/autism-awareness-week-hannahs-story/

[WhiteJC]

The Long Read: Collins John

Collins John has had more ups and downs in his life than most. From fleeing a war-torn Liberia as a child, to topping the scoring charts for Fulham and receiving international recognition, it's fair to say his experiences have been far ranging.

But, speaking to fulhamfc.com over the phone from the balcony at his Dutch home, Collins believes that everything he's been through has happened for a reason.

"I believe God has a plan," he explains. "My life, everything that happened, there has to be a reason for it. There has to be something behind that, I'm a big believer. Jumping in a boat with my mother and two young brothers – one was two, one was newborn – just making sure we got out the country, just wanting to be safe. We end up in Holland, and the country ended up giving us a green card and a passport. We settled there, I played football, I made it to the Premier League, I scored in England, got called up to the national team, it's a crazy story."

Liberia's first civil war raged for almost eight years, claiming the lives of around 250,000, including Collins' father.

As the John family fled, they had no idea that the boat they boarded was bound for the Netherlands. But one can see why Collins believes there was a plan for him, as he went on to join FC Twente when he was 11.

He rattled through the age groups and made his first team debut just six years later with one thing at the forefront of his mind, scoring a first goal to dedicate to his father via a personalised top under his kit. It took a few matches to come, so you can understand his emotion when he did find the back of the net.

"I said to my strike partner, a Danish guy called Kim Christensen, that I don't know why but I just feel that today's the day," he recalls. "I had that shirt under my jersey for about two or three weeks and didn't score! So when I did I just exploded. Can you imagine the feeling that I had?

"Nobody knew, apart from Kim, because I was in the toilet and I was putting the shirt on underneath and he saw it. I told him the story and he agreed that was the day I was going to score. When I did, it was just an explosion, everyone was holding me, asking me questions about it after the game because they didn't know the story. My mum was there as well, and my brothers, it was a great day, an amazing day.

"A couple of years ago a journalist told me that every time I score I look angry! I'd heard that before, and he had a point. Every time I scored there was just an emotion that pushed out of my gut, the frustration of everything that I'd been through, the pains, the pains of my mum, the pains of being poor. For me, scoring was a release. Everything just falls out. So there was definitely something there when he said I look angry when I score. It was a release, it was as though only then could I breathe as the tension had gone."

John's performances in the Eredivisie did not go unnoticed, and in January 2004 a move to the Premier League beckoned. He still had a decision to make, though, with Fulham and Manchester City both in for his services.

"The moment the phone rang from Fulham, I just knew that's what I wanted," Collins says. "I just felt in my gut that I had to choose Fulham. When Cookie, Chris Coleman, rang me, the things he said just made me feel like it was the club for me. He told me they'd sold [Louis] Saha to Manchester United and he wanted to bring me very slowly to the First Team. He told me I'd have time because there was [Brian] McBride who was more experienced, but that I'd still get playing time.

"Edwin van der Sar called me as well. Edwin was a big character in the dressing room, a big figure in the Holland national team. He said, 'come here, I'm going to look after you. If you're homesick we've got Dutch television so you can just come to my house and we can speak Dutch and be in that environment of being back home.' I was like, 'this is a no brainer.' Man City never made that phone call. I knew of their interest, I knew they'd made a bid as well, but you want people to call you from the club, you want the gaffer to call you, for them to massage you. So for me it was an easy choice to make."

Coleman didn't blood the youngster for a few months, but as soon as he did, he had little option than to keep playing him after he scored both goals after coming off the bench in a 2-0 win at Leicester City, in what was only his second appearance in black and white.

"Well that was the intention of the Gaffer, but when he scores two against Leicester and you need points, you can't drop the striker, you can't kill his confidence, so he kept me on against Blackburn two days after and I scored two again, and that was an amazing feeling.

"I had a great relationship with Cookie. I spoke to him a couple of years ago actually before he went to China, just after he left Sunderland. One of the things I always felt with Cookie, yes he was the Gaffer, but he was one of us as well. His man management was very good. He was always telling us how to be confident, how to play with freedom, to express ourselves. He always gave you that boost to believe in yourself, and that's what I needed. I wanted to hear the right things from my manager, telling me I was good enough to score at this level, and he was very good at that. He was brilliant to me. I remember my mum was not well, she was in hospital a few times, and he gave me time off to go back home. Say the squad had a day off, he'd give me two days so I could go and visit her. All these little things he was very good at, and I appreciated that so much."

Two caps for the full Netherlands team were won before his first year at Fulham was out, and his stock continued to rise when he was our top scorer in 2005/06, despite making more substitute appearances than starts – ("It's actually I pity I didn't start more games because I was so confident that season that I'm sure I could have hit 20 goals easily.")

The following term was a testing period for both Club and player. With the Whites battling against relegation, Coleman was relieved of his position. John's mentor was gone.

"Cookie got the sack and the new gaffer comes in, Lawrie Sanchez," he says. "I remember the first day when he came in, he told me he was going to sign [Diomansy] Kamara and [David] Healy and that I could go and find another club or fight for my place. I think I knew that my time at Fulham was nearly over, and that was painful but, you know, that's football. You have to move on. I chose to stay another six months I think it was and then went to Leicester on loan.

"Fulham was the longest spell I had at a club, and the best spell. I was settled, I was in love with the city, I was in love with the Club, I was in love with the fans. Everything was great. But sometimes you make wrong choices, sometimes things happen on the way that you didn't expect, but that's football. Who knows, if Cookie had stayed maybe I'd have been there another five years. But it's always if, if, if. But for sure Fulham was my best time."

After bursting onto the scene in the manner he did, does he think he should have achieved more in SW6?

"It's always hard to say. I'm very religious and believe that everyone has a plan. For me to appear in 100-plus games for Fulham, maybe that was God's plan. I went to Leicester and really didn't enjoy it, not to disrespect them as a football club, but my feeling at Fulham was completely different. Maybe that's because I was disappointed at that time because I'd had to leave Fulham. Then I went to Watford and didn't really enjoy my time either. Every player has a club where they feel more appreciated or more loved, and you feel more at home there. For me, I think God gave me a plan and a certain time, and just wanted me to make the best out of it. Of course you can always say, 'what if?' I think everything that happened was for a reason, but of course I wish I had scored more goals and played more games for Fulham."

After leaving Craven Cottage, Collins became something of a nomad, taking in spells in the United States, Poland, and Iran, to name a few of the countries he plied his trade in. But it was a stint in Eastern Europe with a former England captain that he lists as the most bizarre.

"It would have to be Azerbaijan," he states. "Tony Adams was the gaffer there and brought me in, but I just couldn't settle. It was a totally different environment, the internet reception was bad so you couldn't speak to your family, sometimes you'd make a phone call and it would just cut out. I was alone as well. At that time my mother was ill and I was so homesick. That was very strange. The gameplan would be at 3pm and then the kick-off would be at 4pm, but nobody would tell you! Everything was just all over the place there. Baku, the capital, is a great city, but we were a three hour drive out. There was just one hotel in our city, no supermarkets, no cars, and I just couldn't settle. I told Tony that we had to sort something out with the contract and then I left."

Living back in Holland has done little to quell Collins' appetite for all things Fulham, and he now loves nothing more than sitting in the stands with his fellow fans.

"I went to Reading this season when we absolutely battered them 4-1. Fulham can absolutely disgrace teams when we're on our game!" he beams. "I was at the Cottage this year for the Championship wins against Leeds and Middlesbrough, and walking up the stands you meet a lot of fans calling your name and asking for autographs. I really appreciate that every time I come to a Fulham game. Last year I came onto the pitch as well at half-time of the West Ham game in the Premier League and got a brilliant reception. I appreciate the fans, they're great. It's really a family club.

"I love Fulham. If a team gives me a chance to make my dream come true, then I owe them. I wanted to be in the Premier League, and for Fulham to sign me, surely I have to thank them for the rest of my life, because it meant so much to me. Now I bring my daughter to London, my mum, my girlfriend, and they feel what I was feeling back then. I want to spend the rest of my life in that city and support Fulham. They will stay in my heart for the rest of my life."

It sounds as though if Collins gets his way, he'll be in a position to become a Season Ticket Holder at the Cottage in the not too distant future.

"The moment I stepped foot in that city I just knew it was for me. And looking back, I still feel like a Londoner. I love everything about that city. I'd like to start another life there in the future, so let's just see if I can get the missus to agree to that!"



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/march/30/the-long-read-collins-john

[WhiteJC]

Inside the hyper-realistic Craven Cottage Subbuteo stand

Self isolation for many of us during the coronavirus outbreak means completing some of the Subbuteo projects we have been putting off.

For one Fiorentina fan in Italy the latest project is one of the most accurate representations of a real life football fans we have seen.

Cristiano Bartolomei is a fan of La Viola but has a soft spot for English team Fulham. He has created a stunning replica of Craven Cottage's Riverside Stand for his Subbuteo stadium.

More is to come – he's currently working on the rest of the stadium and the detailed dugout, stand and lighting look just like the real thing.

Cristiano has used finnish wood fibre with 3D printed seats and small lights to create the classic night game atmosphere.

The stand may be no more in real lie, with Fulham currently redeveloping that side of the stadium as part of a major rebuild but as least it will be immortalised forever in Subbuteo form.

Cristiano says: "I've chosen Craven Cottage because it is linear and not to big, and the classical English stadium."

Work has already started on the Putney Stand and the Johnny Haynes will be last, according to Cristiano. We can't wait to see it finished and we'll be sure to share the final results.

Of course, Craven Cottage is not the only Subbuteo stadium based on the real thing. Previously we have featured stunning replicas of Goodison Park, Brighton's old Goldstone Ground and Southampton's former home, The Dell.

http://subbuteo.online/inside-the-hyper-realistic-craven-cottage-subbuteo-stand