Sunday Fulham Stuff - 14/06/20...

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Get the perfect gift this Father's day

Make it a Father's Day to remember by picking out the perfect gift for the ultimate Fulham fan!

With a fantastic range of items and offers available you're certain to find the right gift before next Sunday.

Struggling for ideas? Check out our dedicated Father's Day section where you will find all the best featured products including retro kits, cufflinks, ties and accessories.

In addition, fans can grab a bargain with 40% off all COPA items in our Flash Sale - this weekend only!



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/june/13/get-the-perfect-gift-this-fathers-day

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As the race for promotion to the Premier League starts up again... here are five players to watch when the Championship season resumes

    The Championship season is set to start up again next weekend, on June 20
    There are plenty of teams still in the hunt for promotion to the Premier League
    Here are five players to watch from the top teams when the season resumes

With the Championship season set to restart next weekend on June 20, the race for promotion to the Premier League is about to hot up once again.

Leeds and Fulham look set for automatic promotion, with a number of teams still vying for a spot in the play-offs.

Sportsmail has compiled a list of the five players from the top teams to be keeping an eye on when the Championship season comes back.


There are plenty of players to watch out for when the Championship season starts up again

Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) Striker
Games: 34 Goals: 23 Assists: 1

The Serbian striker has scored 23 goals out of Fulham's total of 52 in the Championship. Phenomenal for a player who has been feeding off scraps for much of the campaign. If the Cottagers do manage to snatch promotion, the division's leading scorer will deserve most of the plaudits. Fulham will hope Mitrovic hits the ground running with a crunch London derby against Brentford, rivals for a play-off spot, first up.


Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored 23 goals out of Fulham's 52 in the Championship so far

Ollie Watkins (Brentford) Striker
Games: 37 Goals: 22 Assists: 2

Watkins is just one goal behind Mitrovic going into the two sides' clash. Initially a winger, Watkins, 24, has adapted brilliantly to his new central role and looks a natural goalscorer. Two prolific, if completely different, strikers to go head-to-head. 


Brentford's Ollie Watkins isn't far off Mitrovic's total, and looks like a natural goalscorer

Matheus Pereira (West Brom) Midfielder
Games: 33 Goals: 6 Assists: 13

The Brazilian No 10, on loan from Sporting Lisbon, has been playing on a higher level than the rest of the Championship this season. He provides the creative spark and has 13 assists and six goals in the league this season. No one has set up more. He will hope to conjure up more magic in the Midlands derby with Birmingham.


Matheus Pereira, the Brazilian on loan from Sporting Lisbon, is a top player in the league

Ben Watson (Nottingham Forest) Midfielder
Games: 37 Goals: 3 Assists: 3

He scored the winner in the FA Cup final for Wigan against Manchester City and now he is the heart and soul of a Nottingham Forest team that are looking to secure a play-off place for the first time in nine years. Forest open up at Sheffield Wednesday.


Ben Watkins is the heart and soul of Nottingham Forest's line up in the hunt for promotion

Kalvin Phillips (Leeds) Midfielder
Games: 31 Goals: 1 Assists: 2

There is no one better in his position in the division. Sitting in front of the Leeds back four, he reads the game superbly and has a phenomenal range of passing. Dictates the tempo of play and will look to do so again when the league leaders return at Cardiff. 


Leeds' midfield maestro Kalvin Phillips is the best player in his position in the Championship



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8418033/Five-players-watch-Championship-season-resumes.html

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League One play-offs: Wembley to stage final on 13 July as dates are confirmed

Fleetwood hope to reach another Wembley final after beating Burton Albion in the 2014 League Two play-offs

Wembley Stadium will host the League One final on Monday, 13 July, after dates were confirmed for the division's play-off fixtures.

The final will follow two weeks after League Two's promotion showpiece at the national stadium on 29 June, with Championship dates yet to be confirmed.

The two-leg League One semi-finals will have staggered kick-offs on the same dates, Friday 3 July and Monday 6 July.

Portsmouth host Oxford in the first leg, while Fleetwood welcome Wycombe.

The meeting of Pompey and Oxford on the Friday will start at 17:30 BST, with the return fixture at 17:00 BST, while both Fleetwood-Wycombe games will begin at 19:30.

Players in all three divisions will wear shirts with a 'NHS Rainbow - Thank You' emblem on them for the remainder of the season.

And Championship and League Two fixtures between 18 and 21 June will be prefaced by a minute's applause.

"We know that many fans of EFL clubs are also NHS key workers and we're proud of the commitment they, and our Clubs, have shown to help the service over the past few months," said EFL chairman Rick Parry.

"By coming together across all remaining fixtures taking place, we hope we are able to show our gratitude and appreciation for their continued work and I'd like to ask all fans to join us in doing so."

League One and Two clubs voted on Tuesday to end the regular season because of the coronavirus pandemic, using a points-per-game average to decide the final league table.

Wycombe and Oxford, placed third and fourth after the average points had been calculated, have home advantage in the second leg.

Wanderers were not even in the top six before the season was ended, but nudged Peterborough out as they moved up from eighth.

The Championship final will also be staged at Wembley, with play-off dates to be confirmed. Regular season matches are due to conclude on 22 July.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53024862

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Marc Pugh: QPR release midfielder because of 'economic situation'

QPR midfielder Marc Pugh has left the club after the London side said they could not afford to offer him a new deal in the current economic climate.

The 33-year-old needed to play just one more game to trigger an automatic 12-month extension.

He had scored twice in 31 appearances in all competitions for the Rs.

"The changing economic situation has had a huge impact and tough decisions such as this are required," said director of football Les Ferdinand.

Clubs have not played matches since mid-March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is not known when supporters will be able to return to grounds to watch matches.

"Marc is a fantastic professional and he deserves to be treated with absolute respect," manager Mark Warburton told the club website.

"The simple reality is we, as a club, are not in a position to be able to provide a further 12-month contract to Marc."

Having joined Bournemouth from Hereford in 2010, he helped the Cherries win promotion from League One to the Premier League and played more than 300 games for the south cost club before leaving for Loftus Road last summer.

"I have no interest in disrespecting Marc by simply not playing him and having him train as hard as he always does with no prospect of being involved," added Warburton.

"He leaves us with enormous gratitude on our part. His experience and professionalism have been invaluable both on and off the pitch."

Pugh, who also had spells at Bury and Shrewsbury at the start of his career, scored his final goal for QPR in his penultimate game - a 2-2 draw at home to Birmingham City.

"I'm obviously disappointed that I am unable to finish the season and make a push for the play-offs with the lads, however I fully understand the club's position and I appreciate that they have been honest with me regarding their situation and where that left me as a player," Pugh said.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53036074

[filham]

Play off finals  behind closed doors at Wembley seems funny, has there ever been a competitive match behind closed doors at Wembley.

If we were to meet Brentford in the play off final then surely playing at the Reading or the Wycombe ground would be less costly and just as good as Wembley without fans.