Monday Fulham Stuff - 27/07/20...

[WhiteJC]

Norwich City, Derby County and Fulham set to swoop for Charlton Athletic striker

Norwich City, Derby County and Fulham are all set to swoop for Charlton Athletic striker Macauley Bonne according to The Sun's Phil Cadden.

There are also rumours that Burnley and Cardiff City are interested in the striker ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Addicks have been relegated straight back to League One following their 4-0 defeat to Leeds United on the final day of the season and may now have to sell some of their prized assets as they prepare for life back in the third tier of English football.

Bonne made 34 appearances for Bowyer's side and scored 11 goals in his first full season with the club, after signing from Leyton Orient in the summer of 2019.

Norwich will be preparing for life back in the Championship following their relegation from the top-flight and will be eager to add striking reinforcements to their squad with their over-reliance on Teemu Pukki evident last season.

The Canaries are going to need a striker that is proven in front of goal in the Championship and Bonne's record in the division is certainly a good one.

However they will face stiff competition for his signature with a whole host of other Championship sides interested in him.

Cardiff and Fulham are set to do battle in the play-off semi-final this evening as they both look to take a step closer to the Premier League but regardless of which division they both find themselves in they will be eager to add fresh faces to their respective squads in the summer.

Charlton face a tough challenge to retain their star players such as Bonne, particularly with their off the field issues still continuing.



https://the72.co.uk/182893/norwich-city-derby-county-and-fulham-set-to-swoop-for-charlton-athletic-striker/

[WhiteJC]

Scott Parker: Playing The Long Game

There's been ups and downs for the Fulham boss this season. Jack J Collins weighs things up before the Play-Off madness kicks off.

Scott Parker has polarised opinion this year. Some think that this squad is good enough to have won the division through sheer talent alone, and that Fulham's rookie manager has stunted rather their ability rather than allowed them to shine. Others think he has performed well above the odds with a group who are given more credit than they are due, and has done an excellent job to steer Fulham into the Play-Offs, a mere two points from the automatic spots, and with a real chance of going up.

I write this before the Cardiff first leg, because obviously the drama and emotions of the Play-Off lottery can affect any opinions drastically and in a short space of time, but I think there's a middle ground to be struck here in assessing how Fulham's well-groomed gaffer has got on in his first full season of management.

There are legitimate criticisms, which have been apparent through the year. Fulham are pedestrian in possession, lacking a real intensity at some inexplicable times, and are reasonably one-dimensional in attack (mitigated somewhat by the fact that this one dimension has been one which has delivered the Golden Boot this season in the Championship, and been the top scorer across England's top four divisions.)

We're hugely outperforming our predicted output for goals and league position. This isn't always a problem, but it can precede one. The last team to go deep into the Play-Offs whilst massively outperforming themselves were Reading in 2017/18, and their drop off the next season in terms of output was incredibly obvious to see. In fact, it led to the dismissal of Jaap Stam, who had led them to the brink of the Premier League, halfway through the 2018/19 campaign with the team 20th in the table. Everything eventually returns to the norm.

However, there's plenty of praiseworthy elements of this season too. Fulham's incredible record defending leads is a massive achievement for a team who, coming into this season, had a lack of defensive nous and capability, shown up horribly by a year in the Premier League. That's not all on the players – the managerial appointment mid-season had much to answer for – but it was a problem, and it's one that Parker has addressed for the most part.

Add to that the fact that Fulham have conceded amongst the fewest set-piece goals in the division for a relatively small-statured squad (Michael Hector aside) and there are obvious signs of positives coming through from Parker's tenancy at the helm.

When Fulham appointed Scott Parker permanently, I said that what I hoped for from the rookie manager was a combination of some of the people he had learned from. Yes, everybody wanted to see the free-flowing football that had defined Slavisa Jokanovic's swashbuckling side, but also we had seen its deficiencies exposed by the ruthless nature of the Premier League.

Claudio Ranieri was the wrong manager for Fulham, but I was hoping that Parker would have been able to learn some lessons from the defensive solidity that the Tinkerman demonstrated at Leicester, but also from his experience across the world. Add to that anything he might have picked up from being part of Mauricio Pochettino's staff, and we were potentially looking at a hybrid winner.

Now these things take their time to develop, and something else we noted across the year was Parker's ability to take stock, read the analysis of the games played and learn from the mistakes that he would inevitably make – who doesn't? It's still very much a work in progress, but I think there are signs that Parker is doing exactly that – working out what went wrong and doing his best to fix it.

Worth noting is that on the back of defeats to Leeds and Brentford, and with many of us concerned about dropping out of the Play-Off picture altogether, Parker turned things around by winning four on the bounce as Fulham embarked on a 7-game unbeaten run to secure not only a Play-Off spot, but also to be in contention for an automatic place on the final day of the season. The flip of this is that if the handbrake had been slightly loosened against West Brom with more than five minutes to play, would we have been in the box seat on the final day? Perhaps, but you can only play the game in front of you.

It's not always pretty, it's often slightly turgid, but Parker is rebuilding this side into one that's more in his own image. We gnaw and gripe over the inclusion of Harry Arter over someone like Stefan Johansen (or even Matt O'Riley, but that's another story) but I'd hazard a guess that it's because Parker sees Arter as someone far more like the player he was, even with Johansen's added guile and gamesmanship that has developed as he's got older. Body on the line, heart on his sleeve, workrate through the roof and capable of a screamer – even for all his faults, it's easy to see why Parker trusts his brother-in-law in the middle of the park.

There's also Josh Onomah, who despite having a relatively slow start to his Fulham career, obviously has the trust of the gaffer who brought him here, and Parker's faith has been rewarded by a player who has only got better since his debut. It's incredibly obvious when Onomah is missing, which shows how integral he's become to the way this side play.

His ability to drive the ball forward through the middle third is a crucial link between a midfield and an attack that have looked at odds with each other for much of the season, adding some much needed cohesion and support runs for the often-isolated figure of Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Of course, there's not only positives. Parker's reign has seen the increasing lack of forward thrust from Tom Cairney, as he continues to transition from a No. 10 to much more of a No. 8 – picking the ball up deep, from his own centre-backs, and playing more of a quarter-back role. Part of this is the system, and the hope remains that Cairney can make his way further up the pitch to build more a 4-3-3 than a 4-2-3-1, but part of it is also age.

The skipper turns 30 next season, and will naturally be looking to adapt his game to manage that. Parker's credentials will be tested by the way he can manage TC's transformation and try to make him as effective playing from deep as he can be in the 10. That is a task which requires strong coaching and a lot of patience from both sides, but the rewards could be major.

Sami Mokbel's report today has spoken of the colossal task of managing egos in the dressing room. It also asserts that Aleksandar Mitrovic, perhaps Fulham's most vital cog considering his output on the field, is someone with whom Parker commands respect. Given Parker's achievements on the field, this is perhaps not surprising, and having Mitrovic's suport as he starts to make his way off it, is crucial.

The responses from the players last season when the chips were down in the Premier League, and then again when Parker got the job, suggests that the respect of the dressing room is one thing that the manager firmly doesn't lack. It's not everything, but it's a good sight better that not having it.

All things considered, there's still a lot to do. Regression to a statistical norm worries me a lot, and Parker's side have flattered to deceive in many ways. But they've also ground out results and found a way, which is important too. Javi Pereira's re-addition to the staff is a step towards building a new philosophy which takes old elements of the Fulham we loved under Jokanovic and shapes into into Parker's grittier model.

They'll know as much as anyone that the work has only really just begun if success is to be gained, and Fulham are to become Parker's first step to managerial glory. But before the Play-Off lottery begins once more, perhaps what we've learned is that the long road is often the best road to be on; and that building the foundations are key to the house not falling down.

COYW.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2020-07-27-scott-parker-playing-the-long-game/

[WhiteJC]

Sky Sports pundit reveals his prediction ahead of Cardiff City and Fulham clash

Cardiff City take on Fulham this evening with the Welsh club playing host to Scott Parker's men as both sides look to take an advantage into the second leg of their play-off semi-final.

Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has revealed his prediction ahead of tonight's game and has backed the Bluebirds to edge the encounter but believes it will be a tight game which could go either way.

Prutton said: "The Bluebirds stuttered at the start of the season, but their form since Neil Harris took over in November has been brilliant – they lost just six of his 30 league games in charge – and they fully deserve their place in the play-offs."

"They ended the season by winning three on the spin, too, which will do their confidence the world of good."

"It hasn't always been pretty, but Fulham have been almost unbeatable since the restart in June with their ability to grind out results at the right time," he continued.

"They got back under way with two defeats, which ultimately knocked them from top-two contention but have conceded just five goals in the seven games since. This will be very tight, but I'm backing Cardiff to edge it. 1-0."

There is no doubt that this will be a very close game with both sides coming into the play-offs in good form. Fulham did stand a chance of automatic promotion going into the final game of the season but realistically knew they would be destined for the play-offs.

Cardiff have enjoyed a fantastic run of form since Harris took charge with them having beaten the champions Leeds United in the first game back after the restart.

It seems unlikely that the first leg will decide this encounter and it should prove to be a very entertaining game.



https://the72.co.uk/182901/sky-sports-pundit-reveals-his-prediction-ahead-of-cardiff-city-and-fulham-clash/

[WhiteJC]

Cardiff City prepare for Championship play-off clash with Fulham

Cardiff City are busy preparing for the first leg of their play-off tie against Fulham, a team that they have failed to beat on two previous occasions this season.

After drawing 1-1 at the Cardiff City Stadium last August, the London outfit ran out 2-0 winners in the second fixture between the sides earlier this month.

The Bluebirds will be hoping to follow Swansea, who secured a vital 1-0 victory in the first leg of their play-off match against Brentford yesterday.

Andre Ayew's late strike gave Swansea the win over 10-man Brentford at the Liberty Stadium.

Cardiff manager Neil Harris has said he wants his side to enjoy the experience ahead of the match.

He said: "We will miss our fans, that's for sure, in both semi-finals. The personality and the voice you can hear in certain players will be key again.

"We come into this a little bit as an underdog, certainly against Fulham. That's why we can enjoy it and play without fear.

"We are playing well individually and collectively. I have huge faith."

Another player who posted a message on Twitter was forward Junior Hoilett.

Fulham's manager Scott Parker said he was hoping to secure an immediate Premier League return.

Cardiff City have been formidable at home in the Championship this season, losing just three matches on their own turf. However, Fulham have been equally as impressive on their travels, with only five teams bettering them on the road this campaign.

Fulham finished the season in fourth position in the table, with Cardiff just one place behind in fifth.

Manager Neil Harris took over the side from Neil Warnock in November with the club languishing in 14th place in the table following their relegation from the Premier League last season.

The two sides kick-off tonight at the Cardiff City Stadium at 7:45pm. Cardiff will then travel to Craven Cottage on Thursday for the second leg. The winner over the two games will then face either Swansea or Brentford at Wembley in the play-off final on 4 August.



https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2020-07-27/cardiff-city-prepare-for-championship-play-off-clash-with-fulham

[WhiteJC]

FFCtv: Play-Offs Coverage

Supporters are reminded that Sky Sports hold exclusive rights to all EFL Play-Off fixtures, and we are therefore unable to show these games live on FFCtv.

This includes 19/20 Season Ticket Holders who opted for a FFCtv voucher code, which as previously communicated provided live video and audio access to Fulham's final 9 league matches only.

Current monthly or annual FFCtv subscribers will though, have access to live commentary from Gentleman Jim and Jamie Reid.

To listen to live audio, either online at tv.fulhamfc.com or via the FFCtv App, fans can purchase a rolling monthly FFCtv subscription for £5.

For supporters overseas, Play-Off fixtures may be being broadcast live on a channel in your region. The EFL's list of international broadcasters can be found here: https://www.efl.com/iFollow/international-broadcasters



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/july/27/ffctv-play-offs-coverage

[WhiteJC]

Harrison Reed makes Southampton admission after year on loan at Fulham

Southampton midfielder Harrison Reed has spent the last year on loan in the Championship with Fulham, and has made an admission about where his career may lie


Southampton midfielder Harrison Reed, who is on loan at Fulham (Image: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Southampton midfielder Harrison Reed insists that he will struggle if he does not play regular first-team football next season.

The 25-year-old has spent this season on loan at Fulham, and says that he has thrived under Scott Parker's tutelage, but while he acknowledges that he is still a Southampton player, he says he has thrived at Craven Cottage and would find it difficult to go back to a part-time role.

Reed has become a prominent member of the Fulham squad who are still chasing promotion to the Premier League, facing Cardiff in the play-off semi-finals.

"As soon as I heard about Fulham's interest, I was keen to go," Reed told the Independent.

"I didn't expect to walk into the team straight away, it took me a few weeks to learn the style of play and what the manager wanted from me.

"[Scott's] experience has been so helpful for my development. He had an unbelievable career in my position, he knows the pictures I see on the pitch. It would be a disaster if I hadn't learnt from him. The season has been a real success so far and I've loved my time here.

"It's been a long journey full of ups and downs. There have been lots of good times at Southampton and a lot of bad ones too. You learn to accept that as a player. James Ward-Prowse was in my first ever training session at the club and now he's the captain.

"Everyone's journey is different. Some people's pathway will be very smooth, but that doesn't just get handed to them. That comes from hard work.

"My loans have all been really positive, I've learnt from three great managers, and I feel like I'm at the stage now where I've established myself in a very good side.

"At the end of the day, I'm a Southampton player, but after becoming a major part of the team I'm in, if those opportunities were suddenly to be reduced or taken away from me, I'd probably really struggle with it.

"You're prepared for that whenever you go out on loan. If there's talk about me signing for a club I've joined on loan, it's because I've made an impression and had a successful season.

"I really enjoy turning up at a new club and having to show what you've got, and the person you are off the pitch as well as on it.

"You get judged on different things. If you're a striker, it's how many goals can you score. In my role, I like to think people take notice of my attitude, how I train is exactly how I play, my mentality to always work hard and give absolutely everything.

"It's been a great season, it's a great group of players, and I love the feeling at Fulham, it's always positive and has been ever since I stepped through the door.

"Yes, I don't know what the future holds. But I'm focused on the play-offs and getting Fulham back into the Premier League. It would be an unbelievable achievement. Whatever decisions come afterwards will be the right ones for my career."



https://www.hampshirelive.news/sport/football/football-news/reed-southampton-fulham-transfer-news-4368266

[WhiteJC]

Fulham loan star makes admission over future ahead of transfer window

Speaking to The Independent, Fulham loan man Harrison Reed has said he does not know what his future holds ahead of the summer transfer window.

Harrison Reed has proved to be an impressive signing for Fulham. He joined the club last summer on a temporary deal and now, he will be embarking on a play-off campaign with the Cottagers.

Ahead of the play-offs, Reed has moved to open up on his time with Fulham. In speaking with The Independent about his time at Craven Cottage, Reed has said that he has enjoyed a "great season" with the club, insisting that his focus remains on the play-offs despite the uncertainty regarding his future. He said:

"It's been a great season, it's a great group of players, and I love the feeling at Fulham, it's always positive and has been ever since I stepped through the door.

"Yes, I don't know what the future holds. But I'm focused on the play-offs and getting Fulham back into the Premier League. It would be an unbelievable achievement. Whatever decisions come afterwards will be the right ones for my career."

Injury problems have limited Reed's involvement at times, but he has made his presence known in the middle of the park. In total, Reed has played for Fulham 25 times in the Championship, laying on one assist in the process.

Reed has been with Southampton since joining their academy as a youngster. He made his way through their youth ranks and has played 30 times for their senior team. Most of the midfielder's experience has been picked up while out on loan, enjoying stints with Blackburn Rovers (36 appearances, three goals and seven assists) and Norwich City (one goal, four assists).

Fulham fans, would you like to bring Reed in again this summer? Let us know what you think in the poll at the bottom of the page.



https://the72.co.uk/182972/fulham-loan-star-makes-admission-over-future-ahead-of-transfer-window/

[ScalleysDad]

I see there's a job going at The Daily Mail photo insertion section. Lazy, lazy stuff.
Interesting stuff on the players relationships with Scott Parker. If Mitro stayed on because of SPs influence and Reed says he has progressed under Parker and is not dismissing staying on then a ripple of applause surely.

[WhiteJC]

West Ham fans buzzing after hearing David Moyes could sign £22m 'absolute unit'

ExWHUemployee has claimed that Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic could be an option for West Ham boss David Moyes this summer. And some Hammers fans have reacted on Twitter to the speculation.

David Moyes must surely add another striker to his ranks at the London Stadium this summer.

Sebastien Haller has failed to impress since making his £45m move to West Ham last summer. The same can be said of Albian Ajeti, and the Swiss hitman is thought to be close to joining Celtic (Gazette).

Moyes will have to sell before he can buy this summer, however.

And ExWHUemployee claims that the Hammers could move for Fulham forward Aleksandar Mitrovic, if the Scot does manage to garner enough funds.

Fulham signed the Serbia international from Newcastle in the summer of 2018 for around £22 million (BBC).

And the 25-year-old has been a real hit at Craven Cottage with 37 goals in 77 league games for the Cottagers to his name (Soccerbase).

Mitrovic has been on fire for Fulham in the Championship this season, with 26 goals in 40 games. He has averaged 3.8 shots and won 4.6 aerial duals per game during those outings (Who Scored).



https://www.hammers.news/club-news/west-ham-fans-buzzing-after-hearing-david-moyes-could-sign-22m-absolute-unit/

[WhiteJC]

Cardiff City v Fulham live stream and TV channel info, kick-off time and team news

What you need to know about Monday's play-off semi-final clash between the Bluebirds and the Cottagers: What time is kick-off? Is it on TV? Can you live stream the match?

Cardiff City take on Fulham in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final contest on Monday, July 27.

Here's everything you need to know about the match at Cardiff City Stadium.

What time does Cardiff City v Fulham kick-off?

Cardiff City v Fulham kicks off at 7.45pm on Monday, July 27.

Is Cardiff City v Fulham on TV?

Yes, the match will be shown exclusively live on Sky Sports.

Coverage on their Football and Main Event channels begins 45 minutes before kick-off.

iFollow or equivalent streaming packages purchased by season ticket holders only included regular season games and not play-off fixtures.

As a result of Sky's deal, none of the play-off games will be shown live on CardiffCityTV, apart from in dark market countries where there is no oversees TV agreement in place.

Alternatively, you can follow live updates on our match blog which will be on our Cardiff City page.

What is the latest team news?

Cardiff City look like they are going into the play-off semi-final with a relatively clean bill of health.

They have been particularly lucky with injuries since the restart, it must be said, especially given how thick and fast these games have come since football resumed.

Neil Harris has had to manage Lee Tomlin's ongoing hip issue, but it looks as though the playmaker has found his fitness once again.

Long-term absentees Isaac Vassell and Greg Cunningham are the ones expected to miss out once again, although the latter has been training with the squad fully in recent weeks.

As for Fulham, their only injury concern is Ivan Cavaleiro's hamstring problem.

Otherwise, Scott Parker, too, has a full squad available to him.

Harrison Reed, the midfielder on loan from Southampton, has served his one-match suspension and is back in contention to start on Monday night, having been so good when the Bluebirds were defeated at Craven Cottage a few weeks back.

What have the managers said?

Cardiff City's Neil Harris

"I am a Scott Parker fan. I played against him a few times and he was a god footballer. Now, in his first managerial job, he has done a good job.

"He has got a good group to work with and his inside knowledge of having been there as a player has helped him. He's a nice bloke.

"I don't feel any pressure. I just want to win and be successful as Cardiff City manager. I came here to be a winner and I want to achieve here. That's the only pressure I feel.

"I'm not worrying about the pot of gold at the end of it. I like to break things down into smaller sections and in a semi-final that has to be two fixtures not just one.

"I hoped we would (make it to the play-offs when I joined). I tried to talk with passion about where the club wanted to be in my time in charge and how I saw it.

"I didn't make any promises, but I hoped we would be in this position. I thought we could make a right good go at reaching the top six. I said we would evolve over a period of time and we have followed the remit so far on that.

"We have evolved as a group, we've adjusted the squad and now we are trying to be successful. I feel like we are on the right track."

Fulham's Scott Parker

"I think there's big pressure on both. Cardiff were in the Premier League with us last year and ended up eight points better off than us.

"I understand what Neil's saying, but he'll be feeling exactly the same. It's a massive game for both of us, the expectation on both clubs is huge.

"But we embrace that and we look forward to this challenge that lies ahead of us; two games against a very, very good Cardiff team.

"We understand what we're facing, but we're looking forward to it.

"Neil's done a fantastic job," he stated. "Expectation at Cardiff would've been to be in the position they're in now and they changed manager because of that maybe.

"Neil's come in and got them to that position, so he's done an incredible job. They're an in-form team, a team which was in the Premier League only last year."

Semi-final first leg odds

Cardiff City: 7/4

Draw: 21/10

Fulham: 9/5

(Odds courtesy of The Pools, correct at time of publishing)



https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/cardiff-city-v-fulham-live-18665799

[WhiteJC]

Cardiff vs Fulham LIVE! Championship play-off latest team news, lineups, prediction, TV and match stream today

Cardiff City vs Fulham LIVE!

Fulham must shake off disappointment at not securing automatic promotion as they embark on the Championship play-offs this evening.

Scott Parker & Co. finished two points off second as they look to secure a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Fulham beat Cardiff at Craven Cottage just two weeks ago, but the play-offs are a different beast altogether.

Welcome to the Evening Standard's LIVE coverage of the Championship play-off semi-final first leg between Cardiff City and Fulham.

We have Jack Rosser in Wales tonight. Stick with us for all the build-up, action and reaction.

Date, time and venue

Cardiff vs Fulham is scheduled for a 7:45pm BST kick-off on Monday, July 27, 2020.

The match will be behind closed doors at the Cardiff City Stadium with no fans due to be present due to government guidelines regarding coronavirus.

Team news

Fulham will have midfielder Harrison Reed back available for this game after the Southampton loanee sat out the draw at Wigan following his red card in the 5-3 win over Sheffield Wednesday.

How to watch

TV channel: The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, and is available via Now TV with a day pass for £9.99, or a three-month pass on offer for £25.

Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via SkyGo and the SkyGo app, with a mobile month pass available for £5.99.

Prediction: Cardiff 1-2 Fulham

Both sides enter the play-offs in strong post-lockdown form, with Cardiff having won six of their last nine matches and Fulham boasting five victories in seven.

Cardiff - who languished in 14th place when Neil Harris succeeded Neil Warnock in the dugout in November - have lost just three times on home soil in the Championship all season, while only five teams can lay claim to a better away record than Fulham.

The hosts' chances of taking a positive result back to Craven Cottage for the second leg on July 30 could largely depend on how effective they are in shackling the threat of the division's top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic, who netted in both league matches between these teams during the regular season.

The absence of a fervent home crowd for such an important contest is a real blow for Cardiff, whose manager has attempted to heap pressure on Fulham ahead of this first leg by positioning his team as the plucky underdog against a big-spending opponent.

Parker's men to shade a typically tense play-off affair and take a narrow lead back to the Cottage.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

These two clubs have met on 66 previous occasions, with Fulham leading the way in terms of wins, 28-25. There have been 13 draws.

They drew 1-1 in Cardiff in August before Fulham ran out 2-0 winners at Craven Cottage earlier this month, courtesy of a goal in each half from Mitrovic and Josh Onomah.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/cardiff-vs-fulham-live-stream-online-championship-playoff-latest-score-goals-tv-result-today-a4509691.html

[WhiteJC]

 Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic wins Championship Golden Boot
Fulham striker wins Championship Golden Boot, while Brentford's David Raya and Millwall's Bartosz Bialkoski share Golden Glove award


Aleksandar Mitrovic won the Sky Bet Championship Golden Boot award after scoring 26 goals for Fulham

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has won the Sky Bet Championship Golden Boot award for the 2019/20 season.

Mitrovic faced stiff competition throughout the season from local rival Brentford's striker Ollie Watkins, but the Serbian's 26 goals, scored in just over 3,500 minutes on the field, were enough to secure the award.

A double in the penultimate match of the season, against Sheffield Wednesday, allowed Mitrovic to leapfrog Watkins into poll position, with neither strikers able to add to their tally as they chased automatic promotion on the final day.

The award, which takes into account all league games, and does not include Play-Off fixtures, was presented to Mitrovic at training after the final game of the season last Wednesday.

Mitrovic said: "It's a nice honour. It means I did my job well this season, so I'm happy with this. Of course I want to thank my team-mates and manager, everyone at the club who helped me to win this. I want to say a big thank you because without them I wouldn't have won.

"It's a nice award and I'm happy to win it. Now hopefully we can finish the job and get promoted. It would be nice to follow this award with one more Play-Off winner's medal. That's what we're working towards and hopefully we can do it."

Golden Glove - Bartosz Bialkowski (Millwall), David Raya (Brentford)
The Brentford and Millwall goalkeepers David Raya and Bartosz Białkowski have shared the Sky Bet Championship Golden Glove award for the 2019/20 season.

Raya and Bialkowski both finished the season with 16 clean sheets, one ahead of both Leeds United's Kiko Casilla and Wigan Athletic's David Marshall.

The awards, which take into account all league games, and do not include play-off fixtures, were presented to both of the winners after the final day on Wednesday.

Białkowski picked up this award in his first season at The Den, where he played in every one of their 46 league games, after replacing the injured Frank Fielding in the 43rd minute of the opening day fixture against Preston North End.

Białkowski said: "It's an honour to win this award and I'd like to thank all of my team-mates for working so hard each and every week to make it possible.

Raya came close to winning the Sky Bet League One award two seasons ago when he was Blackburn No 1, but went one better this season as a vital member of the second-meanest defence in the Championship.

"Without them doing what they do, as well as they do, my job in goal would be impossible but thanks to them we were able to secure many clean sheets over the course of the season."

Raya said: "Clean sheets are for the team; they start with the striker and go all the way through to me.

"Everyone has shown a great desire to defend and put their bodies on the line to keep clean sheets this season. That has paid off with this award and our really good defensive record this year."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/12037420/fulham-striker-aleksandar-mitrovic-wins-championship-golden-boot