What's our definition of a legend?

[General]

Word is bandied around far to easily these days. Social media and the desire to stand out means everyone is describing everything as special, legendary, epic, amazing, fantastic, incredible.. you get the jist. Most of that though it put out by teens or kids in their early to mid 20s who are just desperate to get followers.

But what makes a legend?

We've gone through a lot in our history, a lot of different periods and leagues and with that comes a lot of the word legend..

But what does it mean?

Are our entire Europa league final squad legends? Or is it the standout performers that deserve the monika.. the geras, Simon Davies, zamoras and hangelands.. the Clint dempseys- the ones who made the headlines and contributed when it really mattered?

Or is it reserved for particularly special players, players who've proved their loyalty and dedication to the club irrespective of circumstances and stayed regardless.. the cairneys?

Or the players who, quite simply put, are heads and shoulders above any other player that's played in black and white?

The Johnny Haynes, the Mitrovic's?

Where's the line drawn, the buck stop?

[Andy S]

Very hard to quantify as a legend is different to all supporters of different Periods. I would say a legend is somebody who does or is exceptional for the club. All the goal scorers who have scored more than 100 have to be legends players like George Cohen who has played and won a World Cup final. Players who have spent their entire career have to be legends. Maybe somebody could list all the legends sometime.

[McBrideOfFrankenstein]

I've only been a supporter since the millennium started.

I'd define legends during that stretch as Dempsey, Hangeland, and Mitrovich.

It's hard to use the word legend for someone who only played for Fulham for a couple of years, which is why those three came to mind first. Maybe Saha, Zamora, and Bullard a bump below, as well as the others you mentioned.

[Thailand Mick]

For me it's either length of service or achievements. Roy Hodgson is a Fulham legend for his achievement and Simon Morgan is a legend for his service.

[ChesterTheTabby]

For me this is tough. I think recently Dempsey, Hangeland, and Mitrovic. I also think Tim Ream is up there with Cairney as Cult Hero's, but perhaps not *legends*. Ream and Cairney have played so many games for us and give up the majority of their careers that it's hard to claim they aren't beloved to the modern fan base as well.

I must admit though, as far as current squad members, Mitrovic has played 183 games or so for us, and in some not so great Premier League squads, stuck with us through it all, and already at 100 goals. He's a legend to me and I wouldn't complain to see his statue or a stand named after him.

[RaySmith]

It's a subjective, emotional category, completely unscientific.
All fans have their own legends, probably depending on their age.

But I think a legend definitely has to be someone who played a lot of games for the club, was at the club  more than a season, at least - so a lot harder these days than when I first began following Fulham in the 60's, when the same  players turned out for the club for several seasons - so Haynes, Leggat, Macedo, Cohen, etc., are definitely Fulham legends.

Then you get 'characters' whom everyone remembers with affection, or they played in a  very successful side - so those who played under Roy in the Great Escape and Europa run are remembered as legends by many, like Zamora, Dempsey, Hangeland, Murphy, Bullard- memorable for me, but  not remembered  affectionately by all Fulham fans, because of the way he left, and this is a problem in the modern game - fans who played for a club aren't always remembered affectionately when they return, playing for someone else.

Witness v Liverpool - Carvalho was remembered with affection, but Elliot got booed, I think, because of how he left - though he never  really featured in the first team, while Carvalho did, of course.

So, not really a scientific category, more an emotional one; but a term obviously used a lot in football by fans, and I don't see anything wrong with that.

[LC]

I'll just speak about the modern era for a minute.

Dempsey was a mid table PL player, he didn't offer much other than putting the ball in the back of the net (which is obviously the main thing). But he isn't a club legend.

Hangeland, Murphy and Mitrovic are all players who could be called legends in the modern era. McBride is almost there, great leader for us, and outside of his goals he created a lot of chances and he seemed to win everything in the air.

In terms of all time Fulham greats, they fall down the list

[General]

Have to be honest and say I definitely don't think Dempsey is a club legend. Some of the moments he had for us, most notably the juventus game are legendary moments, but as a player apart from one season where he scored high double figures for us the rest of the time he was with us was as a bit part player who chipped in from time to time. Even in the juventus game he had come on as a sub I believe, something that can easily be forgotten due to the impact.

Here's his wiki with his stats for us.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clint_Dempsey

I also remember he left almost immediately to Tottenham after he'd had his best season for us, which leaves you thinking he wasn't the most loyal.

Ambition is fine but mitrovic has that for us as a club but has stayed regardless.

As you can see from depmseys stats he scored 7 goals a season for a while, then scored 12 and 17. He played for us for 5 seasons, so his goal tally of 50, whilst it's the most for us in the Premier League by any one player, isn't actually that special and averages as ten a season.

If we stay up or had given 5 years to mitro in the PL I'd imagine mitro would quite easily surpass that.

According to https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/clint-dempsey/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/27577

Clint averaged about 77mins of game time per game across his entire fulham career. Its higher than I remember but is a significant chunk off 90+ (added time) to illustrate that he was subbed a lot.

[rebel]

We've had Legendary players play for us, Best, Moore, Mullary and Marsh.

[rebel]

Have to be honest and say I definitely don't think Dempsey is a club legend. Some of the moments he had for us, most notably the juventus game are legendary moments, but as a player apart from one season where he scored high double figures for us the rest of the time he was with us was as a bit part player who chipped in from time to time. Even in the juventus game he had come on as a sub I believe, something that can easily be forgotten due to the impact.

Here's his wiki with his stats for us.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clint_Dempsey

I also remember he left almost immediately to Tottenham after he'd had his best season for us, which leaves you thinking he wasn't the most loyal.

Ambition is fine but mitrovic has that for us as a club but has stayed regardless.

As you can see from depmseys stats he scored 7 goals a season for a while, then scored 12 and 17. He played for us for 5 seasons, so his goal tally of 50, whilst it's the most for us in the Premier League by any one player, isn't actually that special and averages as ten a season.

If we stay up or had given 5 years to mitro in the PL I'd imagine mitro would quite easily surpass that.

According to https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/clint-dempsey/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/27577

Clint averaged about 77mins of game time per game across his entire fulham career. Its higher than I remember but is a significant chunk off 90+ (added time) to illustrate that he was subbed a lot.

His goal stats should have been much better, I think he scored 1 goal every 4 shots. He would shoot or head the ball and he'd be a 'whisker' away. Maybe if he'd worked on his technique. He would have got more.

[hovewhite]

High Jennings,somone that works hard behind the scenes for little publicity and has dna of the club in his heart.
The other end likes of Johnny Haynes that was a one club man.
Tom cairney who loves the club takes times in the past preseasons to call season ticket holders out of the blue.

[Rupert]

King Arthur is a legend, popular in history but in reality he probably did not exist (or was a totally different character).

All those Fulham players mentioned are real, not legendary. They may be fondly remembered and have had an important part to play in our history, but that is as far as it goes.

I do wish people would use the English language properly, and not pollute meanings in this manner. There, that's my curmudgeonly outburst out of the way, seeing as how I am at work on this fine Bank Holiday morning.

[McBrideOfFrankenstein]

Have to be honest and say I definitely don't think Dempsey is a club legend. Some of the moments he had for us, most notably the juventus game are legendary moments, but as a player apart from one season where he scored high double figures for us the rest of the time he was with us was as a bit part player who chipped in from time to time. Even in the juventus game he had come on as a sub I believe, something that can easily be forgotten due to the impact.

Here's his wiki with his stats for us.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clint_Dempsey

I also remember he left almost immediately to Tottenham after he'd had his best season for us, which leaves you thinking he wasn't the most loyal.

Ambition is fine but mitrovic has that for us as a club but has stayed regardless.

As you can see from depmseys stats he scored 7 goals a season for a while, then scored 12 and 17. He played for us for 5 seasons, so his goal tally of 50, whilst it's the most for us in the Premier League by any one player, isn't actually that special and averages as ten a season.

If we stay up or had given 5 years to mitro in the PL I'd imagine mitro would quite easily surpass that.

According to https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/clint-dempsey/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/27577

Clint averaged about 77mins of game time per game across his entire fulham career. Its higher than I remember but is a significant chunk off 90+ (added time) to illustrate that he was subbed a lot.

This is all fair. But Juve.

[bencher]

Jimmy Hill should also be remembered as a legend, for his lifetime contribution to the club.

[toshes mate]

As a wise old lady friend of the family once put it to me as a mid teenager - we all create legends in our minds but it helps if the characters involved are long gone ...

My own legend is of throwing a lump of wood at ripe horse chestnuts on Barnes Common, pausing for a passing pedestrian who modestly identified himself as Jim Laker in case I hadn't realised.  He picked up a discarded cigarette packet, broke it open, signed his autograph on the inside before giving it to me.  He then thanked me for the courtesy of pausing my familiar time of year activity to let him by.  I was as gobsmacked as any pre-teen could be.  And he was still in his Surrey whites.

[rebel]

King Arthur is a legend, popular in history but in reality he probably did not exist (or was a totally different character).

All those Fulham players mentioned are real, not legendary. They may be fondly remembered and have had an important part to play in our history, but that is as far as it goes.

I do wish people would use the English language properly, and not pollute meanings in this manner. There, that's my curmudgeonly outburst out of the way, seeing as how I am at work on this fine Bank Holiday morning.

Googling is great on this fine 'Bank Holiday'

1. a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not authenticated.
"the legend of King Arthur"

2. an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field.
"the man was a living legend"

[Mince n Tatties]

My Wife....She's a terrific gal and boy can she cook as well,which she loves doing.💋

[alfie]

My Wife....She's a terrific gal and boy can she cook as well,which she loves doing.💋

Blimey what are you after?

[Mr White]

We've had Legendary players play for us, Best, Moore, Mullary and Marsh.

Don't know about Marsh being a legend 🤪

[Mince n Tatties]

My Wife....She's a terrific gal and boy can she cook as well,which she loves doing.💋

Blimey what are you after?

Her Pork crackling and Apple Sauce. 😄