On This Day 1987 - Fulham & QPR Merger

[Friendsoffulham]

#OnThisDay 1987: A proposed merger between QPR and Fulham was called off. Fulham Park Rangers doesn't sound right, does it? pic.twitter.com/heah9bUOSq

— BBC Archive (@BBCArchive) March 1, 2023

[Buffalo76]

Thank god it never happened 🙏

[SP]

Happened so long ago but this still winds me up big time.

[Fernhurst]

So depressed that day just could not believe it.

[Steeeeeeeeeed]

Brilliant posting, was before my time. I had no idea it was so close to happening, but clearly it was.

[Somerset Fulham]

We got away with it, thankfully.

It f@cking infuriates me to this day that Wimbledon didn't.  Absolutely infuriates me.

[70sPimlico]

My word. Mary Doughty in that clip. She was like a surrogate football mum to all the youngsters (me included)

She was quite something. Anyone on here remember her?

[Lighthouse]

People often say they knew where they were when a momentous event happened. It is always obvious to me. You were by a radio or tv. But for this I could tell you what I was doing, what I thought and where I went the day and weeks after. It was such a traumatic, unfair event. That it highlighted many things in life not just for Fulham. It showed how easily something that we dedicate time and money to can just be taken away.

It went a long way to making me the cynical and distrustful person I became. It soured football and it made me forever wary of things outside of my control that can totally change my life. Thankfully there are great memories that followed  in the battle to stop it.

But I am not sure many of us will ever be as comfy or dedicated to anything after the shock of the news.

[Ffc sw4]

Thanks to Jimmy Hill and the Muddymans

[Ffc sw4]

And Tom Wilson

[Motspur Park]

Think that game clip was against Walsall whose supporters were fantastic.

[bog]

What depressing times they were. One newspaper even printed a league table without us in it. A big thankyou to all those who were instrumental in saving us.

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[Motspur Park]

It went a long way to making me the cynical and distrustful person I became. It soured football and it made me forever wary of things outside of my control that can totally change my life. Thankfully there are great memories that followed  in the battle to stop it.

Life experiences do that to you and teach you to be wary and suspecting rather than simply accept what you are being told. It is unfortunate but it makes you less susceptible to being hoodwinked or ripped off.

[SP]

My word. Mary Doughty in that clip. She was like a surrogate football mum to all the youngsters (me included)

She was quite something. Anyone on here remember her?

Yes, real FFC stalwarts. There's other faces I recall there, including a guy called Sammy (I think) who went on to be a steward.

Loved seeing the guys enjoying the unexpected free lunch.

[Motspur Park]

I remember Sammy. Stewarded in the Stevenage Rd stand. All of a sudden just disappeared.

[Marcus]

Back page splash in the Sun... Haynes Weeps For The Club He Loves... had it on my office wall...

[Woolly Mammoth]

My word. Mary Doughty in that clip. She was like a surrogate football mum to all the youngsters (me included)

She was quite something. Anyone on here remember her?

Yes a real Fulham legend, Fulham written all the way through her like a stick of rock,
everybody seemed to know her.
I can remember Mary on the trains as far back as the 50s/60s if my memory serves me correctly.

[Andy S]

Even comes back just as vividly as it was. What a sad day? I remember being on the pitch protesting with my young son. The barriers were still in place to stop supporters entering the pitch. The stewards just opened the gates and let us on. When the players came out for the second half I remember the supporters applauding us. We were all asked to leave the pitch and we did there was no trouble. I think we all had tears in our eyes. I remember the banners all around the ground saying things like Clay Rapes (previous Chairman) Bulstrode murders (chairman at time of announcement) people felt physically sick. We were so lucky that Marler estates went skint and passed it onto Cadbra who also went and Barclays Bank became the owners. They in turn did a deal with the Muddyman family and Jimmy Hill  the Muddyman family got an offer from Mohamed Al Fyad and the rest is history as they say

[Twig]

It was so close to being a done deal, thank goodness that Bulstrode's company finances weren't in much better shape than Clay's. Also credit to Hammersmith Council who helped our cause during those dark days.

[Wolf]

Two things, aside from personalities, that saved Fulham were the property crash and the level of media and public awareness (due to status then and historically). If you look at the late 70s and 80s it was an absolute graveyard for London non-league clubs beset by asset strippers and property sharks. In that period football lost (club / ground or both):-

Leytonstone
Walthamstow Avenue
Southall
Enfield
Romford
Ilford
Hillingdon Borough
Wealdstone
Dulwich Hamlet