Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 16/07/25...

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Why Tom Cairney needed to be given 'one more year' at Fulham
Sometimes, a sentimental decision can be the correct one.

'One more year, Tom Cairney' was the cry from the Hammersmith End after Fulham's final match of the season against Manchester City. It was a strange occasion for everybody involved, and TC even said so in his first interview with the club after signing his new contract with Fulham.

Nobody was really at fault for the impasse over whether Tom Cairney would be remaining at the club. Tom obviously wasn't sure about whatever offer was on the table, and Fulham didn't want to overpay for a 34-year-old midfielder.

It was clear though, Tom's 10 years at Fulham couldn't end like that. If and when he goes, there needs to be a proper occasion where both Tom and the fans know that this is the last time.

Of course, the champagne TC memories roll straight off the tongue. The late equaliser from outside-the-box versus Leeds United at the Cottage, the late clincher away at Griffin Park and of course, his most memorable goal of all - the winner in the 2018 play-off final against Aston Villa.

From the moment he arrived at Fulham under Kit Symons, I remember being excited about what Tom Cairney could bring to the club. A silky midfielder with a deft touch and a wand of a left-foot. His first goal against Brighton and Hove Albion at the Cottage (in an otherwise miserable 1-2 defeat) was a sign of things to come from Tom.

Tom's journey at Fulham has been tumultuous to say the least. The first seven seasons he spent in black and white were spent either fighting relegation or chasing promotion. While we all remember the highs, there were some lows in among it all.

The decision to give 25-year-old Tom the captaincy over natural leader Kevin McDonald was a hot topic at the time, especially given Tom's inability to lift himself mentally when matches weren't quite going to plan. However, that early captaincy call is paying dividends now given his immense respect throughout the club.

Injuries were also something that held Tom back; the two most severe ones came during our unsuccessful attempts at staying in the Premier League. The emotion Tom showed when he made his comeback against Cardiff City in 2021 was definitely one of my all-time favourite Cairney moments.

Those two failed attempts in the Premier League, which of course were not exclusively down to Tom by any stretch, did raise the question of whether he could cut it in the top flight. After that second relegation, there was a distinct possibility Tom could live in the Cameron Jerome vortex: clearly too good for the Championship, but never quite good enough for the Premier League.

Of course, the man who would overcome that lurking tag for Tom would be Marco Silva, who has moulded Tom one of the most unique roles in a football squad that I've ever seen; the second-half swashbuckler. His Premier League stats since promotion have been so unique:

    22/23: 6 starts, 27 sub appearances

    23/24: 14 starts, 20 sub appearances

    24/25: 3 starts, 22 sub appearances

Marco identified that Tom had three main qualities: a brilliant touch, incredible football intelligence and an eye for a cutting pass. Injuries and age meant that Tom was rarely going to be able to manage 90 minutes of Premier League football, and those three qualities would be much more effective in the final 30 minutes of matches rather than the first 60.

It's a role that no doubt frustrates Tom - nobody wants to be a sub - but it has suited his attributes to a tee. Over the past three seasons there have been many memorable TC cameos, most recently the games against Brentford home and away, where his presence on the pitch directly contributed to Fulham recording a famous derby double.

Of course, it would be foolish to ignore the fact that Marco is starting to utilise the TC switch a little less often. There were also a couple of moments last season where bringing on Cairney was counter effective, most notably against Chelsea at the Cottage.

Fortunately though his subsequent performances against Southampton at St Mary's and then at the GTech were more than enough to prove that Tom's still got more than enough top flight pedigree left in the tank. Sorry Ryan Reynolds...

Tom stated in that interview with the club that his one piece of unfinished business is to return to Wembley and reach a cup final with Fulham. It would be, of course, the fairytale ending. There would be no more fitting individual to lift this club's first major trophy than Tom.

While that would be the crowning glory that would cement Tom's place in FFC folklore, TC's done more than enough already to prove that he is this century's Mr Fulham. He'll likely be used sparingly this campaign and there is an argument to suggest that there's no room for sentimentality in Premier League football, but I believe long-servants like Tom are the rare exception.

Sometimes, your heart should rule your head, and I'm glad that Fulham have allowed Tom to have an encore at Craven Cottage.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/why-tom-cairney-needed-to-be-given

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Fulham: Tom Cairney sets 'amazing' target after signing new one-year contract
Fulham leader has lofty ambitions as he enters his 11th season with the club

Fulham captain Tom Cairney says getting to a cup final would be amazing after the 34-year-old penned a one-year contract extension.

Cairney put an end to speculation around his future this week by committing to his 11th season as a Fulham player.

Cairney had offers from elsewhere but has decided to stay on at Fulham. Looking forward to next season, the Scottish midfielder said he'd want nothing more than to get to a cup final.

"I just wanna get to a Cup final, that would be amazing," Cairney said after signing on until the end of the 2025-26 season.

Cairney's crowning moment as a Fulham player came at Wembley when he netted the winning goal in the 2018 play-off final against Aston Villa to send them to the Premier League.

There have since been several near misses, namely reaching the Carabao Cup semi-finals in 2024 and last season losing to eventual winners Crystal Palace in the FA Cup quarter-finals, and Cairney says he's determined to get Fulham back to Wembley.

"To get the fans to Wembley one more time would be an incredible feeling."

Cairney, who's made 354 appearances for the west London club, passed a decade at Fulham over the summer. A milestone, the veteran midfielder says he's incredibly proud to have made.

"I'm delighted. It feels brilliant. It feels right. It's always been home.

"It doesn't happen a lot these days. Players come & go quite quickly. I feel like I've seen so many players in my time at Fulham. To stay at a club this long, now my 11th season - it's crazy. Something I'm very proud of, especially at this level."

It's been a quiet transfer window for Fulham so far, with the club happy to do their business later into the summer.

But in tying down Cairney and right-back Kenny Tete to new contracts, they've secured the futures of two of the club's longest-serving and most reliable players.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-tom-cairney-sets-amazing-target-after-signing-new-oneyear-contract-b1238180.html

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Calvin Bassey: Fulham defender talks Europa League aims, working under Marco Silva and playing for Ajax and Rangers
Calvin Bassey was Fulham's player of the season for the 2024/25 campaign; the Nigeria international reflects on last term and speaks about help from 'one of the best', Marco Silva; Bassey was talking at the launch of the Calvin Bassey Collective at the Forest Gate Youth Centre

"I'm an exciting centre-back. I'm a centre-back who likes to attack. I'm going to go on a little dribble once in a while. My manager accepts it and he knows what I am. I'm confident. I trust myself with the ball. I want my presence to be felt on that pitch, on and off the ball."

The words of Fulham's Calvin Bassey when asked to describe what he believes he is as a footballer. He answers questions like he defends - assured in nature.

The 2024/25 campaign ended on a high note for the 25-year-old. Bassey was named Fulham's player of the year in just his second season at the club, playing all but three Premier League games as his side battled for European qualification, only to miss out in the run-in.

"It was not about winning anything personal or being player of the season," Bassey told Sky Sports. "It was just about doing better than I did last season, my first season, and I feel like I was able to do that.

"I feel like we had chances to take that step, and maybe one or two games where we weren't consistent enough killed us from really pushing for that Europa League spot.
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"It's good because we know the quality we have and we know that we can reach that, so it's a clear target for us next season.

"It's just about going back to the drawing board. It's humbling knowing that we still have some work to do, but we do have a team with a lot of quality and we can achieve great things."

Bassey's campaign marked a turning point for the Nigeria international. His debut season at the club was far from plain sailing, with Bassey a shadow of the defensively secure centre-back he has grown into.

That change isn't a redemption arc for Bassey, but a testament to a supportive environment both on and off the pitch.

"I don't think of my form as redemption. I came in and I had a job to do. The biggest thing for me was having the manager's trust," Bassey said.

"The only thing that matters is where I'm at, the manager and my team-mates. If I've got the respect of them too I could go and pull zeros, but as long as I'm giving my best and the manager appreciates it and my team-mates do, that's enough.

"I did extras, analysing my games. I've done extra gym sessions to get stronger and faster. It's about investing in yourself.

"That's something I've really taken on. You can't just rely on what we call our 9-to-5 at the club. It's just not a career; it's a lifestyle."

'I'm just a normal kid from Forest Gate'
Calvin Bassey spoke to Sky Sports at the Forest Gate Youth Centre, where he launched the 'Calvin Bassey Collective'. The initiative aims to give the next generation, in his local area and beyond, as many opportunities as possible.

"I know the area, I know the community, I know what the kids need, and I know what it's like to be a kid growing up in Forest Gate," Bassey told Sky Sports.

"That's why it's so close to my heart. I was one of these kids once, and I just want to show them that if me, just a normal kid from Forest Gate, can come out, you can make it out as well."

Marco Silva's faith played a huge role in Bassey's upturn in form. His first season at Craven Cottage saw him deployed as a right-sided centre-back. Naturally left-footed, the difference in angles when receiving and playing the ball made all the difference for a centre-back who backs himself in possession.

Silva switched his role to left-sided centre-back next to Joachim Andersen, a position that Bassey has thrived in. It's that kind of understanding and foresight that sets Silva apart as one of the league's best managers, according to Bassey.

"I think he is overlooked [as one of the best managers in the league]," Bassey said. "This season he started to get his plaudits because of how well we've played and some of the teams we've been able to beat, but I think he gets overlooked.

"He is one of the best managers in the Premier League, and no doubt in a couple of years he could be right at the top end, managing one of the best teams in the Premier League.

"The best managers are always demanding and honest, and he's always been honest to me.

"He's always been clear of what he wants from me. He knows what he wants from the team, how he wants us to play.

"He gives us confidence, he knows we'll make mistakes, he knows it won't always be perfect, but the one thing he wants that is non-negotiable is you give 100 per cent and there's 100 per cent commitment. That's what I respect about him."

Bassey's large frame, strength and power at the back perhaps make it surprising that he began his footballing career as a tricky winger.

Ball rolls, jinks, Cruyff turns, composure and the audacity to take a player on are all facets to Bassey's game that he feels have survived from his early days.

His game is a mix of cultures. Bassey was born in Aosta, Italy but his early days were forged in east London, where he gained a grounding in street and cage football, teaching technique and confidence on the ball. Then the Leicester academy provided an introduction to a professional environment.


Bassey invested in the pitch at the Forest Gate Youth Centre, funding its renovation

A move to Glasgow with Rangers toughened the then-21-year-old. Ajax followed, where his ability on the ball was recognised by the club built upon Johan Cruyff's philosophy of looking after the ball.

"When I moved up to Scotland, it sounded like a different language to me!" Bassey joked. "But obviously, with time, I was able to start understanding.

"It's different, but you've just got to learn and adapt and change. I've always been someone who wants to learn, whether it be different skills, different cultures.

"I think the learning aspect and accepting aspect are very important when changing cultures and playing in different countries."

So after his best professional season to date, what lies next for Bassey? He's already admitted that European qualification remains a target for his emerging Fulham side, but personally, his aims are simple.

Some defenders will talk of clean sheets, but for the centre-back who likes to attack, "five goals, minimum" - bettering his return of two this season - will provide Bassey the satisfaction he desires.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13396875/calvin-bassey-fulham-defender-talks-europa-league-aims-working-under-marco-silva-and-playing-for-ajax-and-rangers

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Why Tom Cairney Is Still Crucial To Fulham FC
Mr. Fulham is back. After a drawn-out contract saga that had Fulham fans' stomachs in knots, and heads in confusion, Tom Cairney has re-signed for his 11th season by the river. Thank God! Don't get it twisted – many may see the TC signing as a sentimental signing. Here's why you're wrong.

Mentoring Josh King
In recent weeks, people have speculated that giving Captain Cairney another year at the Cottage will stunt future star Josh King's growth. That's anything but the case. King – potentially the most talented prospect to come out of Motspur Park in the modern era – has elements of prime TC's game within his repertoire. Elegant on the ball, a metronome demanding possession off it – in later years, we all know how Cairney has slipped into more of a deeper midfield role for the Whites.

I suspect Silva will utilise King in the ten role, as Andreas Pereira's likely departure clears Josh's path to regular first-team minutes. King makes use of his tireless energy to replicate Andreas Pereira's lead pressing role, whilst adding more possession-based dynamism than the Brazilian ever did in West London.

I see little positional crossover between Cairney and King at opposite ends of their career. The rumours of Cairney stunting King's growth is purely a myth. In fact, in what looks like Josh King's first full season as a fully fledged first-team player, having somebody that has been around the top level – at Fulham, in a similar role to Josh – is essential to King's growth. Especially important when you factor in TC's mentorship persuading King to sign an improved deal in SW6 for years to come.

TC: A Much Needed Leader
As club captain, it's clear the status he has within the Fulham dressing room. The true link between Marco Silva and the playing staff – in a season where Stuart Gray, and likely Harrison Reed, two stalwarts of the dressing room structure at the Cottage, leave FFC – keeping Cairney helps the club maintain stability on and off the pitch.

Maintaining a leader like Cairney, at a point in the club's Premier League journey where the Whites need to reduce the average age of the squad – from in and around 30 years of age – therefore reducing senior presences in the dressing room, helps maintain what makes Marco Silva's Fulham Marco Silva's Fulham.

Add to this that the Whites lost out on 28 points from winning positions last season – the second most in the Premier League – you may question: how does this happen? Well, a lack of leaders is a start. Allowing younger presences, or players that are new to the club, a space in the dressing room – a place to learn from what will be an 11-year FFC veteran like TC – should help reverse the Whites' awful record when going ahead, by providing an avenue for Marco Silva's men to create a surplus of leaders in a team that certainly needs a leadership development pathway. TC offers just that.

Don't Forget: TC's On-the-Pitch Quality
Don't Forget: TC's On-the-Pitch Quality
I've spoken at length about what TC offers Silva's side, but as I outlined in my article 'Why Fulham Must Keep Tom Cairney', TC displayed an ability to roll back the years and dictate the tempo of a game like he did in his pomp. Cairney is a unique type of player in this Fulham squad – not as industrious or athletic as his midfield counterparts. Barring the emergence of Josh King, there is nobody in this Fulham team that can offer an imposing "leader of men"-like presence in this squad whilst maintaining unrivalled technical talent in possession.

This doesn't just stop at the role Thomas plays when leading his teammates mentally. Cairney's commanding status in the middle of the park allowed the Whites to take a hold late on in close games. His performances against Leicester at home, Brentford home and away, and Tottenham at home and away showed just that. Don't consign Tom to a sentimental signing – he's far more than that. Captain Cairney has plenty to offer this Fulham side.

Trust me, you'll see it in the coming months...



https://medium.com/@LondonsOriginal/why-tom-cairney-is-still-crucial-to-fulham-fc-782e586309b2

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Fulham Pier: A vibrant riverside destination all year round

Following its official launch in June, Fulham Pier has fast become one of London's most exciting riverside destinations – a dynamic new hub where culture, community and incredible food come together, right on the banks of the Thames.

Whether you're a local looking for something new or visiting from further afield, Fulham Pier offers a constantly evolving programme of experiences. From live events and wellness sessions, to family activities and free riverside fun, there's something to enjoy every day of the week – except, of course, on Fulham matchdays, when the riverwalk is reserved exclusively for ticket holders accessing the Riverside Stand.

Here's just a taste of what you can enjoy:

Free events

    Resident DJs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday on the riverside
    Chess by the Thames in Riverside Market
    Family Sundays – family entertainment which changes week to week, from face painting, magicians, storytelling, bubbles and more
    The Little Leaf Library – a kid's zone and soft play area filled with books and craft activities so you can enjoy that coffee while it's still hot
    Interactive digital art – from schools of fish that move as you move, to digital colouring in, it's fun for the whole family
    The Great PIER-Suit Scavenger Hunt – grab an activity sheet and set off on an adventure around Fulham Pier (with an exclusive prize for those that finish it!)

Ticketed events

    Overdue for a date night or catch-up with friends? Why not attend one of our regular comedy or cabaret nights?
    Wellness classes – take part in guided breathwork sessions or riverside pilates classes
    Ready to show off your moves? What about learning how to salsa?
    Plus lots more revolving events and one-off events

And, of course, there is always plenty to eat and drink while here – explore the Riverside Market food hall, home to over 10 incredible street food vendors, or enjoy a refined dining experience at the newly opened Brasserie Constance - the latest opening from Michelin-starred chef Adam Byatt.

So...where will you start? See you by the river.

Visit fulhampier.com for more information, plus sign-up to their weekly newsletter and follow @Fulham.pier on social media for the latest updates. 



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2025/july/15/fulham-pier-a-vibrant-riverside-destination-all-year-round/

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Chesterfield wait to hear news on injury suffered by on-loan Fulham midfielder
Chesterfield are awaiting the results of an injury suffered by new signing Matt Dibley-Dias.

The 21-year-old central midfielder joined on a season loan from Fulham earlier this month and has featured in friendlies against Matlock Town, Burton Albion and Nottingham Forest. He was a notable absentee from the Spireites' 8-3 win against Europa Point in Malaga on Tuesday night.

Assistant manager Danny Webb told 1866 Sport after the game that Dibley-Dias has rolled his ankle in training and they are waiting to find out the outcome. The player himself thinks he is okay, Webb said.

Any length of time on the sidelines would be a blow for the youngster and for Chesterfield, who also have Dibley-Dias' Fulham team-mate Devan Tanton back on loan.

In other news, John Fleck was withdrawn at half-time because of a tight calf, Webb revealed, with Ryan Stirk taking his place. With the Spireites having suffered with injuries throughout the whole of last season, they are taking a more cautious approach this time.

Goalkeeper Zach Hemming was not involved against Europa Point but he was at the match. Ryan Colclough and Paddy Madden did not feature.

As previously reported, Liam Mandeville has had a small operation on his knee but is expected to return to training shortly and be in contention in the first month of the season.

Chesterfield's next pre-season outing is away at Alfreton on Saturday (3pm) before they host Sheffield United the following week in their final friendly. Barrow are the visitors to the SMH Group Stadium on the first day of the season on August 2.



https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/sport/football/chesterfield-wait-to-hear-news-on-injury-suffered-by-on-loan-fulham-midfielder-5226093