Good afternoon and welcome to Craven Cottage for the first Premier League home match of the 2023/24 season for Fulham Football Club. It’s finally here, and we’re ready to go!
We welcome our rival Brentford, marking the second straight season our London Derby will be contested in top-flight football. All of our encounters with the Bees in recent seasons have been memorable and meaningful, and today’s match promises to be the same, with Brentford aiming for its first win of the campaign and Fulham in position to hold or extend the gap between us. To Fulham and Brentford fans in attendance, thank you for spending your afternoon at Craven Cottage.
Summertime is always a time for anticipation and conversation, and there is no doubt that has been the case for Fulham fans over the past several months. Our summer has been particularly eventful given our participation in the Premier League Summer Series in the U.S., where we trained and played three matches over eight days in Philadelphia, Orlando and Washington, D.C. I was there at every stop and thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with our Head Coach Marco Silva, his staff and our squad. Marco and I stayed close throughout the tour, and he made it clear he believes there are great possibilities ahead for Fulham. I assured him that I see it the same.
While in the United States, I had great fun at bar and tailgate party events with our supporters, many of whom travelled long distances within the U.S. for their chance to see Fulham in person. We were also very happy to have many UK-based fans make the journey to the United States and experience our finest American tradition of summertime heat, humidity, thunder, lightning and electrical storms, all of which Marco and the players handled superbly. Everyone loved having FFC legends Les Strong, Peter Mellor, Rodney Marsh and Brian McBride make surprise appearances at the fan festivities, and their contributions to our history and club culture were certainly celebrated by all present. I thank our legends, supporters, travelling staff, Director David Daly, and the unsung hero of the tour – Billy the Badger – who made Fulhamerica truly come alive!
While our time in the U.S. was exceptional, it can’t compare to the thrills our travelling supporters must have experienced a week ago today at Goodison Park. What a way to begin the season – three points away and a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over Everton. Bernd Leno was brilliant in goal and the match-winner by Bobby De Cordova-Reid in the second half was the outcome of a fine build-up from fellow substitutes Aleksandar Mitrović and Andreas Pereira, underscoring Marco Silva’s wisdom and ability to adjust.
Fulham victories are always sweet, but this one was special. It’s no secret that we’ve had to endure rumours and speculative reporting – more so than usual – throughout the summer. Everton away was not an ideal fixture to begin the season, especially as we continue to mend from long-term and recently suffered injuries. We encountered a boisterous Goodison Park environment early on, as expected.
We also met the challenge, stuck together, got better and landed all three points. We were reminded again that we have a united and talented squad that is dedicated to Marco and fights for Fulham. Accordingly, I am committed to Marco and his players. The squad that produced a 10th-place finish last season has essentially returned intact while being bolstered by the additions of Raúl Jiménez, Calvin Bassey and Adama Traoré. We were delighted to re-sign Willian to a new contract prior to the Summer Series, and we’ll continue to explore smart options in the closing weeks of the transfer market. No matter what the remaining time may bring, there is no question we have the potential to again make a strong stand this season in the Premier League.
One of the realities of acquiring new talent is having to bid farewell to players who have served us well in past seasons, such as Ivan Cavaleiro, who joins Lille on a permanent deal. Then there is Joe Bryan and Neeskens Kebano, who have moved to Millwall and Al-Jazira, respectively. Joe and Neeskens were beloved by their teammates and supporters, and delivered signature moments that we will treasure forever. I thank all players who have left to rejoin their parent or new clubs, but these gentlemen merit a special mention and our deepest gratitude.
With Steve Wigley becoming Fulham’s Academy Technical Director, I am pleased to welcome Hayden Mullins as our new Under-21s Head Coach. Hayden took charge of Watford’s Under-23s before managing at senior level with Colchester United, and he lives the mission of our renowned Academy to develop our youngsters as players and people. Hayden recently welcomed midfielder Chris Donnell, who joined the FFC Under-21s last month from Australian side Perth Glory and brings with him international experience, representing Australia’s Under-20 programme. Our Under-21s and Under-18s will be competing at the highest Academy level, and between them will take part in the Premier League Cup, FA Youth Cup, Premier League International Cup and EFL Trophy. We wish both age groups the very best of luck for their upcoming campaigns!
I also want to send my absolute best to the Fulham Women’s team that will open its season at Motspur Park on Sunday against newly promoted Ashford United. We have a new infusion of talent on the FFCW squad, with the arrivals of Anisha Hill, Frankie Gibbs, Ella Tagliavini, Sophie Manzi, Madi Parsonson, Ellie Parker, Mia Adaway, Olivia Dale and Betty Barron-Clark, and the entire squad will enter the season well-prepared after training this summer against teams in Tier 3 and 4. Good luck to head coach Steve Jaye, his staff and FFCW!
While we have ample reason to be optimistic across all of our programmes, there is a lot to celebrate off the pitch as well. We have three new sponsors whose investment in your Club cannot be overstated. We’re fortunate to have SBOTOP as our Front of Shirt and Principal Partner, WebBeds as our Official Sleeve and Principal Partner, and Royal Caribbean International as our Official Family Partner. Commercial partnerships, small or large, are vital to a club the size of Fulham, and our goal is to repay our sponsors many times over with entertaining football played in front of the best supporters in the game.
To that point, Fulham fans have once again outdone themselves with record-high season ticket purchases entering this afternoon’s home opener, ensuring that each home match will deliver a genuine and unmistakeable advantage to Marco and his squad. We released extra season tickets in the Riverside Stand due to demand, and the renewal rate elsewhere was predictably strong. We may be known as a small club, but Fulham supporters are outsized in their passion and love for their team. I experienced it in the U.S. last month, saw it last Saturday at Everton, and no doubt will feel it today when we host Brentford. All I can say is, thank you to our faithful season ticket purchasers, members and match ticket buyers for your commitment. You’re the best!
Finally, I am honoured to be starting my 11th season as your Chairman. We’ve had relegations, promotions, a global pandemic and much more since I arrived in July 2013, but there has been one powerful and positive constant – the leadership of Alistair Mackintosh. This is the 15th anniversary season for Alistair as the CEO of Fulham Football Club, and it’s a milestone that I’m certainly celebrating. At every level of our Club, from the game to the business to the community and much more, Fulham’s reputation and promise are remarkably strong, thanks to Alistair. I have counted on Alistair’s acumen and guidance from the start, and am extremely grateful for his selflessness and service to London’s Original Football Club. Congratulations and thank you, Alistair!
My best wishes to all for a spectacular outing today on the banks of the River Thames. Fulham and Brentford enjoy a fascinating rivalry that has played out in recent years at Griffin Park, GTech Community Stadium, Wembley Stadium and even Lincoln Financial Field last month in Philadelphia. But nothing compares to when the two teams meet here at historic Craven Cottage, with bragging rights and valuable points on the line. Here’s to an afternoon of fantastic football and a Fulham victory!
Come on, Fulham!
