10 Years Of Mr Khan

To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Shahid Khan purchasing Fulham, we take a look at some of the landmark moments of his custodianship.

12th July 2013 – Mohamed Al Fayed sells Fulham Football Club to Mr Khan

After the sale of Fulham was announced, Mr Al Fayed said: “I have found a very good man in Shahid Khan to accept the responsibility and privilege that I have enjoyed at Fulham since 1997. Fulham will be in very good hands with Shahid, whose success in business and passion for sport is very evident. I ask everyone who loves Fulham and our Craven Cottage home to welcome Shahid as he begins his journey as the next guardian of Fulham Football Club.”

Mr Khan added: “I was recently very fortunate to have been introduced to Mohamed Al Fayed, a man I respect and admire immensely for what he has accomplished in his life and – above all – what he has given others. Today, he is giving me the privilege and responsibility of serving as the next custodian of Fulham Football Club. I want to be clear, I do not view myself so much as the owner of Fulham, but a custodian of the Club on behalf of its fans.”

25th September 2013 – The Michael Jackson statue is removed

12 years after Michael Jackson famously visited Craven Cottage for a game against Wigan Athletic back in 1999, Mohamed Al Fayed commissioned a statue of the late singer, which was unveiled on the corner of the Riverside and Hammersmith stands. Two years later, Mr Khan confirmed that the statue was to be removed: “Craven Cottage means the world to generations of Fulham supporters, and I have heard from many of them over the past two months. Our supporters’ views on the statue have been made clear. I respect Mr Al Fayed and know he had good intentions in paying an individual tribute. However, the removal of the statue is the right thing for Fulham Football Club.”

27th October 2013 – Jags play in London for first time

The Jacksonville Jaguars playing in London is a yearly occurrence these days, but it was groundbreaking when they met the San Francisco 49ers at Wembley almost 10 years ago. The intention was to build the sport’s UK fanbase, and with 83,559 fans in attendance, it certainly achieved that goal. “I think NFL needs to grow,” Mr Khan said ahead of that game. “There are fans that would like to see NFL games, we would like to be a part of it, Jacksonville Jaguars.” Since that day, the Jags have played at Wembley a further seven times – and will again when they meet the Atlanta Falcons this October – as well as one game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

8th July 2014 – Fulham sign Ross McCormack

Mr Khan demonstrated his commitment to getting Fulham back to the Premier League with the sanctioning of a record Championship fee to bring Ross McCormack in from Leeds United. Speaking at the time, then Manager Felix Magath said: “There was a lot of interest in him over the summer months so securing his signature is good for Fulham, and I again thank our Chairman for his investment and commitment.” McCormack’s two seasons in SW6 were incredibly productive on a personal note, with the striker scoring 42 times in 100 matches, before being sold to Aston Villa for a profit.

27th December 2015 – Slaviša Jokanović appointed

Having parted ways with Kit Symons the previous month, Mr Khan brought in Slaviša Jokanović as the Club’s new Head Coach at the end of 2015, stating: “I’m extremely proud to announce that Slaviša has accepted our offer to join Fulham and accept the challenge and opportunity that will come in leading our First Team. To say that Slaviša came prepared during the interview process would be an understatement. His analysis of our Club was impressive and his ideas were just what we wanted to hear. I’m confident that Slaviša will reverse our fortunes and bring to Fulham a winning mindset through the second half of the season and beyond.” The appointment proved a masterstroke, with Jokanović leading Fulham to promotion with victory over Aston Villa at Wembley in May 2018.

1st October 2016 – George Cohen statue unveiled

After it was announced in March 2016 that the Club had commissioned a statue of George Cohen, the unveiling came at Craven Cottage seven months later. It was apt recognition for one of our favourite sons, and was funded by generous donations from fans, with the final figure matched pound for pound by Mr Khan. Furthermore, as part of the fundraising, two initiatives were launched in George’s name, with the aim of improving men’s health through local dementia care and health preventative programmes. “George Cohen and Craven Cottage are each at the heart of the history and tradition of Fulham Football Club,” Mr Khan said. “Mr Cohen continues to inspire us at Fulham, as well as everyone who loves the game of football in England. It’s only appropriate that Mr Cohen be celebrated and honoured here at Craven Cottage by the Club, as well as our fans who can take part in the effort to recognise a legendary member of the Fulham family and make a difference in the good causes that Mr Cohen supports.”

23rd February 2017 – Tony Khan appointed

Having spent time advising the football operations, in addition to creating the statistical research department at the Club, in February 2017 Tony Khan was appointed as Vice Chairman & Director of Football Operations by his father Shahid. “Today’s appointment brings a formal structure and recognition to the role that Tony has recently played on the football side of our Club and especially since the conclusion of last season,” Mr Khan said. “Tony has served the Club quietly but faithfully and extremely well during that time. He brings new practices to what we’re doing but not at the expense of what would be considered traditional and proven methods. It’s important to remember there is no industry in the world that is succeeding today by doing things exactly the same way as they did yesterday, yet there are also some basic principles of success that are timeless. Tony has respect for the old and new, and that’s what we need to achieve the goal of returning to the Premier League in a manner that is responsible and sustainable for a long time. Tony also understands the scrutiny and responsibility that will come with this assignment. Tony welcomes it, as do I.”

22nd May 2019 – Announcement of Riverside works

Redevelopment of the Riverside Stand has long been an ambition of Mr Khan’s, and in the summer of 2019 he announced that the commencement of works was imminent. “I am delighted to now be able to formally announce that our work on the Riverside Stand development will begin in earnest this summer,” he said. “I understand today’s announcement was many years in the making, but the right thing for all parties was to be deliberate, collaborative and thorough. I thank our supporters for their patience, and am especially grateful to all those who have worked tremendously hard behind the scenes to bring us to this point. The wait will be worth it. Craven Cottage is a unique and inspiring venue to not only play football, but to visit. As I noted upon becoming Chairman in 2013, it has always been my intention to follow through with the development of the Riverside Stand, and today’s news brings that intention to reality.”

1st July 2021 – Marco Silva appointed

When Mr Khan sailed his yacht to Lisbon to meet with Marco Silva in the summer of 2021, it set in motion a series of events which would lead to a couple of incredibly successful years in the history of Fulham Football Club. “My commitment to Fulham Football Club is resolute and I therefore take to heart my obligation to provide our supporters with the very best possible, on the pitch and away from the game,” Mr Khan said after the appointment was made public. “In recent days, this responsibility entailed identifying, interviewing and hiring a Head Coach who would achieve all of our objectives as a club. I met Marco Silva in Portugal last week and was inspired. Marco’s body of work in football was evident, but listening to him break down in detail his experiences at each of his stops as a head coach was thoroughly impressive. Marco also came prepared, with a full understanding of the players we have and ideas on how we can move forward this season. I loved his energy and optimism, and I’m confident Marco Silva is the right choice to lead Fulham Football Club as our new Head Coach.” Silva's first two seasons at the helm could hardly have gone better, following up our Championship title win with a top-10 finish in the Premier League.