This was not the season Shahid Khan had in mind when he took over last summer. Fulham's 13-year stay in the Premier League ended after a desperate campaign and, less than 12 months after his arrival, the club is preparing for the Championship.
Things could not have gone much worse and relegation looked inevitable long before their fate was confirmed in abject fashion at Stoke. Mohamed Fayed says removing the Michael Jackson statue was behind Fulham’s relegation but Brede Hangeland has admitted there were worrying signs before the season even started.
The writing was on the wall for an aging squad in the opening weeks and Martin Jol was sacked in December following an awful run. There were signs of a revival under Rene Meulensteen but Fulham continued to leak goals and slipped deeper into trouble. Alan Curbishley and Ray Wilkins were appointed over Christmas but both quickly departed when Felix Magath became the club’s third manager of the season.
Fulham season review
Much was made of Magath’s reputation of keeping struggling clubs up but, in truth, Fulham never looked like surviving. The £12million club-record signing of Kostas Mitroglou was a disaster. There are signs the future could be bright after the emergence of a number of talented players form the club’s youth system but bouncing straight back up to the Premier League next season is no guarantee.
Of the 30 teams to be relegated in the last ten years, only four have been promoted at the first attempt. Magath, who will remain in charge, has a tough job on his hands.
