Many legends have graced the grass of Craven Cottage in Fulham's proud history: Jimmy Hill, Bobby Robson, George Best, Johnny Haynes.... to that exalted list we can now add the name Michael Jackson.
The late singer made a brief, bizarre visit to the Cottage in 1999, where he was paraded before fans prior to a match. Despite this fleeting attachment to the club, Fulham chairman Mohamed al-Fayed, who maintained a friendship with the pop star, is convinced that what the team needs to inspire them is a statue of Jackson. And what al-Fayed wants, he usually gets.
The monument was originally planned for a spot outside Harrods, but after al-Fayed sold the store last year, the location has switched to Fulham. It will be situated on the Thames side of Craven Cottage, next to a statue of Johnny Haynes, the club's record goalscorer, and is to be unveiled on April 3rd, before the game against Blackpool.
Said al-Fayed:
I hope that many fans of his will visit the statue at the Cottage from far and wide, and that Fulham fans will appreciate seeing the finest performer in the world
With the club posting a £16.9m loss for the last financial year and perched only four points away from the relegation zone, Fulham fans may wish the phrase "finest performer " related to a talented new addition to the squad, not the petrified likeness of a late, twinkle-toed crooner.
Photo / Herschell Hershey
