I know, I wear my heart on my sleeve but honestly, the way the season went made it rather difficult to be objective when writing on the site.

I often have to remember that objectivity has to be the fulcrum on which articles are posted here but at the end of the day I'm a ticket paying sucker like everyone else and some things just have to be said.

However, this is not a vehicle for shouty opinions and it is under the TOOFIF banner so obviously I'll endeavour to keep it on message.

The next pages in the story of FFC will, unfortunately, begin with another seaon at least, in the second tier.

Many people believe that is about right and if the history of the club is glanced at, it's hard to argue with that assumption. After all, when the story of our club is looked at in the history books, the greater part of the club's time has been spent in the lesser leagues of the pyramid during the 140 years of our existence.

Those future pages in our story now will include another huge addition, the replacement of the Riverside Stand.


The current example replaced the old Thamesbank standing area and was associated with a relegation too, although, when planning began we were still in the old First Division. The then new Riverside Stand opened in 1972, and was celebrated by a visit of Eusabio's Benfica.

Something of a glamorous christening for a Second Division side who were destined to spend the ensuing twenty odd years in turmoil, lurching between ecstacy and despair, mostly despair and diabolical ownership..

I wonder who'll help Fulham celebrate the opening of this latest iteration, maybe Notts County? They're another sad victim of the merciless progress of organised football.

In 1888, Notts became one of 12 founder members of The Football League and ended the first season in 11th place, above Stoke City. A highest ever league finish of third was achieved in 1890-91 – a feat that was replicated in 1900.

They were inspirational trailblazers who influenced the Old Lady of Turin, Juventus still wear shirts based on the Magpie design of County's team shirts (as do the Toon). Now to welcome them here would definitely be a Fuhamish gesture, wouldn't it?

By the way, whatever happened to the glossy and innovative design of th new stand, the approved version doesn't exactly appear to be terribly innovative. The 2002 proposals look somewhat more stylish although admittedly probably a lot less practical, ho hum, at least it's all seems to be going ahead at long last.

The designs I've seen of the back of the Riverside's replacement look like we're transplanting a council estate library onto the Thamesbank and fitted an aerofoil from an Inycar on top of it.

Though, having said that, the 2002 design has Ena Sharples' hairnet suspended over it like a cheap nod at Wembley.

Sorry to report that the new issue of TOOFIF – issue 152 – is running late because of health issues. The Ed had to undergo an op during the close season and now needs to recharge his batteries.

Happily, DL is well on the way to recovery but it's not something that can be rushed so at the moment we do not have a confirmed date for the publication date for issue 152, watch this space.
Hopefully this will only result in a shortish delay, however the new mag will definitely miss a few home games at the beginning of this season.

Apologies for the ongoing delays but normal service will be resumed very soon. Watch this space for further details...

Unfortunately, in common with most fellow sufferers of my generation, when it comes to Fulham and success, I tend to come over all, well, reserved, bashful, embarrassed or downright cynical. I can't help it you see.

This syndrome comes with the role of following the oldest club in London really and is possibly something that becomes embedded from the beginning.

Even during days of promise, with the side bursting with quality players, including the Captain of England and sprinkled with Internationals, one of them a World cup winner with England, we constantly under achieved.

So when the Super Whites lost our first game of the season, I was not too surprised, cheesed off certainly but surprised, no.

That they bounce back from losing the Barnsley game and then reel oof three sucessive wins did catch me out though as I have been accustomed to Fulham sleep walking through the opening dozen or so games or more and improving towards the end of the year.

Fortunately for me, my backward looking mentality means that when it all goes Jamie Oliver, I am insulated from too much extreme angst.

And so it was on the lead up to the last home game against Nottingham Forest. All around me were happy, clappy, cheerful Fulhamites, idly gossiping about our wonderful collection of points and that the football was developing into an attractive passing style and converting chances too., maybe we could bounce back first time.

I fell into that to a degree and I could hear myself pontificating to all and sundry that passages of play in the games so far bore a remarkable similarity to that we witnessed in the early days of the marvelous season back in 2001 which elevated Fulham FC back to the top flight.

I even mentioned Jean Tigana in these converstations. This is something I do not bandy about needlessly as Jean was in my opinion the best manager we ever had (sorry Roy, Kevin, Slav and Alec, as well as many excellent others) but to me his name is something I still revere.

I did temper this nonsense though with my usual Fulhamish reservations and on the morning of the Forest game I was adamant in downplaying the optimism that was univerally beaming out of every Fulham orifice in the vicinity of Fulham and Putney.

"No guys, stop it, this is Fulham after all", I said in vain, "I predict we'll lose today and I feel tempted to stick a tenner on Forest winning this one 0-3".

You'd have thought I'd suggested that 911 and the demolition of the World Trade Centre had not been accomplished by non-pilots flying into them or that the Bible is an invention of the 5th Century Roman Empire, that the Chinese invented Fish and Chips or that Rolls Royce, Bentley and Mini are German.

I was nearly right though wasn't I? Despite all that, it's been a great first 5 games, one away loss, one away win, two home wins and one loss, nine points after five games is OK by me!

COYW!

Well now we can concentrate on the league now that we don't have the Carabao Cup to occupy us