Portsmouth 0-1 Fulham
To recap: Reading had the same points as us but a worse goal difference, and were playing away at hapless Derby; Birmingham were at home to Blackburn and had a point less than ourselves and Reading, but a better goal differerence. So Birmingham were relying on both Reading and Fulham to lose, and Reading had to get a better result than us to stay up. Simple. To be sure of safety, we had to win.
And after 90 minutes of unbearable tension we did. The magic moment came after 78 minutes. Joe Kamara, not for the first time this year, won the all-important free-kick. Jimmy Bullard - he was always going to have a say in this, wasn’t he? - whipped a ball behind the Portsmouth defence, and Danny Murphy rose unchallenged to head home. Simon Ashdown in the Porstmouth goal didn’t move, the linesman - and my eyes went straight to him - kept his flag down, and we were a goal up.
There’s no point describing how this felt because times like this cannot be harnessed by words. It’s more like a sound, from the depths of our very being, a primal scream, a collective floatation into something that is not usual.
We needed that goal. As the match found its feet it became clear that Portsmouth were certainly not here to make up the numbers, and were in playing like the big, strong, and well-drilled team that had beaten us so easily earlier in the season. Simon Davies had an early half-chance saved, but there were few opportunities after that. We simply could not find space or rhythm. It was, perhaps, a case of keeping things close and hoping for the best.
Meanwhile Reading were pulling away from Derby, and we knew it. Birmingham scored early, got pegged back, then went ahead again. We really needed to win, we weren’t winning, and feelings were nudging quietly towards desperation.
But nothing was coming. Portsmouth were shooting more, but not accurately. Hangeland and Hughes stood their ground at crucial momemnts, and Keller made the most of his opportunities to get involved, commandingly claiming crosses, charging out to put off a clean through Defoe, and beating away a dangerous strike in the second half. A Portsmouth goal seemed less and less likely, but would we get one?
In the end it was nice for Danny Murphy to get the goal that kept us up. The midfielder has never quite won over the Fulham faithful. For every one of us who appreciated his tireless pass and move game, others wanted more steel, more obvious effort. Not that Murphy wasn’t trying, but he is not and never will be a ball-winner, and his quiet efficiency in the middle of the park often went unnoticed. Except in the final analysis we realise that Roy Hodgson had built his survival plans on passing, passing, passing. Murphy and his midfield side-kick Jimmy Bullard were the two central figures in this plan and without either of them we’d have required a different approach. Simon Davies, surely player of the season, did his good work out wide, but it was Murphy and Bullard, over and over, who kept the ball, moved for each other, and passed, passed, passed.
At the final whistle everyone went nuts. All the players’ shirts found their way into the crowd, all the player danced, jumped with joy, and celebrated their accomplishment. Later Bullard and Murphy came out for a second helping, and the famous McAree chant was transformed in Danny Murphy’s honour. Then the crowd changed focus: “We want Roy! We want Roy!” and this most humble of managers finally appeared to meet his subjects. I almost cried. He mouthed “have a good summer”, which is wonderful and hilarious and almost inexplicable.
Thanks, Roy. Thanks, Danny, thanks, Jimmy. Thanks to all the other players who have won four out of five games to end the season, three away from home. That’s some accomplishment, one that does not stand up to rational scrutiny. This game, eh?
And thanks to all the readers and all those who leave comments at CCN who have also made this season very special. I feel like I’ve made a lot of “Fulham friends” this year via this forum.
As well, thanks to Rich for creating this site, for his most excellent writing and for having me join him, with all my writing flaws and all. It’s been one hell of a ride folks, but would we have it any other way?
Lastly, a quick comment on Roy Hodgson and the two men in the middle, Jimmy Bullard and Danny Murphy. The last several weeks we saw that Murphy’s stats were actually a bit better than Jimmy’s stats were. Even though we all know that Jimmy has a bit younger legs and is a work horse. But how amazing is it that in a few short months, Jimmy Bullard was transformed by Roy Hodgson from a player who was every which way on the field to a very disciplined player who gave up some of his possession and passing to become a better team player. Which not surprisingly then made Danny Murphy a better player and the whole team started to gel.
Quite amazing really and a tribute to both Bullard for his discipline and willingness to learn to play a different way and to the man who taught him to do so.
As one who said we needed more steel in midfield and was no fan of Murphy and had a go at Woy and his pass pass give it away football I would like to make it clear.
Roy and Danny were always great and never at any time did I doubt that with 4 wins and 5 games to go we would double that win figure. I would also like to point out that this will be remembered by every Fulham fan as the season we had awful luck and awful play and yet pulled it around thanks to Roy and HIS settled team.
I was happy and fine until we scored then my heartbeat went over a hundred and I took up religion. When the final whistle went my heart returned as by magic to normal. Now I must put on me vestments and head for the nunnery (well why not). I truly believe God was on our side at last. What a nice bloke.
“Now I must put on me vestments and head for the nunnery (well why not). I truly believe God was on our side at last. What a nice bloke.”
I’m confused, who’s the nice bloke, God or Roy, or are they one in the same? :)
This was easy to explain to everyone whether footy fans or not: four wins in the first 33 games, four wins in the remaining five and no away wins since 2006 up until Reading, three straight since.
As a lifetime supporter of Eintracht Frankfurt I’ve actually grown quite used to inexplicable miracles (Yesterday I was taken back to the last day of the 98/99 season, when a 5-1 win over Kaiserslautern with a last-minute Fjortoft goal kept us up) - but now we’ve finally found our English equivalents!
I’ve been to two rather poor games at the Cottage this season (Bolton and Blackburn). After all, they proved to be the best home games under Sanchez - what a horrible season this must have been for you season ticket holders…
Let’s all relax during a hopefully decent Euro 2008 (It’s really sad that England are staying home) and hope for some good summer signings. After all I’ve heard and seen, they are needed.
Nice site, by the way!
Whew! This last month has been a greasy tightrope walk in a high wind. I was following the game online via minute-by-minute text reporting. When the goal came, at first I thought it was Pompeys (my eyes aren’t as good as they used to be), but after a second look I realized they had done it. The following 10-15 mins were harrowing.
Hats off to all concerned.
Rich & Brian - Thanks for a great season on CCN. I can’t wait to pick up my Fulham Review about this wonderful season, it was a great ride.
Sounds like we’ll have to wait at least a week to see if we won the Fair Play table.
I’ll just echo the sentiments that are going around here. So, thanks to Rich and everyone else involved with posting, commenting, and cheering for the Whites. This was my first season as an actual Fulham fan (I chose Fulham because of they play the most USA internationals), and winning the battle to stay up certainly cemented Fulham as my soccer team for life! Have a great summer everyone.
-JG
Here, here, thanks for the fantastic board and brilliant posts for us to react to. Is there going to be a Fulham Review of this mad season?
Yeah, we’ll start work on the book… now, I suppose!
Where is the montage of the match on you tube overlaid with the theme from The Great Escape?
The British Government has given a massive £5million to the emergency in Burma - our little football club banked £34 (is that correct?) for winning yesterday; something is wrong.
Free Burma
Free Tibet
I have been trying to get on http://www.fulhamfc.com/ all day. I was going to spend some cash to support the team. I have been getting the “server too busy”. Guess I am not the only one who is hyped up.
The server was actually down for a while yesterday before the game. Must be getting a lot of traffic. Everyone loves a winner. That’s the easy part.
If everyone loved a winner, why would they be slumming around with us Fulham fans? Celebrating 17th?! Weird perspective we’ve all gained.
I’ll add my thanks to Rich and Brian for a fantastic site. This and Fulham USA are the two mainstays of my footy web surfing. Keep up the great work!
It still hasn’t sunk in yet. As fate would have it, Fulham have another year (and hopefully MANY more) in the premiership. I told myself that if the miracle happens and Fulham stay up, then I need to bite the bullet and get a TV package with Fox Soccer and Setanta (hitting the sports bar at 10am Sat morning in New York is a bit too much to handle). Well, I guess the cable guy will be visiting soon. Thanks to all for keeping the faith. COYW!
I`m almost lost for words at “the great escape”. After the Birmingham match, I hoped - I thought - we could do it . . . but the moment of victory was even sweeter than when we won promotion to the Premier League.
Great credit must go to the players for finally rousing themselves from the torpor that seemed to grip them for to much of the season. Even more praise should be heaped on Roy Hodgson and his staff. How modest that man was in victory. He`s an example to football managers everywhere. He now has a few precious months without the pressure of relegation to sort out the squad and work on the players so that next season we won`t be in the same mess again.
We the supporters can now enjoy a blissful month or two before we start worrying about transfers!