A View From The Cottage – Fulham up for double
The Coach
By Paul - CultZeros
April 27 2007
For Sunday's Fulham match Arsenal Times has asked Paul from CultZeros T Shirts to express a Fulham fans point of view, for what is an important match in regards to the relegation issue. By Sunday I have a feeling the points will mean more to them than us. Paul's article is below:
Having experienced the many highs (and even more) lows as a Fulham supporter, of nearly 30 years, fixture list day as a Premiership side, is as exciting as Christmas morning to a child.
Chelsea home and away is often followed by Arsenal away in my fixture interest list.
A visit to a beautiful, historic stadium (second only to Craven Cottage), via a few decent watering holes, is a recipe to a decent away trip.
The expectations of an Arsenal away trip are always low. Inevitably nil
points, but the pre match pint is good, and the locals understand you when ordering.
However, this year there is a shift, for three outlined reasons:
1) There is no Highbury.
From what was a compact picturesque stadium hidden behind rows of terrace houses, is now (albeit a few hundred yards along) an oval spectacle that seems like it has been dropped from outer space onto a derelict sand mound.
Unlike most Fulham fans, I had attended a dress rehearsal in the shape of an Arsenal v Portsmouth fixture earlier on in the season. It was very impressive.
2) The severity of Fulham's plight
For many of the Arsenal v Fulham fixtures, as mentioned earlier, us Cottagers have crossed this off as a nil pointer. Playing Arsenal away usually gives us an hour and a half to sit back and reflect on how far our little club has come. Highbury was the last London ground I saw Fulham play on. Arsenal for us epitomises the highest standard - I mean you've never been relegated!
This year however, it is imperative that we get at least a point. We've won 2away games in two seasons. The fact we can't even beat Watford, West Ham and Wigan at home, leaves us with a smallish Himalaya to climb on Sunday. However, and as my third point is introduced, we can take heart from the fact that we beat Arsenal this season at home.
Even the most biased of Gooners who went to the Cottage earlier in the season would have to admit Fulham deserved their victory (Yes you deserved it, but Wenger’s team selection was a bit skew whiff. Ed).
For me personally, it was the greatest team performance I have seen us make in our six seasons in the Premiership. For the romanticists, Boa Morte was the inspiration. He is now an Iron (whoops liable) a Hammer.
3) Unbeaten (at the Emirates) and up for the double.
Nuff said.
I wish you boys the best of luck - just not on Sunday...
...oh, and buy one of my shirts!
Cult Zeros
info@CultZeros.co.uk
ENJOY THE GAME!
