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Fulham Chairman Mohamed
al Fayed
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With hangovers still pounding after the local council granted planning permission
for the redevelopment of Craven Cottage into a 30,000-seat stadium, Fulham fans
may not be relishing a weekend of significant meetings at the top of the First
Division.
Following Watford's visit to Birmingham last night and Blackburn's game with
West Bromwich Albion this afternoon, Jean Tigana's side host second-place Bolton
tomorrow. Not that the skirmishes beneath them should overly concern the Cottagers
- fast becoming black-and-white specks disappearing over the Nationwide horizon
- who can open a 15-point lead at the top.
"No one's taking anything for granted that we will be playing Premiership football
next season, but Tuesday's decision on the stadium takes my dream a step closer
to reality," said the Fulham chairman Mohamed al Fayed, who will bankroll the
£70m redevelopment project. "It's brilliant news. A lot of people have put a
lot of time into this so we are thrilled. It's such an important decision."
Work will begin on Craven Cottage at the end of next season, with Fulham seeking
a groundshare for the 2002-03 campaign; neighbours Queens Park Rangers and Chelsea
appear the likeliest candidates.
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New Stadium from the
air
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But if, as seems inevitable, the Cottagers win promotion this season, the Premiership
will briefly boast terraces once again. "We are allowed that during the first
year after promotion, so hopefully our fans will be watching top-flight football
from standing terraces," confirmed Al Fayed.
The party atmosphere at tomorrow's game should not be dampened either by Fulham's
inability to beat Bolton at home since 1986 - such trivia means little since
the Al Fayed revolution - or the loss of the England Under-21 midfielder Sean
Davis with a thigh injury. The visitors, who trailed after just 10 seconds in
the reverse fixture at the Reebok Stadium and eventually lost 2-0, will be without
their suspended defensive duo John O'Kane and Kevin Nolan, while Ricardo Gardner
is doubtful with a head injury. "Bolton's season hinges on their games against
us and Blackburn in the FA Cup," said the Fulham defender Kit Symons, who has
stepped into the breach left by the long-term absence of the club captain Chris
Coleman with a broken leg.
"So much is in place now," added Fayed. "We have a manager capable of taking
us and moulding us into a great club and for whom players want to play. Jean
Tigana joined us on the understanding that he would have all the backing from
me to build a great club. He will. In years to come I want Fulham FC to be up
there alongside Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool. It's a huge task, but it's
within our grasp. This is an incredibly exciting time for us."