Everyone at the Club was saddened to learn of the passing of John Dempsey, who made 171 appearances for Fulham in the 1960s.
Born in Hampstead, Dempsey grew up watching Fulham and Chelsea on alternating weekends, and would go on to become firmly established at both clubs.
Johnny Haynes and Bobby Robson were his heroes when he was on the terraces at Craven Cottage, and both were in the starting lineup when Dempsey made his senior debut in an FA Cup meeting with Millwall at the age of 18 in January 1965.
From the start of the following 1965/66 season, Dempsey was a mainstay in the heart of the Whites backline, helping the Club to pull off the original ‘Great Escape’ that year, with nine victories in our final 13 matches to avoid relegation from the top flight.
Despite his prowess in central defence, there was a spell when he filled in up top while Fulham were looking for a new striker, a decision that came off the back of his former school teacher telling manager Vic Buckingham that he used to play Dempsey as a forward.
It was successful stint leading the line, including a 19-minute hat-trick in his first match in the new role, but he returned to defence following the arrival of Allan Clarke.
After a record of eight goals in 171 Fulham games, Dempsey made the short switch to Stamford Bridge, where he won the FA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup, the latter of which saw him score a volley in the Final against Real Madrid.
Upon retiring from the game, Dempsey worked in a centre for people with learning disabilities for 25 years – something he says gave him as much joy as football did.
The Fulham Family was able to celebrate John as recently as April 2023 when he returned to the Cottage to receive his Forever Fulham award, and everyone at the Club sends their condolences and thoughts to his wife Trish, and his wider family and friends.