My most recent blog (9 March 2020) closed with this cautious prophecy:
‘On Friday night the Forest lost 3-0 at home to Millwall ... and there will be other shocks in the coming weeks.’
No, I am not prescient. And I was disappointed by the abrupt cancellation of Fulham’s game against Brentford on the following Friday – a decision that may well have prevented quite a few deaths. Bill Shankly’s adage still amuses but life certainly is more important than football.
Early in lockdown there came a very pleasant phone call from Fulham FC checking whether this senior supporter was well or in need of assistance. I thanked the caller and reassured her that my wife and I were in good health and that if circumstances changed our daughter (also a season ticket holder) and our son and his partner would come to our aid.
I gather that those supporters who did feel vulnerable received a second call, this time from a player. The club deserves much credit for its thoughtfulness. It has also done well by its season ticket holders, giving them the choice of a refund (or credit) or access to live TV showings of home and away games. Of course, we will have to dig into our pockets if Fulham reach the play-offs.
The ghastly pandemic has shown the cynics that polyglot, multi-ethnic Britain can unite in an emergency. The phrase ‘key workers’ has never been fully understood till now. Nor can we have anticipated the strength and forbearance of so many people affected by lockdown and isolation.
As always, we shall try to forget the horrors and recall the small pleasures. The urban silence, the cleaner air, the neighbourliness, the weekly tribute to NHS staff and carers, the ability to stroll across Fulham Palace Road at any hour of the day. My daily walks to Hammersmith’s Kings Mall, combining exercise with shopping, have been almost entirely without incident.
Early on, before the Mall displayed social distancing marks, a woman ahead of me in the short queue turned and shouted ‘Two metres’. The fact that she had to raise her voice must suggest that I was not excessively near. It reminded me of the ‘Ten yards, ref!’ cries when the visiting team is allegedly too close to the Fulham player taking a free kick.
I also walked (silently) out of another supermarket, not in the Mall, because we were prevented from reaching the empty aisles whilst one customer was legitimately but slowly examining the fruit and vegetables.
During the break I communicated regularly with Fulham FC’s official historian Alex White, and we were both delighted when Jamie Glynn unearthed new information about St Andrew’s FC in 1883 – more of that in later blogs.
Among my domestic activities I digitised my slide collection and came across many long-forgotten moments. Goalkeeper Peter Mellor served Fulham well in the 1970s, but he had his off days. Looking at this picture can anyone recall why Peter’s opponent felt impelled to comfort him?
The recent televising of the entire 1966 World Cup Final reminded me of the Fulham-Everton match at the start of the following season. Fans were not segregated, and I was standing beside a Merseyside cohort, who booed loudly when George Cohen emerged from the Cottage - only to stop in bewilderment when they realised that he was accompanied not by his Fulham team-mates but by two Merseyside members of the England World Cup squad. Spectators were (briefly) united in demonstrating their personal admiration of George Cohen, Ray Wilson and the newly signed Alan Ball.
Back to the present day, there is no completely satisfactory way of concluding the disrupted football fixtures, though Chelsea fans may well favour the points-per-game system that has rewarded their women’s team.
We would all have protested if the men’s Premier League had decided not to relegate any clubs this season. Likewise, one can imagine the clamour if the Championship had cancelled the remaining fixtures and given Fulham third place and promotion.
So, let’s see how this season plays out and accept the outcome - good or adverse. Bobby Decordova-Reid, featured on the June page of the club’s calendar, is the sort of player who could yet make history for Fulham.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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