Four years ago today, Fulham fans were savouring one of the greatest night’s in the club’s history as the Whites staged an epic comeback to beat the mighty Juventus and book a place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
A pulsating evening down by the River Thames saw them show true fighting spirit to overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit into a memorable 5-4 aggregate victory as Bobby Zamora, two-goal Zoltan Gera and Clint Dempsey saw the Whites stun the Old Lady.
That same spirit is so sorely needed now, four years on, with the Whites staring down the barrell of relegation from the Premier League under their third manager of the season in German tactician Felix Magath.
Roy Hodgson, now preparing to lead England at the forthcoming World Cup in Brazil was at the helm in 2010 and claimed that famous victory would never be bettered.
"We should just do a Rocky Marciano and retire now because it's not going to get any better than this," Hodgson said after the Juventus victory on 18 March, 2010. "This must come close to the greatest night of the club's history. On a personal note, I am not sure I can recall such a recovery. I am on top of the world."
“It will be dubbed the best performance since I have been manager, but I’ve seen a lot since I’ve been here. To beat Juventus 4-1 with 10 men, 11 men or players missing, it doesn’t matter. Look at their bench, it’s not too bad, is it? We were still playing a very strong Juventus team and I thought we did well over there and didn’t deserve a 3-1 defeat.”
Only Brede Hangeland and Damien Duff have survived from the team that dumped out the Italian giants on their way to Fulham’s first European Cup final, and those old heads will need to draw on all their experience as the season reaches its climax.
Fulham travel to Premier League title challengers Manchester City this weekend and three points against Manuel Pellegrini’s side, so formidable at the Eithad Stadium, presenting the Cottagers with the chance to summon the spirit of 2010 upset the odds once more.
Was this the greatest night in Fulham's history? Have your say below.
