Born: Sheffield, 7 October 1965
Position: Right back, centre back, midfielder, centre forward
Signed: 19 November 1987 from Sheffield United (£40,000)
Fulham debut: Fulham 2-0 Rotherham United, 21 November 1987
Fulham appearances: 283
Fulham goals: 28
Sold: 18 July 1994 to Stockport County (£50,000)
A whole-hearted utility player, Jeff Eckhardt joined Fulham at the second time of asking in 1987 having been axed from the Sheffield United side. He slotted straight in central defence, keeping a clean sheet on his debut against Rotherham United the day after moving to Craven Cottage. A natural centre back, Eckhardt played at full back, across the midfield and even up front for various managers in his seven years with the Whites – amassing almost 300 first-team appearances. Excellent in the air and a spirited tackler, Eckhardt helped Fulham reach the Division Three play-offs in 1989 and it was sad that such a great servant’s final appearance came at Swansea City when the Whites were relegated to the bottom tier for the first time. The popular Fulham stalwart joined Second Division Stockport County for £50,000 in July 1994 and then spent three years with Cardiff City before calling time on an extraordinary playing career.
