Born: Sheffield, 7 October 1965
Position: Right back, centre back, midfielder, centre forward
Signed: 20 November 1987 from Sheffield United (£50,000)
Fulham debut: Fulham 2-0 Rotherham United, 21 November 1987
Fulham appearances: 283
Fulham goals: 28
Sold: 21 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 gamer was at Swansea City when the Whites were relegated to the bottom tier for the first time.
