I’m not sure if she’s taken Hugh Grant’s mantle as Fulham’s most famous fan yet, but you certainly check out her interview in the Observer today. Here are a few of the Fulham bits:
Was there ever a question of you supporting a team other than Fulham?
No, my grandad supports them and my dad [actor Keith Allen], so I grew up supporting them. My grandad grew up around there. He’s Fulham through and through.
How often do you get to games?
I used to be a season-ticket holder when I was younger. And I still would be if I didn’t have to go on tour so much. I probably go four or five times a season now. Every match I went to last season we won.
Were you there when Fulham beat Manchester United in March?
No! I was really angry. I went to every Man United game, home and away, until two years ago, and we hadn’t beat them since 1945 or something. I was on the fucking Ant and Dec show. My dad and grandad were there and I was sitting in my dressing room watching it. Even though obviously I wanted them to win I was like, “No! It’s not fair.” And they fucking won. I was so furious.
Can you remember the first match you went to?
It would have been in 1992 [when she was seven] or 1993. They didn’t have seats then at Craven Cottage, so I used to stand on the railings – they had railings every few steps – and lean back on my dad, because that was the only way I could see. I think they were in the Third or Fourth Division then. There were probably about 4,000 fans at the games. But it was a lot more fun then. People went a lot more mental. Everyone kind of knew each other. Everyone was singing. There wasn’t that corporate element.
Has football become too mainstream and middle class, do you think?
There are upsides and downsides. It’s a much more secure environment now, and that’s a positive thing. But I do get the sense that a lot of people who are there now aren’t even Fulham fans. In fact, they’re probably Chelsea fans who can’t afford Chelsea tickets.
Is Mohamed al-Fayed a good chairman?
I think he is. I like him. He’s like Father Christmas. And it’s great to be in the Premier League, and to be doing well, even if it was a bit more fun in the lower divisions. But without a lot more money, it’s always going to be difficult, isn’t it? I’d love to see us in the top five. But the major clubs have got so much money, you can’t even compare. We bought Damien Duff, though!
Bobby Zamora: please explain.
What do you mean?
Well, he’s a donkey, isn’t he? What’s he still doing in the team?
I don’t know. What are a lot of our players still doing in the team? But honestly, I couldn’t tell you the ins and outs of football. For me, football is about going to the game and having fun. And it’s about hanging out with my dad, more than anything.
Do you know the Fulham players?
We know more of the old players. We used to be invited to George Cohen’s lounge, back in the day. And a lot of the old Chelsea players come down. Ron “Chopper” Harris, people like that. And Sean Davis, who used to play for us when I was younger? I really fancied him.
It’s a really good read and, as ever, she comes across really well.
