Amongst the glut of goals at Ewood Park and Rodrigo Muniz’s Samba dancing on the very spot where Sean Davis gyrated after his dramatic Blackburn winner twenty years ago, a notable Fulham landmark might have not got the recognition it deserved. Wednesday night’s romp in Lancashire was Bobby Decordova-Reid’s hundredth appearance in the black and white and the hard-working midfielder marked it with a brilliant assist for Neeskens Kebano that set Marco Silva’s on their way to a fifth win in a row.

Decordova-Reid’s best position may still be the subject of a fierce debate. He starred as a forward for Lee Johnson’s Bristol City in a breakout season that saw him score nineteen goals in the Championship, despite being reluctant to line up as a number nine initially. He has filled in a whole host of positions for Fulham, used on either flank by Scott Parker in the Championship, behind the striker, and even as an auxiliary forward at times as the Whites went up via the play-offs.

Decordova-Reid’s versatility was on full display during an ultimately frustration spell in the top flight last term – deployed as a marauding wing back once Parker switched to a back three in a bid to prevent a porous defence from being picked apart too often. There were no complaints from the model professional: he was happy to serve the team however his gaffer felt best, but Decordova-Reid still managed to deliver in the final third – scoring seven goals and adding three assists in a year when his consistency, energy and unbelievable fitness levels made him one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Decordova-Reid’s endeavour and desire have seen him become a pivotal player under Silva since the summer as well. Every manager loves a player upon whom they can rely – and it is Decordova-Reid’s work rate that adds another option to Fulham’s front line. He leads a relentless pressing game from the front, one of the reasons he has been preferred to Tom Cairney and the fit-again Fabio Carvalho as the number ten in recent weeks, and has the directness and guile to unlock stubborn defences in the blink of an eye. The Jamaican international already has five assists to his name this season – as well as goals against Stoke City and QPR.

His willingness to fit in everywhere has been noticeable under Silva as well. Most comfortable on either wing (three appearances), he has found the number ten berth his most regular starting position (eleven appearances), but he has also lined up on the left and right side of midfield and filled in as an emergency full back after Kenny Tete succumbed to injury. He has thrived in advanced role in a more adventurous side, linking the play together impressively under Silva, with his movement posing serious problems for Championship defences. Decordova-Reid’s ability to drift into pockets of space in the last third presents potential markers with the sort of dilemma they dread, whilst also creating room for his fellow attackers.

A seasoned Championship performer, the likeable forward is a quiet cult hero at Craven Cottage. His commitment to the cause can never be questioned and his ability to come with a crucial goal has proved priceless in the past. Think of the way he scored one of the goals of the season against Huddersfield, carrying the ball infield from the right flank before finishing magnificently, or the thunderbolt that shocked the league leaders Liverpool last December. His fifteen goals and twelve assists in Fulham colours underline his value that might be underappreciated by the casual viewer or pundit, but never by his team-mates.

Decordova-Reid is a footballer’s footballer: he’ll never shirk a challenge, pass up responsibility or go missing in a crisis. His ability to create a yard of space in a tight area is invaluable, those tricky feet can take him away from a couple of defenders in an instant – as Blackburn were the latest to find out – and he’s certainly got an eye for goal. His first hundred whole-hearted performances have firmly established him as a Fulham favourite; and here’s to another century.