Former Fulham manager Roy Hodgson will be the latest recipient of the club’s Forever Fulham award on Monday night at half-time during the London derby with Tottenham Hotspur.
Hodgson, now 75, will be assured of a rapturous reception as he collects the accolade from Fulham’s non-executive director David Daly on the Craven Cottage pitch. The legendary former Fulham boss guided the Whites to safety during the 2008 Great Escape, led Fulham to their club record seventh placed finish in the Premier League during the following season and, famously, took his unfancied side all the way to the Europa League final in 2010. The agonising extra-time defeat by Atletico Madrid proved to be Hodgson’s final match in charge as he left SW6 to take over at Liverpool.
The ‘Forever Fulham’ award is a club initiative introduced by Daly, a lifelong fan, to honour those who have made an exceptional contribution over the course of the club’s history. The award is usually reserved for former players who have made more than a hundred appearances, but Hodgson’s incredible managerial achievements will see him join his former lieutenant Ray Lewington in accepting the award.
Hodgson will be joined at the Cottage on Monday by his former Fulham captain Danny Murphy, who will be a radio pundit as Marco Silva’s side look to return to winning ways against Spurs.
Nobody would be surprised at this news. Except perhaps to wonder why it took so long. Interesting to look at the previous recipients of the award on the club’s website. Legends all.
It will have taken a while to get to him because he was still working. They never give it to players who are still playing, or managers at other clubs. He only left management last year.
Should never have left us for Liverpool. So many managers have left for the bright lights and never made it.
With the exception of Marco…Woy
has been the best manager for us since since l started to going in the late sixties. We’ll deserved award.
Fabulous and about time