Fulham have tonight confirmed that their Championship play-off final goalscoring hero, left back Joe Bryan, will leave Craven Cottage at the end of the month when his contract expires.

Bryan memorably scored twice in extra-time to beat Brentford at Wembley and ensure the Whites returned to the top flight at the first time of asking in 2020. The former Bristol City left back, who turned down the advances of Aston Villa to sign for Fulham in 2018, won promotion to the Premier League twice in SW6 and played 117 first-team games in total – scoring six goals.

The 29 year-old was a regular in the Fulham side until being usurped by Antonee Robinson and struck up a superb understanding with Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic in the first of those promotion seasons. He spent the second half of this term on loan in France with Nice but struggled for game time and will now be seeking regular football elsewhere.

Bryan, who bravely spoke up about his struggles with mental health during his Fulham career, told the club’s official website this evening:

“Five years ago I joined Fulham, and got the opportunity to live out my childhood dream. I look back on the five years of promotions, relegations, goals, mistakes, in the team, out the team, all these different things, all these ups and downs of a football career, with real fondness. It’s not always easy – like I say, there were ups and downs – but that’s life. Life’s difficult sometimes, and great other times. I’ve met some of the greatest people that I know in football at the club. It’s a place where I will always feel welcome, and I will always look back on fondly.”