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Before we get down to previewing tonight's game with Dnipro, the sad news of the past 24 hours was Roger Brown losing his life to cancer at just 58. There's a tribute on the official site, but all long standing fans need no reminding of Roger's place in Fulham history. After making the '75 Cup Final - still our only ever appearance in England's showpiece cup competition, there was a gradual decline in our fortunes as we slipped down the divisions.
The team was revived under Malcolm McDonald but almost threw away promotion in 81/82 as nerves got the better of a young team over the run-in. Roger was a blond rock at centre-half and his 12 goals over the season remains a record for any defender. The crucial goal was a typically gutsy header in our final home game against Lincoln - a truly nerve-shredding night for fans who witnessed it - and the side went up, and then so nearly achieved another promotion the following season that would have put us into the top division.
Roger was at the Cottage for functions in recent years and insiders knew of his condition. He faced down his personal fight with fortitude in the same manner he played the game. The news yesterday brought to mind a match I reported on at Brentford in 1992. Arriving in the press box early the only other figure around was a certain Bobby Moore. We chatted - no, make that I chirruped away while Bobby listened - about Fulham-related stuff, Bobby then was doing radio work. I came away feeling he'd been a tad downbeat, almost monosyllabic. That winter Bobby too succumbed to bowel and liver cancer, a condition he'd chosen to keep private. England's World Cup winning captain, and a man in Fulham white for our Wembley final in '75, was gone at just 51. Representing FFC was Moore's final appearance at Wembley.
The football this week at the Cottage sees us take on Ukrainian side Dnipro for a place in the lucrative Europa League group stage. That would make six money spinning games in the run-up to Christmas, adding a handy £5 million pounds to club revenues. Two years ago we came through the mini-league stage, with hearts in our mouths, after ties with Roma, Basel and CSKA Sofia (Gera's header after Danny missed a pen - remember that?). Can we do it again?
Dnipro will be no pushover. They're managed by Juande Ramos, the man who replaced Jol at Spurs, although Martin has been quick to deny this is any kind of a 'grudge match.' Yes, our opponents walk in the shadow of Shakhtar in their domestic league, but they are no mugs. Before the USSR disintegrated Russia's national side of the late 80's (Euros finalists in '88 against the Dutch you may recall) relied heavily on players from the Ukraine. Dynamo Kiev were a formidable club at that time. Like us, Dnipro's star has risen in recent years with a millionaire backer and impressive new ground.
Czech keeper Jan Lastuvka, who had a short and not terribly impressive spell with us under Coleman, is on their books. Fulham are rumoured to have looked at their Ghanaian RB Sammy Inkoom, they've a couple of South Americans in their ranks and have just added Croatian international Kalinic to their attack in the past week from Blackburn. Goalscoring has been their problem this season. Dnipro sit halfway down the league and arrive on the back of a 3-1 loss to Shakhtar. But fully expect them to arrive in London ready to park the bus in front of goal.
Jol knows this is a step up in class for Fulham from the earlier rounds. He's emphasised the need to hold an advantage ahead of the return, as getting a result next week at their place could be a big ask. That means the side has to energise their attack from what we saw Saturday. Sidwell surely will start after Etuhu's poor display against Villa and we need to be at a high tempo from the off. With 20,000 expected let's hope we generate some of the passion from those famous nights two years ago and manage to build a two goal advantage at least.
As to those on-going transfer rumours...one thing Jol's done with the press is to quickly shoot down most of the names put to him. This week he dismissed any interest from the club in David Bentley. Now we hear Fulham are supposed to have bid for Porto's reserve right-back. Martin, why not pick Baird tonight and let him show what he can do on the big stage? Give the boy a break at least. I myself from my seat behind the goal will have AJ under scrutiny, but would be delighted if he bagged a hat-trick as he and Zamo terrorise the Dnipro back four. My instincts tell me however this may be your typically cagey European tie with our opponents happy simply to frustrate and break up our play.
Thursday begins with miserable grey skies and rain over a cool London. Well there's a Test match on at the sold-out Oval - what else did you expect? The trend for this lousy summer continues, but it should at least make the footie tonight by the river more exciting. Autumn is here already - and even my sister is coming along tonight with her boyfriend. That's not happened in a long time...
Enjoy the game and COYW! Twitter@fulhamphil
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