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Fulham's Chris David strikes late to earn draw against Crystal Palace Fulham's Chris David strikes late to earn draw against Crystal Palace
(about 1 hour later)
At least Fulham's 13-year stint in the Premier League ended on a high. Chris David scored from distance with the club's last touch in the top flight to offer a glimpse of hope for the future even if the chairman, Shahid Khan, had used his programme notes to denounce the attitude of some of the senior squad as "simply unacceptable" after a traumatic first campaign as owner. At least Fulham's 13-year stint in the Premier League ended on a high. The young debutant Chris David scored from distance with their last touch of the ball as a top-flight club to offer a glimpse of hope for the future, the onus now on integrating the talent which has long been developing in the Londoners' academy into the senior set-up to secure a swift return.
David's wonderful equaliser, curled in off the bar as Crystal Palace players backed off, secured a draw and pointed the way forward for this club. There was a pledge from Khan, who had completed his purchase from Mohamed al Fayed last July, that he will not walk away after a bruising first year in English football which has seen the club overseen by three managers, sign a player for a record fee who has started only one game, and relegated back to the Championship. There were positives to be gleaned here, albeit only belatedly after a traumatic campaign, in David's quality on the flank and Cauley Woodrow's energy and ability up front. The striker also registered a first senior goal for Fulham with his side's first equaliser, the youngsters' enthusiasm carrying the team through stoppage time to claim their parting point. Next year the likes of Woodrow, David, Moussa Dembélé and Patrick Roberts will have a far more significant role to play.
He declared he retained "complete faith" in the current incumbent, Felix Magath, to streamline the squad and hoist the club back into the topflight at the first attempt. "You have my word that Fulham will return to the Premier League not only as soon, but as smartly, as possible," he wrote. "For that to happen, we will feature players who are committed to Fulham, who passionately care about the FFC badge and who will take personal and professional accountability in the welfare of the club at every turn. The flashes of quality were timely, not least because the chairman, Shahid Khan, had used his programme notes to denounce as "simply unacceptable" the attitude of some in the senior squad over a campaign that has seen them lose 24 matches, been overseen by three managers, sign a player for a record fee who has started only one game, and eventually relegated back to the Championship. Khan, who had completed his purchase from Mohamed Al Fayed last July, retains "complete faith" in the current incumbent, Felix Magath, to streamline the squad and mount the recovery.
"To be clear, many of our players answered that call this season, and I thank them all. But, as our record suggests, compliance throughout the entire squad was severely lacking, and that's simply unacceptable. We will be better in 2014/15." "You have my word that Fulham will return to the Premier League not only as soon, but as smartly, as possible," he wrote in absentia. "For that to happen, we will feature players who are committed to Fulham, who passionately care about the FFC badge and who will take personal and professional accountability in the welfare of the club at every turn. To be clear, many of our players answered that call this season, and I thank them all. But, as our record suggests, compliance throughout the entire squad was severely lacking, and that's simply unacceptable. We will be better in 2014/15."
There were significant absentees from Magath's selection here, the full-backs John-Arne Riise and Sascha Riether joining the loanees Lewis Holtby and Darren Bent on the sidelines, and Maarten Stekelenburg omitted from the bench. David's was a bright early introduction from the bench with his reward secured late, while Cauley Woodrow worked energetically up front, the teenage forward also scoring his first goal for the club with a nicely curled finish just after the hour-mark to haul the hosts level. The home players departed to generous applause from the local support, the emphasis surely to be placed on youth from now on in. There were significant absentees from Magath's selection here, the full-backs John Arne Riise and Sascha Riether joining the loanees Lewis Holtby and Darren Bent on the sidelines, and Maarten Stekelenburg omitted from the bench. "Three managers in one season, and every one except me brought his own players into the team,"Magath said. "We had no team who identified with Fulham. We never fought as a team against relegation. I'm sorry to say such things, but I see Sunderland and Norwich playing, even Norwich here at Craven Cottage … they had much more fight. I asked my team: 'What's going on?' One told me: 'We cannot fight.'"
Palace had been fancied to depart this division the same way back in October, when Fulham had run riot at Selhurst Park, but they had arrived guaranteed an 11th place finish with their selection offering three of their fringe players an opportunity to feature. One of those, the goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, saved well from Fernando Amorebieta's back-post header on debut, though he might have been beaten before Woodrow's reward only for Hugo Rodallega to plant a free header on to the post when it seemed easier to register. That was damning, the lack of spirit having effectively condemned them early to the drop. They might have learned from Palace's revival under Tony Pulis, particularly given those from across the river are unrecognisable now from the shambles who succumbed 4-1 at home to Fulham back in October. Pulis' team finished 11th, the manager to meet again with the co-chairman Steve Parish in the week ahead to discuss plans for the future.
In truth, however, those chances were against the tide, with the visitors' bite more persuasive for long periods. Dwight Gayle's neat deflection of Joel Ward's skimmed effort had earned them their initial lead, the former Peterborough striker maintaining his startling from last Monday's 3-3 draw with Liverpool. As if to labour that point he curled in a glorious free-kick six minutes from time, the ball arcing round a slack defensive wall and beyond David Stockdale, to hint at a first league win here since 1986. Dwight Gayle's second brace of the final week, a clever poked finish to deflect in the opener and a ripped free-kick from distance, served notice of his special talent.
The Fulham goalkeeper had done well by then to turn away efforts from Scott Dann and Yannick Bolasie, with Tom Ince curling just wide of the far post and Glenn Murray battering against the bar in the last minute. Palace would have won comfortably had any of those chances been taken. As it was, David secured late reward to point towards Fulham's brighter future. Palace should have registered more, Glenn Murray thumping against the bar at the end and David Stockdale doing well to deny Scott Dann and Yannock Bolasie, but their season still feels like a triumph. Fulham can at least carry a little optimism forward courtesy of David's late plunder. "It was a sign for everybody that we are hopeful for the future," added Magath. "It will give our supporters hope that it will be better."
Man of the match Dwight Gayle (Crystal Palace).