It is ten years since Fulham defied the odds to reach the Europa League final. From Non-League to Match of the Day, here is what happened to the class of 2009-10.
Mark Schwarzer (220 appearances): “Mark Schwarzer was a first-class goalkeeper,” George Cooper from the Fulhamish podcast remembers fondly.
“Thankfully, Fulham got his vintage years and the Europa League run was the perfect swansong to a fantastic career. He was immense throughout.”
Schwarzer missed just one game on the run to the final and made several vital saves in Hamburg to keep Fulham in the semi-final ahead of the second-leg.
The Australian left the club in 2013 and was part of two Premier League winning squads as he played a back-up role at Chelsea before moving to Leicester in 2015.
Schwarzer retired in 2016 and is now a pundit.
Chris Baird (172 appearances 4 goals): Baird also left Fulham in 2013 but failed to find a settled home.
The Northern Irishman played for Reading, Burnley, West Brom and Derby before returning to Fulham on loan in 2016.
Baird retired in 2019 following release from Derby.
Aaron Hughes (250 appearances 3 goals): The more understated half of the centre back partnership affectionately dubbed ‘The Thames Barrier’ by the Fulham faithful, Hughes played every minute of the knockout stage.
Short stints with QPR and Brighton preceded a move to Melbourne City to link up with Damien Duff.
Earned his 100th cap for Northern Ireland prior to Euro 2016 and made his tournament debut against Ukraine.
Briefly played in India for Kerala Blasters before ending his career in Scotland with Hearts. Hughes was awarded an MBE in the 2020 Honours list for services to football.
Brede Hangeland (272 appearances 12 goals): “Hangeland installed a calmness to the team, alongside Hughes,” George explained.
“Comfortable with the ball at his feet and in taking on a man. He was the best defender I’ve ever seen at Fulham.”
Hangeland scored a crucial away goal in Donetsk and offered an assured defensive solidity that Fulham’s success was built on.
One of many established first-team players to reject Felix Magath’s methods when the German manager famously recommended Hangeland apply cheese to a muscle injury – the Norwegian left the club following relegation in 2014.
Hangeland signed for Crystal Palace, spending two seasons at Selhurst Park before retiring in 2016 to become a TV pundit.
⚫️ 19 games
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 29, 2018
✌️ 11 wins
✅ Knocked out Shakhtar, Juventus, Wolfsburg and Hamburg
OTD in 2010, Fulham reached the Europa League final…
Their run was truly remarkable 👏 pic.twitter.com/YXzrOWNDFd
Paul Konchesky (122 appearances 2 goals): Followed Roy Hodgson to Anfield in the summer of 2010 where he endured a torrid 18 months.
Loaned to Nottingham Forest in 2011 before joining Leicester City on a permanent deal where he was part of a promotion winning squad.
Konchesky dropped down the divisions in his latter years to end his career in non-league with Billericay Town and East Thurrock United.
Damien Duff (173 appearances 22 goals): Moved to Melbourne City in 2014 before returning to Ireland in 2015 to finish his playing career with Shamrock Rovers.
Duff transitioned into coaching in 2019 as assistant manager to Neil Lennon at Celtic before being appointed to the coaching staff under new Ireland manager Stephen Kenny in April.
“And now you’ve got to believe it! A night beyond compare!”
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 29, 2020
“Hamburg will host the final, FULHAM will play in it!”
Ten years to the day since Fulham reached the Europa League final 🤯
Everything about this is just perfect 😍pic.twitter.com/eSKKMFoH4V
Dickson Etuhu (127 appearances 6 goals): Scored the vital away goal against Juventus that gave the Whites hope of a famous comeback and Etuhu’s importance is not lost on Fulham fans.
“Etuhu was recently voted Fulhamish podcast’s ultimate unsung hero,” George said.
“He was our midfield enforcer and played an understated but huge part in our progression in the tournament.”
Etuhu left Craven Cottage in 2012 to join Blackburn Rovers before moving to Swedish club AIK in 2014.
Was found guilty of attempting to fix a match between AIK and IFK Gothenburg in 2017 and on April 16th, the Nigerian midfielder was banned from football for five years.
Danny Murphy (211 appearances 29 goals): Captain consistent throughout his time with Fulham.
A brief stint with Blackburn preceded Murphy’s successful transition to punditry where he is a regular on Match of the Day.
Simon Davies (168 appearances 17 goals): “Davies was the textbook ‘tricky’ winger,” George said.
“He ran tirelessly and scored the first of our goals against Hamburg. His first touch for that goal was an example of ‘divine intervention’.”
Davies scored equalising goals in the semi-final and final but retired from professional football at the end of his Fulham contract in 2013 and has since played for his boyhood club Solva AFC in the Pembrokeshire amateur leagues.
The control, the touch, the finish 😮👏
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) April 29, 2020
Simon Davies with a memorable semi-final goal for @FulhamFC in 2010!#UEL | #OTD pic.twitter.com/LmOdWCZGcx
Zoltan Gera (120 appearances 17 goals): With six goals in the European campaign, Gera played an integral part in Fulham’s success.
“Gera started the season as a fringe player, however established himself as the life and soul of Fulham’s European dream,” George explained.
“Put simply, Fulham could not have achieved what they did without Zoltan Gera.”
Gera was sent-off in his final appearance at Craven Cottage but stayed in English football, reuniting with Roy Hodgson at West Brom.
Finished his career in Hungary at Ferencvaros and represented his country at Euro 2016 with his goal against Portugal voted as goal of the tournament.
Bobby Zamora (134 appearances 37 goals): Fabio Capello defied the Fulham faithful by omitting Zamora from England’s 2010 World Cup squad after the season of his career.
Zamora scored eight goals in 16 Europa League matches but fell out of favour at Craven Cottage under Martin Jol and was sold to local rivals QPR in January 2012.
Scored the winning goal in the 2013/14 Championship play-off final before finishing his career with Brighton.
Substitutes:
Clint Dempsey (232 appearances 60 goals): Fulham’s all-time Premier League top scorer, Dempsey enjoyed the best seasons of his career between 2010 and 2012 with 29 top-flight goals in two years.
The versatile attacker signed for Tottenham Hotspur before completing a decorated career in his native United States with Seattle Sounders.
Enjoy your retirement, thanks for the memories @clint_dempsey 👏 #ThankYouClint pic.twitter.com/DnvUdl7N0A
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) August 29, 2018
Erik Nevland (67 games 10 goals): Nevland returned to his boyhood club, Viking Stavanger, in the summer following the final. He retired in 2012.
Jonathan Greening (49 appearances 2 goals): Another former Fulham player who ended his career in Non-League. Greening played for Nottingham Forest, Barnsley and York City after leaving the Cottage and finished his career at Tadcaster Albion before retiring in 2017.
Roy Hodgson: Struggled to replicate his success at Liverpool but proved his quality by guiding West Brom to their highest top-flight finish since 1981, finishing tenth in 2011-12.
Was appointed England manager following Fabio Capello’s resignation and led his country to the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.
The 2014 World Cup campaign was unsuccessful with England failing to progress past the group stage and an embarrassing defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016 eventually cost Hodgson his job.
However, the veteran manager’s reputation was restored with his revival of Crystal Palace’s fortunes.
He joined the club without a win or a goal in the Premier League and guided Palace to 11th before earning the club their highest ever Premier League points tally in 2018-19.
