Fulham Football Club News

• Nickname:Cottagers
• Founded:1879
• Manager:Martin Jol

• Ground:Craven Cottage
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Hodgson enjoys 'best' year

29 Dec 2008 - 07:23:44

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Fulham manager Roy Hodgson claims 2008, which ended with a 2-2 draw against Chelsea, has been the best year of his career.

Hodgson took over at Craven Cottage with the west London club languishing in the relegation zone 12 months ago.

The veteran manager then saved them from relegation before transforming them into a top half of the table side, as shown by Sunday's battling stalemate with their more high-profile neighbours.

Clint Dempsey scored an 89th minute equaliser for the Cottagers after earlier opening the scoring for the home side.

"It's been one of the best managerial years of my career, if not the best," said Hodgson. "I'm immensely satisfied with what we've achieved in 2008.

"It was a remarkable achievement for the players to show the spirit and the character they showed to come back and keep the unbeaten run going.

"Our first-half performance was good and leading 1-0 at half-time we were looking as much under the cosh as I feared we might be.

"I don't think we played particularly well at the start of the second half and they continued to play well and deservedly went ahead by two goals to one.

"And it's a great tribute to the fighting spirit and the character and quality of the players that we have in the side that they never gave up."