Clint Dempsey reveals reasons for Fulham exit

29 November 2012 14:17

Tottenham forward Clint Dempsey admits he only left Fulham because he did not feel appreciated at the club.

Dempsey will return to Craven Cottage on Saturday for the first time since he left the west London club in a £6million move across the capital this summer. Martin Jol left Dempsey out of Fulham's squad for their pre-season training camp in Switzerland after Liverpool had made an enquiry for the player, and the Cottagers boss then decided the Texan was not in the right frame of mind to play for the club once the season started.

Dempsey said: "If you always felt valued and appreciated enough, I don't think you'd ever leave, but it came to a point for me where I didn't feel valued and appreciated, not by the fans, but by other situations. That's just the way things went."

Despite the way his spell at Fulham ended, Dempsey still has fond memories of his time in SW6.

The American helped the Cottagers to their highest Barclays Premier League finish under Roy Hodgson in 2009 and then was part of the squad that reached the Europa League final the following season.

Dempsey hopes the fans will remember him for his exploits on the pitch, rather than the way he left the club, when he takes to the field on Saturday for Spurs.

"Any time I go back, there will always be good memories," the former New England Revolution player said.

"It's unfortunate how things happened in the end but you look forward to going back and how you're received, you're received.

"But no matter what, I'll always look back with good memories and be grateful for the club and the fans for the way they took care of me.

"The fans were great to me, the chairman was great to me and it got to the point where I wanted to keep going and try to further my career."

Source: PA