Al Fayed's plea to stay-away fans

Last updated : 14 October 2002 By FulhamMAD

Fulham are currently sharing grounds with Second Division QPR and Loftus Road was only half-full for the UEFA Cup first round, second leg clash with Hajduk Split on October 3rd.

Al Fayed said: "Your club needs your support through the turnstiles, the players need your support from the stands and I need your encouragement to continue the work I have begun to make Fulham a great force in European football.

I am making a special personal appeal direct to all those Fulham supporters who are staying away from Loftus Road this season.

Where are you?

"I have already poured almost £100million of my own money into the club, and the costs keep rising. I have subsidised away travel for fans and, until this season, kept ticket prices deliberately low at considerable cost to myself.

"I did all this to make your dream of Premiership football come true. Now the dream is realised, it's your turn to give back a little. Home gates have been disappointingly small, with no immediate signs of improvement.

"The turnout for the Hajduk Split game, our first home match in a major European competition, was especially disappointing. There are thousands of you simply not turning up and we need your support at this difficult time of transition for the club.

Fulham are temporarily lodging at Loftus Road base while a nine-strong group of local residents fight a two-pronged, £100,000-plus legal battle to prevent Craven Cottage's proposed £70 million redevelopment into a 28,000
all-seater stadium.

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