Hodgson - Best Year Yet

Last updated : 29 December 2008 By Sam
Hodgson has been in charge at Craven Cottage for a year now and having helped secure their Premier League status last season he has now taken the side into the top half of the table.

"It's been one of the best managerial years of my career, if not the best," Hodgson said after the local derby with Chelsea.

"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."