The top Premier League clubs often view the Europa League as the unwanted consolation prize for missing out on the Champions League – but in 2010 it was the holy grail for Fulham.
When Roy Hodgson replaced Lawrie Sanchez and became Fulham manager in December 2007, a European final was the last thing on his mind.
The Cottagers were in the Premier League relegation zone, two points away from safety, and they had only won two league games all season.
Many critics were surprised by Hodgson’s appointment and questioned whether or not he was the man to turn Fulham’s fortunes around. The veteran coach had enjoyed success across the continent, but he hadn’t worked in England since being sacked by Blackburn nine years earlier in 1998.
There was no immediate resurgence at Craven Cottage, but Hodgson eventually managed to steady the sinking ship, with survival confirmed on the final day of the 2007-08 season.
He then bolstered his squad with some astute signings, bringing in Mark Schwarzer, Zoltan Gera, Bobby Zamora and Brede Hangeland.
However, he couldn’t have predicted the sort of impact the new influx would make…
Journey into Europe
After their great escape in 2007-08, Fulham carried their momentum into the next season and achieved their highest ever Premier League finish of seventh, conceding just 34 goals in 39 games, securing qualification for the Europa League in the process.
Their first taste of European football under Hodgson came in Lithuania against FK Vetra in July. Fulham strolled to a 6-0 victory on aggregate before they dispatched Russian team FC Amkar Perm in the play-offs.
Today marks 10 years since our @EuropaLeague campaign kicked off with a 3-0 qualifying win over FK Vetra 🇱🇹
Little did we know the magnitude of the journey on which we were embarking… 🤯 pic.twitter.com/DZA4xuG82t
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) July 30, 2019
Some fans expected the group stage to be a bridge too far for the Cottagers, but after a draw…
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