Even for a man who made billions absorbing shock in the bumper business, Fulham has proved quite a ride for Shahid Khan.
His is an incredible rollercoaster of three relegations and three promotions under eight managers in nine years. ‘The highs and the lows are much more extreme than I would have thought,’ Khan smiles wryly from behind his trademark moustache.
‘The agony of relegation and the ecstasy of promotion. To me, you take life as it comes. Wishing and dreaming is good but reality and coping with it is more important. That’s what I’ve done all my life.’
Shahid Khan is confident his side can remain in the Premier League at the third opportunity
Back in the top flight for his 10th season, there is a quiet confidence inside the camp that this time around, after winning the Championship in a blaze of 106 goals, Fulham have what it takes to avoid the dreaded slide straight back from whence they came.
Manager Marco Silva appears to have evolved beyond the restlessness that defined his tenures at Watford and Everton, while Khan’s son Tony is maturing into his role at the head of the recruitment division.
‘I feel very optimistic about the season,’ agrees 72-year-old Khan Snr. ‘We have a stronger team and a manager who has coached Premier League teams. I really like Marco, he’s shown leadership.
‘We look for leadership. We look for stability. He’s done everything and more for the club and I couldn’t be more proud of him.
‘When I was in London, I talked to a few of the players one-on-one to get their sense, and it’s reassuring to me that they’re very optimistic. Our ambition is that we want to stay up.
‘Let’s be honest, that should be the goal. We’re a small club but we’re an ambitious club.’
Nothing typifies Khan’s ambition quite like Fulham’s new Riverside Stand, a triumph of design, extending the capacity of Craven Cottage by stepping out into the River Thames and enhancing the personality of one of English football’s most charming venues.
‘Fulham is blessed with great geography,’ said Khan, a Pakistani-American who made his fortune manufacturing bumpers for the US motor industry and bought the west London club from Mohamed Al Fayed in 2013.
‘It’s always what attracted me — and to see the Riverside Stand development is really thrilling. We are making an impact for a long time on the riverscape of London, and all the amenities will serve the community and give people an experience in…