Fan's plan for Fulham Cottage return

Homeless Fulham expect to be briefed in the next week about a new plan enabling them to return to Craven Cottage for just £1m (€1.4m).

Mohamed Al Fayed’s club have nowhere to play for the season starting in August next year after a Premier League ruling extensive improvements would be needed to stay at QPR’s Loftus Road and the collapse of talks over groundsharing at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.

Al Fayed abandoned plans to return to Fulham’s home of 107 years when complicated redevelopment costs soared to £100m (€140m).

But fans from the ’Back to the Cottage’ campaign group have finalised a £1m (€1.4m) short-term scheme – and even produced a permanent plan for just £30m (€42m).

The cheaper idea involves seats bolted onto existing terraces and temporary stands, while the long-term plan is a stand-by-stand rebuilding project based on Chelsea’s Matthew Harding Stand.

Stadium expert Simon Inglis, author of ’Football Grounds of Britain’, has advised the supporters’ group and said: “In a crowded London market, it would be a wise business decision to offer something unique and outstanding – like a stadium both modern and historical in a beautiful riverside location.”

BTC will now meet Fulham chief executive Bruce Langham, deputy managing director Lee Hoos and finance director Andy Ambler to discuss the plans.

Fans’ spokesman Tom Greatrex told the Press Association: “The club want to sit down with us, which is positive news – and we should meet them either later this week or early next week.

“The short-term plan, which would only take six weeks of building time but longer to arrange contracts and get health and safety permission, would only cost £1m (€1.4m) and provide a capacity of 17,500.

“We have nowhere to play from August 2004 and there is no reason why it couldn’t be done by then.

“For the long-term scheme, building stand-by-stand, we’ve cut away two thirds of Fulham’s £100m (€140m) price by eliminating two costly factors – we won’t touch the listed buildings and won’t interfere with the river.

“It’s based on the Matthew Harding Stand, built in 1994, and with inflation added would cost £30m (€42m) and give a capacity of 24,500.

“If Fulham have the money, they could go for that idea now and apply for planning permission.

“We’ve shown it can be done so the next stage is to persuade the club it should be done.”

Both schemes would offer a capacity higher than Fulham’s average crowd at Loftus Road this season – just 16,707, the top flight’s lowest by 8,000.

BTC unveiled the details at a meeting at Hammersmith Town Hall last night, attended by 400 fans.

Greatrex added: “We went through our plans and everyone was very impressed as it gave them hope and optimism we can return to Craven Cottage.”