By Dave P
January 31 2006

We first Played Fulham in the League in December 1908 at Craven Cottage and won 3-2. There were 35,000 fans present to witness two goals from Billy Minter and one from Bob Steel. We first Played Fulham in the League in December 1908 at Craven Cottage and won 3-2. There were 35,000 fans present to witness two goals from Billy Minter and one from Bob Steel. Quite a sizeable crowd for 1908 but Fulham were then regarded as one of the biggest clubs in the Southern half of the country.

Our first ever game against Fulham was also at Craven Cottage in the Southern League on September 5th 1903. That was a 0-0 draw. SO we have been playing fulham overe a period of over 100 years and in all that time and in all competitions Fulham have only won 9 times in 70 matches.

At this time of transfer talk and on a day when a Spurs player may move from Spurs to Fulham a mention for a player who did just that in 1959 just before we went on to become Englands greatest club side.

Alf Stokes, a native of Hackney, was an inside forward who was at White Hart Lane when there were so many other talented inside forwards registered at Tottenham. However in his time here he did score 42 goals in 69 league and Cup games and gained England U23 recognition. He joined Spurs from Clapton in June 1951, turning professional in February 1953 and scoring on his debut against Bolton Wanderers at Burnden Park two months later. After leaving in 1959 for Fulham for £10,000 he continued to score regularly, 6 in 15 for Fulham, and then to Cambridge City, Watford, Nuneaton Borough and Guildford City until his retirement in 1963. After a spell as a chauffeur he emigrated to Australia.


Another ex Spur that moved to Fulham was 5’3 Left winger Terry Dyson. The man that scored the second goal in the 1961 Cup final against Leicester to clinch the Double. He unfortunately missed the 1962 Cup Final but he did score twice in the 5-1 Cup Winners Cup triumph over Atletico Madrid (Another team we seem to be linked with transfer wise at the moment). A Yorkshireman, he started his carrer with Scarbourough before joining Spurs as an amateur in December 1954, turning pro in April 1955. After scoring 55 goals in 209 League and Cup games he moved to Fulham in June 1965 for £5000. He later assisted Colchester United, Guildford City and Wealdstone before taking over as manager of Kingsbury Town, and then Wingate before becoming assistant manager at Dagenham. After retiring from football he became a PE teacher at Hapstead School before opening his own Sports shop.

Two players that moved from Spurs to Fulham. One because there were others ahead of him in the pecking order and one towards the end of his top flight career playing in a position where we could certainly use him today.

Lets not give Fulham only their tenth victory over us because of our moves in the transfer market please Spurs.