The Great Adventure: Al-Fayed’s Rollercoaster Ride with Fulham FC is the fascinating tale of Mohamed Al-Fayed’s remarkable 16-year reign as the owner of Fulham.
The flamboyant Harrods owner bought the famous old London club in a £6.25 million deal in the summer of 1997, just after Fulham had been promoted from the Football League’s lowest rung. He promised to make the club a Premier League side within five years. He did it in four – and then took Fulham into the unexplored territory of European football.
Along the way there were ten managers, two promotions, numerous club record signings, rows with the FA, the Football League, the Premier League, the government – and his managers. There were plans to buy the Twin Towers of Wembley and there was the statue of Michael Jackson unveiled at Craven Cottage.
Author Tony Banks talks to the players, managers and staff who were there during the most remarkable period in the club’s history and uncovers their astonishing behind-the-scenes stories.
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"Banks, a brilliant sportswriter and a Fulham fan, is insightful and entertaining throughout, revealing what went on behind the scenes during this period... The Great Adventure: Al-Fayed’s Rollercoaster Ride with Fulham FC is a brilliant read, one I devoured in three days. Tony Banks’ meticulous research, along with the personal accounts of those who were there, make it a publication that all Fulham and most football enthusiasts will enjoy."
" - On Magazine
"Fleet Street veteran Tony Banks tells the story brilliantly." - Backpass Magazine
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"Tony Banks has sought to capture the spirit of Al-Fayed's heady 16-year reign. He has certainly achieved this... The narrative races along and packs in myriad fascinating details and quotes, plans that might have been, and players who might have signed."
" - When Saturday Comes
