Back in 1999, Fulham were flying high. Or as high as you can fly when you are in the third tier. Kevin Keegan was manager, international players such as Chris Coleman, Kit Symons and Philippe Albert had dropped down to play and they were pushing for promotion.
With eccentric Egyptian owner Mohamed Al-Fayed at the helm the club were on an upward trajectory and trying to stick to the five-year plan to reach the Premier League that he had set when he took control in 1997. And what was clear for fans, players and staff alike was to expect the unexpected when the colourful chairman was about.
And so to April 10, 1999 and Fulham were on course for promotion with a home game against play-off chasing Wigan Athletic.
Attendances were on the up and on this particular day,12,140 fans were at Craven Cottage for the game. Al Fayed would regularly do a lap of the pitch before the game and this time, those inside the ground early were treated to something a bit different – as he was joined by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
Jackson did a lap of the Craven Cottage turf while being protected from the sun by a Fulham umbrella and waving to the bemused fans.
As a teenager at the time and in the Hammersmith Terrace behind the goal, most fans didn’t actually believe it was him at first and a lookalike instead. But as he got closer it did appear that it really was him. I remember hearing cries of ‘he’s going to melt’ and then just like that the brief cameo was over and the football kicked off.
The game was hardly a Thriller but second-half goals from Albert and Symons gave Fulham a comfortable 2-0 win and their 13 consecutive home win.
As bizarre as Jackson’s pre-match stroll was, the unusual had become the usual at Fulham at that time and other celebrities would regularly attend games as guests of the flamboyant owner.
After the game Al Fayed took Jackson to meet the players in the changing room and had photos with the squad.
Striker Barry Hayles didn’t even realise that Jacko was at the game. Speaking after the win he said: “I didn’t find out he was here until we were warming down after the game. I shook his hand and posed for photos with him. He just said: ‘Good game lads.’”
In his autobiography, My Life in Football, Keegan said: “I was about to start my team talk when Mr Fayed marched into the dressing room with a big grin on his face, followed by a tall, rake-thin guy who looked a bit like Michael Jackson.
“He smiled shyly, then I heard him say ‘Hey’ and it dawned on me that, crikey, this was the real Michael Jackson. It was pointless trying to continue with my team-talk – the players weren’t listening to a word – so I walked the King of Pop through the corridors of the old Stevenage Road stand to make him a cup of tea in the players’ lounge.”
While captain Chris Coleman told FourFourTwo years later: “I remember looking at this fella who came into the dressing room and thinking he was the image of Michael Jackson, but then I thought there's no way that is Michael Jackson. But it was.
“I remember looking down and thinking “Jesus Christ his feet are massive.” We were all in our towels and Mohamed was making some comments that are not appropriate for print and then we all had our picture taken with him. It was bizarre but it was just a really happy time at the club.”
Fulham went on to win the league that season with 101 points and reached the Premier League two years later - a year ahead of schedule.
That was Jackson’s one and only visit to Craven Cottage - in person at least. In 2011 a plastic and resin statue was erected inside the ground after it was commissioned by Al Fayed following Jackson’s death.
The statue was due to be on display at Al Fayed’s Harrod’s department store in Knightsbridge but the Egyptian sold it before the statue was complete leaving Craven Cottage as the only public land that Al Fayed owned in London for the statue to be homed.
It lasted two years before it was removed and replaced by a far better statue of Fulham and England World Cup winner George Cohen.
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