Fulham’s Ryan Fredericks sends fans message before playoffs; gives verdict on Cardiff promotion

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Fulham missed out on automatic promotion to Cardiff City and will face Derby County in the playoffs.

Fulham right-back Ryan Fredericks has taken to social media site Twitter to tell supporters that the club are more than ready for their playoff encounter with Derby County while offering his congratulations to Cardiff City.

He wrote: “Disappointing performance and result on Sunday and a shame for our amazing run to be stopped but we’re more than ready to put in three massive performances in the next few weeks to get this club promoted.”

“Also, fair play and congrats to Cardiff for getting the job done. Deserved it over the course of the season.”

Fulham saw their incredible 26-game unbeaten Championship run come to an end as they lost 3-1 to Birmingham City at St. Andrew’s on the final day of the season.

It was a game in which they had to better Cardiff’s result to claim that second automatic promotion spot, but defeat meant the Bluebirds’ 0-0 draw was largely irrelevant as they remained in second spot.

Fulham’s total of 88 points is one of the highest for a third-placed finish in Championship history and considering their form since the turn of the New Year, missing out on the last day must have been agony for the players.

But now they must pick themselves up as they face Derby County at Pride Park in the first-leg of the playoffs on Friday night, with the return fixture at Craven Cottage to be played the following Monday.

The Rams finished 13 points behind Fulham and didn’t seal their spot in the top six until the final game of the season, pipping Preston North End by two points as Gary Rowett’s men beat Barnsley 4-1.

Fulham have the edge in terms of results between the two this season, drawing 1-1 at Craven Cottage in the early stages of the campaign before picking up a 2-1 win at Pride Park in March.

Derby come into the playoffs having picked up seven points in their last three games of the campaign, including a 3-1 win over Cardiff City and a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa, therefore they are a dangerous proposition.

Yet bookmakers feel Fulham are the favourites to win the playoffs, with Oddschecker displaying odds of 7/4 for the Cottagers to reach the Premier League while Derby are outsiders with odds of 11/2.