Just one season after being relegated from the Premier League, Fulham are once again back in the English top-flight, making it three promotions in five years for the Cottagers.
Led by record-breaking Championship goalscorer Aleksander Mitrovic, Marco Silva will be looking to end Fulham’s curse in the Premier League and keep the west London side up in the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Indeed, achieving that will take some doing, as there were similar hopes in the last Fulham squad that were promoted from the Championship. And with that in mind, who started for the Cottagers in their 2019/20 play-off final win against Brentford?
GK – Marek Rodak
Marek Rodak was a star for Fulham in the 19/20 season, with the Slovakian international a reliable keeper between the sticks for the west London side. And two years later in 2022, the 25-year-old has reprised his role with the club.
Whilst Rodak was relegated to second-choice last season in the Premier League for on-loan PSG keeper Alphonso Areola, the 11-cap international has this campaign reclaimed his number one spot for Fulham, with Silva likely to entrust the former Kosice academy star in the top-flight.
RB – Denis Odoi
Just like Rodak, Denis Odoi played a huge role for Fulham in their promotion-winning season in 19/20 before being immediately replaced the following summer and relegated to the bench, and whilst the right-back won his spot back earlier this campaign in the Championship, the Ghanian has since departed the club.
Signed by Club Brugge in the January transfer window, the 33-year-old defender has enjoyed regular playing time with the Belgian giants since the move earlier in the year, with Neco Williams filling in for Odoi in stunning fashion for Fulham.
CB – Michael Hector
Signed from Chelsea in January 2020, Michael Hector made an immediate impact on Fulham in the second half of the 19/20 campaign, yet since the Cottagers’ play-off win against Brentford, the Jamaican international has become a missing figure.
The centre-back had made just a handful of appearances for Fulham since that historic night at Wembley Stadium, and this summer could see Hector depart west London for good after losing his spot in defence to new arrivals at Craven Cottage.
CB – Tim Ream
A giant in the Championship, Tim Ream played a starring role both in Fulham’s promotion in 2020 and now in 2022, with the American international starting every league game for Silva’s side this season.
Although Ream was replaced in Fulham’s last Premier League campaign, the veteran defender did feature a decent amount for Scott Parker’s side, and the Missouri-born centre-back will be hopeful of retaining his starting spot next season.
LB – Joe Bryan
The star of the play-off final, Joe Bryan was the unexpected hero against Brentford with the Fulham left-back scoring a brace in extra time to send the west London side back to the Premier League, and the defender has remained with the club since.
Whilst the former Bristol City star hasn’t featured too much for Fulham this campaign, Bryan remains a firm fan favourite at Craven Cottage, yet the defender could depart the club this summer in search of regular football in the Championship or beyond.
CM – Harrison Reed
Fulham’s mass spending in recent years has resulted in more bad signings than good ones, yet Harrison Reed has arguably been one of the shrewdest deals the Premier League-bound side have made in recent memory.
An integral part of the central midfield, Reed was key to both Fulham’s play-off final win two years ago and their promotion charge this campaign, with the former Southampton midfielder more than capable of performing in the Premier League.
CM – Tom Cairney
The Fulham captain and a modern-day legend at Craven Cottage, Tom Cairney has been an incredible leader for the west London side in recent seasons and has remained a key player for the club over the past three seasons.
A star in the play-off final and impressing in patches this season, Cairney has been a staple for Fulham over the years and a major reason why the west London side continues to win promotion back up to the top-flight despite regular relegations.
RM – Neeskens Kebano
A player who took his time to really settle at Fulham, Neeskens Kebano has flourished this season into a fantastic wide-attacker for Silva, with the DR Congo international pushing his way into the play-off final XI despite hardly featuring that campaign.
Two years later, though, and the 30-year-old forward is heading into the Premier League on the back of his best season yet in England, and Kebano will be hoping to lead Fulham to safety in the top flight after failing to do so last time around.
CAM – Josh Onomah
Billed as one of the most exciting talents at Tottenham, Josh Onomah joining Fulham at the start of the 19/20 season was seen as a coup for the west London side, though fast-forward to now, and things haven’t gone to plan for the 24-year-old.
Onomah’s role under Silva has seen the former England youth international start just a handful of games for Fulham, and this summer could see the London-born midfielder depart Craven Cottage two years after starting the play-off final against Brentford.
LM – Bobby Decordova-Reid
Another player who has shone for Fulham this campaign ahead of their return to the Premier League, Bobby Decordova-Reid has long been one of the best finishers in the Championship in recent seasons.
Yet the 19/20 season saw the Jamaican international play more as a left-sided winger under Parker before establishing himself as the versatile forward that Decordova-Reid has been for Fulham this campaign, and to impressive results.
ST – Aboubakar Kamara
Just one of two players who started the final two years ago to no longer be at Fulham, Aboubakar Kamara had an interesting spell in England with the west London side despite his impressive qualities and goalscoring record.
With Mitrovic rewriting the history book this season, few fans will be missing the 27-year-old attacker, who currently plies his trade in Greece with Aris Saloniki, where Kamara is flourishing in the Greek Super League for the Thessaloniki-based club.
Fulham 2019/20 play-off final XI (4-2-3-1): Rodak; Odoi, Hector, Ream, Bryan; Reed, Cairney; Kebano, Onomah, Decordova-Reid; Kamara
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