Fulham Football Club stand alone as London's oldest professional football club, formed in 1879, and have called Craven Cottage home since 1896.
The West London club have won no major domestic honours throughout their 146-year history, aside from promotion medals and titles in the Second and Third Divisions. The club was seen as a yo-yo team between the Premier League and the Championship in recent years, but the work done by current manager Marco Silva has seen they become a mainstay in the league.
Despite this, Fulham has seen many talented players represent the iconic white shirt and black shorts over the years. In this article, we explore the 10 greatest players who have left a lasting mark on the club, based on multiple factors.
Ranking Factors:
Longevity
Loyalty
Standout moments
Accolades
Rank Player Years at Fulham Appearances
1. Johnny Haynes 1952-1970 658
2. Bobby Robson 1950-1956 and 1962-1967 370
3. George Cohen 1956-1969 459
4. Gordon Davies 1978-1984 and 1986-1991 450
5. Alan Mullery 1958-1964 and 1972-1976 412
6. Bobby Moore 1974-1977 150
7. Aleksandar Mitrovic 2018-2023 206
8. Clint Dempsey 2007-2012 232
9. Tom Cairney 2015-Active 346*
10. Chris Coleman 1997-2002 161
*Still playing - this number was correct at the time of writing but may now be out of date
10 Chris Coleman
Fulham appearances: 161
Chris Coleman gesticulating on the sidelines for Fulham
Chris Coleman's stint at Craven Cottage was marked by both his time as a player and as a manager, spanning from 1997 to 2007. The Welshman joined from Blackburn Rovers for a then-club transfer record of £2.1 million and captained the team to the First Division.
Coleman's playing career tragically ended after a leg break from a car crash in January 2001. He remained at the club for another 18 months, but never fully recovered from the extent of his injuries and announced his retirement.
His love for Fulham was evident after taking up a role on the team's coaching staff, before taking on the mantle of permanent manager after a caretaker spell. He became the youngest Premier League manager at the time and kept Fulham in the league for multiple seasons before his sacking.
9 Tom Cariney
Fulham appearances: 346*
Tom Cairney
The only Fulham player on this list still playing for the club is Tom Cariney, who has racked up an impressive 346 appearances (and counting) for the club since joining the team in 2015. He joined from Lancashire club Blackburn Rovers for a £3m transfer fee.
At the age of 34, Cairney remains a key figure in the dressing room and has captained the side since Scott Parker gave him the armband in the 2017-2018 season. His presence and influence on the pitch solidifies his status as a modern club icon due to his loyalty and leadership.
During his time at the club, he helped the Cottagers secure promotion to the Premier League on three separate occasions. He is now a key part of the club's continued success in the top division, even if his game-time has diminished.
8 Clint Dempsey
Fulham appearances: 232
Clint Dempsey
American forward Clint Dempsey was an influential player at Fulham when he joined the club in 2007 from Major League Soccer. Dempsey was a clinical forward who finished as the club's top scorer and Player of the Season winner in back-to-back seasons in 2011 and 2012.
Dempsey played a key role in Fulham's run to the 2009/10 Europa League final. He famously scored in the second leg of the last 16 clash against Juventus. His goal resulted in the team progressing through and, later in the tournament, becoming the first American to appear in a major European final.
His individual accolades extend further as he is the leading American goalscorer in Premier League history, hitting the net 57 times in 218 games. Goals weren't his only specialty, as the American produced 19 assists as well, and made important contributions to all-round play.
7 Aleksandar Mitrovic
Fulham appearances: 206
Aleksandar Mitrovic is seen as a modern-day hero in the eyes of the Fulham faithful, having become a permanent signing after an initial loan deal during the 2017/18 season.
Mitrovic spent five full seasons at the club from 2018-2023, spending time in the Championship and Premier League. Mitrovic racked up 111 goals in 206 games, placing him seventh in the club's all-time scoring charts.
His standout season in white arrived in the 2021/22 season, when he broke the record for scoring the most goals in the Championship in its 46-game format, scoring 43 for the season. This record will be tough to beat.
6 Bobby Moore
Fulham appearances: 150
Bobby Moore in action for Fulham
At number six on this list, we’ve chosen Bobby Moore. He spent three years at Fulham from 1974 to 1977 during the latter stages of his career, but remains one of England's most influential players of all time.
Moore joined Fulham for £25,000 from West Ham, where he had spent more than 15 years. His defensive ability was unquestioned, and he helped lead Fulham to their only FA Cup final appearance at Wembley in 1975, where they faced his former club.
Although the West London side lost 2-0 to the Hammers, Moore's greatness and his impact on the team in guiding Fulham to one of their two major final appearances in history is an impressive feat.
11 Greatest English Defenders in Football History [Ranked]
5 Alan Mullery
Fulham appearances: 412
Alan Mullery playing for Tottenham
Alan Mullery had two successful stints with Fulham, playing for the side across three different decades: the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Mullery was a key figure in the club's promotion to the First Division in 1959.
Mullery signed a professional contract with Fulham in December 1958, after impressing in their youth and reserve setup, but he had previously joined as part of the ground staff one year prior.
His longevity and technical ability in midfield stood out to many, and the chemistry between him and Moore in his second stint led to that FA Cup final appearance. Although he never won a trophy with Fulham, he achieved great success at Tottenham Hotspur, winning the FA Cup and League Cup double and UEFA Cup during his time there between his two Fulham stints.
4 Gordon Davies
Fulham appearances: 450
Gordon Davies played for Fulham in two stints from 1978 to 1984 and 1986 to 1991, with unsuccessful spells at local rivals Chelsea and Manchester City in between. His only piece of silverware came in 1982 when he contributed to Fulham's promotion to Division Two.
Davies displayed great affection for the club across both spells and enjoyed a prolific career west London team. He scored a total of 178 goals with Fulham in total, earning him the title of the club's all-time leading goalscorer.
It took time for Davies to settle into life at the club, as in his first two seasons he scored just 27 goals, but the next four seasons saw a superb burst in form where he accumulated 20 or more goals in each campaign.
3 George Cohen
Fulham appearances: 459
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George Cohen's story is nothing short of remarkable. He was first hired by the club not as a player, but as a member of the ground staff at the stadium. He earned his way through and made his debut at the age of 17 against Liverpool in 1957.
Cohen established himself as Fulham's main man at right-back, leading the Whites to two FA Cup semi-finals and promotion to the First Division, where they stayed put for nine seasons.
He was Fulham-born and bred, just over a mile away from Craven Cottage, and was a key part of England's 1966 World Cup-winning team. His career ended abruptly at 29 due to a knee injury which forced him to end his playing days, but he remained at Fulham coaching the under-23 and youth teams.
2 Bobby Robson
Fulham appearances: 370
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In the number two spot, Bobby Robson is selected as he spent the vast majority of his career in West London. Robson's two stints at Fulham took place from 1950 to 1956 and 1962 to 1967, spending 11 of his 17 playing years with the team.
Robson played 370 total matches for Fulham and played as a right-winger for the vast majority of his career. He scored 80 goals and provided 18 assists in that time. His transfer fee to West Bromwich Albion in 1956 was £25,000, a club record at the time.
Despite being a legend for the club as a player, he attempted to manage the side shortly after his second spell ended. It was an unsuccessful venture, as he was sacked after 10 months, but his greatness as a manager was proven during his time at several other clubs. He found the news of his dismissal from the headline "Robson sacked" on the Evening Standard front page, placed outside Putney train station.
10 Greatest British Man-Managers in Football History [Ranked]
1 Johnny Haynes
Fulham appearances: 650
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At number one, Fulham's greatest player of all time is Johnny Haynes. Haynes lived and breathed the club, spending eighteen years playing in SW6 from 1952 to 1970. He joined the club at the age of 15 as an amateur before making his first-team debut at 18 on Boxing Day in 1952.
Haynes played predominately as an inside forward, scoring 157 goals across 658 appearances. He stands alone as the leading all-time appearance maker for the club. In 1961, he became the first footballer from Britain to earn £100 per week playing football, following the removal of the £20 weekly wage cap.
He remained forever loyal to the club, even after back-to-back relegations. His legacy lives on following his passing in 2005, with the club thanking his contributions through the implementation of a statue at Craven Cottage and a stand named in his honour.
Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 26-02-25.