The champagne bottles had barely been emptied before talk turned to next season. Fulham’s 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in Saturday’s Championship play-off final was a glorious day for the club and their supporters, who had to endure a 43-year wait between last weekend and their previous Wembley appearance. It is inevitable, though, that the focus has already shifted to whether the Cottagers are cut out for life in the Premier League.
In the vast majority of cases, promoted clubs are advised to make several upgrades as they seek to bridge the gap in quality between first and second tiers. Yet while it is true that Fulham need to strengthen in some areas, it is important that they do not lose sight of what got them to the top flight in the first place.
Last season was only the fourth time in the Premier League era that all three promoted sides –Huddersfield Town, Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion – stayed up. Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and Crystal Palace also kept their heads above water in 1997/98, as did Fulham, Bolton and Blackburn Rovers in 2001/02 and Queens Park Rangers, Swansea City and Norwich City in 2011/12.
Huddersfield, Newcastle and Brighton each went about their business in different ways last term, but all three clubs had one thing in common: none of them made wholesale changes in the preceding summer. Signings were sought in certain areas but managers David Wagner, Rafael Benitez and Chris Hughton were careful not to disrupt the harmony, spirit and togetherness which had played such a big part in each club’s rise. Benitez in particular would have hoped for greater backing in the transfer market, but Newcastle, Brighton and Huddersfield all succeeded because their collectives amounted to more than the sum of their parts.
It is a lesson Fulham should bear in mind this summer. Retaining Tom Cairney, Ryan Sessegnon and loanee Aleksandar Mitrovic will be among the first tasks awaiting manager Slavisa Jokanovic, who will no doubt seek to add greater depth at centre-back, in midfield and on the flanks.
The Cottagers could be in for a tough campaign if they begin 2018/19 with the same squad that won promotion, but recruitment should be targeted towards quality rather than quantity. As Huddersfield, Newcastle and Brighton proved last time out, continuity can be the key to securing safety.
