Despite being officially relegated since April 2, Fulham fans have been enjoying the past month; the Cottagers have won three games on the trot, all without conceding a goal.
Scott Parker has instilled a newfound feeling of optimism in the squad. There seems to be goodwill around Craven Cottage that was absent just a couple of months ago under Claudio Ranieri.
And life just got a little better for Fulham supporters when club captain Tom Cairney signed a new contract that keeps him at the club until 2024.
HIs contract extension instantly boosts the club’s promotion hopes and is a strong statement of intent from the club’s ownership.
After relegation was confirmed, many expected that Fulham would face a fight to hold on to their best players this season.
Chief among these players was Cairney, the midfield pass master who is at the heart of everything the team does, facilitating the Whites’ flowing attacking play: when he plays well, Fulham excel.
And to tie down the 28-year-old’s future well before the end of the season suggests that the Cottagers will not settle for anything less than an immediate return to the top flight.
The early contract extension sends a message to other players who might be considering leaving, showing them that Fulham are committed to building as strong a squad as they can to achieve promotion from the Championship.
With Cairney at the helm for the foreseeable future, Fulham must fancy their chances of mounting a serious promotion challenge at the first time of asking.
