Scott: We’ve had to heal old wounds

SCOTT PARKER admits that he had to heal ‘gaping wounds’ at Fulham when he took over as manager – and insists his team must make sure those scars are not ripped open again tonight.

Fulham face bitter West London rivals Brentford in the Championship play-off final – with a £170million prize of Premier League football on offer.

And if the winners can stay in the top flight – which Fulham could not do the last time they were promoted in 2018 – it could be worth as much as £265m to either club.

Parker (above) had to pick up the pieces after that humiliating relegation a year ago and has revealed it was a mighty task.

The former Cottagers skipper was made caretaker manager in February last year and handed the job full time almost three months later on a two-year contract.

They crashed out of the top flight but Parker, 39, has now steered Fulham into the play-offs, missing out on automatic promotion by only two points.

He said: “There has been a massive change. When teams get relegated there are big wounds, gaping open.

“You find a team that is shot to pieces, used to losing matches. We were no different. The squad was fragile, the football club was fragile.

“We had to put an identity, a clear philosophy into the team, bring the club back together, create a culture that oozed success.

“It’s been a rocky road. You can’t just wave a magic wand and within two months then be fighting to win the league.”

After the restart, Fulham won five of their last seven matches and then overcame Cardiff in the semi-finals last week (inset) to earn this shot at an instant return to the top fight.

Parker said: “We are up against a very good team. We fully believe in what we are doing and where we are going to have to go to get a result.

“This game has been our focus the whole year. It has not just sprung up on us.

“Our aim has been to get promotion, either by being in the top two, or by going to Wembley.

“I see a group of players that have grown and developed and have earned the right to be at Wembley.”