HISTORY SAYS FULHAM HAVE SCOTT HOPES OF SURVIVAL

SCOTT PARKER wants Fulham to draw inspiration from the club’s great escape in 2008.

With Roy Hodgson in charge, they defied the odds to stay up, a Danny Murphy header securing safety on the final day to finish the campaign with three straight wins.

Thirteen years on, their campaign is following a similar path ahead of tonight’s crucial clash with Sheffield United at Craven Cottage.

And Cottagers’ boss Parker believes survival stories from the past (above, Murphy celebrates staying in the top flight with Jimmy Bullard) can help fuel his side’s belief that they can still turn things around.

Addressing the 2008 fight against relegation and whether it could act as a spur, he said: “It definitely can. I have vague memories of it and Danny Murphy hitting a winner.

“Leicester as well, who were sitting on 19 points after 26 or 27 games and went on to stay in the league. There are always those stories.

“The main thing is I look at the team and think, ‘Can this team win football matches?’ I do, and that’s what gives me hope.

“It makes me realise that if we get on the right end of a couple of results, we could be full steam ahead. That’s the main driver.” Fulham have lost just one of their last six games - but have just one win to their name during that run. Parker (left) added: “We need to be comfortable to be in this position, six or seven points adrift. Because if you are comfortable with it, you can always move forward.

“That will get you to a point where all of a sudden the team’s above you are not comfortable. And it’s those swings that you find are the deciders in relegation battles.” Parker has criticised the surprise birthday party thrown for Fulham defender Terence Kongolo this week that broke Covid rules. He said: “It’s not acceptable to be honest with you - the people who planned it put him in a vulnerable position.”