Looking on at classic Archibald Leitch – Sitting on our hands in with the Fulham fans | OneFootball

I have had two articles published recently on The Mag, one about going to Fulham back in the day and then missing out thanks to dodgy post.

The other article published was about the industrial architect Archibald Leitch who switched his attentions from building factories to building football stadia.

Well today I found myself sitting opposite a classic Archibald Leitch structure. as I sat in the new Riverside stand at Craven Cottage.

And it just so happens I wrote an entire article about being in the wrong end at away games some time ago.

So here I am sat in the home end at Fulham and looking at the magnificent Archibald Leitch structure opposite me. Black and White mock Tudor pediment with the FFC badge in the middle.

I have also recently commented on the new stadia in north London and before taking my seat, watched on TV Arsenal beat Spurs at the impressive architecture that is the Emirates.

Our seats in the Riverside stand were directly behind the Newcastle dugout, the Riverside stand behind us, impressive cantilever structure that is unfinished but with amazing location right on the banks of the Thames. As the day proceeds my son gets a selfie with Jamal Lewis before kick off, who is sat on the bench in front of us and Joelinton smiles and gives us the thumbs up when we speak to him and tell him we are Newcastle.

What could go wrong?

Nothing, as a red card is shown after eight minutes. God how it hurts to be sat on your hands when your chest is about to burst. Fulham guys around us fume but me and my son just smile at each other. Could be a good afternoon.

And so it unfolds, Callum Wilson scores and we just sit there. VAR check but we still don’t celebrate. Miggy scores and our hands are up, everyone knows who we are.

The corner of the Putney end is blasting out celebratory noise and my son looks at me and the look on his face tells me that is where he would love to be. I agree with him, that’s where I would love to be. Part of the family, the noise, the humour, but he knows that today all the stops have been pulled out to get us in the ground and we are privileged.

Half time comes and I chat with the Fulham lads who know the game is finished, three nil down with ten men. The sun is shining as we get back in our seats for the second half.

I have always liked Fulham as a football venue and have a soft spot for the club, but sitting opposite the Archibald Leitch stand in a new state of the art concrete structure, sitting on my hands for the first ten minutes is a price worth paying.

Fulham 1 Newcastle 4 – Saturday 1 October 3pm

Goals:

Newcastle:

Wilson 11, Almiron 33, 57, Longstaff 43

Fulham:

Chalobah red card 8, De Cordova-Reid 88

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Fulham 31% (24%) Newcastle 69% (76%)

Total shots were Fulham 4 (0) Newcastle 19 (13)

Shots on target were Fulham 1 (0) Newcastle 10 (7)

Corners were Fulham 1 (0) Newcastle 8 (4)

Referee: Darren England

Attendance: 22,913 (2,300 Newcastle)

Pope, Trippier (Lewis 83), Schar (Lascelles 83), Botman, Burn (Targett 83), Longstaff, Bruno (Anderson 59), Willock, Murphy, Almiron, Wilson (Fraser 66)

Unused Subs:

Karius, Dummett, Joelinton, Wood

(Watch all four NUFC goals here – Fulham 1 Newcastle 4 match highlights -Watch HERE)

(Marco Silva embarrassingly blames match officials for hammering by Newcastle United – Read HERE)

HERE)