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| Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed in happier times |
Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed has angrily refuted newspaper reports that the club have sold their Craven Cottage home.
An article in the Evening Standard claimed the site of the stadium has been sold to a finance and development company, Fulham River Projects Limited.
But Al Fayed has angrily denied any such deal is in place, saying: "I want to make it perfectly clear that Fulham Football Club have not, I repeat, not sold Craven Cottage."
"The ground still belongs to us and will remain so.
"It is still my ambition for Fulham Football Club to have a stadium that everyone, especially the fans, would be proud of.
"We are still exploring a number of options including looking at the possibility of re-developing Craven Cottage in a simpler more affordable way which would not threaten our financial survival.
"If that should prove impossible we are also looking at other possibilities which might allow us to build the stadium I and all the fans want within the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
"Those precautions include working in partnership with various development and finance companies. To that end we have raised £15million to help with operating expenses of the club and to take the stadium project forward.
"As part of the package of sensible precautionary measures we have put in place we have set up a structure which would make it possible for us to sell Craven Cottage if as a last resort we are forced to do so.
"I am disappointed that some Fulham fans have so unquestioningly believed this morning's press reports.
"I am deeply hurt by the abuse I have received from so-called supporters who seem so quickly to have forgotten the personal sacrifices I have made for this club and the amount of my own money I have spent to achieve success for Fulham.
"These people don't appreciate what I have done to rescue their club and bring it to the Premiership in such a short space of time.
"I had hoped for a little more gratitude and understanding but I am sure that I can count on the ongoing support of the genuine Fulham fans."