43 Fulham players who have scored just one goal
Written by Drew Heatley on 8th December 2021
Drew looks back at a select group of players who only notched once for the Whites.
A while ago I looked at players who only got the chance to play for Fulham once. But what about those who only got to tear away from the goal in celebration one time? Well, that list is slightly longer, so I’ve limited it to this century. And there are still 43 men – three of whom have the chance to add to their tally this season and beyond. Let’s take a look.
Eddie Lewis – v Derby County. 29 Nov 2000
American midfielder Lewis got his first and only Fulham goal during our record-breaking run to the Premier League, though his goal came in the League Cup – against the club he’d eventually leave the Whites for. He stroked home in between two Louis Saha goals as we upset Premier League Derby at a packed Craven Cottage.
Peter Moller – v QPR. 31 Jan 2001
Danish striker Moller joined the Whites on loan from Real Oviedo during the same season. His solitary goal came at Loftus Road of all places, as he sent us on our way to a 2-0 win against QPR. You can read more about that game here.
Martin Djetou – v Leeds United. 2 Dec 2002
Burley French defender Djetou’s goal is memorable for the fact it was a goal from a corner – which even 20 years ago we weren’t the best at! His header in the 10th minute was the only goal in a festive league win over Leeds, then managed by Terry Venables. Djetou made 51 appearances for the Whites across a two-year loan spell from Parma.
Embed from Getty ImagesJon Harley – v Aston Villa. 8 Feb 2003
Harley’s goal was a ‘were you there?’ moment. The left-back, signed from Chelsea on our arrival in the Premier League, whacked a 40-yarder that dipped, swazzed and soared for seemingly minutes, before beating Peter Enckelman in the Villa goal. It was the second of two first-half goals that secured a 2-1 victory.
Pierre Wome – v West Bromwich Albion. 19 Feb 2003
Barely 10 days later, Loftus Road witnessed another screamer from a Fulham full-back. Cameroonian left-back Wome scored a 30-yard free-kick against West Brom – the second strike of three we scored without reply in five devasting minutes on a freezing February night at Loftus Road. The 3-0 win moved us 12 points clear of the relegation zone in our second Premier League season.
Zesh Rehman – Lincoln City. 21 Sept 2005
Pakistani international defender Zesh is famous for being the first British Asian to play in the Premier League. His only Fulham goal is perhaps not as well known. He opened the scoring in a Carling Cup tie against League Two Lincoln City. Despite the first-half goal, the Imps gave us a hell of a game – with Brian McBride settling the 5-4 thriller in the final minutes of extra time.
Liam Rosenior – Lincoln City. 21 Sept 2005
Academy product and England international Rosenior got his only Fulham goal in the very same game. He put us 3-2 up just three minutes into extra time, before Tomasz Radzinski made it 4-2. Lincoln weren’t having any of it though, scoring twice to level the tie before McBride’s decisive goal.
Franck Queudrue – v Charlton Athletic. 27 Dec 2006
A lot of players on this list, though scoring just once, have made them count. Queudrue was no different, earning us a festive point against our London rivals in the final minute. His satisfying volley ended a tight contest in which we went ahead through McBride, only to find ourselves trailing thanks to goals from Darrens Ambrose and Bent.
Philippe Christanval – v West Ham. 13 Jan 2007
Christanval’s arrival at Fulham in 2005 was a bit of a coup. The French international centre-back counted Monaco, Barcelona, and Marseille as his former clubs. But he sadly endured an injury-hit three-year stay in SW6. Nevertheless, his only Fulham goal was an important one – a last-minute equaliser at Upton Park – a cool finish with his feet, no less – as Fulham left East London with a share of the spoils after a 3-3 ding-donger.
Embed from Getty ImagesWayne Routledge – v Leicester City. 17 Jan 2007
Wayne Routledge spent the 2006/07 season on loan at Craven Cottage as he struggled for playing time at Spurs. His only goal came in the final minute of an FA Cup third round tie against Leicester City – and it won us the game. It wasn’t a bad one either; his mazy run saw him pass three Foxes players, before slotting home to complete out comeback from 1-3 down to win 4-3.
Ian Pearce – v Portsmouth. 31 Mar 2007
Who can forget Pearce’s last-minute equaliser against Portsmouth? The double ‘ard centre-back, who also fancied himself as a striker, secured a point for us against our south coast visitors, despite playing on basically one leg, having been injured earlier on in the game. Manager Chris Coleman had used all three subs, and just as well, as Pearce’s deflected shot gave us a valuable point on our way to survival.
Hameur Bouazza – Manchester City. 22 Sep 2007
It wasn’t the best of times at Fulham for Algerian winger Bouazza, who was brought in by Lawrie Sanchez in the summer of ’07. It started brightly enough, though, with his first and only goal, a second-half free-kick, coming in an entertaining draw with Man City at Craven Cottage. He made way for Danny Murphy, who went on to grab the equaliser from the penalty spot.
David Elm – v Burnley. 9 Feb 2010
We were linked with David Elm’s in-demand younger brother, Rasmus, for what felt like an eternity during Roy Hodgson’s first few months as manager. But it was David who arrived, and though his time at the club was nothing to write home about, the striker did score in an impressive 3-0 win at Craven Cottage, as the White juggled the Premier League with our run to the Europa League final.
Gael Kakuta – v Sunderland. 30 Apr 2011
Perhaps best known for being the subject of a 2009 tapping up scandal between Man United and eventual suitors Chelsea, Kakuta was actually tipped for big things. He spent half a season on loan in 2010/11, scoring once, in a 3-0 win at the Stadium of Light. Poking home a ball from Bobby Zamora half an hour in, he prompted a rare win on the road as Mark Hughes’s side moved up to ninth in the table.
Matthew Briggs – v Crusaders. 14 Jul 2011
For the longest time, Briggs was the Premier League’s youngest-ever player at 16 years old in 2007. And it’s safe to say his career never reached the heights that he – or anyone else – might have thought. But he did net for us, four years after his debut, in a Europa League qualifier against Crusaders of Northern Ireland. His was the first in a 3-1 first leg away win. We’d eventually crash out in the group stages of that year’s tournament.
Embed from Getty ImagesOrlando Sa – v Norwich City. 31 Dec 2011
If you sign a Portuguese striker from Porto, you’d be forgiven for hoping – nay, expecting – a pretty tasty player to show up. Sadly, Orlando Sa never lived up to that billing, scoring just once in his one-season stay at the club. That goal came on just seven minutes into a New Year’s Eve game at Carrow Road, as he put us one up against Norwich. But a last-minute equaliser from Simeon Jackson ensured the spoils were shared.
Kerim Frei – v OB Odense. 14 Dec 2011
Young Swiss-Turkish starlet Frei seemed destined for big things – but they didn’t come at Craven Cottage. His one Fulham goal came on a devasting night, as we crashed out of the Europa League to Danish side Odense. A win would’ve seen us through to the knock-out stages, and that appeared nailed on as Frei added to Dempsey’s opener to put us two up on 31 minutes. But a stunning second-half comeback dumped us out.
Mahamadou Diarra – Bolton Wanderers. 7 Apr 2012
Diarra became a fan favourite following his arrival from Monaco in January 2012, and the former Real Madrid DM gave us a moment to cheer in 2012, as he steered in the third of an impressive 3-0 win at the Reebok Stadium. Injuries blighted the Malian’s time at the club, and he retired following our relegation from the Premier League in 2014.
Sascha Riether – v Sunderland. 2 Mar 2013
Right-back and German international Riether made quite the impression in his stay at the club. An impactful loan spell in 2012/13 prompted the club to sign him permanently. His only Fulham goal came during that loan, a goal away at Sunderland to put us 2-0 up. But we’d ultimately draw the game 2-2
Urby Emanuelson – v Swansea City. 19 May 2013
The 2012/13 season saw Dutch international winger Emanuelson start at the San Siro, and finish at Craven Cottage. He arrived on loan to reunite with former boss Martin Jol and scored in the game that ultimately saved his job – a 3-0 win at the Liberty Stadium. Hs 90th-minute effort followed goals from Kacaniklik and Berbatov.
Adel Taarabt – Burton Albion. 27 Aug 2013
Tricky Moroccan winger Taarabt is best known to us as QPR’s best player, who caught the bus home at half-time on the day we gubbed the Hoops 6-0. But we also know we signed him on loan during the 2013/14 season. For all his step-overs, he got just one goal, against League Two Burton Albion in the League Cup. Nice one, Adel.
Embed from Getty ImagesJohnny Heitinga – v Chelsea. 1 Mar 2014
The 2013/14 season was miserable. That’s no secret. A particularly miserable moment was a routine 3-1 drubbing at home by rivals Chelsea. Particularly in hindsight, with Andre Schurrle bagging a hat-trick. We got a consolation goal that day, from former Everton centre-back Johnny Heitinga, who slid in to finish a cut back from Darren Bent following a corner.
Lewis Holtby – v Cardiff City. 8 Mar 2014
Another week, another depressing game – and another player getting their only Fulham goal. This time we lost 3-1 away to relegation rivals Cardiff, plunging us deeper into the relegation mire. It was on-loan Spurs midfielder Lewis Holtby who notched that day, firing home from a corner.
Chris David – v Crystal Palace. 11 May 2014
Relegation confirmed, we drew 2-2 with Palace on a limp final day. Two promising youngsters scored that day: Cauley Woodrow and young Dutch midfielder Chris David. Woodrow would go on to score 12 goals in 61 games for the Whites, while David’s would prove to be his only strike. He returned to the Netherlands in 2015 to sign for the Go Ahead Eagles.
Sean Kavanagh – v Norwich City. 18 Oct 2014
Having joined the club’s academy aged 17, Kavanagh graduated to the first team in time for our maiden Championship campaign. He scored his only goal for the club in a 1-0 win over Norwich at the Cottage, helping his former academy boss Kit Symons continue his positive start as Fulham boss. Kavanagh would only make 21 appearances, before returning to Ireland, with Shamrock Rovers, in 2018.
Michael Turner – Middlesbrough. 27 Apr 2015
File Michael Turner under ‘players you completely forgot played for Fulham FC’. The defender arrived on loan in the wake of a 5-1 hammering by Bournemouth, with Symons keen to bring in reinforcements. He played nine times as we avoided relegation. His only goal came in a memorable 4-3 win at home to Middlesbrough. He headed in the opener to spark a topsy-turvy tie that was ultimately settled by Ross McCormack in the last minute.
Nikolay Bodurov – Derby County. 28 Feb 2015
Bulgarian CB Nikolay Bodurov was one of the first tranche of post-Premier League players to arrive at Craven Cottage in the wake of our relegation. All things considered, he was fairly capable, albeit in a side that struggled. His only Fulham goal was far from a classic centre-back effort; he guided it into the top corner with his right foot in a 2-0 win that opened up an eight-point cushion between us and the zone.
Embed from Getty ImagesSeko Fofana – Huddersfield Town. 21 Mar 2015
Currently flying high in Ligue 1 for Lens, Fofana spent the 2014/15 season on loan to us from Man City. The then-19-year-old played 25 times, scoring once, the second in a 2-0 win at Huddersfield. It came the sixth minute of injury time and finished a quick break to give the Whites all three points.
Luke Garbutt – Bolton Wanderers. 19 Dec 2015
Young? Check. Left-sided? Premier League pedigree? Check. Luke Garbutt came highly rated from Everton on loan in 2015. He didn’t really do enough to justify it. He did, however, score a low 20-yard strike against Bolton at the Cottage to put us 1-0 up during our managerless period post Symons. We still had to rely on a late McCormack goal to save a point, mind.
Embed from Getty ImagesRohan Ince – Birmingham City. 19 Mar 2016
Ince is part of the Michael Turner school of surprising Fulham players. His inauspicious three-month loan spell came during the latter part of the equally gloomy 2015/16 season. So, it’s fitting that his one and only goal in a Fulham shirt came in a run-of-the-mill 1-1 draw at St. Andrew’s.
Emerson Hyndman – Cardiff City. 9 Apr 2016
Everyone was hoping for big things from this young American. Though they didn’t come in the white shirt of Fulham, Hyndman’s still just 25, and could still light up MLS for Atlanta United. It was a pretty big deal at the time, though, when he poked in a 93rd-minute winner against Cardiff at the Cottage, moving us 10 points clear of the Championship relegation zone.
Jamie O’Hara – Sheffield Wednesday. 19 Sep 2015
Things started brightly for O’Hara at Fulham. He signed on a one-year deal, and proceeded to impress, gaining a handful of man-of-the-match awards in his first few games. That was about as good as it got – though he did bag a goal, a long-range effort that ultimately proved fruitless, as we fell meekly to Sheffield Wednesday.
Michael Madl – Charlton Athletic. 9 Feb 2016
Austrian defender Madl initially joined on loan from Sturm Graz in January 2016. His move was made permanent that summer, thanks to his solid displays. A goal in only his third appearance probably didn’t hurt his case – though it’d be his only one for the club. We won 3-0 – all from corners. Madl headed home the second, sandwiched between two Tom Cairney efforts.
Embed from Getty ImagesDennis Adeniran – v Leyton Orient. 9 Aug 2016
So many promising academy graduates, so much wasted potential. Adeniran made his first team debut in the Carabao Cup, in a side featuring a 16-year-old Ryan Sessegnon for the first time. But it was Dennis who got on the scoresheet, putting us on up on the night. We went on to win 3-2. He was snapped up by Everton year later, but never made an appearance for the Toffees, and now plays for Sheffield Wednesday in League One. Though at 22, there’s a long way ahead.
Ragnar Sigurdsson – v Ipswich Town. 26 Dec 2016
We famously signed Icelandic centre-back Sigurdsson off the back of an impressive Euro 2016 campaign, in which the plucky country knocked out footballing behemoths England. But he couldn’t quite replicate such performances for us. He did score a wonderful centre-back’s goal, however, against Ipswich on Boxing day, heading home a Stefan Johansen corner as we finally started pushing at the right end of the Championship table.
Cyriac – Blackburn Rovers. 14 Mar 2017
Ah, Cyriac. Our number nine – for a brief time, at least. He arrived on loan in January 2017; an era where every unknown signing was laced with hope and optimism. We were looking to secure a play-off spot. Would his goals get us there? Nope. He got one in nine appearances. His strike against Blackburn looked to have got us all three points with five minutes left, but a last-minute equaliser meant we went home with just the one.
Embed from Getty ImagesTomas Kalas – v Huddersfield Town. 29 Oct 2017
Hands up if you bloody loved Tomas Kalas. His time at the club is one we all enjoyed – particularly as we steamed towards the Championship play-offs with 23 unbeaten league games. His one and only goal came before that magical run, but it was still a thumping. He scored the second in a 5-0 demolition of Huddersfield Town at the Cottage; a strike from a Malone cut-back. Amazingly, it was only our second win in 10 games at that point. But all that’d change, with Kalas at the back.
Matty Targett – v Bolton Wanderers. 10 Feb 2018
Another fan favourite, full-back Targett’s only Fulham goal certainly did come during our 23-game run. He put us ahead at Bolton, only for us to be pegged back in the second half. But Targett’s impact on that side was never about scoring; his arrival allowed Ryan Sessegnon to flourish in an attacking sense, helping him reach his full potential at the club. We’re all still rueing the fact we didn’t pay Southampton what they wanted for his signature.
Jean Michael Seri – Burnley. 26 August 2018
Seri is, of course, enjoying a resurgence in Marco Silva’s Fulham side this term, and he’s had a fair few chances to add to his single goal to date. But he’s yet to do it – so sadly here he is! We all remember this one; a 30-yarrd screamer against Burnley at home, at the only point during our Premier League return where we all thought mid-table mediocracy was our destination. Sadly, it was relegation. But Seri is now doing his best to make sure we come back.
Embed from Getty ImagesLuca de la Torre – Millwall. 25 Sep 2018
Luca was another highly rated American youngster who came through our academy. But we left many fans scratching their heads by not promoting him to the first team – or even loaning him out. Instead, his Fulham career consisted almost entirely of U23 outings. He scored his only goal in a rare first-team appearance, against Millwall in the League Cup.
Luciano Vietto – Brighton & Hove Albion. 29 Jan 2019
Argentinian forward Vietto arrived on loan from Atletico Madrid to help us in our task to stay in the Premier League upon our return in 2018. All the ingredients were there, but the recipe didn’t quite work. He scored just once for us; the final goal in a 4-2 comeback victory against Brighton, as it looks – briefly – like Claudio Ranieri might have the minerals to keep us up. He didn’t, and Vietto promptly left.
Embed from Getty ImagesJay Stansfield – Birmingham City. 24 Aug 2021
It’s safe to say big things are expected of Stansfield in a Fulham shirt. The 19-year-old has made fleeting first team appearances in the last 18 months, and he recently bagged his first senior goal. It came at St Andrew’s against Birmingham in the League Cup – and it was a well-taken effort that rifled into the top corner. Currently sidelined with an injury, it won’t be long until Stansfield’s back and adding to his tally.
Tosin Adarabioyo – AFC Bournemouth. 3 Dec 2021
Ah yes, the goal that prompted this piece. Tosin opened his Fulham account last week – and what a crucial goal it was. His equaliser against Parker’s Bournemouth kept us top of the table as we continue our quest for an immediate Premier League return. We all hope he sticks around long enough to stick in one or two more.
