Why Tim Ream is Fulham’s greatest American

“Tim Ream Again,
Tim Ream Again,
Team Ream Again, Olé, Olé!”

These lyrics echoed around the away end at Kenilworth Road during Fulham’s final match of the 2023/24 season, as tue Whites wrapped up the campaign with a 4-2 victory that would turn out to be the last time Tim Ream would wear the famous white shirt, adorned with the captain’s armband.

We knew there was a chance it could be his last outing for us, but with one year remaining on his contract, and Ream’s career under Silva maturing like a fine wine and Fulhamish Cheeseboard, hearing the news that his transfer to MLS outfit Charlotte FC was official left me with a heavy heart, but one that was full of pride for a player that represented everything we love about our club.

An unwavering commitment

In the modern day and age of professional football, it’s so rare to find players that commit the majority of their playing career to one club. It seems more and more like a romantic fantasy that players love the team as much as we do as fans, so when you find a character that does, it is truly a special feeling. Signing from Bolton in 2015, Ream committed nine years of his life to our beloved club, racking up an incredible 312 appearances.

His perseverance is one of the most admirable qualities he presented. Despite hurdle after hurdle in his near decade-long time in SW6, Tim always came out on top. He stayed with us through not just one Premier League relegation, but two. Even when he was written off by Slaviša Jokanović, he rose to the challenge to prove him wrong by cementing his place in the starting eleven and becoming undroppable. And again, even when a percentage of the fanbase doubted him when we returned to the Premier League on the third time of asking in his career, due to his age and prior top flight campaigns, he decided to excel under Marco Silva, starting 32 consecutive matches for us as we finished top half in the top flight – well and truly proving his critics wrong.

A born leader

On and off the field, Tim Ream was a model example of a true leader who embraced his role as a professional footballer. On the pitch he was calm and collected, yet unafraid to be vocal when he organised the team and structured the defence – not holding back in a tackle or shying away from a chance to get on the ball and progress the play in tight situations to ease the pressure off the team. This led to him naturally earning the captain’s armband not just for the mighty Whites, but also for an entire nation as he led the United States team out time and time again.

And perhaps even more remarkable was his qualities off the pitch. Part of the player leadership team setup by the club behind the scenes, Tim was an amazing role model for younger players coming through the ranks as well as experienced players newly joining the club, you only have to watch the team’s video testimonial to him to see how well thought of and respected he was by so many of his colleagues at Fulham. His compassionate on-field reaction towards Chris Basham’s harrowing injury at Craven Cottage against Sheffield United was a strong reflection of just how great his character is. The memory that perhaps sticks strongest in my mind however was back in 2021, when Tim made a surprise visit to lifelong Fulham Fan Rhys Porter. After suffering abuse online for having cerebral palsy, Ream tweeted messages of support for Rhys’ videos to stand up against bullying. When Fulham scored the equaliser away to Bristol City, all the players celebrated together with Rhys and that epitomises the qualities that we love about this club, with Ream being at the heart of that squad.

A superb player

On the way to the coach after our 2-1 defeat to City at the Etihad from a last-second Haaland penalty, Guardiola walks up to Ream and says, ‘If you were 24 instead of 34, you’d be playing for me’” “So Tim replied, ‘It’s too bad I’m not 34, I’m 35.” This exchange sums up just how respected a footballer Tim Ream is.

Ream’s progressive style became his trademark. Always comfortable receiving the ball in high-pressure situations, Tim’s marauding runs up the pitch and keen eye to find a pass at the end of it proved to be so crucial especially in the free-flowing style of football celebrated by Silva. When he was out of the team before Bassey cemented his place in the XI, it was noticeable that the fluency of football out from the back was missing something special. Whilst he wasn’t the paciest of players on the pitch towards the latter stages of his Fulham career, his positional awareness more than made up for it and his experience shone through particularly in his reading of the game.

In his time at Fulham, Ream earned three promotions to the Premier League, including a Championship title-winning campaign in which he started all 46 matches. Having been Bolton’s Player of the Season for two campaigns in a row before the club purchased him, he achieved his own Player of the Season award for Fulham in 2018, as well as making the PFA Championship Team of the Year in 2021/22. On international duty, he won two CONCACAF Nations Leagues including one in the most recent 2023/24 season.

Is he the greatest American Fulham player of all time?

This question really is a matter of personal opinion and what you value most when ranking your all time favourite players. It’s no secret that Fulhamerica has been in full flow for many years now with some of the nation’s greatest players gracing the pitch in black and white. The superb goalscorer Brian McBride had one of the best attacking headers in the game. Clint Dempsey was one of the most skillful and slick wingers who scored that iconic chip against Juventus. Carlos Bocanegra served the club at the back faithfully and we even had the likes of Marcus Hahnemann and Kasey Keller in between the sticks. Antonee Robinson now flies the American flag for the club and after his stunning displays last season, could well be the next to take the crown, but for me based on the above, Tim Ream has to go down as the greatest American Fulham player of all time.

Tim, on behalf of every Fulham fan – thank you.