Seven players who joined Fulham for a second spell

In his debut article, Milo Hodgkiss recounts the players who couldn’t resist donning the white shirt one more time.

This summer, Joachim Andersen and Ryan Sessegnon joined an illustrious list of Fulham players to have returned for a second stint in black and white. In this article, I take a look at some of the others who just couldn’t stay away…

Chris Baird (2007 – 2013; 2016)

A versatile fan favourite whose outrageous brace against Stoke City will forever be etched into Fulham folklore, ‘Bairdinho’ was signed by Lawrie Sanchez in July 2007. After a fairly unremarkable first two seasons, Baird became a key member of the 2009/10 squad, playing 52 times, including starting in the Europa League final. He left in 2013 having played 127 times across what felt like every position on the pitch. His return to Fulham was as beautifully understated as the man himself; a low-key loan from Derby County for the second half of the 2015/16 season.

Clint Dempsey (2007 – 2012; 2014)

A true Barclaysman, Deuce is our record Premier League goalscorer, but his goals were as iconic as they were numerous: the winner against Liverpool which secured survival in 2007; his brace in the 2-2 draw against Chelsea; that chip against Juventus…

Dempsey was Fulham’s top scorer in four of his five full league seasons with the club. Like all good Fulham players, he was sold to Spurs, but he returned to the Cottage on a largely forgettable two-month loan from Seattle in 2014, making seven appearances.

Andy Cole (1991; 2004 – 2005)

The only one on this list whose second spell was longer than his first. Cole scored three goals during a brief loan from Arsenal in 1991, before returning over a decade later having won the lot at Manchester United. He spent one excellent season at the Cottage, ending as our top scorer with 12 Premier League goals.

Ray Lewington (1980 – 1985; 1986 – 1990)

The term “Mr Fulham” springs to mind. Ray has held almost every role imaginable at the club: he made 170 appearances in his first playing spell, before returning as player-manager in 1986 aged just 29. Between 2007 and 2012 he was caretaker Manager (twice), youth coach, first team coach, and – most memorably – Roy’s right-hand-man for three glorious years.

Rodney Marsh (1963 – 1966; 1976 – 1977)

A mercurial and skilful centre-forward, Marsh’s career could have been cruelly cut short by a nasty collision against Leicester City in 1963, which left him with a broken skull and permanent loss of hearing in his left ear. Remarkably, less than a year later Marsh returned to first-team action and formed a stellar partnership with one Jonny Haynes, netting 17 goals in the 1964-65 season. In 1976, more than a decade after he had left for QPR (a disappointingly common move in more recent times), Marsh joined on loan from the Tampa Bay Rowdies, this time for a knees-up with George Best.

Alan Mullery (1958 – 1964; 1972 – 1976)

Mullery made his Fulham debut as a youngster in 1958 and went on to make more than 350 appearances across two equally successful spells, rudely interrupted by winning a few trophies at Spurs. He was part of the 1975 team who reached our only FA Cup final to date, and also made 35 England appearances, including playing every game of the 1970 World Cup, and becoming the first England player ever to be sent off in an international match at Euro 1968.

Sir Bobby Robson (1950 – 1956; 1962 – 1967)

Although more famous for his managerial career and later his work outside football, Sir Bobby had a lengthy playing career, and represented Fulham nearly 350 times. In 1950, then Fulham manager Bill Dodgin made a personal visit to a 17-year-old Robson at his family home in County Durham to convince him to sign for the club. On the orders of his Father, Sir Bobby kept up his work as an electrician alongside his Fulham contract. Bobby would later describe Fulham as “a nice club, a social club… but never a serious, championship-challenging club”.

How will Joa and Sess fare?

So, our most recent returners are clearly in some esteemed company here. Judging from the first few games of the season, Andersen’s second spell will be even better (and hopefully much longer) than his first. His reading of the game and raking cross-field passes are in full flow, and he has already formed a formidable partnership with Calvin Bassey.

As for Sess, he will go some way to match what he achieved prior to his big-money move to Spurs, and injuries have clearly hampered his development. But we all know what he’s capable of, and even if his on-field contributions remain limited, having one of our own back at the Cottage just feels good.