Beyond the men’s team: the goings on around the rest of Fulham FC – December 2024

George Rossiter takes a look round the lesser-spoken aspects of Fulham Football Club. There’s updates on the academy and women teams, player of the month awards and a look ahead to what’s to come in January.

Under-21s

Hayden Mullins’ side only played three games in three different competitions across the month of December, but boy were they entertaining. The month started with a visit to Woking in the newly-formed National League Cup. Fulham came from 2-1 down in this one to win 3-2, with goals from Aaron Loupalo-Bi and the wonderfully in form Callum Osmand, recent winner of the November PL2 Player of the Month. The result took the u21s to five wins in a row, an impressive result over a senior side possessing the likes of former Brentford and Ipswich midfielder Alan Judge.

Mullins’ young team made that six wins on the bounce a week later in an eight-goal thriller in the group phase of the Premier League International Cup, a competition involving a wide variety of youth sides across the continent. It was Hertha Berlin who visited Motspur Park, with the Germans heading home on the back of a 5-3 defeat. Despite Hertha taking an early lead through Ensar Aksakal, a midfielder who was playing top tier football in Turkey last season, Fulham responded emphatically to eventually take all three points. Lemar Gordon scored an impressive brace, but it was once again Callum Osmand stealing the headlines, with an incredible thirteen minute hat-trick either side of half time.

The third and final game of the month came in the PL2, with a routine 4-0 win over Derby County that took the Whites to within three points of Manchester City at the top of the table going into Christmas, with a game in hand on a City setup that have won this league three times in the previous four seasons. Aaron Loupalo-Bi added another goal to his tally for the season, as did Kristian Sekularac. The other two goals in the game came from, guess who? Callum Osmand of course, taking the 19-year old’s tally to seven goals for the month in just three appearances, quite incredible for both the Welshman himself and his teammates, who made it seven wins in a row in all competitions.

Under-18s

Fulham’s under-18s only played one game in December, on the first day of the month. In Round Four of the FA Youth Cup, Ali Melloul’s side came out comfortable victors away at Notts County, progressing with a 4-0 away win. The goals in this one came from Macaulay Zepa and a hat-trick from Tom Wingate, a young striker who the Whites poached from local rivals Brentford in the summer of 2023. In the fifth round on January 16^th, Fulham will travel to Exeter City, looking to reach the last 16 of the competition and match their efforts of last season, where they fell to Liverpool.

Women’s

Just like the under-21s, Fulham’s women side won all three of their fixtures in December. In between their two league fixtures in December, the ladies had a local derby away to Brentford Women in the FA Cup. The girls pulled off a big 2-1 win, with goals from Ellie Olds and Madi Parsonson, either side of a Brentford equaliser. That victory takes Steve Jaye’s side into the fourth round proper of the competition, where we will play London City Lionesses, a team three tiers above Fulham in the second tier. Fulham currently ply their trade in the fifth tier of the women’s pyramid, and are the lowest ranked side remaining of the 32 in the competition, a remarkable achievement.

In the league, of which Fulham compete in the London and South East Regional Women’s Division, Fulham sit third in the table, eight points behind Dorking and 10 behind Dartford. However, due to our cup commitments, we have five games in hand on the sides above us and are yet to lose in the league. December was seen out with a 2-1 comeback win over fifth placed Barking. Despite going behind in the first half, the ladies rallied in the second half to earn all three points, with goals from defender Megalie Mendes and midfielder Stella Gandee Morgan.

However, surely the most impressive win for the women this past month came before both the 2-1 wins over Brentford and Barking. On December 1^st, the girls must have had something special in their advent calendar chocolates, as they went away to Bexhill in the league and won an incredible 9-1. Megalie Mendes scored two from the back, which in most games would be the most impressive statistic of note. However, it was forward Georgia Heasman who took the headlines, scoring five on the day in an unbelievable individual performance.

Player of the Month Awards

Academy: Callum Osmand

This was quite an easy decision. With just one game played by the under-18s, this award had to be given to an under-21 player, and who else but the man who scored seven times in just three games. The highlight of Osmand’s month was undoubtedly the hat-trick against Hertha Berlin. Ultimately, though, December was simply a continuation of a true breakthrough season in the Fulham youth system for Osmand. His November PL2 Player of the Month Award was fully deserved and reflective of the waves he’s making in England’s primary youth league. He’s now up to 11 goal contributions in just nine PL2 games, also scoring in a 1-2 win away to EFL side Shrewsbury Town in the EFL Trophy, as well as two goals against Jong PSV to add to his Hertha Berlin exploits in the Premier League International Cup. Osmand hasn’t played international football since 2021 when he made the Wales under-17 setup, surely a return to the Wales setup is due once more on this form.

Women’s: Megalie Mendes

There was a temptation here to give Heasman the award purely because…how often does somebody score five times and get two assists in a game? (Answer: not very often). However, Mendes’ impressive form across the month has not gone unnoticed. The Portuguese defender was a key reason as to the women’s team superb form in December. Three wins yielded just three goals conceded, and Mendes was solid in making sure those two narrow wins against Barking and Brentford were seen out. It was her exploits at the other end of the pitch that stood out even more, though. Four goals and an assist in the month for a defender is an extraordinary effort and shows the talent possessed by Mendes, who is rated highly within our setup by her coaches, shown by her appointment as the team’s vice-captain.

Things to look out for in January

The transfer window opens in January, offering opportunities for players to come and go in the first team and for the academy players to find chances out on loan. On the pitch, our teams will be competing in a variety of competitions.

A huge month awaits for the women. Games against Denham United and Newhaven in the league await as the girls aim to keep the pressure on the teams at the top of the table. Actonians will come to Motspur Park in the Capital Cup as Fulham look to continue their superb cup form this year. Talking of which, the big event for any Fulham side this month is undoubtedly at the Cottage on the 12^th, as London City Lionesses visit in the Women’s FA Cup, in what will be a wonderful occasion.

For the under-21s, the hunt to chase down Manchester City at the top of the PL2 table will continue with four league fixtures in January. We will face the under-21 sides of Crystal Palace, Southampton and Aston Villa away from home, whilst Arsenal will visit Motspur Park. We will also continue our National League Cup campaign at the EBB Stadium, with a trip to Aldershot. The under-18s, like in December, have just one fixture, a home game against Southampton in the under-18 Premier League.