Bumper attendances lift Fulham to record profits
REGULAR full houses at Craven Cottage last season helped Fulham achieve best ever revenues and a record net profit of £4.8m for the year ending 30 June.
Attendances rose 4.9 per cent, with the stadium on average 98 per cent full, as the west Londoners finished eighth in the Premier League.
Pre-tax profit was £5.4m, up from a £16.9m loss for the previous 12 months, fuelled by an all-time high revenue of £77.1m.
The boost could give manager Martin Jol greater spending power in the January transfer window. Chairman Mohamed Al Fayed said: “The club has made great strides in recent years, and this excellent set of financial results is just reward for our progress.” The club has confirmed plans to expand capacity from 25,700 to 30,000, which Al Fayed called “proof that my ambition for this club remains resolute”.
Other top-flight clubs to have announced their results for the last year include Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester City. Spurs grew revenue to £164m and made a pre-tax profit of £400,000; Arsenal’s corresponding figures were £256m and £15m, while City’s £153m revenue could not prevent a mammoth loss of £195m.