Hughes looked set for an early departure, only for a first away win at Stoke to ignite a remarkable resurgence. The arrival of Steve Sidwell added bite to midfield, Clint Dempsey became Fulham's overall top scorer, and Zamora returned to his hustling, bustling best. To crown it all, Hughes transformed the Cottage into a fortress with his side suffering only one home League defeat this calendar year. The reward was a highly respectable eighth place in the table.
VERDICT
Good, but a lot was left out on the pitch, especially in the FA Cup. Wembley beckoned following the 4-0 thumping of Spurs but the subsequent home defeat by Bolton was a huge disappointment.
STAR MAN
Brede Hangeland, surely the Premier League's best header? Texan sharp-shooter Clint Dempsey?
No, the accolade goes to the club's always-adaptable, ever-dependable defender Chris Baird.
THE FUTURE
Mark Hughes has yet to bond with the Fulham faithful in the way that Roy Hodgson did. But the Cottage began to rock to that spectacular second half to the season and if Hughes can break into the top six and take the club to another Europa League final they'll be holding a whip-round to replace the statue of Michael Jackson with that of a real, believable Fulham legend. Unreasonable targets? Not if club owner Mohamed Fayed provides the funds for another striker, an understudy to ageing playmaker Danny Murphy, and a left back.
