Khan: I´ll listen to Fulham fans

New Fulham owner Shahid Khan has promised not to make any knee-jerk decisions after taking the
00001E37
helm at the Premier League side.

The west London club are looking forward to a new era after Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed sold the club to Khan for a reported £150-200 million.

The Egyptian 84-year-old has been the main man at Craven Cottage for 16 years, in which Fulham have become an established Premier League outfit.

Al Fayed took the club from England’s third tier to within a whisker of winning the Europa League but believes he has found the perfect heir in the form of the owner of NFL franchise the Jacksonville Jaguars.

And Khan said he did not want to immediately alter the foundations laid by Al Fayed since 1997.

“I really don’t have any plans, I want to listen to the fans,” Khan said.

“I have been here 18 hours as the owner and it’s not something you want to do… a knee-jerk reaction. So eventually you have to (do) the right thing.

“Our goal is obviously to elevate the club, but do it on a sustainable level.

“I think it is very, very important to invest in Craven Cottage, to have youth development, in community affairs and support the business plan the football team has.

“There is already a plan in place right now to expand the river side stand so our goal would be to really implement that and to increase the capacity.”

Outgoing chairman Al Fayed said he was looking to spend more time with family, after his long stint controlling affairs at Fulham.

“I have four grandchildren and I just love to spend time with them. It is a hard decision but to find the right person who really can take over and look after the club and believe in the club,” Al Fayed said.

“I have found Mr Khan and I am sure he is a great guy and will follow my policy and he will look after the players, look after the fans, he is a great guy.

“He owned another football club in the US and he is a person that cares. I would never pass the club to someone, to just anybody.”

Al Fayed had faith Khan would not leave the fans in the lurch, and said if the supporters felt short changed, the Egyptian would make his successor know about it.

“Of course the fans having given me all their support over years, I would do anything for them,” he said.

“I feel sorry but I will be attending all the matches to see them, to scream to them as usual and I am sure Mr Khan will look after them and I will follow him up because if he doesn’t do it then he is in trouble with me.”