Newcastle travel to Craven Cottage on Saturday for the tenth meeting between the two sides in five years. So much for the doubters who said the Cottages wouldn't last five minutes in the Premiership.
GROUND
Away fans are housed to one side of the new Putney End Stand, on the river side of the ground. The stand will be shared with home supporters, with away fans getting 3,000 tickets. For cup ties another 500 can be made available in the Riverside Stand.
PUBS
Some of the pubs near the ground have been designated home fans only, so most away fans use the pubs south of the river (across Putney Bridge). The Dukes Head is recommended, which overlooks the Thames. Allow 20 minutes to get from that pub to the ground. The Crabtree on Rainville Road is closer. The Kings Head on Fulham High Street allows away fans.
GETTING THERE
At the end of the M1 turn right (west) onto the A406 (North Circular) and follow it towards Harrow for nearly 4.5 miles. Turn left (east) onto the A40 heading into London (passing close to Loftus Road and after a little over 4 miles turn right (west) onto the A402 for just about 350 yds. Here you turn left (south) along the A219 for a little over half a mile. This brings you into Hammersmith where you turn right onto the A315 and then after just 130 yds or so turn left (south) back onto the A219. Follow this road for a little over a mile and the ground is down the side street off to your right.
TEAM NEWS - FULHAM
New signing Antti Niemi goes straight into the Fulham squad to face Newcastle after joining from Southampton. Chris Coleman also has defenders Carlos Bocanegra and Moritz Volz back as well as strikers Brian McBride and Heidar Helguson, who all missed the 2-1 home FA Cup defeat to Leyton Orient. Steed Malbranque is back in training though he is rated 50-50 and is unlikely to feature from the start.
TEAM NEWS - NEWCASTLE UTD
Turkish international Emre will again be absent for Newcastle. Souness had hoped to have the former Inter Milan star back after a seven-game absence with a hamstring problem, but he is still a week away from a return.
Lee Bowyer is in the squad after completing a three-match ban, but Amady Faye is away on international duty and Michael Owen (foot), Scott Parker (knee), Kieron Dyer and Craig Moore (both hamstring), Shola Ameobi (hip) and Steven Taylor (shoulder) are all still out.
Fulham (from): Niemi, Warner, Drobny, Rosenior, Knight, Pearce, Jensen, Rehman, Goma, Bocanegra, Leacock, Volz, Elrich, Legwinski, Boa Morte, Elliott, Timlin, Milsom, Malbranque, John, Radzinski, Helguson, McBride.
Newcastle (from): Given, Harper, Caig, Carr, Ramage, Babayaro, Elliott, Boumsong, Bramble, Clark, Bowyer, Solano, N'Zogbia, Brittain, Shearer, Luque, Chopra.
PREMIERSHIP RECORD
2005/2006 Sat 10 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Fulham Premiership
2004/2005 Wed 04 May Fulham 1 - 3 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sun 07 Nov Newcastle Utd. 1 - 4 Fulham Premiership
2003/2004 Mon 19 Jan Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Fulham Premiership
Tue 21 Oct Fulham 2 - 3 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2002/2003 Sat 19 Apr Fulham 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 21 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Fulham Premiership
2001/2002 Mon 08 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Fulham Premiership
Sat 17 Nov Fulham 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership