Fulham promotion puts end to 'three years of suffering', says Jokanovic

Slavisa Jokanovic was delighted to end three years of suffering and see his Fulham side earn a promotion to the Premier League he believes they thoroughly deserved.

The Cottagers, who had missed out on an unlikely automatic promotion with defeat at Birmingham on the final day and had suffered heartbreak in the play-offs last season, were pushed to the brink in earning a 1-0 win over Aston Villa secured for them by Tom Cairney’s first-half goal.

Fulham had already been coming under growing pressure from Aston Villa when, in the 70th minute, a rash, chest-high tackle from Denis Odoi on Jack Grealish saw them reduced to 10 men.

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A late storm of Villa pressure was weathered in the dying minutes as Fulham earned a promotion that few could argue their best performances in the past two seasons have not merited.

“We didn’t just suffer in the second half, it’s about the last three years,” Jokanovic said. “It’s not easy coming to this place, trying to play with the style we have followed for the last few years.

“We have shown with this style we are one of the best Championship teams. And, at the end, we can be solid, organised, and fight together for a clean sheet.

“This is a really important victory for us. We deserve it.”

Jokanovic missed out on the chance to manage in the Premier League when he took Watford up through the play-offs three years ago but, assuming he is not lured elsewhere, he will have the opportunity to prove his worth against England’s top managers in the coming months.

When Jokanovic was appointed Fulham boss in December 2015 the Cottagers were 18th in the Championship and battling against relegation. In the two-and-a-half years since the Serb has built a youthful, attacking side whose football is the envy of the Championship.

“I must be satisfied, this is our project, Fulham is my club, my staff, and it’s our way of trying to get promoted,” Jokanovic told Standard Sport.

“In the first year it was about not getting relegated, in the second year we built the team, we didn’t get the opportunity to play here at Wembley, but this year we improved a bit more and it was important to come back from the start of the season, which we didn’t start well.

“We had a great January transfer window, we brought in two or three really important players.”

It was ultimately club captain Cairney who won the game for Fulham, slotting home after a superb through ball by Ryan Sessegnon.

"The last two years he has been fantastic," Jokanovic said of Cairney. "He was crucial today and is the captain of the team.

“He showed the quality and personality to help bring the team into the Premier League. He's important for us and he will be there."