Fulham's fairytale run in Europa League

While Fulham re-wrote their history by reaching their first European final, going down to Atletico Madrid in the Europa League showdown in Hamburg, Hull City were relegated to the Championship.

Fulham became the toast of English football last season after the country's heavyweights all faltered in the Champions League.

In the Premier League, Fulham had to settle for 12th place after a backlog of fixtures wreaked havoc with their domestic schedule.

In the bread-and-butter commitments, Fulham struggled badly on their travels, winning only their opening game at Portsmouth.

Nonetheless, the Cottagers, under the shrewd guidance of Roy Hodgson, retained their Premier League status for the ninth consecutive season.

A blow for Fulham last season were the niggling injuries to their top striker, Bobby Zamora. He missed a host of key matches.

Hull City started the new campaign in high spirits after they secured their top-flight status on the very last day of the previous season. But when the fixtures began to roll, it was a different story as Hull won only once in their first eight league matches.

Manager Phil Brown was sacked in March. The club appointed Iain Dowie as interim manager until the end of the season.

Fulham's run to the Europa League final generated a lot of interest. The Londoners' fearless approach was evident in the two matches against Juventus.

In the domestic cups, Fulham went down 1-3 to Tottenham in the FA Cup quarter-finals. In the League Cup, they found Manchester City a stumbling block at Eastlands, losing 3-1 in extra-time in round three.

Hull lasted until the third round in both competitions - they lost to Everton at home 0-4 in the League Cup and at Wigan 4-1 in the FA Cup.

League Prize Money
Fulham (12th) £7,200,000.
Hull (19th) £1,600,000.

Results

Fulham
August − Away vs Portsmouth 1-0 (Zamora).
Home vs Chelsea 0-2.
Away vs Aston Villa 0-2.
September − Home vs Everton 2-1 (Konchesky, Duff).
Away vs Wolves 1-2 (Murphy pen).
Home vs Arsenal 0-1.
October − Away vs West Ham 2-2 (Murphy pen, Gera).
Home vs Hull 2-0 (Zamora, Kamara).
Away vs Man. City 2-2 (Duff, Dempsey).
Home vs Liverpool 3-1 (Zamora, Nevland, Dempsey).
November − Away vs Wigan 1-1 (Dempsey pen).
Away vs Birmingham 0-1.
Home vs Blackburn 3-0 (Nevland, Dempsey 2).
Home vs Bolton 1-1 (Duff).
December − Home vs Sunderland 1-0 (Zamora).
Away vs Burnley 1-1 (Zamora).
Home vs Man. United 3-0 (Murphy, Zamora, Duff).
Home vs Tottenham 0-0.
Away vs Chelsea 1-2 (Gera).
January − Away vs Stoke 2-3 (Duff, Dempsey).
Away vs Blackburn 0-2.
Away vs Tottenham 0-2.
Home vs Aston Villa 0-2.
February − Home vs Portsmouth 1-0 (Greening).
Away vs Bolton 0-0.
Home vs Burnley 3-0 (Murphy, Elm, Zamora).
Home vs Birmingham 2-1 (Duff, Zamora).
Away vs Sunderland 0-0.
March − Away vs Man. United 0-3.
Home vs Man. City 1-2 (Murphy).
Away vs Hull 0-2.
April − Home vs Wigan 2-1 (Okaka, Hangeland).
Away vs Liverpool 0-0.
Home vs Wolves 0-0.
Away vs Everton 1-2 (Nevland).
Home vs West Ham 3-2 (Dempsey, Cole og, Okaka).
Home vs Stoke 0-1.
Away vs Arsenal 0-4.

Hull City
August − Away vs Chelsea 1-2 (Hunt).
Home vs Tottenham 1-5 (Hunt).
Home vs Bolton 1-0 (Ghilas).
Away vs Wolves 1-1 (Geovanni).
September − Away vs Sunderland 1-4 (Zayatte).
Home vs Birmingham 0-1.
Home vs Everton 0-4.
Away vs Liverpool 1-6 (Geovanni).
October − Home vs Wigan 2-1 (Vennegoor, Geovanni).
Away vs Fulham 0-2.
Home vs Portsmouth 0-0.
Away vs Burnley 0-2.
November − Home vs Stoke 2-1 (Olijinjana, Vennegoor).
Home vs West Ham 3-3 (Cole og, Zayatte, Bullard pen).
Home vs Everton 3-2 (Hunt, Dawson, Marney).
Away vs Man. City 1-1 (Bullard).
December − Away vs A. Villa 0-3.
Home vs Blackburn 0-0.
Away vs Arsenal 0-3.
Home vs Man. United 1-3 (Fagan).
Away vs Bolton 2-2 (Hunt 2).
January − Away vs Tottenham 0-0.
Away vs Man. United 0-4.
Home vs Wolves 2-2 (Vennegoor, Hunt pen).
Home vs Chelsea 1-1 (Monyokolo).
Home vs Man. City 2-1 (Altidore, Boateng).
Away vs Blackburn 0-1.
Away vs West Ham 0-3.
February − Away vs Everton 1-5 (Cairney).
Home vs Arsenal 1-2 (Bullard pen).
Away vs Portsmouth 2-3 (Folan 2).
Home vs Fulham 2-0 (Bullard pen, Fagan).
April − Away vs Stoke 0-2.
Home vs Burnley 1-4 (Kilbane).
Away vs Birmingham 0-0.
Home vs Aston Villa 0-2.
Home vs Sunderland 0-1.
May − Away vs Wigan 2-2 (Atkinson, Cullen).
Home vs Liverpool 0-0.