Danny Murphy's late strike keeps Fulham up
Published 00:00 12/05/08 By By Neil McLeman
Danny Murphy hailed "a team of heroes" after his late goal saved Fulham from relegation from the Premier League.
Six points adrift with only five games to go, the England midfielder's header sealed the Cottagers' fourth win in an incredible month to ensure an eighth consecutive season in the top flight.
Roy Hodgson's side had seemed dead and buried so many times this season, especially when trailing 2-0 at half - time at Manchester City before storming back to win.
But their refusal to accept their fate was shown again at FA Cup finalists Portsmouth.
With Reading winning at Derby, Fulham were heading back in the Championship until Murphy glanced home Jimmy Bullard's 77th-minute free kick on a day of frayed nerves.
The win sparked wild post-match celebrations led by chairman Mohamed Al Fayed who had promised his men champagne and viagra if they stayed up and they will have been flowing in SW6 last night.
A jubilant Murphy said: "I am just coming down now. We always had belief but everyone thought we had left it too late.
"It is magnificent to win four of the last five - it is unheard of when you are in the bottom three."
The former Liverpool midfielder gained a reputation for scoring important goals at Anfield, especially against old rivals Manchester United.
But with Premier League survival worth at least £30million, he has never scored a more valuable one.
"It is up there - it has got to be one of the most important goals I have ever scored," he continued. "Obviously a lot of Liverpool fans remember me for the Man United goals. But that in terms of importance will never be forgotten by Fulham fans or myself.
"Of course it is nice I get the credit but the team has been full of heroes for the last few weeks so credit to everyone.
"We play the right way even though we have been in the bottom three. We try to pass the ball about.
"Okay, we get caught in possession sometimes when you are trying to play but that is the way manager wants to play and he deserves credit for that.
"He has given us the belief to keep playing despite the position we have been in.
"Even when were 2-0 down at halftime at Manchester City the other week, he said 'keep going, keep believing and keep passing it'."
