Editing Fulham F.C. (section)

===1970–1994: Mixed fortunes outside the top flight===
The aforementioned Third Division hiatus lasted only two seasons before the club was promoted back to the Second Division as runners-up in [[1970–71 in English football|1970–71]]. This spell also saw Fulham invited to the [[Anglo-Italian Cup]], which saw the club draw four out of four games in 1972–73 season. This preceded a period of high-profile signings for the club under [[Alec Stock]] in the mid-1970s, including [[Alan Mullery]] and [[Bobby Moore]]. Fulham reached their only FA Cup final to date in 1975, having won their first semi-final in five attempts. The club lost 2–0 to [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] in the [[1975 FA Cup final|final]] at Wembley Stadium. This gained the club qualification for another European tournament, the [[Anglo-Scottish Cup]], where they reached the final, losing to [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://fchd.info/cups/ascup1975-76.htm|title=1975-76 Anglo-Scottish Cup|publisher=Football Club History Database|accessdate=14 March 2024}}</ref>

[[George Best]] played 47 times for the club in the [[1976–77 in English football|1976–77 season]]. [[Rodney Marsh]], who having grown up with Fulham in the 1960s went on to play First Division football and play for England, rejoined the club in the same season, playing only 16 games. This capped one of the most successful eras in Fulham history.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

The club were relegated again after winning only 11 in 42 matches in the [[1979–80 in English football|1979–80 season]], which eventually resulted in [[Bobby Campbell (English footballer)|Bobby Campbell]]'s dismissal in October 1980, to be replaced by [[Malcolm Macdonald]]. With a strong squad during his 1980–1984 period in charge (with players such as [[Ray Houghton]], [[Tony Gale]], [[Paul Parker (footballer)|Paul Parker]], [[Gerry Peyton]] and [[Ray Lewington]]), they won promotion again in [[1981–82 in English football|1981–82]] back to the Second Division, although the promotion was overshadowed by the suicide of former defender [[Dave Clement]] a few weeks before promotion was sealed.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

In 1980, Fulham founded the rugby league club that is now [[London Broncos]] designed to be an extra stream of income for the football club, but which made financial losses every year while linked to Fulham F.C. Then called "Fulham Rugby League," they played at Craven Cottage until moving away from the parent club in 1984.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/november/07/throwback-thursday|title=Throwbak Thursday|website=Fulham F.C.}}</ref>

In 1978, Fulham had signed Gordon "Ivor" Davies who, during two spells at Fulham, became the club's leading goalscorer of all time with a total of 178 goals in all competitions; the record still stands. Fulham narrowly missed out on back-to-back promotions to the [[Football League First Division|First Division]], losing 1–0 to Derby County away on the last day of the [[1982–83 in English football|1982–83 season]] – although the match was abandoned after 88 minutes due to a [[pitch invasion]] and inexplicably never replayed or finished. The side which had shown so much promise was quickly sold off as the club were in debt, so it was little surprise when the club were relegated again to the Third Division in 1986. The club nearly went out of business in 1987 via an ill-advised merger attempt with [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]. It was only the intervention of ex-player [[Jimmy Hill]] that allowed the club to stay in business by formation of a new company, Fulham FC (1987) Ltd. In 1987, the club took part in what was then the longest penalty deciders ever recorded – it needed 28 spot kicks to sort out a winner between them and [[Aldershot F.C.|Aldershot]] following a [[EFL Trophy|Football League Trophy]] match. This record went on to be broken by Fulham when they played at championship side Preston in the carabao cup in 2024 taking 31 spot kicks to separate the two sides.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

In 1992, the foundation of the [[Premier League]], and the resignation of 22 clubs from The Football League, restored Fulham to that league's Second Division. However, the club were relegated to the new Third Division after a poor [[1993–94 in English football|1993–94 season]], following which [[Ian Branfoot]] was appointed as team manager.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}