McBride's Final Fulham Goal

On This Day in 2008, Fulham's Talisman Scored His Last Goal in the Premier League, Helped Secure Safety

The spring of 2008 had brought a mixture of hope and desperation to Craven Cottage. For Brian McBride, Fulham's American captain, it represented both a comeback and a farewell. After dislocating his left kneecap while scoring against Middlesbrough on August 18, the veteran striker had endured five months on the sidelines during a season where his leadership was sorely missed. When he finally returned as a 70th-minute substitute against Aston Villa on February 3, it coincided with Roy Hodgson's first victory as Fulham manager—a vital 2-1 comeback win that ended a miserable 12-match winless streak.

McBride's return couldn't have been more timely. The Cottagers were mired in the relegation zone, where they had languished since mid-December. At 35, the American had become Fulham's talisman—a player whose work rate and aerial prowess had made him a Craven Cottage cult hero. His impact was immediately felt upon his return, scoring a crucial header against his former U.S. teammate Tim Howard in a 1-0 victory over Everton on March 16. "He gives us shape... His work rate is crucial for us," Hodgson noted after McBride netted his third goal of the season in Fulham's first away win since September 2006—a 2-0 triumph at Reading on April 12.

As May began, Fulham's situation remained precarious. Though they had shown remarkable resilience, including an extraordinary 3-2 comeback victory at Manchester City, they stayed in the relegation zone as Birmingham City visited Craven Cottage on May 3. The mathematics were daunting but straightforward: defeat would leave their Premier League survival hopes "negligible." At the same time, even a draw would make them "favorites to be the second team to embrace relegation." With just one match after this—a difficult trip to Portsmouth—Fulham needed all three points against fellow strugglers Birmingham.

The match atmosphere reflected the stakes. A barrage of balloons and club-provided cardboard handclappers created a cacophony as Fulham started frantically. McBride nearly opened the scoring early with a diving header that rattled the crossbar, though it was wrongly flagged offside. The tension was palpable through a tightly-contested first half, with Birmingham rarely threatening despite Sebastian Larsson putting the ball in the net before being penalized for either handball or high feet.

The breakthrough came seven minutes after the interval. McBride, battling as always, won a free-kick from Radhi Jaidi's challenge. Jimmy Bullard, another returning hero whose creativity had been sorely missed during his own injury absence, delivered a pinpoint cross from the right. The American striker, finding space that substitute defender Franck Queudrue had carelessly granted him, headed the ball back across goalkeeper Maik Taylor and into the net. Craven Cottage erupted with supersonic noise as McBride celebrated what would prove to be his final goal in the white of Fulham.

With Birmingham pushing forward desperately, spaces opened up for the home side. Norwegian substitute Erik Nevland sealed the victory with three minutes remaining, capitalizing on more defensive uncertainty from Queudrue to race clear and finish crisply past Taylor. The 2-0 scoreline secured Fulham's third win in four matches—an unlikely revival under Hodgson's stewardship. "We are staying up," sang the Cottage faithful, celebrating their first home league win over Birmingham in 40 years.

The victory moved Fulham out of the bottom three for the first time in months, but their fight wasn't over. On the final day of the season, Fulham traveled to Portsmouth needing a win to guarantee safety, as both Reading and Birmingham had winnable home fixtures. With less than 15 minutes remaining at Fratton Park and the game scoreless, Danny Murphy headed in the decisive goal that preserved Fulham's Premier League status. The "Great Escape" was complete—Fulham had won four of their final five matches, including three away from home, to overcome seemingly impossible odds.

For McBride, the Birmingham goal represented a perfect punctuation mark on his Fulham career. On May 28, he announced he would be leaving to return to the United States. After 154 appearances and 41 club goals, the American earned legendary status. His selfless play, aerial dominance, and unfailing courage—most memorably displayed when he played on with blood streaming down his face after receiving stitches against Roma in the 2003 UEFA Cup—had made him one of the most respected foreign players in Premier League history.

Chicago beckoned for McBride as he sought to end his career in his hometown. Despite Toronto FC holding the top allocation spot for returning U.S. internationals, the Fire secured his services in a trade on July 30.

McBride's Fulham legacy remained special. The club would later name the pub in the Hammersmith End of Craven Cottage "McBride's" in his honor—a testament to the American who became the beating heart of the Cottagers during his four-and-a-half seasons by the Thames.