Fayed: Fans can go to hell if they don’t like Jackson

England has a long and rich tradition of erecting statues outside its football clubs to honour the immortals of the game. Take a trip to Molineux and you'll see the four-square figure of Bill Wright, the man who made Wolverhampton Wanderers. At Elland Road it's the small, stocky shape of Billy Bremner on show, while Peter Osgood stands hand on hip outside Stamford Bridge.

At the Britannia Stadium Stanley Matthews is frozen in time with the ball at his feet while Manchester United have George Best, Denis Law, Bobby Charlton arm in arm as they celebrate their European Cup victory of 1968.

As for Fulham, they have Johnny Haynes, the former England captain who played 658 times for the Cottagers between 1952 and 1970, scoring a then-record 158 goals. But on Sunday the west London side became the first club to boast two statues when chairman Mohammed Fayed unveiled a bust of another great of Fulham football club - Michael Jackson.

That's Michael Jackson the all-singing, all-dancing 'King of Pop' who died in 2009 aged 50. Fayed and Jackson were friends and the Egyptian tycoon had planned to erect a statue to Jackson outside Harrods but then he sold the store and so plumped for Craven Cottage.

After all, Jackson did once come to the Cottage, back in 1999, to see Fulham play Wigan Athletic as a guest of Fayed's.

Fayed sees nothing wrong in erecting a statue to Jackson outside Craven Cottage, telling reporters present at the unveiling ceremony. "Why is it bizarre? Football fans love it."

But not the ones the BBC spoke to, who stood in shock before the statue on their way to watch Fulham play Blackpool. "We're a laughing stock," said Michael Tune. "It has nothing to do with football." While another supporter spoke for many when he admitted: "I thought it was an April Fool's joke."

Fayed is unrepentant, however, suggesting that if fans don't approve they can take their support elsewhere. "If some stupid fans don't understand and appreciate such a gift this guy gave to the world they can go to hell. I don't want them to be fans. If they don't understand and don't believe in things I believe in they can go to Chelsea, they can go to anywhere else."

Fayed claimed that Jackson had a genuine passion for all things Fulham after seeing them in action against Wigan. "The last game he attended here with me, he was running like a child, he loved the place," said the chairman. "He loved Fulham and he wanted to attend all of the matches."

The statue apparently has the support of the players, with central defender Brede Hangeland saying of his employer's whim: "Some of our players are Michael Jackson fans, some aren't, and that's the same in the general population. His music has been on in the dressing room a couple of times. I'm sure we won when his music was played.

"We have the deepest respect for everything about the chairman. If he wants to do this, then it is all good."

Good career move, Brede. And he may have a point. After the unveiling, Fulham beat Blackpool 3-0. ·