FAN'S VIEW by Paul Cooper

IN the "good old days" when the three Division One teams won promotion into the Premiership, the following season's fixture list attracted interest from players and fans alike, who picked out the dates they played the big clubs and when they played each other.

The critics would obviously put the rising three teams into the end of season relegation battle.

So they knew they needed to beat each other in order to stand a chance of survival.

This year it's completely different.

Blackburn have spent their millions over the summer and Fulham have splashed out £27m. I think both are fantastic teams and there is no way I can see them fighting relegation.

Gone are the "good old days".

Which brings us to today! £27 million ... eh! Fulham were no threat. In the first half they were humbled by our footballing style and if Nolan, Ricketts and Frandsen had converted, it would have been a different story.

The second half was more of a disappointment but I have to ask, what was Sam doing? I'm no Premiership manager but taking off Gardner and putting Ricketts left wing, Wallace on the right and Holdsworth up front ... Not me!

I'd have brought on Jermaine Johnson for Wallace on the right to add his pace and dynamism and kept Ricketts up front. However, with the introduction of Dean Holdsworth, I hoped for something extraordinary and different but I thought it didn't work.

Then again, a point from a side that is creative, sleek and caused us one or two problems isn't bad.

Don't forget, in 95-96 we were relegated with 29 points. Today, with just a third of the season gone, we have 20 and have a striker who is one of the top scorers in the Premiership.

So far so good!

Man of the Match: Gudni Bergsson