Fulham to give Michael Jackson statue to Mohamed Al Fayed

Fulham are taking swift action to remove one of the uglier aspects of former owner Mohamed Al Fayed’s legacy by returning his Michael Jackson statue to him.

Al Fayed made the Cottagers the laughing stock of the footballing world when he unveiled the statue outside Craven Cottage.

At the time, he said: “Why is it bizarre? Football fans love it. If some stupid fans don’t understand and appreciate such a gift they can go to hell.”

Well, it seems new owner Shahid Khan is destined for a toasty afterlife, despite initially claiming that the statue would stay in place after his takeover.

A Fulham spokesperson said: “The statue is not part of the Riverside development of the stadium and will be returned to the former chairman in due course.”

The statue is expected to be re-housed outside another of Al Fayed’s properties.