Thanks for the memories, Tom Cairney
Written by Drew Heatley on 27th May 2025
This feels a bit like writing a eulogy.
The pressure to get it right is palpable. To try and sum up what Tom Cairney has meant to Fulham FC in the last decade feels like a weighty task, but George Cooper labelled me a Tom Cairney “evangelist” on a recent pod episode, and that’s a title I take very seriously, so here we are.
Whether or not this past weekend’s match against Manchester City is the last time we’ll see Tom in a Fulham shirt is yet to be confirmed, although Marco Silva reluctantly admitted that he thinks it was. We all sang “one more year” as he walked around the pitch during the lap of appreciation, but maybe Sunday, and our Brentford win a week earlier, was the best way to say goodbye.
I’ll not recount an exhaustive list of TC’s many iconic moments in a white shirt – I’m sure I’d miss some out. And besides, I think the club will cover that and more in the upcoming documentary. But what I will do is pick out some of the things that meant so much to me.
His most iconic and influential moment will always be Wembley in front of the white wall. In terms of pure, undiluted Fulham FC perfection, that day will struggle to ever be topped. Drenched in sunshine, we returned to the Premier League after a four-year absence thanks to a goal from our captain.
It’s crazy to think that moment was just three years after Cairney signed for us. What an odd summer that was. We were cherry-picking our Championship rivals’ players of the season. TC picked up that gong at Blackburn, we signed’ Wolves’ top performer in Richard Steerman, as well as Rotherham’s POTS Ben Pringle.
Two of those names are condemned to that basket case era, where the joy of away days and bouts of gallows humour were the only bright sparks. But TC moved far beyond, into the glory days of 23 undefeated under Slav, onto Wembley, onto the Championship title and thriving in the Premier League.
Those big moments, stand out, but it’s the smaller ones in the grand scheme of things that are so close to my heart. The wonderfully curled 95th-minute equaliser against Leeds that sent him into a jubilant Hammersmith End and kept us in touching distance of the play-offs. His goal against Cardiff as he returned to action after 10 months out through injury – and those tears of joy in the rain.
His injury problems looked to curtail TC’s time in SW6 as many a medical staff member scratched their heads. But programmes were devised to keep his body moving, and he reached an understanding with Marco Silva to adapt his role in the squad without losing any of his impact. That’s a testament to the man and his love for the club – and it paid dividends for us all.
When Tom bagged our 100th goal of our title-winning campaign I wondered whether that was a fitting end to his FFC tenure. Surely a return to the Premier League for a third bit of the cherry since our 2014 relegation meant wholesale squad changes. But Silva and TC proved me wrong. He went on to make an incredible 92 more top-flight appearances, scoring five goals, as we re-established ourselves as part of the Premier League furniture.
Which leads us to today. A career in front of the Sky cameras beckons – he’s set for life once he hangs his boots up. Wrexham are circling, but how much does a 46-game grind appeal to TC at 34? And a commute to North Wales – I can’t see him relocating for a brief dalliance. Then factor in the 400-mile round trip away from his two boys. It can’t be that temping.
Those decisions are ones that’ll be made in the coming weeks. But for now, it’s about giving thanks. Loyalty in the modern game is rare. And this season we’ve seen Leicester City say goodbye to Jamie Vardy and Manchester City bid adieu to Kevin de Bruyne. Both players’ tenures were defined by lifting trophies. I’ve always said Tom’s legacy is about moments. And, for better or worse, Sunday felt like the moment we said goodbye.
Johnny Haynes. George Cohen. Tom Cairney. If the documentary doesn’t end with TC inking a contract extension, then it must close with Shahid Khan announcing the building of a statue.
Because there really ain’t nobody like Tom Cairney. And I fear we may never see another.
