Fulham’s relegation caused by Michael Jackson statue removal, claims Mohamed Al Fayed

Fulham were relegated from the Premier League because they removed the statue of Michael Jackson from outside their Craven Cottage stadium, according to former owner Mohamed Al Fayed.

Al Fayed, who had the statue put in place in 2011 following the star’s death, sold the Cottagers to tycoon Shahid Khan last summer and received assurances the sculpture would remain.

However in Novemeber, Khan had the statue taken down and Al Fayed believes Fulham’s subsequent relegation, which was confirmed on Saturday, is no coincidence.

‘This statue was a charm and we removed the luck from the club and now we have to pay the price,’ he said.

‘When [Khan] asked me to move it I said, ‘you must be crazy’. This is such a fantastic statue which the fans are crying out for.

‘But now he has paid the price because the club has been relegated. He called me because he told me he wanted Michael to return. I told him, no way.’