Whoever replaced Roy Hodgson as Fulham manager back in the summer 2010 had an unenviable task on their hands.
The veteran boss, who had been lured to Anfield by the temptation of Liverpool, saved the Whites when they looked doomed to relegation in 2008, before guiding them to their highest ever finish (seventh) in the Premier League a season later.
If that wasn't enough, in 2010 he masterminded Fulham's assault of the Europa League, which included a memorable victory over Italian giants Juventus. They actually reached the final, but were beaten 2-1 in extra time by a Diego Forlan-inspired Atletico Madrid.
The man who was eventually charged with filling the Hodgson-shaped void was Mark Hughes, who had been in the managerial wilderness ever since he was sacked by Manchester City in December 2009.
The Welshman made some shrewd signings, none more so than Moussa Dembele, but Fulham struggled for wins during the early part of the 2010-2011 campaign. Not that they were losing either, having drawn six of their seven opening matches.
Victories started to materialise, though, and by the end of the season the West Londoners had finished a more than respectable eighth, while also qualifying for the Europa League via the Fairplay League.
Everything appeared to be rosey in the Craven Cottage garden when all of sudden, Hughes resigned from his position in early June 2011, saying: "As a young, ambitious manager I wish to move on to further my experiences."
It was a decision that angered animated owner Mohamed Al-Fayed, who branded Hughes "a strange man" and "a flop".
Hughes has since managed Queens Park Rangers and is now preparing for the new season with Stoke City.
Below is a video of arguably Hughes's best match in charge of Fulham - a 4-0 FA Cup win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Liam Apicella
