Photo: WENN
Eccentric millionaire Mohamed Al Fayed claims that Fulham FC would not have been relegated from the Premier League had the controversial statue of Michael Jackson that once stood outside the ground not been torn down.
The 7ft 6in statue was removed from its position at the back of the Hammersmith Stand at Craven Cottage last September, after years of mockery and derision from Fulham fans since being erected in 2011. The overdue decision to remove the statue was made by Al Fayed's successor of Fulham owner, Shahid Khan.
"This statue was a charm and we removed the luck from the club and now we have to pay the price," said Fayed, presenting the hideous statue to the National Football Museum in Manchester, reports The Guardian.
"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."
Fayed continued: "Michael is a fantastic example for everyone. He came from nowhere and showed fantastic determination to be a superstar and I am very glad that he is now in this great institution for people to enjoy."
Mohamed Al Fayed was a close friend of the late Michael Jackson, and installed the statue as a tribute to when The King Of Pop visited the Fulham grounds in 1999.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, a new posthumous album of previous unheard Michael Jackson tracks, Xscape, will be released on 13 May, 2014.
Below: 10 artists inspired by Michael Jackson
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