By Sean Fisher

18th Aug, 2023 | 1:30pm

Sources: Fulham hit by £120m blow after unexpected twist

Fulham will have spent over £120million on their Craven Cottage expansion by the time it is complete, Football Insider can reveal.

The Cottagers began work on an expansion to the Riverside Stand in 2019, but their stadium project has been hit with unexpected delays.

The Buckingham Group were responsible for handling the stadium project, but the contractors have halted all work on the venue after filing for administration this week.

Fulham responded with an official club statement on Tuesday (15 August) outlining the “delays” to the construction project.

“We have experienced delays in the project from the outset. Many of the principal delay factors include addressing difficult site conditions during the demolition of the old stand,” read the statement.

The London club added that certain areas of the stand will open as planned in 2024.

However, the additional seating in the new stand is now not expected to be on sale until the start of the 2024/25 season.

Fulham initially hoped that the stand would be open for the start of the current season, but continuous delays followed by the administration of The Buckingham Group have stalled progress.

The project was initially projected to cost £80million, but rising costs and delays mean that Fulham will have spent over £120million by the time the stand is opened completely.

Club owner Shahid Khan has reassured fans that he will cover any rising costs around the development, and Fulham’s financial accounts show that he has lent Fulham £116.5million through new share issues.

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