Fulham's greatest ever goalkeeper is the subject of a new fan debate, with Edwin van der Sar, Mark Schwarzer and Bernd Leno the leading contenders. The discussion has been ignited by a series examining the club's all-time Premier League XI, starting with the number one jersey.
Edwin van der Sar's four-year spell from 2001 to 2005 set a new standard for goalkeeping at Craven Cottage. The Dutch international made 154 appearances for the club, keeping 52 clean sheets. He recorded 15 shutouts in his debut season and matched that total again in the 2003-04 campaign, with 42 of his clean sheets coming in the Premier League.
Schwarzer's decade of service
Mark Schwarzer enjoyed an influential decade with Fulham between 2008 and 2013. The Australian made 233 appearances and kept 56 clean sheets, also beginning with 15 in his first season. That debut year saw him named the club's Player of the Season, and he was the goalkeeper when Fulham reached the 2010 Europa League final.
Leno's modern case
Bernd Leno has been a model of consistency since joining from Arsenal in 2022. He has played in every single Premier League match for the last three seasons, making 36 appearances in his first campaign. The German has now kept 33 clean sheets in his 155 top-flight outings for the Cottagers.
The debate arrives as Fulham sit 19th in the Premier League with just two points from their opening five matches. Their last outing was a 1-1 draw with Manchester United on September 20, a result that leaves them searching for momentum ahead of their next fixture away to Ipswich on October 10.
Tom Masters commented on the timing of the discussion, saying, "This is peak international break content."
Fans are invited to weigh in on the discussion as the club's all-time XI is constructed piece by piece. The series will continue to examine other positions, with the current focus firmly on who deserves the title of Fulham's finest goalkeeper. The team's current league position and recent form of one win, two draws and two losses adds a layer of contemporary context to the historical conversation. For a detailed look at the full squad, visit our squad section.
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