That's bad! Fulham fans outraged at 'bizarre' Jackson statue at Craven Cottage

By Sportsmail Reporter Updated: 06:36 EST, 3 April 2011

He was not exactly renowned for his interest in football. But Michael Jackson is set to be immortalised at Fulham - to the confusion of fans.

A six-foot high-gold statue of Jackson will be unveiled at the club's South West London stadium on Sunday at the behest of owner and chairman Mohammed Al Fayed. And the supporters are not happy.

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It was originally planned by Mr Fayed for outside Harrods,  but after he sold the department store to the Qatari Royal family, he decided Fulham's Craven Cottage ground was a 'natural alternative'.

Fayed had a long friendship with Jackson - who watched a Fulham game with Fayed in 1999 - before the star's death in 2009. 

The statue of Jackson wearing ammunition belts and 'his underpants over his trousers'  is set to be unveiled on Sunday.

But hundreds of supporters have signed a petition against the statue of the star who they say is a controversial figure who has no links to the club.

Fulham supporter Lee Robinson told the Guardian: 'Why? Why us? Fulham football fans do not want a statue of Michael Jackson It's completely mad. He's got nothing to do with us. To be honest he's the last person you'd want there.

While David Lloyd, editor of the club fanzine There's Only One F in Fulham, was more apathetic to the statue, he says Fulham fans don't want to be embarrassed by it.

'The whole thing is bizarre,' he said. 'If I was asked: did I want it? I would say no. But we've got a chairman who has done so much for us if he wants a Michael Jackson statue, so be it. What we don't want is the ridicule that will come with it.'