{"id":289657,"date":"2023-09-06T07:49:05","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T07:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/?p=289657"},"modified":"2023-09-06T07:49:05","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T07:49:05","slug":"mohamed-al-fayed-gave-viagra-and-gold-bars-to-players-and-changed-my-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/soccer\/mohamed-al-fayed-gave-viagra-and-gold-bars-to-players-and-changed-my-life\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Mohamed Al-Fayed gave Viagra and gold bars to players \u2013 and changed my life’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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    Mohamed Al-Fayed took Fulham from the third tier to the seventh in the Premier League and a European final – and did so in his signature style. <\/p>\n

    The Egyptian businessman took charge of the west London club in 1997 for an estimated fee of \u00a39million, pledging to guide them to the top-flight in five seasons – and ended up doing so in four.<\/p>\n

    Chris Coleman and John Salako were among the top-flight players to drop down league to join the project as Barry Hayles made the switch from League Two rivals Bristol Rovers.<\/p>\n

    Speaking exclusively to Daily Star Sport<\/b> following the passing of his former chairman at the age of 94, Hayles said: "He transformed my life really.<\/p>\n

    READ MORE: Mohamed Al-Fayed invited Michael Jackson to third-tier English football match <\/b><\/p>\n

    "I think my transfer was a record between clubs in the division and I'd heard about the chairman, but only because he owned Harrods.<\/p>\n

    "He used to come in the changing rooms before games at home and he'd always ask: 'Have we got big balls today boys?'.<\/p>\n

    "We realised it was him getting his players ready to go to war, but initially it was quite a shock – especially when you'd just signed."<\/p>\n

    Al-Fayed's controversial mannerisms were described as risqu\u00e9 by the former Jamaica International, who admits they might not be accepted in the modern game.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    En route to Fulham's debut Premier League season in 2001\/02 following an 101-point campaign in the second tier, Al-Fayed had a tendency to hand out gifts,<\/p>\n

    Hayles added: "He started handing these pills out on one occasion and I had no idea what they were, the boys were saying: 'You know what these are for?"<\/p>\n

    "They said they were Viagra and I couldn't believe it, but that was just him."<\/p>\n

    On another occasion, the eyes of the Fulham squad lit up when the billionaire, with well-known connections to the Royal Family, began giving out gold bars.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    He added: "We were told that we were getting gold bars worth millions but we then realised they were chocolates, which he thought was hilarious."<\/p>\n

    Hayles continued: "I don't think anyone else had a chairman who would walk around the pitch before matches and wave a flag around his head without fail, he was up stairs but hands on at the same time."<\/p>\n

    The veteran striker, who began his career as a right-back in non-league and was still playing last season at 51, grew close with Al-Fayed's son.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    The Alexandria-born businessman had five children including Dodi, who was the romantic partner of Diana, Princess of Wales and died alongside her in Paris.<\/p>\n

    Hayles would speak to Al-Fayed's younger son Karim, who had picked out the former Bristol City man as his favourite player.<\/p>\n

    He said: "I was quite close with his younger son. We used to have chats in the changing room before games when he came along and he enjoyed it.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    "He'd always say you're my favourite player and we'd sit close together because of his hearing difficulty.<\/p>\n

    "That was a nice memory of him and Al-Fayed being so close to the club."<\/p>\n

    During his 16-year tenure, in which he placed a statue of one-time spectator and friend Michael Jackson at Craven Cottage, Al-Fayed also made history in women's football.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

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    \u00a322 a month<\/p>\n

    He turned Fulham professional after the FA announced they would do the same to the top-fight three years later, at a personal cost of around a million pounds a season.<\/p>\n

    He left the club in 2013 when selling up to Pakistani-American billionaire Shahid Khan after 12 interrupted Premier League seasons – with Fulham swiftly relegated and bouncing between the divisions since.<\/p>\n

    Hayles concluded: "He transformed the club and my life really."<\/p>\n