Fulham boss Scott Parker is “gutted” after his team became the second Premier League side to be relegated from the division on Tuesday night.
A 4-1 drubbing suffered at the hands of Watford sealed Fulham’s fate.
This after they spent £100m (R1.86bn), the biggest investment by a newly-promoted Premier League club.
It has been an expensive lesson learnt.
This ninth consecutive loss took their goals conceded to an embarrassing 76 for the season and confirmed their Championship status for next campaign.
A sensational volley by Will Hughes was the pick of the strikes by Javi Gracia’s Watford, with Abdoulaye Doucoure, Troy Deeney and Kiko Fermenia getting the other goals.
Ryan Babel got one back for Fulham after the half-hour mark.
DOWN: Fulham's Mitrovic. Photo: David Klein/Reuters.
And Parker says: “I’m obviously gutted.
“The most disappointing thing was how we lost.
“If you haven’t watched us play this year and you just watched those 10 minutes where goal two, three, four goes in, that sums it up.
“In the Championship, you get away with it. In this division, you don’t.”
Of his team, who are currently eighth on the log, Watford boss Javi Gracia says: “To get 46 [league] points is very good.
“The players want more. They are very, very demanding.”