Fulham welcomed Premier League title-chasers Manchester City to Craven Cottage on Saturday and there was an unfamiliar look in the stands.
The visiting supporters arrived wearing red and black scarves, with City boss Pep Guardiola also carrying one, in remembrance of former club secretary Bernard Halford.
Awarded life presidency of the club after spending over four decades with City, Halford sadly lost his life earlier this week at the age of 77 - sparking a flood of tributes from former players and managers alike.
City will remember Halford at the Etihad Stadium against Crystal Palace next week but fans came up with the idea of paying tribute in their own way for their trip to the capital, which led to City sending 1,400 scarves down to Craven Cottage.
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Fulham put out the scarves on the seats of visiting supporters prior to kick-off and Guardiola spoke about the 'respect' shown from the fans before the match and the desire to show Halford's family how much he is appreciated by the club.
“I met him once before he unfortunately passed away. I was just one year old when he started to work at Man City and he explained to me a little bit what Man City was in that period and how absolutely everything changed,” he told Sky Sports.
“This club, the managers and the players, come and go but there are some people who remain for a long, long time. These kind of people built this club and that’s why the respect from our fans today and next Wednesday against Cardiff are going to show his family how much he is appreciated.”
Fulham’s caretaker boss Scott Parker also paid tribute in the matchday programme, writing:
“Our thoughts are with Manchester City following the passing of their life president, Bernard Halford, this week. It is clear by the tributes that have come in how admired and respected he was both for his contribution to City and for his popularity and friendliness.”
Fulham CEO Alistair Mackintosh added: "Having personally worked with Bernard at Manchester City, I know what an instrumental figure he was in keeping the club going. His passion for all things City was infectious and he was the ultimate loyal servant of the club. Our thoughts are with his family and our counterparts at Manchester City in this sad time."
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