qbee
Proud Member
<header class="entry-header" style="line-height: 17.0625px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">MJ Statue Finds A Good Home At Manchester’s National Football Museum
</header>
The Michael Jackson statue that so divided opinion among Fulham fans before it was removed by new owner Shahid Khan is to find a permanent home at Manchester’s National Football Museum.
The sculpture has been in a warehouse owned by former owner Mohamed Al Fayed, a close friend of Jackson, since it was taken down last September from its prominent Thames-side location at Craven Cottage.
Fayed commissioned the statue to stand outside Harrods after Jackson died in 2009. But after selling the store, he switched the site to Fulham, where the King of Pop watched one game as the chairman’s guest in 1999.
The National Football Museum approached Al Fayed about a loan after it was removed from Craven Cottage, and once contracts have been agreed, the 7ft 6in memorial is due to occupy a showcase position near the entrance to the museum in the distinctive Urbis Building.
Fayed had other options, including an unlikely sale to former Fulham manager Martin Jol. The Dutchman has an eclectic art collection and made it clear he was prepared to pay £20,000 to have Jackson in his garden. But preliminary talks stopped after Jol was sacked last December.
Fayed said: ‘The National Football Museum is a splendid institution. The statue means a great deal to me and my family. But on reflection, I decided it should go to a place where it can be enjoyed by the greatest amount of people for ever. I think Michael would have approved of the choice. Like football itself, he entertained the world.’
An NFM spokeswoman said: ‘The story behind the statue and its relationship with Fulham would certainly make for a thought-provoking addition. We are very grateful to Mr Al Fayed for offering to donate this important item.’
Source: All Things Michael blog - dailymail.co.uk
</header>
The Michael Jackson statue that so divided opinion among Fulham fans before it was removed by new owner Shahid Khan is to find a permanent home at Manchester’s National Football Museum.
The sculpture has been in a warehouse owned by former owner Mohamed Al Fayed, a close friend of Jackson, since it was taken down last September from its prominent Thames-side location at Craven Cottage.
Fayed commissioned the statue to stand outside Harrods after Jackson died in 2009. But after selling the store, he switched the site to Fulham, where the King of Pop watched one game as the chairman’s guest in 1999.
The National Football Museum approached Al Fayed about a loan after it was removed from Craven Cottage, and once contracts have been agreed, the 7ft 6in memorial is due to occupy a showcase position near the entrance to the museum in the distinctive Urbis Building.
Fayed had other options, including an unlikely sale to former Fulham manager Martin Jol. The Dutchman has an eclectic art collection and made it clear he was prepared to pay £20,000 to have Jackson in his garden. But preliminary talks stopped after Jol was sacked last December.
Fayed said: ‘The National Football Museum is a splendid institution. The statue means a great deal to me and my family. But on reflection, I decided it should go to a place where it can be enjoyed by the greatest amount of people for ever. I think Michael would have approved of the choice. Like football itself, he entertained the world.’
An NFM spokeswoman said: ‘The story behind the statue and its relationship with Fulham would certainly make for a thought-provoking addition. We are very grateful to Mr Al Fayed for offering to donate this important item.’
Source: All Things Michael blog - dailymail.co.uk