They played in the Premier League by virtue of staying up on goal difference from Reading on the last day of the previous campaign and were hoping to improve on their placing of 17th.

Club captain Brian McBride decided to return to United States,[3] where he eventually signed with Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire.

Caleb Folan completed the Hull turn-around ten minutes from the end of normal time, capping a 2–1 victory for the home team.

The only goal of the game came from Brede Hangeland midway through the first half who scored directly from a Jimmy Bullard cross, from a couple of yards.

On 17 May 2009, the club confirmed their highest ever league finish with a 1–0 victory over relegation-threatened Newcastle United at St James' Park.

After a positive opening from the underdogs Kettering, Fulham took the lead in the 12th minute, Simon Davies scoring a volley from 15 yards from a Clint Dempsey cross.

Roy Hodgson made three changes from Fulham's last Premier League match against Wigan, with Dempsey and Paintsil rested after playing abroad in midweek for their countries.

Fulham, however, found the breakthrough a minute before half-time with a slice of luck as Paul Konchesky's corner was deflected in off Swansea defender Garry Monk.

Swansea continued to dominate and equalised in the 52nd minute when Jason Scotland scored, evading a challenge before firing the ball low past Schwarzer.

It was Fulham's second game in three days but Roy Hodgson put out a strong side with the only changes being Nevland replacing Johnson up front and Dacourt making his first start for the club in place of Danny Murphy.

Fulham took the lead in the 31st minute through one of their new signings, Hungarian international Zoltán Gera, but Leicester turned the game around in the early stages of the second half.

[11] Mark Schwarzer arrived on a free transfer from Middlesbrough when his contract expired and fellow goalkeeper David Stockdale came from Darlington.

Despite the promotion of West Bromwich Albion to the Premier League, Zoltán Gera rejected "the best contract the club could [offer]"[12] and signed with Fulham.

David Healy moved to Sunderland, Steven Davis made a permanent switch to Rangers and Moritz Volz and Hamer Bouazza both went out on loan.

[17] In Out The first departures of the winter transfer window happened in December when Lee Cook returned to his former club Queens Park Rangers on a permanent deal, having spent several months back there on loan.

Giles Barnes was Fulham's first signing during the winter transfer window, moving on loan from Derby County until the end of the season.

[29] He was also joined on transfer deadline day by former Leeds United player Olivier Dacourt, who also signed on loan from Inter Milan.