Tom Cairney says Fulham promotion must come 'now or never'

Tom Cairney says it is 'now or never' for Fulham to return to the Premier League

Fulham captain Tom Cairney says it is "now or never" for Fulham as they chase promotion back to the Premier League.

The Cottagers know they have to beat Birmingham and hope Cardiff slip up against Reading on the final day of the Championship season this Sunday if they are to clinch the final automatic promotion spot.

Fulham are on a 23-match unbeaten run in the league and have attracted plenty of plaudits for their attractive playing style, which Cairney says could lead to interest in their players from other clubs.

Cairney was the subject of offers from West Ham in January

Cairney himself was the subject of bids from West Ham in January, while the likes of Ryan Fredericks, Matt Targett and Aleksandar Mitrovic only have deals at Craven Cottage until the end of the season.

Cairney told The Mirror: "It's now or never because we've some good players and a few teams might be after them in the summer.

"To keep this team together, we need to do it now. I just think we're attracting a lot of attention and so are our players."

If Fulham were to overhaul Cardiff and return to the Premier League for the first time since 2014, Cairney believes they would be targeting more than just survival.

Slavisa Jokanovic has led Fulham on a 23-game unbeaten run in the Championship

He explained: "To go half a season unbeaten shows we're ready. We would not go up to struggle.

"With the owners, you would go up and compete, not just survive. This is a Premier League club and it's down to us to get us there.

"It's been tough the past few years but I said at the end of last season, the club has turned around. Fulham are back."