Cottagers fans have grown accustomed to the annual struggle for Barclays Premier League survival but nothing could have prepared them for the astonishing escape act that unfolded.

Goal difference alone ultimately separated them from the Coca-Cola Championship and their survival was secured on the last day of the season at Portsmouth - just a few weeks after all had seemed lost.

The challenge now facing Hodgson is to make sure a similar scenario does not unfold this time around, and the 60-year-old knows that will not be easy.

"We're still a work in progress, especially after last season and maybe even the season before that," he said.

"We need to get that stability that the club would like to have and establish ourselves as a mid-table team at least.

"I'm confident we can do that but am aware that it's not an easy task."

Fulham dug themselves out of trouble by winning four of their last five games - a run made all the more remarkable by the fact they achieved it by playing football.

Forsaking the route one approach that traditionally drives clubs facing relegation, they kept the ball on the deck and reaped the rewards.

When Hodgson was appointed the club trumpeted his footballing pedigree and declared they expected him to honour Fulham's own passing tradition.

The former Inter Milan coach quickly denied being asked to use any particular tactics and takes no extra pride from the knowledge Fulham beat the drop playing attractive football.

"You coach according to how you think the players you have should be best used. For the players we have, the way we play is the best way to use them," he said.

"I don't believe one style is better than another. It's all football. The fans, though, seemed to appreciate the fact that we are able to pass the ball around."

It took some time for Hodgson's philosophy to be realised, but when it did Fulham reaped the rewards.

"You lose a game you get doubted, you win a game and suddenly those doubts disappear. It's not as simple as that," said Hodgson.

"Instead, you must judge things over a longer period of time and I don't think we were very lucky for a long time.

"On several occasions before we went on the run what we did on the field merited a better result than we got. But of course the result conditions everything.

"It was an extremely important win against Reading in April as we managed it away from home. That put us close to our target."

Hodgson has made some interesting acquisitions during the transfer window and is pleased with the new arrivals.

Bobby Zamora looks tailor-made for Hodgson's reassuring touch following a difficult last season at West Ham and could finally fulfil his potential at Craven Cottage.

Mark Schwarzer is a top-class goalkeeper while the likes of Fredrik Stoor, John Pantsil, Andranik Teymourian, Zoltan Gera and David Stockdale have added depth to the squad.

After last summer's disastrous spending spree when Lawrie Sanchez, Hodgson's predecessor, splashed around £25million on a collection of Football League players, the purse strings have been tightened.

But Hodgson is a canny operator and has a network of contacts across Scandinavia that has already served the Cottagers well.

Sanchez remains bitter at his treatment by Fulham, pointing out they only slipped into the bottom three when Hodgson took over.

But the rot had already set in when Hodgson was given the coaching reins as he set about repairing the damage done by Sanchez's direct style and misguided transfer policy.

In fact the three most important players during the run-in were Brian McBride, Jimmy Bullard and Simon Davies - all signed during the Chris Coleman era.

Striker McBride has gone and it is hoped Zamora will fill the void, while Bullard and Davies will once again carry the burden of creativity.

But probably the most important figure to Fulham is Hodgson himself, a man whose calm authority, dignity and sharp footballing brain suggests mid-table security is a realistic ambition.