Chairman Mohamed Al Fayed's dream of building a �70m 28,000 all-seater stadium has been challenged by a group of nine residents calling themselves the Fulham Alliance.

And the chairman now believes that the club will need something a stadium even bigger.

The local group, led by former barrister Bill Adlard and backed by a �100,000 fighting fund, have successfully stalled plans for the redeveloped site.

The two parties will now face showdowns in the High Court and the House of Lords.

And Fulham fans displayed their fears over the impending battle by staging a stay-away protest for the recent Uefa Cup home tie with Hajduk Split.

QPR's Loftus Road ground, Fulham's home for two years following a �2m groundshare agreement, was half empty for the first round, second leg clash.

"The chairman has indicated a 28,000-capacity Craven Cottage would not be adequate for a Premier League club with our ambition," said Cottagers controller of public affairs Chester Stern.

"So we're exploring ways we could redesign our plans and increase the capacity. That's always been our preferred option.

"However, we have legal difficulties facing us - which is the only reason we've put the feelers out towards other sites.

"If, two years down the road, we have nowhere lined up to go and find we cannot develop Craven Cottage, we would be in trouble.

"So putting the feelers out towards other sites in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham makes sound business sense."

"And if we do find we cannot stay at Craven Cottage, we will move heaven and earth to stay in the Borough, for our fans' sake."

Fulham have already made an unsuccessful bid for the 10.3acre former Dairycrest milk distribution depot in Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush - just around the corner from QPR's ground.

The latest site to be ruled out is the Linford Christie Stadium just off the A40 road and close to Wormwood Scrubs Prison, because obtaining planning permission would be difficult.