DR ALLAM INTERVIEW WITH BBC RADIO 5LIVE (Transcript, 12.11.2013)

November 13, 2013

(Listen again here)

We will decide by the early next year. So I honestly don’t know why the fuss. Why there is small group making all this fuss. Look, we are in the Premier League, we have good manager, we have a good squad, we have good result mid-table. Let us enjoy, let the fans enjoy it. I don’t want small minority to spoil it for our fans.

Do you want to take the word City out of the title?
I didn’t say that.

No no, I’m asking you, it’s a question. Do you want to take the word…
If it’s proved between now and early next year that shortening, further shortening the name by removing City to be Hull Tigers, I will do it.

How do you prove that?
No, that’s up to me. It is my… Look, nobody in the world will decide for me how I run my companies, and certainly not few hundred people, no, no no. I would not allow that. Let us establish this please. Nobody questions my decision. Nobody questions my decision in my business. What the fans should be interested in: I will never change the colour, I will never change the logo, I will never remove Hull, I will never remove Tigers. These words were there for many years. The colour of the club, amber and black, is there. The tiger logo is there. That’s for the fan and I will never change this without consulting the fan. As for the commercial decisions: it’s my decision.

No but Dr Allam, you said to me that if it is proved to be commercially useful to take the word City out then you may well do that. My question is, how will you determine that proof? That’s my question.
By me saying that.

Yeah, but what are you going to look at?
By me saying that and only me saying that.

Yes, but how will you arrive at that decision? What factors…
Nobody questions me how I arrive to my decision.

No, no, no, but I think the fans would like to know what factors…
No, no, nobody have the right to ask me how I reach my decision. This is a commercial decision. As I said, if it’s proved essential to further shorten the name then you have Hull, you have City, you have Tiger, how can I shorten these three words to two? I shouldn’t touch Hull, I shouldn’t touch Tiger, City does not mean a thing to me regarding my objectives of taking the club forward.

You’ll make that final decision about the word City in the New Year, that’s what you’re saying?
It is my decision.

In the New Year you’ll decide, will you?
I don’t know, but early in next year. The club can not rely on my money all the time. The club should be able to survive comfortably with me being alive or dead. At the moment, the club can not survive without my money. That is not on.