Peter Johnson of Tigerlink ponders the issues affecting City over the next few weeks.
Wembley 28 May 2016 was an uplifting experience for fans of Hull City AFC. Mo Diame’s goal made him a hero forever in this corner of East Yorkshire. The 2017 City of Culture will have a top tier football team to display to the world.
A return to the Premier League provides glory, excitement and brief respite from our suffering at the hands of the Club’s owners who for almost 3 years now seem to have been hell bent on antagonising and driving away fans.
Empty seats at Wembley Stadium grabbed some headlines in the Championship Play-Off Final. But if truth be known the huge turnout of the Black and Amber nation was a remarkable one given what fans have had to endure. Hull City supporters have been remarkably patient and resilient. The glorious era of success at the KCOM has been tarnished by the hurtful ramblings of an ageing but powerful man and some bizarre antics from the Allam family behind the scenes. We wish Assem Allam a swift recovery from his poor health, but his family’s legacy may not quite be what he intended. We wanted to make him a hero, but he pushed us away.
So we reach the end of May with Hull City AFC apparently on the verge of a takeover from a US based buyer (with buyers from China and Thailand also reported to be showing interest), having been allegedly up for sale since the FA rebuked the owners’ ridiculous name change request two years ago and more. But typically, and suddenly, we have a less than clear statement from Ehab Allam concerning their motivation to sell. Uncertainty and confusion amidst a glorious return to the Premier League. Yes, it’s the sort of situation that Hull City fans have grown accustomed to over the years. But it’s gone too far this time and the fans deserve better.
All this with the manager considering his options. Steve Bruce probably doesn’t know who to talk to at the KCOM if he wants to discuss his future. But after months and months of displaying admirable dignity and professionalism, he may just have had enough of it all. One suspects that despite his public face to the media, working with the current owners has been a nightmare few would have endured for as long as he has. There’s a lot to be said for quitting whilst you’re ahead and whatever happens he will surely remain a legend in these parts and Hull City’s finest and most successful manager.
And amidst all of this, don’t forget we still have a discredited Membership Scheme on the table which penalises both the elderly and the young, contravening official Premier League guidelines. Is this Scheme just an instrument for Hull City’s owners to challenge the football authorities? Are they still smarting from having the name change request rejected, and are they still suffering from wounded pride? Either way we’ve had enough of it.
So let’s hope for a swift and successful resolution to these matters. Distractions off the pitch won’t be helping the players and will hardly encourage them to stay. We need to give ourselves the best chance to succeed on the pitch in what will be an incredibly tough Premier League in 2016/17.
Most City fans see us on the verge of a bright new dawn. It’s a massive opportunity. Let’s bring back the fun and happiness to all aspects of being a Hull City fan. Let the Hull City Supporters’ Trust do their job, the Club need to reconnect with fans. We’ve had enough of hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons, we’ve had protests galore, let’s hope we can start 2016/17 with joy in our hearts. We want peace and to enjoy our matchday experience to the full. The Tigers are rampant and we need to capture the momentum of a wonderful Wembley victory.
Peter Johnson
Editor, Tigerlink
www.tigerlink.co.uk supports Hull City, a Premier League team for a Premier League city and proud home to the 2017 City of Culture. We will regularly be a focus of national attention so let’s celebrate our history, heritage and culture and make sure we make the most of the opportunities 2017 presents to boost our local economy and perceptions of Hull.
10 Comments
Mills giving us a load of crap again,how many times did Bruce ask CTWD (under their new name) not to do the stupid chant not once did you stop Bruce is fed up of with you lot not the Allams or didn’t you see the big hug he gave Mrs Allam clear of Mills we are fed up of your personal insults.
Well done CTWD
You have now helped get rid of our best manager. The majority are sick to death of the minority who call themselves City fans.
It’s quite clear who is responsible for our best ever manager leaving and it isn’t the fans…
Obviously very happy with membership scheme eh John? You obviously care not for children or long time supporters. You clear off OK! And by the way at least have the balls to reveal your name.
Mills you couldn’t be further from the truth Iam an OAP with 3 grandchildren from upper West and its hit us harder than most had to move to very poor seats my son met with city over the scheme,we are right against the new scheme but won’t stoop as low as you and chant obscene remarks especially to calling Mrs Allam f greedy Ect,so don’t use the supporters trust as a backdrop for your personal hate.—Re my real name Sorry I don’t want my wing mirrors ripped of I will leave that to your associates my Last Post
John, this article is copied from TigerLink – an organisation separate to the Trust, although one that we support. Andy Mills was only responsible for uploading it to our website.
Very well put. Add to that the total shamble of the ticket sales for Wembley which resulted in us having to have 4 (yes 4) different batches of tickets before we finally got in at 5 mins before kick off after arriving at 3pm only to see Sheff Wed fans sat in our original tickets. Further insult was added when we noticed that we had been downgraded from £76 to £64 tickets without being refunded. What should have been a wonderful day out removed from all the hassles of the last couple of years turned out to be a re-run of the membership scheme. I’m glad we won but won’t be going to home matches until the Allams leave as I’ve just had enough and no longer enjoy attending. Even now no one knows what is happening. You have to sign up for the match to match scheme by the 9th June so you can get away tickets but it appears there will be no details of the scheme until after the 9th of June as they are making the whole thing up as they go along.
I wouldn’t be surprised if SB was fed up of being pig in the middle of owner and fans and of trying to keep the peace. The only reason he hasn’t walked is because we won on Saturday and as he said, the PL is where he wants to manage.
We have reluctantly joined the new membership scheme. Even though it has cost us less, we would rather have remained in the seats we had and paid more. Hopefully the PL will force the club to amend its concessions policy and reintroduce a fair price for OAP’s and juniors.
Also we need a quick decision from the Allam’s – are they staying or going? Whichever it is, SB needs to know which players he is able to bid for. The transfer window is wide open and we need to get the players we want in the KCOM sooner rather than later,
Good, concise article by Peter Johnson outlining the current situation at Hull City AFC.
I can’t believe there are still people out there who still believe in the Allams to do the right thing! This is in the face of being described as hooligans, told to “die when we want”, the name change fiasco, the total absence of Hull City AFC on any products emanating from the KCOM offices, their unerring ability to announce changes on the eve of important games, the total lack of response to any questions posed to them, the Gemtec arena changes, closing of the ticket office, ending cash turnstiles, and the latest (but probably not final) things, the membership scheme whereby everyone has to pay the same price no matter what (and in contravention of PL rules) and now the uncertainty of the sale of the club. This after two years ago, a promise to sell the club in 24hours if the name change was not agreed and they are still here. And the Allam supporters still don’t get it? Wake up and smell the coffee before we have no club left to support.