After 26 games in the 2019/20 season, the Championship table could’ve produced a wry smile on the faces of Hull City fans. Sitting 8th in the league, just one point off the play-off places, a potential return to the Premier League was very much on the cards. Now, with just one set of Championship fixtures remaining, Hull find themselves at the foot of the table, with relegation almost a formality. With that in mind, we spoke to reporter and Tigers supporter Kathryn Batte to work out what has gone wrong at a club who, less than 10 years ago, were FA Cup runners-up and began to take tentative steps into European football.
“The warning signs have been there for a while with the owners selling and refusing to invest. It’s been a slow decline since Steve Bruce left and a series of poor decisions from the board. Letting Nigel Adkins go was probably their biggest mistake, he eventually turned things around with a limited budget.”
Adkins was brought in to steady the ship for the Tigers when he was appointed in December 2017 and did so magnificently, forming a brilliant relationship with fans in the process. He guided Hull to safety, before leading them to a 13th place finish in the 2018/19 campaign. However, as the season concluded, Adkins confirmed he would not be renewing his contract, turning down a new offer, believing the board’s vision did not align to his own.
Blame was immediately concentrated on the owners – the Allam family – who bought the club in 2010 and have been shrouded in controversy ever since. Attempts to change the name of the club to Hull City Tigers in 2013 and consistently cashing in on their best players and refusing to invest properly in replacing them has fuelled the inevitable and constant clashes with fans. Assem Allam even went so far as to say critically ill fans ‘can die as soon as they want.’ It is no wonder they have alienated themselves from a now-distant fanbase.
“The warning signs have been there for a while with the owners selling and refusing to invest. It’s been a slow decline since Steve Bruce left and a series of poor decisions from the board. Letting Nigel Adkins go was probably their biggest mistake, he eventually turned things around with a limited budget.”
Adkins was brought in to steady the ship for the Tigers when he was appointed in December 2017 and did so magnificently, forming a brilliant relationship with fans in the process. He guided Hull to safety, before leading them to a 13th place finish in the 2018/19 campaign. However, as the season concluded, Adkins confirmed he would not be renewing his contract, turning down a new offer, believing the board’s vision did not align to his own.
Blame was immediately concentrated on the owners – the Allam family – who bought the club in 2010 and have been shrouded in controversy ever since. Attempts to change the name of the club to Hull City Tigers in 2013 and consistently cashing in on their best players and refusing to invest properly in replacing them has fuelled the inevitable and constant clashes with fans. Assem Allam even went so far as to say critically ill fans ‘can die as soon as they want.’ It is no wonder they have alienated themselves from a now-distant fanbase.
Pictured here at a match against Sheffield United in February 2018, Hull City fans staged a large protest against their owners, and this has been repeated many times since
A short time later, however, Grant McCann was appointed as the Tiger’s new boss, arriving at the KCOM from Doncaster Rovers – a 50-mile journey it seems Hull will be having to make themselves next term.
“They [the Allams, Hull City’s owners] brought in a League One manager and signed League One players – similar to what happened with Ipswich when they let Mick McCarthy go.” Despite this, Hull’s fortunes didn’t appear to be following the Suffolk club, with Hull comfortably mid-table as the January transfer window began to wind down. Then came deadline day. Jarrod Bowen and Kamil Grosicki – arguably Hull’s best players over the last few seasons – were bought by West Ham and West Brom respectively, the latter for a rumoured minimal fee.
“They were our biggest creative threat and had carried us for most of the season. We got a decent price for Bowen but selling him and Grosicki right at the end of the window didn’t give us much of a chance to plan for life without them. I don’t think we’d have made the top six if they’d have stayed but we’d probably have been safely mid-table.”
With no time to replace either Bowen or Grosicki, Hull’s form has plummeted. Since their departure on January 31, Hull have picked up a measly six points in the league, with just one win – a 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers Middlesbrough. Conceding 45 goals – 8 of which came away to relegation-threatened Wigan – Hull now seem nailed-on for relegation. So, who should foot the blame for this collapse?
“The blame for relegation starts with the owners – they’ve sold our best players and replaced them with League One talent but Grant McCann and the players themselves also have to take responsibility. The squad is good enough to stay up, but a combination of poor management and tactics, and a refusal to change a failing system has seen us go on this horrible run since January. There have been times when it’s felt some of the players haven’t worn their hearts on their sleeves like other clubs fighting relegation.”
“They [the Allams, Hull City’s owners] brought in a League One manager and signed League One players – similar to what happened with Ipswich when they let Mick McCarthy go.” Despite this, Hull’s fortunes didn’t appear to be following the Suffolk club, with Hull comfortably mid-table as the January transfer window began to wind down. Then came deadline day. Jarrod Bowen and Kamil Grosicki – arguably Hull’s best players over the last few seasons – were bought by West Ham and West Brom respectively, the latter for a rumoured minimal fee.
“They were our biggest creative threat and had carried us for most of the season. We got a decent price for Bowen but selling him and Grosicki right at the end of the window didn’t give us much of a chance to plan for life without them. I don’t think we’d have made the top six if they’d have stayed but we’d probably have been safely mid-table.”
With no time to replace either Bowen or Grosicki, Hull’s form has plummeted. Since their departure on January 31, Hull have picked up a measly six points in the league, with just one win – a 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers Middlesbrough. Conceding 45 goals – 8 of which came away to relegation-threatened Wigan – Hull now seem nailed-on for relegation. So, who should foot the blame for this collapse?
“The blame for relegation starts with the owners – they’ve sold our best players and replaced them with League One talent but Grant McCann and the players themselves also have to take responsibility. The squad is good enough to stay up, but a combination of poor management and tactics, and a refusal to change a failing system has seen us go on this horrible run since January. There have been times when it’s felt some of the players haven’t worn their hearts on their sleeves like other clubs fighting relegation.”
The Tigers were 7-0 down at half-time against Wigan last Tuesday
This criticism certainly holds weight. Fifteen games have passed since Bowen and Grosicki departed and the form table paints an interesting picture. Barnsley (23rd) are 12th, Wigan (effectively 22nd following their points deduction) are 2nd, Luton (21st) are 8th and Charlton (20th) are 16th. All these sides have received acclaim for their determination and fighting spirit in what has been a gripping relegation scrap. The same praise has not been directed towards Hull.
Almost resigned to relegation, Hull supporters are now looking ahead to League One and the difficult challenge of returning to England’s second tier at the first time of asking. Batte, however, believes much change is needed if the Tigers are to be promoted next season.
“I think we need a change of manager to have a chance of next season, I can’t see Grant McCann turning things around with this squad. If things remain the same, I can see us struggling to bounce back.”
Unfortunately, it seems the Allams are reluctant to give McCann the boot. One league victory in 2020 appears to be deemed good enough by the Hull hierarchy, with McCann seemingly set to continue in his role next season. Understandably infuriated by both Assem Allam and his son Ehab with this decision (amongst others), Hull fans feel incredibly disconnected from the club in this current climate. So much so, that during Hull’s recent 1-0 home defeat to Luton, fans took to protesting outside the KCOM stadium. Their protests fell, perhaps expectedly, on deaf ears.
Almost resigned to relegation, Hull supporters are now looking ahead to League One and the difficult challenge of returning to England’s second tier at the first time of asking. Batte, however, believes much change is needed if the Tigers are to be promoted next season.
“I think we need a change of manager to have a chance of next season, I can’t see Grant McCann turning things around with this squad. If things remain the same, I can see us struggling to bounce back.”
Unfortunately, it seems the Allams are reluctant to give McCann the boot. One league victory in 2020 appears to be deemed good enough by the Hull hierarchy, with McCann seemingly set to continue in his role next season. Understandably infuriated by both Assem Allam and his son Ehab with this decision (amongst others), Hull fans feel incredibly disconnected from the club in this current climate. So much so, that during Hull’s recent 1-0 home defeat to Luton, fans took to protesting outside the KCOM stadium. Their protests fell, perhaps expectedly, on deaf ears.
Harry Maguire and Andrew Robertson both left Hull in the 2017/18 season. Other notable recent Hull City departures include: Sam Clucas, Shane Long, Jake Livermore, Robert Snodgrass, James Chester and Robbie Brady
With relegation looming and nothing set to change in the near future – what positives can Hull fans cling on to? Well, even in one of the darkest periods in the club’s 116-year history, Batte believes there may still be light at the end of the tunnel, although it could be flickering out.
“The only hope would be if the owners find a buyer but that looks unlikely with relegation all but confirmed. There are some promising youngsters coming through and there is some potential in the squad, but fans have fallen out of love with the club and many are likely to stay away next season. Everything feels very flat and for things to get back on track the whole club needs a shake up from top to bottom.”
From Europa League to League One certainties, it has been a turbulent decade for Hull under the Allam stewardship. Hope does remain with the knowledge that the club is still for sale and the Allams will not stick around forever. Yet, as long as they continue in their roles, the club is perishing – while despondent fans watch on. Could the drop to League One be an opportunity in disguise? Will it provide Hull with an opportunity to rebuild – if the Allams finally pack up and move on? Only time will tell. If no buyer is found, though, it looks unlikely that Hull will return to the promised land of the Premier League – or even the Championship – any time soon.
“The only hope would be if the owners find a buyer but that looks unlikely with relegation all but confirmed. There are some promising youngsters coming through and there is some potential in the squad, but fans have fallen out of love with the club and many are likely to stay away next season. Everything feels very flat and for things to get back on track the whole club needs a shake up from top to bottom.”
From Europa League to League One certainties, it has been a turbulent decade for Hull under the Allam stewardship. Hope does remain with the knowledge that the club is still for sale and the Allams will not stick around forever. Yet, as long as they continue in their roles, the club is perishing – while despondent fans watch on. Could the drop to League One be an opportunity in disguise? Will it provide Hull with an opportunity to rebuild – if the Allams finally pack up and move on? Only time will tell. If no buyer is found, though, it looks unlikely that Hull will return to the promised land of the Premier League – or even the Championship – any time soon.
Written by - James McEvoy
Edited by - 3-At-The-Back
Edited by - 3-At-The-Back