Colin in. It seems strangely appropriate. It's like watching an episode of The Prisoner, after taking acid. At least no one can call us boring.
Jeez, are we still flogging this dead horse of a thread! Why don't we just payout like the bookies and accept is phlegm (I am leaving that typo).
Hull are worst prepared side for top-flight campaign ever ●No manager at Hull City ● No signings ● Barely any players ● Furious fans ● Ticketing chaos ● Owner seriously ill please log in to view this image New beginnings, old rancour Welcome to the Barclays Premier League and welcome to Hull City, where a new season officially begins with a lunchtime fixture against Leicester City tomorrow. What should be infused with a sense of possibility — if Claudio Ranieri’s worthy, upstart champions cannot inspire that, nothing can — will instead be scarred by discontent and uncertainty. It scarcely seems possible, but this is the most successful spell in the club’s history. After a shambolic pre-season — the departure of Steve Bruce as manager, no permanent replacement, inertia in the transfer market, injuries to senior players, stuttering takeover talks and a contentious ticketing policy — the Hull City Supporters’ Trust (HCST) will coordinate a red card protest against the Allam family, who own the club. “What’s been going on is madness, absolute madness,” Geoff Bielby, the Trust’s chairman, said. Wembley wobbles Hull were promoted via the play-offs in May, but what has become one of the most gilded, pivotal days in the football calendar felt tired. “I was ambivalent about Wembley because I really expected us to have gone up automatically, but when I walked into the stadium I was shocked at how many empty seats there were in our end,” Bielby said. “As a Hull fan, it was embarrassing, but lots of people had just had enough. “We went up but you could tell that it had taken a toll on Steve Bruce. He had the world on his shoulders. He’d been a politician for three years, like Henry Kissinger, trying to be a peacemaker between the owners and the fans. He was magnificent, a proper, traditional football man, but he was getting dragged into covering the mistakes the owners were making when I think, deep down, he didn’t agree with them. “There had been rumours of bust-ups, but I think he hung on over the summer hoping the club would be sold. I don’t know how he put up with it for as long as he did; he was having to answer so many questions which had nothing to do with football. He’s the best manager we’ve had — two promotions to the Premier league, an FA Cup Final — and, with the squad we’ve got, it’s impossible to replace him. We need a miracle worker.” It’s all in the name Hull fans, Bielby said, are “extremely grateful,” to Assem Allam, the chairman, “for saving the club in 2010,” not long after Hull had been relegated with heavy debts. The appointment of Bruce was inspired, but Allam — an Egyptian-born businessman who settled in the region in the 1960s — has been fixated with changing the club’s name to ‘Hull Tigers’. “It is about identity,” he said. “City’ is a lousy identity.” Failure to push that through — the proposal was rejected by the FA — has allowed distrust to fester on both sides; Allam put the club up for sale two years ago. “At the time of the takeover, Assem said he wanted to leave a lasting legacy for the people of Hull, but that’s gone toxic,” Bielby said. “There’s no fan dialogue at all. They just don’t listen to us. They don’t even acknowledge that the HCST exists.” Just (not) the ticket Allam has a hinterland in the East Riding of Yorkshire — he has long been a generous benefactor to local sport and culture — but in his absence with a serious illness, the club has been run by Ehab, his son. Positions have hardened. There was dismay when a new membership scheme was announced, reducing ticket prices for adults to a level which Bielby described as “excellent,” but, on the other hand, scrapping concessions for pensioners and children. “They’ve been very innovative,” Bielby said. “It’s a bit like a gym membership where you pay a direct debit every month and the price you pay is dependent on where you sit in the ground. The cheapest area is £252 a year and that’s good value. The problem is that there are no concessions at all. Kids paid £64 last season. If you sit in the centre of the stadium, children and OAPS are having to pay £486. “The man who sat next me can’t afford to go now. He’s been priced out. ‘I’m not going to be treated like a naughty schoolboy and sit in the corner’, he says. You sit with your friends. Football is not just about turning up and watching a match. It’s a social event. You can have three generations of families sitting together. Mates. Hull isn’t exactly a rich economy. It’s part of a depressed northeast.” Players, what players? Hull have not made a senior signing in the transfer market. It was part of the reason that Bruce left and the task of Mike Phelan, his caretaker replacement, is not helped by injuries to Michael Dawson, Allan McGregor, Alex Bruce and Moses Odubajo. When Mohamed Diamé, who scored the winning goal in the play-offs, “got the hell out,” and signed for Newcastle United, one division below them, it “spoke volumes,” Bielby said. Members of a potential consortium from China and Hong Kong may watch the Leicester match. “We need ownership change,” said Bielby. “We’ve got half a squad, no manager, fans are disaffected. I don’t think any Hull fan is anticipating that we’ll still be in the Premier League this time next year. The owners are throwing away a golden opportunity. They’re killing our club. “Not too long ago, we were fighting with Leicester to stay in the Premier League, but the two clubs have gone in opposite directions. It was so refreshing to watch them last season and see what you can achieve when you’ve got an owner, management, players and fans all pulling in the same direction. For us, it’s total disaffection, disunity, at odds from top to bottom. It’s so frustrating.” Starting without a manager Arsenal 1996-97 Stewart Houston Bruce Rioch was sacked five days before start of season over disagreement with directors. Arsène Wenger was not announced as his successor until September and led the club to third Aston Villa 2010-11 Kevin MacDonald Martin O’Neill resigned five days before season began over a lack of transfer funds. Gérard Houllier took over but was sidelined by ill health in April and left in the summer Crystal Palace 2014-15 Keith Millen Tony Pulis left the club two days before season started, Neil Warnock took over but was sacked before the new year. Palace finished tenth under Alan Pardew http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/w...m?shareToken=5bad7c7a7300493ef7f31a048189b133