Hull City A.F.C.
Encyclopedia
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull
, East Riding of Yorkshire
, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship
, the second tier of English football. In 2007–08 they achieved promotion to the top flight of English football for the first time in their history, by winning the Championship
play-off
final at Wembley Stadium
. They finished the 2008–09 season 17th in the Premier League table, successfully avoiding relegation by one point. The previous highest position Hull City had finished in the Football League was third in the old Second Division
in 1909–10, which they matched in 2007–08 when they gained promotion. Their greatest achievement in cup competitions came in 1930, when the team reached the semi-final of the FA Cup
.
Hull play their home games at the KC Stadium
. They previously played at Boothferry Park
, but moved to their current home in 2002, with Boothferry Park set for demolition. They traditionally play in black and amber, often with a striped shirt design, hence their nickname The Tigers. The club's mascot is Roary the Tiger.
teams such as Hull FC and Hull Kingston Rovers
. The club's first season as a professional football club consisted only of friendly matches; because of the date of its founding, the club was unable to apply for membership of the Football League
for the 1904–05 season. The club's first friendly game and indeed their first ever was a 2–2 draw with Notts County
on 1 September 1904 with 6,000 in attendance. These early matches were played at The Boulevard
, the home of Hull FC. Hull's first competitive football match was in the FA Cup preliminary round, drawing 3–3 with Stockton
on 17 September, but they were eliminated after losing the replay 4–1 on 22 September. After disputes with landlords at The Boulevard, Hull City moved to Anlaby Road Cricket Ground. After having played 44 friendly fixtures the previous season, Hull City were finally admitted into the Football League Second Division
for the 1905–06 season. Other teams competing in the league that season included the likes of Manchester United
and Chelsea
, as well as Yorkshire
rivals Barnsley
, Bradford City
and Leeds City. Hull faced Barnsley at home in their first game, a fixture which Hull won 4–1. Eventually, Hull would finish the season in fifth place.
Hull City and Grimsby Town were the only two professional teams which had official permission to play league football on Christmas Day because of the demands of the fish trade. That tradition has now disappeared following the dramatic reduction of their trawler fleets in recent years.
The following season a new ground was built for Hull City across the road from the cricket ground. Still under the managership of Ambrose Langley
, Hull continued to finish consistently in the top half of the table. They came close to promotion in the 1909–10 season, recording what would be their highest finish until they matched it in 2008. Hull finished third, level on points with second placed Oldham Athletic
, missing promotion on goal average by 0.29 of a goal. Hull regularly finished in the top half of the table prior to the First World War, but after the war the team finished in the bottom half in seven seasons out of eleven, culminating in relegation
to the Third Division North
in 1930.
Hull's greatest achievement in cup competitions was in 1930, when they reached the FA Cup semi-finals. The cup run saw Hull knock out the eventual champions of the Second and Third Divisions; Blackpool
and Plymouth Argyle
respectively. They then knocked out Manchester City
, to meet Newcastle United
in the quarter finals. The first leg at St James' Park
finished as a 1–1 draw, but in the replay Hull beat Newcastle 1–0. The semi-final match against Arsenal
took place at Elland Road
in Leeds
, the game ended 2–2, and was taken to a replay. Arsenal knocked Hull out at Aston Villa
's home ground, the game ending 1–0.
After the Second World War, the club moved to another new ground, Boothferry Park
. In the 1948–49 season, managed by former England international Raich Carter
, Hull won the Third Division North championship. "Yo-yoing" between the second and third tiers of English football, Hull City had promotion seasons from the Third to the Second Division again in 1959 and 1966, winning the Third Division in the latter season. Hull also became the first team in the world to go out of a cup competition on penalties, beaten by Manchester United in the semi-final of the Watney Cup
on 1 August 1970. By the early 1980s, Hull City were in the Fourth Division, and financial collapse led to receivership
.
Don Robinson took over as chairman and appointed Colin Appleton
as the new manager. Both had previously held the equivalent roles with non-league Scarborough
. Promotion to Division Three followed in 1983, with a young team featuring the likes of future England international Brian Marwood
, future England manager Steve McClaren
, centre-forward Billy Whitehurst
, and the prolific goal-scorer Les Mutrie. When Hull City missed out on promotion by one goal the following season, Appleton left to manage Swansea City
.
. They remained there for the next five years before finally going down in 1991, by which time the club's manager was Terry Dolan. Hull finished 14th in the Third Division in the 1991–92 season, meaning that they would be competing in the new Second Division the following season. In their first season in the rebranded division, Hull narrowly avoided another relegation, but the board kept faith in Dolan and over the next two seasons they achieved mid-table finishes. Financial difficulties hampered City's progress, as key players such as Alan Fettis and Dean Windass
had to be sold to fend off winding-up orders
. In the 1995–96
season Hull were relegated to the Third Division.
In 1997 the club was purchased by former tennis player David Lloyd
, who sacked Dolan as manager and replaced him with Mark Hateley
after Hull could only finish in 17th place in the table. Hull's league form was steadily deteriorating to the point that relegation to the Football Conference
was looking a real possibility. Lloyd sold the club in November 1998 to a South Yorkshire based consortium, but retained ownership of Boothferry Park. Hateley departed in November 1998, with the club at the foot of the table. He was replaced by 34-year-old veteran player Warren Joyce
, who steered the club to safety with games to spare. Hull City fans refer to this season as "The Great Escape". Despite this feat, Joyce was replaced in April 2000 by the more experienced Brian Little
.
Despite briefly being locked out of Boothferry Park by bailiffs and facing the possibility of liquidation, Hull qualified for the Third Division play-offs in the 2000–01 season, losing in the semi-finals to Leyton Orient. A boardroom takeover by former Leeds United commercial director Adam Pearson
had eased the club's precarious financial situation and all fears of closure were banished.
The new chairman ploughed funds into the club, allowing Little to rebuild the team. Hull occupied the Third Division promotion and play-off places for much of the 2001–02 season, but Little departed two months before the end of the season and Hull slipped to 11th place under his successor Jan Mølby
.
Hull began the 2002–03 season with a number of defeats, which saw relegation look more likely than promotion, and Mølby was sacked in October as Hull languished fifth from bottom in the league. Peter Taylor was named as Hull's new manager and in December 2002, just two months after his appointment, Hull relocated to the new 25,400-seater KC Stadium
after 56 years at Boothferry Park. At the end of the season Hull finished 13th.
Hull were Third Division runners-up in 2003–04
and League One runners-up in 2004–05
; these back-to-back promotions took them into the Championship, the second tier of English football. The 2005–06
season, the club's first back in the second tier, saw Hull finish in 18th place, 10 points clear of relegation and their highest league finish for 16 years.
However, Taylor left the club to take up the manager's job at Crystal Palace
and Colchester United
's Phil Parkinson
was confirmed as his replacement, but was sacked on 4 December 2006 with Hull in the relegation zone, despite having spent over £2 million on players during the summer. Phil Brown took over as caretaker manager
, and took over permanently in January 2007, having taken Hull out of the relegation zone. Brown brought veteran striker Dean Windass
back to his hometown club on loan from Bradford City, and his eight goals helped secure Hull's Championship status as they finished in 21st place.
Adam Pearson sold the club to a consortium led by Paul Duffen
in June 2007, stating that he "had taken the club as far as I could", and would have to relinquish control in order to attract "really significant finance into the club". Under Paul Duffen and manager Phil Brown, Hull City improved greatly on their relegation battle of 2006–07
and qualified for the play-offs after finishing the season in third place. They beat Watford
6–1 on aggregate in the semi-finals and played Bristol City
in the Final
on 24 May 2008, which Hull won 1–0 at Wembley Stadium
, with Hull native Dean Windass scoring the winning goal. Their ascent from the bottom division of the Football League to the top division of English football in just five seasons is the third-fastest ever.
season, Hull began life in the Premier League by beating Fulham
2–1 on the opening day in their first ever top flight fixture. With only one defeat in their opening nine games, including a famous 2–1 victory against Arsenal at The Emirates and also winning 1–0 at White Hart Lane against Tottenham Hotspur. Hull City found themselves (temporarily) joint-top of the Premier League table on points (third on goal difference), following a 3–0 victory over West Bromwich Albion
– ten years previously they had been bottom of the fourth tier of English football. Hull's form never replicated the highs of the early autumn, winning only two more games over the remainder of the season. Despite the drop in form and slow slide down the table, Hull City went into the final game of the season in 17th place and above the drop zone. They ultimately lost the game against Manchester United
0–1, however Newcastle United
and Middlesbrough
also lost their games against Aston Villa
and West Ham United
respectively, thus securing a second Premier League season for Hull City.
On 29 October 2009 chairman Paul Duffen resigned his position with the club and was replaced by former chairman Adam Pearson
on 2 November 2009. On 15 March 2010 manager Phil Brown was put on gardening leave
after a run of four defeats left Hull in the relegation zone. Brown's replacement was former Crystal Palace and Charlton boss Iain Dowie
and the appointment was met with some disbelief by supporters who were hoping for a "bigger name" replacement.
. Phil Brown's contract as manager was confirmed ended on 7 June 2010, and the search for his replacement was to continue past mid-June as the club confirmed that Iain Dowie would not be retained in a managerial capacity. Nigel Pearson
was confirmed as the new manager on 29 June, lured from Leicester City
in part by the Championship ambitions of the Tigers.
A reported block on player transfers into the club, set in place by the Hull City board on 28 July 2010 until transfers out substantially reduce the £39 million-per-year wage bill, at first cast doubt on the new manager's efforts to build a squad capable of a quick return to the Premier League; nevertheless, Pearson has since brought several transfers and loan signings into the club in his bid to strengthen the squad for the season's campaign.
On 12 March 2011, Hull set a new record for the club, with 14 away matches unbeaten, breaking a record stretching back over 50 years. The away unbeaten streak of 17 matches was finally broken by Bristol City
on the last day of the 2010–11 season
, Hull lost the match 3-0.
On 15 November 2011 manager Nigel Pearson
left the club to take up an appointment at former club Leicester City
, taking with him backroom staff Craig Shakespeare
and Steve Walsh. Hull City appointed Nick Barmby
as caretaker manager.
For most of the club's history, Hull have worn black and amber shirts with black shorts. These black and amber colours are where Hull's nickname, The Tigers, originated from. However, in the club's first match against Notts County
in 1904, white shirts were worn, with black shorts and black socks. During their first season in the League, Hull wore black and amber striped shirts and black shorts, which they continued to wear until the Second World War with the exception of one season, in which they wore sky blue shirts. Following the end of the Second World War, Hull spent another season wearing sky blue, but changed to plain amber shirts, which they wore until the early 1960s, when they swapped back to stripes.
During the mid 1970s and early 1980s, the strip was constantly changing between the two versions of plain shirts and stripes. During the late 1980s, red was added to the kits but its duration went no further than this.
The early 1990s featured two "tiger skin" designs, which have since featured in several articles listing the "worst ever" football kits. The 1998–99 season introduced a kit with cross-fading amber and white stripes, another experiment that proved unpopular. After the turn of the century, the club wore plain amber shirts until 2004, when the club celebrated its centenary by wearing a kit similar to the design of the one worn 100 years ago.
Hull City did not wear a crest on their team shirts until 1947. This crest depicted a tiger's head in an orange-shaded badge, which was worn up until 1955, when it was changed to just the tiger's head. This was worn for four years, when the shirt again featured no emblem. Then, in 1971, the club returned to showing the tiger's head on the shirt. This was used for four years, until the club's initials of HCAFC were shown for five years. After this, a logo with the tiger's head with the club's name underneath was used from 1980 until 1998. The next logo, which as of January 2011 is the club's current logo, features the tiger's head in an amber shield with the club's name, along with the club's nickname, The Tigers.
Between 1904 and 1905, Hull City played their home games at The Boulevard
. This ground was used by Hull on a contract which allowed them to use it when not used for Rugby League, at a cost of £100 per annum. Hull built their own ground, Anlaby Road, which was opened in 1906. With the threat of the rerouting of the railway line through the Anlaby Road ground, the club was convinced it needed to secure its future by owning its own ground. They negotiated the deal for land between Boothferry Road and North Road in 1929, which was financed by a £3,000 loan from the FA. Due to the club's financial difficulties, no work took place for three years, and development then stopped until 1939. In that year a proposal to build a new multi-purpose sports stadium on the site temporarily halted the club's plans to relocate, but when this plan failed the club resolved to continue with the stalled development of the site, in anticipation of moving to the new stadium in 1940. The outbreak of war, however, meant that the redevelopment again came to a halt, as the site was taken over by the Home Guard.
During the Second World War, Anlaby Road was damaged by enemy bombing, the repair cost of which was in the region of £1,000. The Cricket Club served notice to quit at the same time, and so in 1943 the tenancy was officially ended. Hull were forced to return to the Boulevard Ground from 1944 until 1945 because of the poor condition of the planned stadium at Boothferry Road. The new stadium was finally opened under the revised name of Boothferry Park on 31 August 1946.
Hull City, along with one of the city's rugby league sides, Hull F.C., moved into the newly-built KC Stadium in 2002. The KC Stadium was named "Best Ground" at the 2006 Football League Awards.
Andy Davidson
holds the record for Hull City league appearances, having played 579 matches. Gareth Roberts comes second, having played 487 matches. Chris Chilton
is the club's top goalscorer with 222 goals in all competitions; Chilton also holds the club record for goals scored in the League (193), FA Cup (16) and League Cup (10).
The club's widest victory margin in the league was their 11–1 win against Carlisle United
in the Third Division North
on 14 January 1939. Their heaviest defeat in the league was 8–0 against Wolverhampton Wanderers
in 1911.
Hull City's record home attendance is 55,019, for a match against Manchester United
on 26 February 1949 at Boothferry Park, with their highest attendance at their current stadium, the KC Stadium, 25,030 set on 9 May 2010 against Liverpool
for the last match of the season.
The highest transfer fee received for a Hull City player is £4 million from Sunderland
for Michael Turner
. The highest transfer fee paid for a player is £5 million, for Jimmy Bullard
from Fulham
on 23 January 2009.
* Caretaker manager
† Temporary Football Management Consultant
. Hull City Juniors play in the Football League Youth Alliance, playing their home fixtures at Winterton Rangers
' home stadium.
. In the 2006–07
season, the team finished seventh in the table with 33 points.
According to a 2003 poll, Hull City fans consider their main rival to be Leeds United
. Other rivals include their neighbours from across the Humber
, Scunthorpe United
and Grimsby Town
. With Scunthorpe's promotion from League One
, the 2007–08
Championship season saw the return of the "Humber Derby
". Additionally Lincoln City
and York City
name Hull amongst their rivals.
Lincoln City had an excellent record over Hull City, only losing once against the Tigers in the 21st century. Lincoln were also the first team to record an away win at Hull City's KC Stadium with a 1–0 victory in the 2002–03 season.
The club also has a traditional rivalry with Sheffield United
. In 1984 Sheffield United won promotion at Hull City's expense with the teams level on points and goal difference
and separated only by goals scored, with 33 of United's goals scored by former Hull City striker Keith Edwards. City's final game of the season against Burnley
had been rescheduled due to bad weather and took place after their promotion rivals had finished their campaign; Hull went into the game knowing that a three-goal victory would mean promotion, but in front of a crowd which included a number of United fans could manage only a 2–0 win, ensuring that United went up instead.
League One/Second Division/Third Division (3rd Tier)
League Two/Third Division/Fourth Division (4th Tier)
Football League Third Division North
FA Cup
Football League Trophy
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, the second tier of English football. In 2007–08 they achieved promotion to the top flight of English football for the first time in their history, by winning the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
play-off
Football League Play-Offs
The Football League play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine some of the promotion places within the Football League. Essentially, each division of the league offers a certain number of automatic promotion places to the top two or three clubs. A further promotion place is...
final at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. They finished the 2008–09 season 17th in the Premier League table, successfully avoiding relegation by one point. The previous highest position Hull City had finished in the Football League was third in the old Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in 1909–10, which they matched in 2007–08 when they gained promotion. Their greatest achievement in cup competitions came in 1930, when the team reached the semi-final of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
.
Hull play their home games at the KC Stadium
KC Stadium
The KC Stadium, often shortened to the KC, is a multi-purpose facility in the city of Kingston upon Hull , England. Conceived as early as the late 1990s, it was completed in 2002 at a cost of approximately £44 million. It is named after the stadium's sponsors, telecommunications provider KC,...
. They previously played at Boothferry Park
Boothferry Park
Boothferry Park was a football stadium in Kingston upon Hull, and was home to the football club Hull City for over 50 years from 31 August 1946 until December 2002, when they moved to the Kingston Communications Stadium....
, but moved to their current home in 2002, with Boothferry Park set for demolition. They traditionally play in black and amber, often with a striped shirt design, hence their nickname The Tigers. The club's mascot is Roary the Tiger.
History
Early history
Hull City Association Football Club was founded in June 1904. For some years previously, attempts had been made to found a football club, but this proved difficult because the city was then dominated by rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
teams such as Hull FC and Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
. The club's first season as a professional football club consisted only of friendly matches; because of the date of its founding, the club was unable to apply for membership of the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for the 1904–05 season. The club's first friendly game and indeed their first ever was a 2–2 draw with Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
on 1 September 1904 with 6,000 in attendance. These early matches were played at The Boulevard
The Boulevard (Stadium)
The Boulevard was a multi-purpose stadium in Hull, England. The venue was saved from demolition and reopened on 25 October 2007 as the home of greyhound racing in the city. It can also be used as a community stadium hosting amateur rugby league matches...
, the home of Hull FC. Hull's first competitive football match was in the FA Cup preliminary round, drawing 3–3 with Stockton
Stockton F.C.
Stockton F.C. was an English football club based in Stockton-on-Tees. The club were known as 'The Ancients' because of their long-standing presence in the town. Their traditional colours were red and black quartered shirts with white shorts.-History:...
on 17 September, but they were eliminated after losing the replay 4–1 on 22 September. After disputes with landlords at The Boulevard, Hull City moved to Anlaby Road Cricket Ground. After having played 44 friendly fixtures the previous season, Hull City were finally admitted into the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
for the 1905–06 season. Other teams competing in the league that season included the likes of Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, as well as Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
rivals Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
, Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
and Leeds City. Hull faced Barnsley at home in their first game, a fixture which Hull won 4–1. Eventually, Hull would finish the season in fifth place.
Hull City and Grimsby Town were the only two professional teams which had official permission to play league football on Christmas Day because of the demands of the fish trade. That tradition has now disappeared following the dramatic reduction of their trawler fleets in recent years.
The following season a new ground was built for Hull City across the road from the cricket ground. Still under the managership of Ambrose Langley
Ambrose Langley
Ambrose Langley was the manager of Hull City Football Club from 1905 until 1913. He was born in 6 South Street, Horncastle and played over 300 games for Sheffield Wednesday....
, Hull continued to finish consistently in the top half of the table. They came close to promotion in the 1909–10 season, recording what would be their highest finish until they matched it in 2008. Hull finished third, level on points with second placed Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
, missing promotion on goal average by 0.29 of a goal. Hull regularly finished in the top half of the table prior to the First World War, but after the war the team finished in the bottom half in seven seasons out of eleven, culminating in relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the Third Division North
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
in 1930.
Mid-20th century
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
and Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
respectively. They then knocked out Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, to meet Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in the quarter finals. The first leg at St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
finished as a 1–1 draw, but in the replay Hull beat Newcastle 1–0. The semi-final match against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
took place at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, the game ended 2–2, and was taken to a replay. Arsenal knocked Hull out at Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
's home ground, the game ending 1–0.
After the Second World War, the club moved to another new ground, Boothferry Park
Boothferry Park
Boothferry Park was a football stadium in Kingston upon Hull, and was home to the football club Hull City for over 50 years from 31 August 1946 until December 2002, when they moved to the Kingston Communications Stadium....
. In the 1948–49 season, managed by former England international Raich Carter
Raich Carter
Horatio Stratton "Raich" Carter was one of the greatest English footballers of the pre-war era...
, Hull won the Third Division North championship. "Yo-yoing" between the second and third tiers of English football, Hull City had promotion seasons from the Third to the Second Division again in 1959 and 1966, winning the Third Division in the latter season. Hull also became the first team in the world to go out of a cup competition on penalties, beaten by Manchester United in the semi-final of the Watney Cup
Watney Cup
The Watney Mann Invitation Cup was a short-lived English football tournament held in the early 1970s....
on 1 August 1970. By the early 1980s, Hull City were in the Fourth Division, and financial collapse led to receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
.
Don Robinson took over as chairman and appointed Colin Appleton
Colin Appleton
Colin Appleton is a former footballer who played as a wing-half. Appleton began his career at Scarborough, but made his name making 333 appearances for Leicester City during a 12-year period, where he formed a legendary half-back partnership with Frank McLintock and Ian King.He was captain of the...
as the new manager. Both had previously held the equivalent roles with non-league Scarborough
Scarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
. Promotion to Division Three followed in 1983, with a young team featuring the likes of future England international Brian Marwood
Brian Marwood
Brian Marwood is an English former footballer and is currently one of the main executive staff at Manchester City F.C. under the role of Football Administration Officer.-Hull City:...
, future England manager Steve McClaren
Steve McClaren
Stephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
, centre-forward Billy Whitehurst
Billy Whitehurst
William "Billy" Whitehurst was an English professional footballer during the 1980s-1990s.-Career:...
, and the prolific goal-scorer Les Mutrie. When Hull City missed out on promotion by one goal the following season, Appleton left to manage Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
.
Decline in the late 20th century
Hull reached the Second Division in 1986 under player-manager Brian HortonBrian Horton
Brian Horton is an English former footballer and manager, who is working as Phil Brown's assistant at Preston North End.Horton played for Hednesford Town, Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton Town and Hull City as a midfielder...
. They remained there for the next five years before finally going down in 1991, by which time the club's manager was Terry Dolan. Hull finished 14th in the Third Division in the 1991–92 season, meaning that they would be competing in the new Second Division the following season. In their first season in the rebranded division, Hull narrowly avoided another relegation, but the board kept faith in Dolan and over the next two seasons they achieved mid-table finishes. Financial difficulties hampered City's progress, as key players such as Alan Fettis and Dean Windass
had to be sold to fend off winding-up orders
Liquidation
In law, liquidation is the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed. Liquidation is also sometimes referred to as winding-up or dissolution, although dissolution technically refers to the last stage of liquidation...
. In the 1995–96
1995-96 in English football
- Premiership :Newcastle United were 12 points clear at the top of Manchester United, but Alex Ferguson's relatively young and inexperienced side overhauled them during the second half of the season to win the title....
season Hull were relegated to the Third Division.
David Lloyd (tennis)
David Lloyd is a former professional English tennis player and businessman.He was born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. He and his younger brother John Lloyd became two of the most successful British tennis players throughout the 1970s and 1980s. David captained the British Davis Cup team and became a...
, who sacked Dolan as manager and replaced him with Mark Hateley
Mark Hateley
Mark Wayne Hateley is a retired English football player who played as a centre-forward. He was capped 32 times for the English national team , and played in top-level football leagues in England, Italy, France and Scotland...
after Hull could only finish in 17th place in the table. Hull's league form was steadily deteriorating to the point that relegation to the Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
was looking a real possibility. Lloyd sold the club in November 1998 to a South Yorkshire based consortium, but retained ownership of Boothferry Park. Hateley departed in November 1998, with the club at the foot of the table. He was replaced by 34-year-old veteran player Warren Joyce
Warren Joyce
Warren Garton Joyce is a former footballer who played in The Football League, and now works as a coach.-Early life at Bolton:...
, who steered the club to safety with games to spare. Hull City fans refer to this season as "The Great Escape". Despite this feat, Joyce was replaced in April 2000 by the more experienced Brian Little
Brian Little (footballer)
Brian Little is an English former football player and manager who is currently without a job after being relieved of his duties as manager of Gainsborough Trinity on 22 August 2011. Little has previously managed Darlington, Leicester City, Aston Villa, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Hull City,...
.
Despite briefly being locked out of Boothferry Park by bailiffs and facing the possibility of liquidation, Hull qualified for the Third Division play-offs in the 2000–01 season, losing in the semi-finals to Leyton Orient. A boardroom takeover by former Leeds United commercial director Adam Pearson
Adam Pearson
Adam Pearson is Head of Football Operations of Hull City and owner of Hull F.C. rugby league club. He is the former chairman of English association football club Derby County.-Career:...
had eased the club's precarious financial situation and all fears of closure were banished.
Up the Football League
Jan Mølby
Jan Mølby is a Danish former international footballer who spent much of his professional football career at English club Liverpool.- Club career :...
.
Hull began the 2002–03 season with a number of defeats, which saw relegation look more likely than promotion, and Mølby was sacked in October as Hull languished fifth from bottom in the league. Peter Taylor was named as Hull's new manager and in December 2002, just two months after his appointment, Hull relocated to the new 25,400-seater KC Stadium
KC Stadium
The KC Stadium, often shortened to the KC, is a multi-purpose facility in the city of Kingston upon Hull , England. Conceived as early as the late 1990s, it was completed in 2002 at a cost of approximately £44 million. It is named after the stadium's sponsors, telecommunications provider KC,...
after 56 years at Boothferry Park. At the end of the season Hull finished 13th.
2003-04 in English football
The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....
and League One runners-up in 2004–05
2004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
; these back-to-back promotions took them into the Championship, the second tier of English football. The 2005–06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
season, the club's first back in the second tier, saw Hull finish in 18th place, 10 points clear of relegation and their highest league finish for 16 years.
However, Taylor left the club to take up the manager's job at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
and Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
's Phil Parkinson
Phil Parkinson
Philip John "Phil" Parkinson is an English football manager and former player who currently manages Bradford City.-Playing career:...
was confirmed as his replacement, but was sacked on 4 December 2006 with Hull in the relegation zone, despite having spent over £2 million on players during the summer. Phil Brown took over as caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
, and took over permanently in January 2007, having taken Hull out of the relegation zone. Brown brought veteran striker Dean Windass
Dean Windass
Dean Windass is an English footballer, who predominantly played as a striker, and is known for his spells at Bradford City and his hometown team Hull City...
back to his hometown club on loan from Bradford City, and his eight goals helped secure Hull's Championship status as they finished in 21st place.
Paul Duffen
Paul Jeremy Duffen is the ex-chairman of Hull City A.F.C. and was formerly Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst Media Group plc , where other board members included Sir David Frost and Steven Smith...
in June 2007, stating that he "had taken the club as far as I could", and would have to relinquish control in order to attract "really significant finance into the club". Under Paul Duffen and manager Phil Brown, Hull City improved greatly on their relegation battle of 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
and qualified for the play-offs after finishing the season in third place. They beat Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
6–1 on aggregate in the semi-finals and played Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
in the Final
2008 Football League Championship playoff final
The 2008 Football League Championship play-off Final was contested between Bristol City and Hull City. The match was won by Hull City through a 38th minute goal from Dean Windass. The victory meant that this was the first time in the history of Hull City that they would be competing in the top...
on 24 May 2008, which Hull won 1–0 at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, with Hull native Dean Windass scoring the winning goal. Their ascent from the bottom division of the Football League to the top division of English football in just five seasons is the third-fastest ever.
Top flight football (2008–2010)
Despite being one of the favourites for relegation in the 2008–092008–09 in English football
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
season, Hull began life in the Premier League by beating Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
2–1 on the opening day in their first ever top flight fixture. With only one defeat in their opening nine games, including a famous 2–1 victory against Arsenal at The Emirates and also winning 1–0 at White Hart Lane against Tottenham Hotspur. Hull City found themselves (temporarily) joint-top of the Premier League table on points (third on goal difference), following a 3–0 victory over West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
– ten years previously they had been bottom of the fourth tier of English football. Hull's form never replicated the highs of the early autumn, winning only two more games over the remainder of the season. Despite the drop in form and slow slide down the table, Hull City went into the final game of the season in 17th place and above the drop zone. They ultimately lost the game against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
0–1, however Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
and Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
also lost their games against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
respectively, thus securing a second Premier League season for Hull City.
On 29 October 2009 chairman Paul Duffen resigned his position with the club and was replaced by former chairman Adam Pearson
Adam Pearson
Adam Pearson is Head of Football Operations of Hull City and owner of Hull F.C. rugby league club. He is the former chairman of English association football club Derby County.-Career:...
on 2 November 2009. On 15 March 2010 manager Phil Brown was put on gardening leave
Gardening leave
Garden leave describes the practice whereby an employee who is leaving a job is instructed to stay away from work during the notice period, while still remaining on the payroll...
after a run of four defeats left Hull in the relegation zone. Brown's replacement was former Crystal Palace and Charlton boss Iain Dowie
Iain Dowie
Iain Dowie is a former footballer and manager. He is currently without a club. He has previously managed Hull City and Queens Park Rangers and was assistant manager of Newcastle United...
and the appointment was met with some disbelief by supporters who were hoping for a "bigger name" replacement.
Return to the Football League
Hull City's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed on 3 May 2010, after a 2–2 draw at Wigan AthleticWigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. Phil Brown's contract as manager was confirmed ended on 7 June 2010, and the search for his replacement was to continue past mid-June as the club confirmed that Iain Dowie would not be retained in a managerial capacity. Nigel Pearson
Nigel Pearson
Nigel Graham Pearson is an English football manager and former professional player. He is currently in his second spell as manager of Leicester City, having previously managed Hull City, Southampton and Carlisle United, and been assistant manager for England Under-21s and Newcastle United...
was confirmed as the new manager on 29 June, lured from Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in part by the Championship ambitions of the Tigers.
A reported block on player transfers into the club, set in place by the Hull City board on 28 July 2010 until transfers out substantially reduce the £39 million-per-year wage bill, at first cast doubt on the new manager's efforts to build a squad capable of a quick return to the Premier League; nevertheless, Pearson has since brought several transfers and loan signings into the club in his bid to strengthen the squad for the season's campaign.
On 12 March 2011, Hull set a new record for the club, with 14 away matches unbeaten, breaking a record stretching back over 50 years. The away unbeaten streak of 17 matches was finally broken by Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
on the last day of the 2010–11 season
2010–11 Hull City A.F.C. season
The 2010–11 season is Hull City's first season back in the Championship after relegation from the Premier League in the 2009–10 season.-Current squad:-Transfers:...
, Hull lost the match 3-0.
On 15 November 2011 manager Nigel Pearson
Nigel Pearson
Nigel Graham Pearson is an English football manager and former professional player. He is currently in his second spell as manager of Leicester City, having previously managed Hull City, Southampton and Carlisle United, and been assistant manager for England Under-21s and Newcastle United...
left the club to take up an appointment at former club Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, taking with him backroom staff Craig Shakespeare
Craig Shakespeare
Craig Shakespeare is a former professional footballer who went on to become a football coach. He is currently assistant manager at Leicester City after leaving Hull City to follow Nigel Pearson.-Playing career:...
and Steve Walsh. Hull City appointed Nick Barmby
Nick Barmby
Nicholas Jon "Nick" Barmby is an English footballer who plays for Hull City as a midfielder, where he is also caretaker manager. At his peak he earned a total of 23 caps for England between 1995 and 2001...
as caretaker manager.
Colours and crest
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
in 1904, white shirts were worn, with black shorts and black socks. During their first season in the League, Hull wore black and amber striped shirts and black shorts, which they continued to wear until the Second World War with the exception of one season, in which they wore sky blue shirts. Following the end of the Second World War, Hull spent another season wearing sky blue, but changed to plain amber shirts, which they wore until the early 1960s, when they swapped back to stripes.
During the mid 1970s and early 1980s, the strip was constantly changing between the two versions of plain shirts and stripes. During the late 1980s, red was added to the kits but its duration went no further than this.
The early 1990s featured two "tiger skin" designs, which have since featured in several articles listing the "worst ever" football kits. The 1998–99 season introduced a kit with cross-fading amber and white stripes, another experiment that proved unpopular. After the turn of the century, the club wore plain amber shirts until 2004, when the club celebrated its centenary by wearing a kit similar to the design of the one worn 100 years ago.
Hull City did not wear a crest on their team shirts until 1947. This crest depicted a tiger's head in an orange-shaded badge, which was worn up until 1955, when it was changed to just the tiger's head. This was worn for four years, when the shirt again featured no emblem. Then, in 1971, the club returned to showing the tiger's head on the shirt. This was used for four years, until the club's initials of HCAFC were shown for five years. After this, a logo with the tiger's head with the club's name underneath was used from 1980 until 1998. The next logo, which as of January 2011 is the club's current logo, features the tiger's head in an amber shield with the club's name, along with the club's nickname, The Tigers.
Manufacturers
- 1904-1975: None
- 1975-1980: Europa
- 1980-1982: AdidasAdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
- 1982-1988: Admiral
- 1988-1993: Matchwinner
- 1994-1995: Pelada
- 1995-1998: Super League
- 1998-1999: Olympic Sports
- 1999-2001: Avec
- 2001-2004: Patrick
- 2004-2007: DiadoraDiadoraDiadora is an Italian football, tennis, running, cycling, rugby, athletic shoe, clothing, and fashion accessory manufacturer with locations in Italy, the United States, and Hong Kong.-History:...
- 2007-2010: UmbroUmbroUmbro is an English sportswear and football equipment supplier based in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England. The company is now part of Nike. Umbro designs, sources, and markets sport-related apparel, footwear, and equipment...
- 2010-: AdidasAdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
Stadia
The Boulevard (Stadium)
The Boulevard was a multi-purpose stadium in Hull, England. The venue was saved from demolition and reopened on 25 October 2007 as the home of greyhound racing in the city. It can also be used as a community stadium hosting amateur rugby league matches...
. This ground was used by Hull on a contract which allowed them to use it when not used for Rugby League, at a cost of £100 per annum. Hull built their own ground, Anlaby Road, which was opened in 1906. With the threat of the rerouting of the railway line through the Anlaby Road ground, the club was convinced it needed to secure its future by owning its own ground. They negotiated the deal for land between Boothferry Road and North Road in 1929, which was financed by a £3,000 loan from the FA. Due to the club's financial difficulties, no work took place for three years, and development then stopped until 1939. In that year a proposal to build a new multi-purpose sports stadium on the site temporarily halted the club's plans to relocate, but when this plan failed the club resolved to continue with the stalled development of the site, in anticipation of moving to the new stadium in 1940. The outbreak of war, however, meant that the redevelopment again came to a halt, as the site was taken over by the Home Guard.
During the Second World War, Anlaby Road was damaged by enemy bombing, the repair cost of which was in the region of £1,000. The Cricket Club served notice to quit at the same time, and so in 1943 the tenancy was officially ended. Hull were forced to return to the Boulevard Ground from 1944 until 1945 because of the poor condition of the planned stadium at Boothferry Road. The new stadium was finally opened under the revised name of Boothferry Park on 31 August 1946.
Hull City, along with one of the city's rugby league sides, Hull F.C., moved into the newly-built KC Stadium in 2002. The KC Stadium was named "Best Ground" at the 2006 Football League Awards.
Statistics and records
Andy Davidson (footballer)
Andrew "Andy" Davidson also known as Jock Davidson is a Scottish former footballer. He has made the most league appearances for Hull City, having played 520 times in the league for the club from 1952-1968.-Notes:...
holds the record for Hull City league appearances, having played 579 matches. Gareth Roberts comes second, having played 487 matches. Chris Chilton
Chris Chilton
Christopher Roy "Chris" Chilton is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Hull City and Coventry City. Chilton is Hull City's all-time top scorer, with 222 goals in all competitions...
is the club's top goalscorer with 222 goals in all competitions; Chilton also holds the club record for goals scored in the League (193), FA Cup (16) and League Cup (10).
The club's widest victory margin in the league was their 11–1 win against Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
in the Third Division North
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
on 14 January 1939. Their heaviest defeat in the league was 8–0 against Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in 1911.
Hull City's record home attendance is 55,019, for a match against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
on 26 February 1949 at Boothferry Park, with their highest attendance at their current stadium, the KC Stadium, 25,030 set on 9 May 2010 against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for the last match of the season.
The highest transfer fee received for a Hull City player is £4 million from Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
for Michael Turner
Michael Turner (footballer)
Michael Thomas Turner is an English footballer who plays for Sunderland.-Charlton Athletic:Born in Lewisham, London, Turner started his career at Charlton Athletic. As part of a link-up Charlton had with Internazionale, he spent several months of his apprenticeship with the Italian club's under-19...
. The highest transfer fee paid for a player is £5 million, for Jimmy Bullard
Jimmy Bullard
James Richard "Jimmy" Bullard is a footballer who currently plays for Ipswich Town. He played youth football at West Ham before moving to Gravesend & Northfleet in 1998...
from Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
on 23 January 2009.
Current squad
Out on loan
Player of the Year
 |
|
Managers
Only professional, competitive matches are counted.| Name | Nat | Managerial Tenure | G | W | D | L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Ramster James Ramster James Ramster was the first manager of Hull City Football Club. He was the manager from August 1904 until April 1905. He never managed the team in a competitive match, however, he was in charge during some of the club's first friendly matches before the team competed in the football league... |
 |
August 1904 – April 1905 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 00.00 |
| Ambrose Langley Ambrose Langley Ambrose Langley was the manager of Hull City Football Club from 1905 until 1913. He was born in 6 South Street, Horncastle and played over 300 games for Sheffield Wednesday.... |
|
April 1905 – April 1913 | 318 | 143 | 67 | 108 | 44.96 |
| Harry Chapman | |
April 1913 – September 1914 | 45 | 20 | 10 | 15 | 44.44 |
| Fred Stringer Fred Stringer Fred Stringer was manager of Hull City between September 1914 and July 1916. He succeeded Harry Chapman but was replaced by David Menzies. He had a win percentage of 51.16% from 43 competitive games: 22 wins, 6 draws and 15 losses. This is the best combined percentage of any Hull City manager.... |
|
September 1914 – July 1916 | 43 | 22 | 6 | 15 | 51.16 |
| David Menzies David Menzies (football manager) David Menzies was a Scottish football player and manager.-Career:Menzies was a player at Raith Rovers where his father was chairman. In 1903 he joined newly-formed English side Bradford City as a reserve player. He also served as a steward and trainer until the outbreak of World War One... |
|
July 1916 – June 1921 | 90 | 31 | 27 | 32 | 34.44 |
| Percy Lewis Percy Lewis (football manager) Percy Lewis was an English football manager. He managed Hull City during July 1921–January 1923. He had a win percentage of 38.02%.-External links:... |
|
July 1921 – January 1923 | 71 | 27 | 18 | 26 | 38.02 |
| Billy McCracken Billy McCracken Billy McCracken was a Northern Irish association football player. His position was defender.... |
 |
February 1923 – May 1931 | 375 | 134 | 104 | 137 | 35.73 |
| Haydn Green Haydn Green Adrian "Haydn" Green was an English football player and manager. After playing for Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Newport County and Reading, he went on to manage Ebbw Vale, Bangor, Hull City, Swansea Town and Watford.At Hull City, whom he managed from May 1931 until March... |
|
May 1931 – March 1934 | 123 | 61 | 24 | 38 | 49.59 |
| Jack Hill Jack Hill (footballer) John "Jack" Henry Hill was an English footballer who played in his club career with various teams, including Burnley and Newcastle United between 1920 and 1934. He made eleven appearances for England, eight as captain... |
|
March 1934 – January 1936 | 77 | 24 | 15 | 38 | 31.16 |
| David Menzies David Menzies (football manager) David Menzies was a Scottish football player and manager.-Career:Menzies was a player at Raith Rovers where his father was chairman. In 1903 he joined newly-formed English side Bradford City as a reserve player. He also served as a steward and trainer until the outbreak of World War One... |
|
February 1936 – October 1936 | 24 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 20.83 |
| Ernest Blackburn Ernest Blackburn Ernest Blackburn was an English football manager. He managed Hull City for a time period between December 1936 – January 1946 with a win percentage of 42.73%. He also managed Wrexham and Tranmere Rovers.-References:... |
|
December 1936 – January 1946 | 117 | 50 | 31 | 36 | 42.73 |
| Frank Buckley Frank Buckley (footballer) Franklin Charles Buckley was an English football player and, later, manager. He is the brother of Chris Buckley who played for Aston Villa.-Early life:... |
|
May 1946 – March 1948 | 80 | 33 | 19 | 28 | 41.25 |
| Raich Carter Raich Carter Horatio Stratton "Raich" Carter was one of the greatest English footballers of the pre-war era... |
|
March 1948 – September 1951 | 157 | 74 | 41 | 42 | 47.13 |
| Bob Jackson Bob Jackson (footballer) Bob Jackson was the manager of the English football club Portsmouth F.C. from 1947-1952. Jackson led Pompey to the only two top league titles in their history in the 1948/49 and 1949/50 seasons. He departed in the summer of 1952 to take over at ambitious second division club Hull City, but could... |
|
June 1952 – March 1955 | 123 | 42 | 26 | 55 | 34.14 |
| Bob Brocklebank Bob Brocklebank Bob Brocklebank was an English footballer and manager.He played for Aston Villa and Burnley, where he was top goalscorer in 1937-38 before becoming a manager, at Chesterfield, Birmingham City, Hull City and Bradford City.... |
|
March 1955 – May 1961 | 302 | 113 | 71 | 118 | 37.41 |
| Cliff Britton Cliff Britton Clifford Samuel Britton was a footballer and football manager. He was born 29 August 1909 in Hanham in Bristol and died 1 December 1975.-Playing career:... |
|
July 1961 – November 1969 | 406 | 170 | 101 | 135 | 41.87 |
| Terry Neill Terry Neill William John Terence "Terry" Neill is a Northern Ireland former football player and manager.-Playing career:Born in Belfast, Neill played as a youth for Bangor, before moving in December 1959 to Arsenal. He spent a year in Arsenal's youth side, before making his debut against Sheffield Wednesday... |
|
June 1970 – September 1974 | 174 | 61 | 55 | 58 | 35.05 |
| John Kaye John Kaye (footballer) John Kaye is an English former footballer and manager.Kaye joined West Bromwich Albion from Scunthorpe United in May 1963 for £44,750, a club record for Albion at the time. He made his debut for the Baggies against Leicester City in August 1963. He managed Hull City for a time period of September... |
|
September 1974 – October 1977 | 126 | 40 | 40 | 46 | 31.74 |
| Bobby Collins Bobby Collins Robert Young "Bobby" Collins is a Scottish former football player, best known for his successful spells at Celtic, Everton and Leeds United... |
 |
October 1977 – February 1978 | 19 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 21.05 |
| Ken Houghton Ken Houghton Ken Houghton is a former football midfielder and manager.After spending time as a schoolboy on the books of Sheffield United F.C. Houghton was released without turning professional and went to work as a miner in Silverwood Colliery, playing football for their amateur side alongside his work... |
|
April 1978 – December 1979 | 72 | 23 | 22 | 27 | 31.94 |
| Mike Smith Mike Smith (football manager) Mike Smith is an English former football manager. Before becoming a manager, he had a playing career as an amateur, playing for the Corinthian Casuals and was a part of the Great Britain squad in the 1960 Olympic Games... |
|
December 1979 – March 1982 | 99 | 27 | 29 | 43 | 27.27 |
| Bobby Brown | |
March 1982 – June 1982 | 19 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 52.63 |
| Colin Appleton Colin Appleton Colin Appleton is a former footballer who played as a wing-half. Appleton began his career at Scarborough, but made his name making 333 appearances for Leicester City during a 12-year period, where he formed a legendary half-back partnership with Frank McLintock and Ian King.He was captain of the... |
|
June 1982 – May 1984 | 91 | 47 | 29 | 15 | 51.64 |
| Brian Horton Brian Horton Brian Horton is an English former footballer and manager, who is working as Phil Brown's assistant at Preston North End.Horton played for Hednesford Town, Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton Town and Hull City as a midfielder... |
|
June 1984 – April 1988 | 195 | 77 | 58 | 60 | 39.48 |
| Eddie Gray | |
June 1988 – May 1989 | 51 | 13 | 14 | 24 | 25.49 |
| Colin Appleton Colin Appleton Colin Appleton is a former footballer who played as a wing-half. Appleton began his career at Scarborough, but made his name making 333 appearances for Leicester City during a 12-year period, where he formed a legendary half-back partnership with Frank McLintock and Ian King.He was captain of the... |
|
May 1989 – October 1989 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 6.25 |
| Stan Ternent Stan Ternent Francis Stanley "Stan" Ternent is an English former footballer and manager. He managed Blackpool, Hull City, Bury, Burnley, Gillingham and Huddersfield Town. He is currently a scout for Sunderland.-Career:... |
|
November 1989 – January 1991 | 62 | 19 | 15 | 28 | 30.64 |
| Terry Dolan | |
January 1991 – July 1997 | 322 | 99 | 96 | 127 | 30.74 |
| Mark Hateley Mark Hateley Mark Wayne Hateley is a retired English football player who played as a centre-forward. He was capped 32 times for the English national team , and played in top-level football leagues in England, Italy, France and Scotland... |
|
July 1997 – November 1998 | 76 | 17 | 14 | 45 | 22.36 |
| Warren Joyce Warren Joyce Warren Garton Joyce is a former footballer who played in The Football League, and now works as a coach.-Early life at Bolton:... |
|
November 1998 – April 2000 | 86 | 33 | 25 | 28 | 38.37 |
| Billy Russell Billy Russell William McKnight "Billy" Russell is a Scottish former footballer who now works as Centre of Excellence Manager at Hull City, where he has been caretaker manager on three occasions.... * |
|
April 2000 – April 2000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 00.00 |
| Brian Little Brian Little (footballer) Brian Little is an English former football player and manager who is currently without a job after being relieved of his duties as manager of Gainsborough Trinity on 22 August 2011. Little has previously managed Darlington, Leicester City, Aston Villa, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Hull City,... |
|
April 2000 – February 2002 | 97 | 41 | 28 | 28 | 42.26 |
| Billy Russell Billy Russell William McKnight "Billy" Russell is a Scottish former footballer who now works as Centre of Excellence Manager at Hull City, where he has been caretaker manager on three occasions.... * |
|
February 2002 – April 2002 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 14.29 |
| Jan Mølby Jan Mølby Jan Mølby is a Danish former international footballer who spent much of his professional football career at English club Liverpool.- Club career :... |
 |
April 2002 – October 2002 | 17 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 11.76 |
| Billy Russell Billy Russell William McKnight "Billy" Russell is a Scottish former footballer who now works as Centre of Excellence Manager at Hull City, where he has been caretaker manager on three occasions.... * |
|
October 2002 – October 2002 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Peter Taylor | |
October 2002 – June 2006 | 184 | 77 | 50 | 57 | 41.84 |
| Phil Parkinson Phil Parkinson Philip John "Phil" Parkinson is an English football manager and former player who currently manages Bradford City.-Playing career:... |
|
June 2006 – December 2006 | 24 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 20.83 |
| Phil Brown | |
December 2006 – June 2010 | 157 | 52 | 40 | 65 | 33.12 |
| Iain Dowie Iain Dowie Iain Dowie is a former footballer and manager. He is currently without a club. He has previously managed Hull City and Queens Park Rangers and was assistant manager of Newcastle United... † |
|
March 2010 – June 2010 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11.11 |
| Nigel Pearson Nigel Pearson Nigel Graham Pearson is an English football manager and former professional player. He is currently in his second spell as manager of Leicester City, having previously managed Hull City, Southampton and Carlisle United, and been assistant manager for England Under-21s and Newcastle United... |
|
June 2010 – November 2011 | 64 | 23 | 20 | 21 | |35.94 |
| Nick Barmby Nick Barmby Nicholas Jon "Nick" Barmby is an English footballer who plays for Hull City as a midfielder, where he is also caretaker manager. At his peak he earned a total of 23 caps for England between 1995 and 2001... * |
|
November 2011 – present | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |33.33 |
* Caretaker manager
† Temporary Football Management Consultant
Current backroom staff
|}Reserves and Juniors
Hull City Reserves play in the Reserve League East Division. The team plays home fixtures at the Church Road Ground, home of North Ferriby UnitedNorth Ferriby United A.F.C.
North Ferriby United Association Football Club is an English football club based in North Ferriby, near Kingston upon Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. They were formed in 1934. They reached the Northern Premier League Premier Division for the first time in 2005...
. Hull City Juniors play in the Football League Youth Alliance, playing their home fixtures at Winterton Rangers
Winterton Rangers F.C.
Winterton Rangers F.C. are a football club based in Winterton, England. They play in the Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division.-History:...
' home stadium.
Hull City Women
Hull City Women play in the Northern Combination Women's Football LeagueNorthern Combination Women's Football League
The Northern Combination Women's Football League, also known simply as the Northern Combination, is at the fourth level of the English women's football pyramid, along with the three other Combination Leagues - South West, South East and Midland...
. In the 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season, the team finished seventh in the table with 33 points.
Rivalries
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. Other rivals include their neighbours from across the Humber
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
, Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
and Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
. With Scunthorpe's promotion from League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
, the 2007–08
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
Championship season saw the return of the "Humber Derby
Humber derby
The Humber Derby, also known as the Humberside Derby, is the footballing rivalry between the teams north and south of the River Humber, England; Scunthorpe United and Grimsby Town from North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire on the south bank, and Hull City from the East Riding of Yorkshire...
". Additionally Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
and York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
name Hull amongst their rivals.
Lincoln City had an excellent record over Hull City, only losing once against the Tigers in the 21st century. Lincoln were also the first team to record an away win at Hull City's KC Stadium with a 1–0 victory in the 2002–03 season.
The club also has a traditional rivalry with Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. In 1984 Sheffield United won promotion at Hull City's expense with the teams level on points and goal difference
Goal difference
In sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
and separated only by goals scored, with 33 of United's goals scored by former Hull City striker Keith Edwards. City's final game of the season against Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
had been rescheduled due to bad weather and took place after their promotion rivals had finished their campaign; Hull went into the game knowing that a three-goal victory would mean promotion, but in front of a crowd which included a number of United fans could manage only a 2–0 win, ensuring that United went up instead.
Honours and achievements
Championship/First Division/Second Division (2nd Tier)- Play-off winners: 2007–08
League One/Second Division/Third Division (3rd Tier)
- Champions: 1965–661965-66 in English footballThe 1965–66 season was the 86th season of competitive football in England.-Diary of the season:7 October 1965: An experiment to broadcast a live game to another ground takes place...
- Runners-up: 1958–59, 2004–05
- Promoted: 1984–851984-85 in English footballThe 1984–85 season was the 105th season of competitive football in England.-Bradford City disaster:56 spectators died and more than 200 were injured when a fire ripped through the Main Stand at Valley Parade during Bradford City's Third Division fixture with Lincoln City on 11 May...
League Two/Third Division/Fourth Division (4th Tier)
- Runners-up: 1982–831982-83 in English footballThe 1982–83 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Bob Paisley's last season as Liverpool manager ended on a high as they topped the First Division with a comfortable lead. Bob Paisley retired as Liverpool manager with a record 21 prizes in nine years. His...
, 2003–042003-04 in English footballThe 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....
Football League Third Division North
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
- Champions: 1932–331932-33 in English footballThe 1932–33 season was the 58th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
, 1948–491948-49 in English footballThe 1948–49 season was the 69th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Portsmouth won the First Division title for the first time with a team of no recognised stars and very few international players. They won the league by five points from Manchester United and Derby...
FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- Semi-finalists: 1930
Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
- Runners-up: 1984
External links
- Hull City official website
- Hull City News – Sky Sports
- City Independent – a totally independent Fanzine and forum
- Amber Nectar – long standing fanzine site and forum
- Hull City Mad – the original independent Tigers site*
- Hull City Pics – Dedicated photo site*
- not606 - independent fans' forum - history thread