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Then and now…Hull City
When I joined Hull City Peter Taylor was the manager. The club had just moved to The KC Stadium and there was a great deal of expectancy from all angles. Adam Pearson had turned around the financial fortunes of the club and they were seen as big spenders in the basement division.
Adam Pearson stands out for me as the main reason for the rise up the League ladder for Hull City. He was always great to deal with and went out of his way to get to know the players.
It seemed like it was only a matter of time before the club would be in a higher division, and so it turned out. As we see today Hull City has had tremendous success over the last 4 or 5 years. Although many fans will not be 100% content with the current plight I am sure that if you asked fans back then if they would be happy with how the club has faired then a high percentage would say ‘yes’. The Premier League has seen the club achieve a new status within the game but with that has brought financial problems which have burdened the current manager, Nigel Pearson. The Premier League is such a financial strain on the majority of clubs that if that status is not constantly achieved then there is always the risk of financial worries down the line. Hull City are no different. The wage bill has been cut considerably since the Premier League relegation which has affected the size of the squad. On paper though there is enough there to suggest that they will not be in the bottom half of The Championship for too long. At this particular time we see Hull City putting some decent form together. They are proving a very difficult team to beat. They are starting to score more freely in recent matches which will please everybody. If the home form can be improved it will certainly help matters. Some supporters have questioned the ability of manager Nigel Pearson. This seems pretty silly to me. His recent record at Leicester City stands up against any manager in the lower leagues. I remember thinking how fortunate Hull City were to get him when he arrived. Hull City is now a big club so it is testament to the club that they can attract managers contracted to other clubs so well. I see this season as a consolidation season, both on and off the pitch. The recent takeover could well allow some player spending in January although, unless any purchases pay off immediately, a promotion push may have to wait until next season. They will be in the same boat as many Championship clubs as a former Premier League club which only goes to prove what a tough division The Championship really is.
My predictions…November 27th
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Not every team playing this weekend but my predictions for my ex-clubs are below.
HEREFORD V LINCOLN CITY
A tough game for 2 sides near the bottom of the League 2 table. Home advantage to see Hereford through to the next round.
My prediction: 2-1
SHEFF WED V NORTHAMPTON
Northampton to battle but lose by the odd goal.
My prediction: 2-1
NOTTS COUNTY V BOURNEMOUTH
Notts County to build on their midweek victory.
My prediction: 1-0
TORQUAY V WALSALL
Walsall to be in the hat for the draw.
My prediction: 1-1
MIDDLESBORO V HULL
Hull to continue their recent good form.
My prediction: 1-1
READING V LEEDS UTD
A tough game for Leeds Utd. A battling score draw similar to last week at Norwich.
My prediction: 2-2
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My weekend predictions for my previous clubs. Do you agree ?
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Fridays will now see my weekend predictions for all of the clubs which I have played for.
Would be great to have your thoughts and suggestions. Here goes……
Derby vs Scunthorpe Utd
A tough one for The Iron. Derby seem to freeze in front of the expectant home crowd.
My prediction: 1-1
Hull City v Ipswich
4 points from the last 2 games will provide the momentum for a narrow home victory against Ipswich
My prediction: 1-0
Norwich v Leeds United
Norwich is always a tough place to go. Leeds Utd find themselves in a play off spot. A high scoring draw would be a good result for Leeds to maintain a good league position.
My prediction: 2-2
Brighton v Bristol Rovers
Top placed Brighton will be a very difficult match to come through with anything. A comfortable home victory for Brighton
My prediction: 2-0
Notts County v Tranmere
A huge match at the bottom of league 1. A hard fought point each will help neither team.
My prediction: 1-1
Walsall v Carlisle
Walsall will be bouyant following their FA Cup replay victory in midweek but a strong Carlisle side to take all 3 points.
My prediction: 1-2
Barnet v Northampton Town
recent good form to see The Cobblers gain all 3 points at lowly Barnet
My prediction: 0-2
Shrewsbury v Southend United
Shrewsbury to stay in the top 3 with a convincing home victory
My prediction: 3-1
Lincoln City v Hereford
Lincoln to win back to back matches for the first time in a long time and to grind out 3 points in a close match
My prediction: 1-0
Grimsby Town v Barrow
Grimsby Town to secure all 3 points to be hovering on a play off spot
My prediction: 2-1
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Have Hull City turned the corner ?
Many Hull City supporters will now be hoping that they have turned the corner following their superb victory at Deepdale against Preston North End.
It was obviously a much needed three points which came. The performance was a great away performance and the 0-2 score line perhaps flattered the home side more than The Tigers. Although Preston look a poor side who look like a relegation outfit at present, you can never under estimate the importance of three points away from home.
Hull City scored at the right time for both goals and it is probably a big relief for the everybody that strikers have now registered their first goals for the season. As a former striker myself I must admit that it is not always strikers who should be blamed for a lack of goals as they rely on the right service to produce the goods. Both Hull City goals proved this point as they were both put on a plate with good play in wide areas.
Hull City have taken much criticism so far this term, management and players, so Friday’s win will give everybody a lift. The decision to change goalkeepers was a strong one. It could easily have backfired if things hadn’t gone to plan but it appears to look like a masterstroke following Mannone’s excellent display and clean sheet. Hull had to rely on him on a few occasion but the save from Iain Hume at 0-1 was superb. The fingertip save was a huge moment in the game. At 1-1, it could have easily proved to be a different outcome. In any match you are going to endure pressure so you will need your keeper to produce the goods at some stage in the game to secure the points.
Overall though I feel that Hull City controlled the match. They looked comfortable enough for long periods and the second goal gave them a lead that you felt that they would not surrender. The substitutions worked a treat so praise must go to Nigel Pearson for that. Nick Barmby has scored many a goal like that over the years and his experience is vital for the squad.
On paper the squad has more than enough to quickly climb the table. These three points could provide the confidence for those players to perform to that level more consistently. Although one win will not be enough to get carried away it does place City outside of the bottom three and with the run up to Christmas featuring many of the teams around them it could well be a decisive few weeks of the season. If they hit form now against these sides they could well be looking nearer to the play-off spots than the relegation ones.
Hull City V Scunthorpe United
Hull City V Scunthorpe United
As another two of my former clubs play against each other I thought I would post my pre-match thoughts on the match.
Hull City, surprisingly for me, have not managed to produce enough winning performances at The KC Stadium this season. The relegation from The Premier League has had an adverse effect both on and off the pitch there. I thought that The KC would be something of a fortress this season but that is not yet the case. During the match at Barnsley I thought Hull City showed signs of a change in form but as yet the results suggest that Scunthorpe United will be confident that they can gain all three points. Anything other than a victory at home to Scunthorpe United could see Hull City looking closer over their shoulders at the bottom three.
Scunthorpe United too are struggling to find their best form at home so far this season. Last seasons form at Glanford Park was a massive reason for The Iron’s survival. The recent away form has seen two great wins at Watford and Preston. Ian Baraclough has strung enough good results together recently to be four points away from the relegation zone. I’m sure if Scunthorpe United finished in this position come the summer then everybody connected to The Iron would be pleased.I have been impressed with how well he has taken to management. He talks very well and has a very good understanding of the players there which has allowed him to spot any weaknesses early on and act on it by bringing in the recent batch of loan players. The influence of Steve Parkin can only help Scunthorpe United in their endeavours too. His knowledge of Hull City will provide an added benefit to the cause.
So the form guide would make Scunthorpe United slight favourites given their recent away form and Hull City’s home form. A derby match, at any level, always throws the form guide out of the window. I have played in this fixture for both teams and the atmosphere, wherever it was played, was always one to remember.
My time at…Hull City. Part 1. Dodgy agents and the lure of the KC.
My contract At Northampton Town was in it’s final year. Terry Fenwick had just taken over and there was a feeling that there was going to be a few big changes at Sixfields.
Immediately Fenwick changed the formation to a 4-3-3 formation. In what proved to be Fenwick’s first, and my last game, I was to play wide left away at Blackpool. I did not get a touch all afternoon. Andy Turner, a massive favourite of Fenwick’s from his days at Portsmouth, signed at around that time too. I was one of the biggest earners at Northampton Town at that time and it was obvious that if I was off the wage bill then he could bring in some other players.
At the turn of the year legally I was free to talk to other clubs so I sent a fax off to all lower league clubs in the hope of some interest. I needed to look at my own interests and if I was going to be out of favour under a new manager then I needed some options.
I received phone calls from a few managers. This was at the time when most clubs were struggling financially as the collapse of ITV Digital was fresh in everybody’s minds. Hull City were viewed as a club going places at that time. With Adam Pearson putting his money where his mouth were and Peter Taylor the manager made their interest very appealing indeed. The KC Stadium had recently been finished so this was something that I was very excited about.
Around this time I received a call from the agent who helped in my move from Scunthorpe United to FC Utrecht. He was now working in the UK. Adam Pearson thought that he was still representing me and contacted him to see how the land lied. Officially I had no agent at that time but thought it would help if he conducted negotiations on my behalf so I gave him the go-ahead to do so. I had trusted this agent from my time in Holland and thought that we were friends.
As negotiations continued I felt that things were stalling slightly. Peter Taylor rung me to see what was happening and I quickly told him what I wanted and that if they could meet it then I would sign straight away. Northampton had officially given me the green light to talk so I was doing nothing wrong. This was agreed pretty much there and then with Peter so I was up to Hull for a medical and to sign on the dotted line.
Before I drove up from Northampton to Hull I was called by the agent. He proceeded to tell me that Hull City and Adam Pearson were not playing ball and had said that they were not going to pay the agent fee and that because of that he wanted me to pay it. Most agents fees were paid by the club so this was alarming news. Something didn’t add up. Luckily I was experienced enough to call Adam Pearson to seek confirmation of this when he told me that he had just sent a cheque off to the agent for his services. Incredible. He was trying to get a slice from both of us. To top that, I had done the main negotiating. I was stunned.Anyway, I signed the contract and have not spoken to him since.
My home debut was at home to York City……..
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