Apologies if this has been posted.. Joker Jason Price hopes both Hull City AND Swansea City stay up By Hull Daily Mail | Posted: March 10, 2017 By Hull City, the spirited group of players assembled by Peter Taylor that set a platform for a historic promotion to the top flight in 2008. The Tigers are battling to stay in the top flight when hosting Swansea tomorrow but the buzz that surrounded the club during Price's time had a unique quality. A long-suffering club was waking up. "You could feel it across the city," he said. "Everyone was excited about what the club could achieve. We were lucky in that time because we had a great dressing room. There was a fantastic togetherness. We didn't have any bad eggs. We all wanted to win, Ian Ashbee more than anyone, but we all wanted to be a success." Price was an instant success for City, scoring on his debut in a 4-1 win over Darlington on the opening day of the 2003-04 season. The right winger would go on to grab another nine, joining Danny Allsopp, Ben Burgess and Stuart Elliott in reaching double figures for the campaign. Price was less influential by the time hometown favourite Nick Barmby arrived for the 2004-05 season in League One but he was part of a City side that returned to the second tier for the first time in 14 years. A dramatic late winner against Sheffield Wednesday at the KCOM Stadium was among his final contributions in black and amber. "I must have been the most unpredictable footballer around because I didn't know what I was doing half the time," he explained. "When I was at Swansea I was called 'X-Files' because nobody knew what I was doing and at Tranmere I was called 'Ricochet' because I'd run through two or three people and the ball would somehow end up in my path. But I'd always give my all. And I think fans appreciated that." Throughout it all, Price was the self-styled joker in Peter Taylor's pack. The dressing room jester unable to sit still right up until he moved on to join Doncaster in January 2006."I was one of those players that struggled to take things too seriously," he said. "I was quite a nervous person so messing around used to calm me down. If I sat there and thought about the game, I'd be full of nerves. Apart from Stuart Elliott, who liked to be left alone to pray before games, I used to do all sorts to the other lads. I would chuck things around, hide someone's boots or their laces, loads of little things like that. "I play veterans football now for Harrogate and I'm still the same. We won 10-1 last weekend but if I think about the game too much before, I get nervous. I know I'm up against 50-year-olds and I'll do all right but I find myself driving to the games singing away just to keep my mind off it." Price's former team-mates at Swansea will no doubt be able to tell similarly madcap stories. After being rejected by Cardiff City as a schoolboy and moving on to Aberaman, he was spotted by Swansea's scouts and quickly offered a two-year deal that would lead to him making 149 appearances for City's guests at the KCOM Stadium tomorrow. "At Swansea it was a learning process," said Price, who played for Swansea between 1995 and 2001. "I was a jack the lad, I was young and didn't live by the rule book. You're always learning in football and I came of age with Swansea. It started to hit me for what it would take to make it. In football you just have to take your chances. I had some great times with Swansea. I gave my all and that's really all fans want. If you give 100 per cent, try your hardest every game, they'll like you for it." Price is now a qualified gas engineer and plumber, coaching Doncaster Rovers' under-13s on the side. He adds: "They don't take a blind bit of notice of me half the time but I enjoy it when they do." One eye, especially this weekend, is kept on the fortunes of his former employers. Hull and Swansea – have become very different clubs since Price's spells, recovering from the brink of extinction to join the elite. So, what about tomorrow? Where are his allegiances in a fixture that will help decide where the clubs ply their trade next season? "I hope it's a draw and both teams stay up," he said. "Both clubs have done unbelievably well to get to the Premier League. Swansea especially, to have consolidated in the Premier League for the last few years is incredible. I know they've struggled this season but the last few years have been amazing. It's the same with Hull when you think where they've come from. They're two very similar stories. Moving to a new ground and climbing up through the divisions. It shows what can be achieved when you get on a roll. "Swansea are looking in much better shape over the last few weeks and I'm hoping Hullcan still stay up as well. Hull only need to find a couple of wins and they're right back in it. You never know." "Teams go on runs at this time of the season. I'll keep my fingers crossed for both clubs."
