1. After the pretty wretched affair at Brentford, it was quite a relief to get back on track so quickly against Millwall. It certainly wasn’t a game that’ll live long in the memory. For the most part, it looked very much like a game between a side still recovering from a weekend pasting and one with every chance of slipping into a lower division. But as we’ve noted plenty of times before, this was a game we’d have lost in October, so a decent parcel of credit is owed to the manager and players for eking out a narrow win. 2. Happily, it proved to be the springboard for even better things. For if Millwall was tense and cagey, the 2-0 win over Birmingham was fluent and assured. City completely outplayed a side who remain above them in the table, creating numerous opportunities to score and restricting the visitors with ruthless efficiency. 3. Pugh’s a heck of a player. His impact is not quite Wilson-in-2018 yet, but he’s definitely making us tick better in midfield. It’s a shame his performance didn’t include the goal it deserved, but otherwise he was a joy to watch. 4. Then again, so were many of his team-mates. Henriksen’s transformation into an inspirational leader continues to astound and delight in roughly equal measure, Bowen is clearly playing his last dozen or so Championship games, Grosicki worked backwards as well as forwards (yes he did), even the much-maligned Chris Martin played solidly well as a target man. It didn’t match the gaudy heights of the 6-0 against Bolton or the epic magnificence of cuffing the Champions of Europe on their own patch, but it was a very satisfying afternoon of football. 5. What now for Nigel Adkins? It was striking that the North Stand sang his name as soon as the match began on Saturday, a loud show of support for the latest victim of Ehabbian contractual idiocy. However this season ends, it isn’t in the relegation that was possible, or even the relegation battle that seemed inevitable. He’s doing a brilliant job, and deserves better than the pathetic prevarication from his bosses. 5a. Just no-one mention the play-offs, yeah? 6. Tuesday night’s attendance against Millwall was officially 10,191. Which works out to around 8,500 when you deduct the customary 20% gate inflation. Except even that figure felt too high. Did even eight thousand souls make it to the Circle last Tuesday? It’s unlikely. The KCOM Stadium, which only a few years ago was the subject of genuine discussion about extension, now stands barely one-third full. One third. One ****ing third. 6a. That’s led to some speculation that further stand closures are possible for next season. It already feels like a long time since the Upper West was needed, and with the ground less than half full even when that closed area is taken into account you can see why this would appeal to Ehab Allam. The thought of saving money by closing the ground and saving on stewards will obviously appeal to him, particularly with the added bonus of aggravating City fans. Because the simple answers – restore concessions, sell the club, etc – work only if you’re a man of reason. 7. Of course, that’s only speculation. But what’s becoming clear is that a slow-motion boycott of the club is underway. Boycotting home games until the repulsive Allam family go has long been advocated by many, though (we felt) prematurely. But what was once noisily called for is now de facto happening anyway. Membership cancellations continue to leak into the club, with anyone having acted last week avoiding summer payments. With those cancellations, the possibility of a series of dead rubbers ahead and ongoing distaste at putting money into their pockets, gates will continue falling. The boycott is already happening, and it’s gathering pace. 8. Really, what else can an agonised fanbase such as ours do? Protests haven’t worked – in truth, they could have been better, but when the owners don’t show and don’t care anyway, even a 1990s style insurrection may not have mattered. As we’ve seen from Blackpool recently, this sort of battle can be won, but starving them out may be the only route to success. That isn’t to say you’re wrong to still go to City (we do), but increasingly a wholesale desertion of home matches is going to happen. Who knows, perhaps that’s best? 9. And yes, that isn’t fair on Nigel Adkins and his team, who’ve overachieved admirably this season. But as Adkins himself knows, his employers are an utter disgrace and need flushing from this club as quickly as possible – because the challenge of rebuilding this club from the Allam arson is going to be a long, arduous one; and like every long, difficult chore, it’s best started sooner rather than later. 10. One last time: our condolences to the friends and family of ex-Tiger Bobby Doyle, who passed away last week. If you haven’t yet read our tribute to the elegant Scot, it’s here. RIP Bobby. http://www.ambernectar.org/blog/2019/03/things-we-think-we-think-327/
We will beat Leeds United in the play off final. Been saying it for weeks (bit less so last Saturday week, mind).
Why be embarrassed about it or scared to say it. We're a good team with a good manager. Let's have a go.
and 3; Pugh had one hell of an influence on the game on Saturday. Whats the likelihood of Pugh and Elphick as old muckers from their Bournmeouth days putting roots down at The KCOM next season? I'm sure that would appeal to Nige if indeed he's still here!
If they close another stand. What can we do to increase the pressure on these two to clear off. We are going have to start fighting for the club if we want to save it
Martin Fish was ahead of his time. Didn't his master plan includ a new stadium with 2 stands? Which sadly showed the lack of ambition in a city the size of Hull which held it back for too long ( the city and the club).
We took the piss out of the Kazaam stadium back in the day. I remember someone going to the bar and asking for an "Oxford" as it was 3 ciders. We'll get a pint less.
In fairness to Fish, it pains me to write that, I'm fairly sure that was the gardener Needler's plan. Fish put forward plans for a new two- tiered Kempton, which Needier then ignored. The views expressed in my posts are not necessarily mine
Not that I'm aware of. Nowt in programme No silence/applause either I will never accept that Hull City are tinpot, but I could well understand that a neutral observer, not fully informed of the ownership situation, would draw that conclusion. Close all the tiers you want, get a bee in your bonnet about fiddling groundsmen, tweak the badge, argue with your fanbase, but NEVER REPEAT NEVER fail to acknowledge past players of the club who have worn the colours in living memory, especially when last home game a player from Stoke was afforded that honour. There was a brief Rothmans-inspired obit last week online on the club website, but nothing on the day. I've often asked of the Allams' deeds: bungling or malevolence? This one is bungling. Employing too many people who know the cost of everything and value of nothing. You get used to all the usual spite and incompetence, then once in a while they do summat like this that reminds you of their total lack of suitability to be anywhere near a football club The umpteenth shameful episode in their gangrenous tenure at our club. https://backhenrystreet.co.uk/discussion/35524/rip-bobby-doyle "There was a minute’s applause before kick-off in memory of Division Three title-winner Bobby Doyle, who sadly passed away earlier in the week." - from Pompey Evening Rag match report of game v Bradford on Sat
Could be, but I still have the brochure that the club sent out about a new Kempton, as expected hardly l glossy publication though. I recall that Fish stated that the majority of funding was in place, but Needler wouldn't/couldn't fund the shortfall. The views expressed in my posts are not necessarily mine.
