I don't know if anyone has already mentioned this but I thought I would put my thought into the ring. Sunday brought back what I love about supporting this club, the support. The last year has been filled with petulant spats between supporters mainly down to the name change and for 90 minutes on sunday that was all forgotten. It was highlighted to me when I was set next to a dad and his young kid and the look on the kid's face as he first sat down on his seat and it reminded me about how when I first walked into the KC (was unfortunate never to get to boothferry as my dad hated football and refused to go). I asked the dad what he thought of it all and he put it simply as "To be honest I don't care, I fell out with a work mate of mine over it and now he won't talk. I'm just going to enjoy my day" I know Allam will no doubt drag us through the **** again in a bid to get his way but for one month can we just stop the arguing regardless of your opinion of it all. We are all supporting the same team after all
My dad never went to the KC - he only knew BP from 1949 onwards and used to get the train in from Driffield.. He had the opportunity a couple of years back before he passed away vs Villa but refused saying his heart wouldn't be able to cope. Probably a wise choice - it was freezing that day and Zayatte's sliced OG might have knocked out his ticker prematurely.. He'd be gobsmacked that City were in the FA Cup final, if he read the headlines and the fact we'd beaten Sheffield United!! - a team that used to beat City regularly in his day, so much so he classified the Blades as our "bogey club" - he might not believe it. This isn't what City do!!
Hopefully we can put it all behind us and move on. Unite as a fan group and get supporting the club again regardless of people's opinions
As I've said in other threads, the reaction from my missus really opened my eyes. She doesn't really know about the current troubles and arguments raging around the club, she's vaguely aware of the name change but before Sunday, any mere mention of football would cause her eyes to glaze over. Her comment about how amazing it was being part of 27kish fans, in fact her FB status was: "It was amazing. The passion and togetherness of the fans, so many different people, was incredible, could not fault the atmosphere as it was fantastic! Have never experienced that before and I can now say "c'mon you ULL!"" made me stop and rethink quite a few things. My dad texted me today saying how he still can't believe it. Hull City, FA Cup Finalists, 2014. I was also pleased to see so many kids there, memories like that can't be taken away and you could see a whole new Tiger Nation being formed before our eyes.
The first game I went to was 1974 but the first TV game I can remember was the 1972 FA Cup Final. I think the FA Cup means more to my generation and those older then me. It used to be the showpiece of the season and of course the only live game shown between clubs. We're overloaded with TV football these days. Hull City - FA Cup finalists 2014. It's still sinking in. After the 'nearly' years of the 60/70's, the fall from grace and admin of the 80's, the rise again under Horton, the dark depressing days of the 90's and finally the resurgence after 2002. The history of our team has been generally one of under achievement punctuated with periods of relative success for a small club. I think I'll be blubbing like a good 'un if we win it......
I am supporting Hull City. It's always been my team and always will be. I'm not interested in some marketing ploy or maverick's spat with a councillor or being part of some animal-themed franchise. They will never generate the same passion or loyalty as the Hull City team has done for over a century, two world wars, numerous relegations and promotions, winding up orders and lockouts, last ever games and new regimes. There is therefore only one club - and it's Hull City AFC, and that's the name that will go down in the records as the finalists (winners?) in 2014. The club is at the crossroads and its eternal identity as also-ran and underachiever is steadily being erased in favour of a shiny new uncertain one. There were a lot of youngsters at Wembley and they are the future. Sheffield certainly seemed to have more mature supporters and their noisy loud backing showed a lot of younger and newer fans how it should be done, even in defeat. Reregardless of name change and ownership, the club needs to step up to the plate and proactively forge a new identity based on pride on our long history and slow rise to the top, as well as a clear vision for the future. This has nothing to do with money, profit or sponsorship. It's about establishing HCFC as the number one club in East Yorkshire, the one all the youngsters support and identify with, the club that reaches out locally and engages with everyone from Eton St to Elloughton, Stricky St to Swanland, from Dairycoates to Driffield. Enough of this Harold Needler style club which stand aloof from its surroundings and enough of AA's courting of the moneyed sycophants who will ditch him as soon as we get relegation. A long and slow nurturing of the relationship with the fans and community is needed so we build a sustainable fanbase, not just a 'big game tourist' one. They can start by offering a decent heartfelt appreciation of Andy Davidson in the programme on Sunday, written by someone at the club, coupled with a similarly profound piece on the milestone of last Sunday.
I'm 20 years old, been supporting the club since I was about 11 when I went to 6-1 against Kidderminster Harriers. No Gimmicks, nothing and I was hooked I remember walking into the stadium holding my grandad's hand and being in awe of what was around me. Only twice have I ever had that feeling run through me one was entering the Nou Camp for the first time and the other was being at Wembley on sunday. I was humbled by it all and it reverted me to being that 11 year old boy that watched Andy Dawson score a 30 yard screamer Allam will never manufacture a story like that. It happens naturally
