I wouldn't say the 500+ people showing up at Hull United is a sign of things to come, especially with City not playing on Saturday. I think it's more of a novelty at the moment, if this figure remains consistent then fine. I don't think we have anywhere near the level of fanbase required for something that FCUoM have done.
A lot depends on fa name change decision, what league we are in next season, and the pricing policy. I bet everyone on here knows someone questioning their season pass renewal for next season? That's when hull United's marketing needs to kick in
Lot of water to flow before we get to that position. First we have the outcome of the arbitration hearing in February. Second the reaction of the supporters if we become Hull Tigers. Third the response of HCST and finally the attitude of the owner of Hull United. I wouldn't be surprised if Hull United applied to become AFC Hull City if the FA agrees to Hull Tigers. Everything they've done up to now shows them aiming at disgruntled City supporters. Hull United shows that an alternative is possible, just as AFC Wimbledon and FC United of Manchester show success can be achieved when you create your own club. This season we lost 2,000 season ticket holders. A proportion of them, maybe a large proportion, will have been season ticket holders since the KC opened and before. The name change is rotting the club's support from the inside. There is a market for football supporters in Hull who cannot stand what's happening at City and Hull United are very cleverly taking advantage of that. But it is not written in stone that they will be the ones to benefit from the creation of Hull Tigers. Possible but not guaranteed.
That means a lot of long standing supporters are looking for something else to do to replace their football fix.
So one club changing its name for a perceived commercial advantage is ok, but not another? How does that work?
My first visit to Hull United yesterday as there was no City game. Real welcoming feel about the club and I saw quite a few 'City' faces in the crowd. Great to see Ian Ashby and Curtis Davies getting involved. However, I don't think the numbers of supporters will be there every week but on first viewing they are getting it right - except for goal music!
Convenient hypocrisy it would seem. It's perfectly fine to change someone else's club's name because they're in a small league, but yet when it comes to changing your own club's name it's an outrage.
I do think there is a connection. All this name change bollocks and the general diluting of the football day out at premiership level, cost, lack of atmosphere, all seater stadiums, diving, cheating, big club domination, weak referee's and so on, does make you think twice. I got my live football fix this week end by going to see Hull United. They sent me a free lifetime pass FFS! and the chairman shook my hand and thanked me for going when I walked into the ground. You don't get that every week. I do occasionally go and watch Ferriby when City haven't a game and enjoy that experience although I think they are pushing it a bit on the pricing. But yesterday was a real eye opener for me, almost a flashback to how football used to be. I wouldn't be surprised if none of the lads playing could walk this morning because some of those tackles should have come with a Government Health Warning. The pitch was not much more then a cow field, without the cows, but the honest endeavour from both teams on a wet, windy and freezing cold afternoon was to be admired. There was some talent on show too. Car parking left a lot to be desired, but, overall, in better weather conditions I can see this little venture taking off. Having said all that, I left well before the end, mainly because I was frozen to the core and I didn't want to spend half an hour trying to get off the car park with everyone else at the end. Also I knew I had a blazing fire at home, beer in the fridge and there was a live Premiership game on the telly. Maybe I'm getting old? Like today, usually a trip to London to see City take on West Ham United would be one of the seasons highlights. But on virtually a Sunday morning in January and at £40 odd a ticket? And it's live on the telly? Is not the Premier League and football in danger of shooting itself in the foot?
If we become Hull Tigers, if, then my hope would be that we would return to being Hull City again as soon as possible. Don’t think it’d help anyone if Hull Utd became AFC Hull City and if it’d muddy the waters for a hypothetical return of City’s name after a name change, it’d be very very annoying and ultimately damaging for Hull Utd. Hull Utd should stick to pursuing their own identity and if that happens to poach disgruntled City supporters then so be it. They need to breathe independently of whatever happens at City, if they're just a reaction (which I understand they're not) they won't last the test of time. Personally, even though I wish them well, hope they climb the leagues and might even go and watch them occasionally, I could never ever support another club. I’ve often thought that if a new Hull based non-league club were to succeed, they’d be better off in the east of the city.
A football club is a community. Assem Allam didn't ask us, he thought he could just take our name because he owned the limited company. I don't count the ballot at the end of the process. Hull United may ask their supporters if they wanted to change the name to AFC Hull City. The owner may agree to fan ownership of the club and the supporters agree to change the name. The owner may act like Assem Allam but somehow I doubt it. Hull United would get loads of free publicity by just asking the question. Hull United may not be the team that becomes AFC Hull City. There are a lot of questions to be answered before we get to that stage. The first and most important will be what happens at the arbitration. If the arbitration says the FA acted correctly then the ball goes back in Assem Allam's court. We are currently seeing a process unfold which may see two football teams from Hull in the football league in 10 or 15 years time.
There used to one. Hull Brunswick who played on Holderness Road, not literally but you know what I mean. They had a little tin stand down one side of the pitch and a pay turnstile. I recall Gerry Ingham making a name for himself down there before joining Preston North End. The ground it now a housing estate.
Utopian dreaming. I posted some time ago about the KC. It used to be the np home of Hull City and now it is the place to watch premier league football. And that is the key. Money rules and Hull United, Tom Cobley City or whatever other club grows in Hull, it will face the same challenges. There isn't enough money in the supporter base to pay for high level football. Look at Portsmouth, held up to be a paragon of fan involvement, the reality is that ownership has simply been diluted and funding has suffered because of it. Swansea another well voiced example of a supporters trust, that now is begging its members not to sell their shares. I believe in supporter involvement , but to do it by walking away is not support.
Yes, but Hull Tigers won't be my club. Assem Allam will have destroyed my connection to his limited company. I either give up supporting a football club or find an alternative. The alternative isn't Swansea or Portsmouth but AFC Wimbledon and FC United of Manchester. Of course money will be tight but it will be my football club. Hull United, AFC Wimbledon and FC United show what is possible if Hull City becomes Hull Tigers.
