Hull City My Heritage
Hull City AFC’s Chairman, Assem Allam claims that he bought the club for the fans, yet he refuses to countenance that the fans have any rights or say in the naming of the team and in an interview on Radio Humberside this morning appeared to deliberately muddy the water and set out to alienate them. Over the years I, like many, have spent thousands and thousands of pounds following City, he has no right to dismiss this fact so cavalierly.
Until 11 November I was prepared to to give him the benefit of the doubt, he undoubtedly saved our club, and for that I am grateful. However, yesterday’s statement showed the fans to be used as a pawn in his games with the Council. He showed how petty he can be in May by refusing an open top bus tour through the City.
Dr Allam claims to be grateful to the people of Hull for welcoming him in and giving him a chance to build his life and career. This is the City of Hull we are talking about.I am proud to come from the City of Kingston upon Hull. City status is something that is granted and not dismissed. I think City also is a unifying term that potentially brings all the people of Hull and its surrounding villages together. Unfortunately in Dr Allam’s world he associates it only with the council hence is offensive comments about it being lousy
Dr Allam also would I am sure say he is a family man, yet his ideas for renaming Hull City AFC are divisive amongst fans and within families. My son who travels up with me from South London for every home game will not go next season if the name is changed to Hull Tigers and as he believes that Dr Allam does not care about the fan views he has not got the enthusiasm this season. Until yesterday I have been more pragmatic being born in Hull and raised in Hessle, City are in my DNA. However, I would become collateral damage as would I really want to travel up to every game without meeting my son in London and getting the train up together? We have had a number of discussions about it. This issue is discussed on other fans forums.
The City council don’t come out of this well, but in his interview this morning I can understand just what a difficult man Dr Allam is to deal with. His responses to questions about the research where disrespectful, full of obfuscation and completely and unashamedly arrogant.
It is hard when you are a life long fan of a club and they are in the top flight for only the third year in their history to see someone prepared to cause such angst and unrest amongst the people he ‘bought’ the club for. He has a right to want some return on his investment or at least to minimise his losses. It is a real mess and one of his own making.
I have been watching them for 45 years and find it all rather heartbreaking.
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