Why Hull City AFC?

[City Man]

Like a lot of other kids in the early '90s I got into football watching Man Utd, specifically Giggs, Scholes et al. One summer my mum made me go to one of Hull City's football in the community programme ran by John Davies. At the end of the summer we were all given a voucher for 1 free ticket. We had to use it before the end of the calendar year so my Dad decided (lapsed City fan of about 20 years) we would go on Boxing Day. We beat Hartlepool 1-0. Deano scored in 88th minute in a drab game from what I can remember (I was 8). We went once more the following season and then my Dad bought us season tickets for 1995-96. We were practically relegated by Christmas. My most enduring memory of that season is when they stopped putting the scores on board at the Kwik Save end and replaced it with the phone number for The Samaritans.
*edit - at the end of that 1995/96 season, i mentioned in earshot of my Dad that i supported Hull City and he shook his head a said "What have i done?!"

I remember that game and his goal.

It was indeed drab and there was a bit of snow lying around, a cross from the Best Stand, overhit, and Deano had to take a step or two back to connect which he did as he was falling backwards. But he directed his lobbed header over the keeper who was unable to scuttle backwards to claw it out. A header of great technique and awareness, worthy of a higher level.

Get in you monkey hanging ****s !

 

[pierredelafranchesca]

Like NaNaNa, another 90s kid who grew up watching and supporting Liverpool, but started going to City at the age of about 14 with some lads from school, only 3 quid to get into the South stand, as Tigers 2000 took hold and the agro with Fish and Dolan reached its peak I was hooked and that was that, shame the current generation of teenagers doesn't have that hook available.

 

[Jimmy Graham's bald head]

4-4 vs barnet first game ever … hooked since then

I still quote this as the best game I've seen for pure entertainment sake (i.e not about the occasion). You picked a good one, highlights are on youtube!

 

[Jimmy Graham's bald head]

Born and brought up in York but my Mum, Dad and grandparents were from Hull, all City fans and Dad took me and my brother from about the age of 4 or 5. Am now even more exiled in Essex but am so far managing to indoctrinate my 6 year old son (and hopefully soon his younger sister) in the same way that I was. Makes me dead proud when I pick him up from football and all the other kids are in Chelsea, West Ham, Spurs, Arsenal or Barcelona kits and he's stood there adorned head to toe in Amber and Black (or bright orange if he's wearing his keepers shirt). Took him to the Fulham cup game for his first match where we got beat 4-1 and it doesn't seem to have put him off. We've only been away so far and he's desparate to go to a home game and am very torn about what to do - I obviously want to do everything to encourage his support but also didn't want to go until the Allams ****-off and object on principle to having to pay full price for him, me and my Dad (who is an OAP) to go. ****ing Allams.

 

[Sir Cheshire Ben]

Born and brought up in York but my Mum, Dad and grandparents were from Hull, all City fans and Dad took me and my brother from about the age of 4 or 5. Am now even more exiled in Essex but am so far managing to indoctrinate my 6 year old son (and hopefully soon his younger sister) in the same way that I was. Makes me dead proud when I pick him up from football and all the other kids are in Chelsea, West Ham, Spurs, Arsenal or Barcelona kits and he's stood there adorned head to toe in Amber and Black (or bright orange if he's wearing his keepers shirt). Took him to the Fulham cup game for his first match where we got beat 4-1 and it doesn't seem to have put him off. We've only been away so far and he's desparate to go to a home game and am very torn about what to do - I obviously want to do everything to encourage his support but also didn't want to go until the Allams ****-off and object on principle to having to pay full price for him, me and my Dad (who is an OAP) to go. ****ing Allams.

I had similar feelings regarding kits when my lad was growing up. We initially only did local aways together but he always wanted to go to a home game with me. He still remembers his solitary trip to Boothfery Park as a highlight.

**** the Allams, don’t let their actions dictate what you do with your son. Don’t let them spoil the potential memories you can create together. Get him to the KCom for a game, he’ll love & remember it forever.

 

[Kempton]

I remember that game and his goal.

It was indeed drab and there was a bit of snow lying around, a cross from the Best Stand, overhit, and Deano had to take a step or two back to connect which he did as he was falling backwards. But he directed his lobbed header over the keeper who was unable to scuttle backwards to claw it out. A header of great technique and awareness, worthy of a higher level.

Get in you monkey hanging ****s !

This is one of the things I love about forum. I remember that game too, but only because NaNaNa jogged memory of it. It would have stayed in that dusty top shelf corner of my mind's library.

Good this forum.

 

[Van Winkle bamber]

my dad was st john's got us in every game, we used to sit in the little dug out at the south/west corner of the pitch. Happy days

 

[GLP]

I didn’t know any better.

Went to my first game in 87 and I was hooked. I’ve had more lows than highs watching City - but that’s the City way and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

My lad is 8 and he’s hooked on City now - he can thank me later in life whilst all his footballing pals have swapped a City kit for a Manchester Hunter kit - he’s remained loyal

 

[East_Stand_Always]

First went to City in the late 1980's with my old man. Remember walking up to the South Stand surrounded by the smell of tobacco and cut grass. Wasnt the best era and my dad decided that when the club started selling their best players to avoid going bust he would keep his money, especially if the owners didn't want to put their hand in their own pockets. Returned myself once I had left school. First on the bus from Withernsea then in the car. Was at the height of the Fish Out/Dolan Out campaign and it was a great time to support city. Backs to the wall, dire football, great group of supporters. Went to uni and drifted in and out of attending matches. Returned in the early 2000's and followed the rise. I give up a season ticket at the end of the 2014/2015 season. I had a son at the end of 2013 and the following season I didn't get to as many games.The Allams made it easy to make that decision. I have taken my boy to a few games since then even though we live in West Yorkshire. He loves coming to games and he is a good luck charm!

 

[Jimmy Graham's bald head]

I had similar feelings regarding kits when my lad was growing up. We initially only did local aways together but he always wanted to go to a home game with me. He still remembers his solitary trip to Boothfery Park as a highlight.

**** the Allams, don’t let their actions dictate what you do with your son. Don’t let them spoil the potential memories you can create together. Get him to the KCom for a game, he’ll love & remember it forever.

Thank you. As soon as you put it in those terms you're right, there's no argument, I think I just needed someone to highlight that to me. Will get up to a home game in early 2019.

 

[Pricey spilled my pint]

Born in Hull. Dad used to take me in the early/mid 80s, but my heart wasn't really in it and the prospect of watching a dour 0-1 home defeat to Halifax (or whoever) in a freezing cold, windswept South Stand soon lost its appeal.
I started going back to BP in (I think) the 98-99 season, when there was a real prospect of the club going out of business. The first game (can't even remember who we were playing) was looking like a nailed on 0-0, when City scored an unlikely winner in about the 75th minute. That euphoric feeling when we scored reignited my passion for the club, and the game generally and I was a semi-regular attender up until our second season at the KC when I became a season passholder. I didn't renew at the end of 2014 season and haven't been back to the KCOM since, and won't be until the current owners have gone.

 

[Kempton]

I had similar feelings regarding kits when my lad was growing up. We initially only did local aways together but he always wanted to go to a home game with me. He still remembers his solitary trip to Boothfery Park as a highlight.

**** the Allams, don’t let their actions dictate what you do with your son. Don’t let them spoil the potential memories you can create together. Get him to the KCom for a game, he’ll love & remember it forever.

Thank you. As soon as you put it in those terms you're right, there's no argument, I think I just needed someone to highlight that to me. Will get up to a home game in early 2019.

Good work Sir Ben I may be boycotting, but this makes perfect sense for any Father/Mother and their kids. You can't get them days back.

 

[Howden Tigress]

I love these threads, there is a common theme here, all been hooked as a youngster and supporter/customer for life, business gold for any astute businessmen, oh wait .....

My early memories & interest in footie was being allowed to have a go at "Spot the Ball" competition in HDM, helping with the "pools coupon" with the weekly pools collector man, and sitting quietly waiting/listening to the footie results on the wireless/radio, showing my age! As a teenager, late 70s/80 my step brother and his mates went to City home and away and a deal was struck that they could use my step dad's car, full of fuel, if they took me with them, needless to say, result, hooked, despite some of the dismal, dross witnessed, bucket collections etc., looking back still happy days.

 

[City Man]

Got taken to Hull 'A' in the mid 60s before I knew WTF was going on.

Went to Hull Vikings cos there was nowt else to do on a Wed night in the mid 70s

Went to watch Yorkshire at the Circle and enjoyed the JPL 40 over Sunday games.

But football was and is the biggest sport on the planet, and City for me was the sleeping giant that was about to wake and take its rightful place among the elite ...

 

[Citygirl]

Got taken to Hull 'A' in the mid 60s before I knew WTF was going on.

Went to Hull Vikings cos there was nowt else to do on a Wed night in the mid 70s

Went to watch Yorkshire at the Circle and enjoyed the JPL 40 over Sunday games.

But football was and is the biggest sport on the planet, and City for me was the sleeping giant that was about to wake and take its rightful place among the elite ...

Hull Vikings was the motorbikes , Yorkshire at the circle is cricket , but with Hull A you have me beaten .

 

[Kempton]

Others have told of the very sad fact, their Dads always said they would never see the Premier League. Same with my Dad, except he always added "but you will".

I always disagreed with him and told him he would be there with us.

As it turned out, I will be forever grateful Dad did see us up there, as well as an FA Cup final. He actually took the greatest pleasure out of seeing us beat Arsenal.

It's what Dad said about my Sister that really pissed me off... "Oh I'm so glad Susan was there with me at Wembley to see us reach the Premier League...

It was the only game my Sister ever went to. The only game she ever saw ...

Edit: And she only turned up wearing red

 

[Kevin Francis]

When I was a really young lad it was a toss up of supposetinf Man U or Liverpool as that’s what most my mates did and I didn’t have a dad around to point me in the correct direction. Anyway I plumped for Manchester United for no other reason than they were winning the most trophies. To be fair I never really felt any real connection to them I just loved watching football.
When I was 10 I was lucky enough to get signed to city’s centre of excellence. With that came a complimentary season pass.
From that point on there was never any question of who my team was. I think I probably did every home game bar 1 or two at both boothferry and the circle. Once we got to under 14s we were ball boys every other home game.
Got released by city at 16 but the club was engrained in me by that point and I continued to follow them home and away until I emigrated to Australia aged 25. I came back for 3 weeks last September and I was treated to a 5-0 defeat to derby the day after I got home. A trip down to London to see my mate ended in a 2-1 defeat to Fulham (but we did have a great night out on the piss with random Koln and Dortmund fans). And finally a boring 1-1 draw with Sunderland at home which gave me a gleeful 90 mins of shouting anti allam abuse.
Not got any plans to come back to blight in the near future, so from a purely selfish point of view I would like to see us back in the big boys league ASAP due to the increased coverage.

 

[BrisbaneTiger]

My first home game was Sheffield United 08/09/79 when we beat them 3-1, but i had actually been to some away games first to Chesterfield, when my mates dad (although i used to call him Uncle as our family grew up with theirs as our mums were best friends) took us both with him when he went to some away games, and i always credit him with introducing me to City. Before that i had always wanted to go but my own dad hated football.

As soon as i started work at 16 i had my first season ticket. Like many people i stood in various places at BP, starting in the North Stand, before progressing to Kempton, Bunkers with a few brief flirtations within the well. As i got older we started having jolly boys outings to away games where numbers permitting we would hire a van, put deck chairs in the back and trundle off down the motorway (I’m not sure how legal this was but we quickly evolved to hiring minibuses).

I had a few years away when we had our first son although i was always looking for an excuse to introduce him to the mighty Tigers, which i eventually did at one home game at BP. The problem was he ended up crying everything time we scored and the stands obviously erupted. I think we actually won 2-0 that day with Kevin Francis scoring (maybe).
Once we got to the KC my son actually enjoyed going as we went with my mate and his son so they just sat together as we visited the “shop” under the stands before and during the game.
My final game as a regular was not at the KC but at a small ground darn Sarf somewhere in May 2008, i think they called it Wermblee stadium or something like that. We emigrated 2 months later, i dont think i could have got a better leaving present.

My Uncle Eddie who introduced me to City was another who missed City that day as he had passed away 7-8 months earlier after following City all his life. I did try to follow his leads by introducing my younger brother to the Tigers and he in turn has introduced his own son to City (against the wishes of his mum and grandparents who are all Chelsea season ticket holders).

I did manage to see City play Trencin at home and QPR away when i last came back to the UK. I still tell everyone my greatest love in the game is Hull City and most people do get to hear about them quite a few times a day.
I certainly rely on this site to give me my ‘Ull City fix and like it when we are in the Premier league simply because thats when i can watch them every game, although i have preferred the games in lower divisions simply because we have a reasonable chance of winning more than we do in the top division.

I do have to admit that when i start planning trips back to the UK, one of the prime considerations is what City games can i get to while there. I dont care who owns Hull City and what they do, they can never take away my lifetime of memories of the Black and Amber.

 

[HullCityAFC1904]

I assume most of you guys on here are born & bred in Hull, so the answer might be obvious, but also aware that there are plenty of locals supporting some of the "big boy teams".
What made YOU follow City?

Personally, being from Sweden, it started with Football Manager. I grew up watching the Premier League week in and week out, but never had a favourite team outside of Sweden, just loved watching it.
I'd watch it with my dad, don't even think he was that interested, but gave him a decent excuse for a pint and peanuts. I can't really smell peanuts without getting flashbacks to those days, side trivia.

I kept following the English leagues and when I was around 15-16 I could basically name every player in respective line ups for teams in the Championship & Premier League, some rain man stuff right there.
Some kids started drinking around them, I got hooked on Football Manager. I started playing with Hull, somewhat fascinated by their history and with the long serving players such as Myhill,Dawson, Ashbee, legends.

Made me more interested in following their journey in real life. I'm afraid Henrik Pedersen was better for me in the game than in real life, but that's the way City got me hooked.

I moved to Stoke-On-Trent back in 2011 and not606's own legend SirCheshireBen drove me to my very first City game. Hull City AFC - Crystal Palace 0-1, absolutely awful game, can't even remember us creating one single chance. I was hooked to follow the club onwards through whatever rollercoaster awaited nevertheless. In that sense....City never disappoints.

My first game was a local derby with Scunny and I was hooked from then on. Boothferry was full. Some interesting characters played in that match: Ian Botham the cricketer and Steve Mclaren, the wally with the brolly. Profile picture is 'Rambo' Billy Whitehurst, they ought to get him in as a coach to knock some of our strikers into shape, don't think the current coach has much of an idea in that regard with just Frazier saving our skins at the moment.

 

[Mr Hatem]

I'm buggered if I can remember my first City game. It was probably the first home game of the 66/67 season. I'd been to a few reserve games before that.