Hullfire Online » Hull City http://www.hullfire.com University of Hull Student Newspaper Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:10:23 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 One Hull Of A Start http://www.hullfire.com/2008/11/01/one-hull-of-a-start/ http://www.hullfire.com/2008/11/01/one-hull-of-a-start/#comments Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:34:18 +0000 Online Editor http://www.hullfire.com/?p=531 ]]> —Hull City AFC’s first ever encounter with the top tier of English football hasn’t been what everyone expected

On the 24th May 2008, after what had been one of the most successful seasons on record, Hull City AFC won the Coca-Cola Championship Play-Off Final and booked themselves a place in the 2008/09 English Premier League. Before the start of the 2008/09 English Premier League the highest position
Hull City had finished in the English Football League was 3rd in the old second division back in the 1909–10 season.
To the hundreds of thousands of Hull City fans, of which around 44,000 attended the match, 24th May 2008 was to become the greatest in the club’s history to date, and sparked off celebrations which have never been seen around the city. For many years the club has lounged around in the mediocrity that has infested the middle tiers of English Football, and the club has rarely threatened to flirt with promotion.
With 38 managers to date, at an average of two-and-a half years per manager, Hull City have yet to have the rare opportunity in modern football of having time to allow the manager to build a club due to flirtations with relegation and the stalemate that countless finishes in mid-table positions brings. However, having won promotion into the top tier of English football, and a reported massive £60m windfall that this brings, Phil Brown has been given the opportunity to build a team which is capable of giving Hull City some credibility in the Premier League and, at best, avoiding relegation.
Promoted alongside West Bromwich Albion and Stoke FC, of which only the former have had any recent Premier League experience, Hull City were given little chance of even matching Derby’s points total last season, the lowest ever recorded in Premier League History. However, with a strong contingent of British players and some flair and creativity added in the form of Brazilian Geovanni, Hungarian Halmosi and Marlon King from Jamaica this side had something to prove.
Suffering a 5-0 defeat at home against fellow relegation candidates Wigan Athletic FC is typical of the results many people would have associated with Hull City AFC this season. In fact they were wrong. A strong start to the season saw a 2-1 home victory against Fulham and then a 1-1 away draw against a stubborn Blackburn Rovers team. Beginner’s luck was the buzzword around the Premier League when people commented about the start Hull City had made, and after the hammering they took against Wigan at home many pundits thought that the reality of being in the Premier League would hit home.
Many teams like to get stuck into the next game straight away and get a bad loss out of their system. Hull City couldn’t afford this luxury and after the 5-0 hammering what ultimately awaited them was a two-week international break. For most teams this loss could have defined their season, and for Hull it probably has, but not in the shape that many had expected. When they returned on Saturday 13th September against a Newcastle side that has recently resembled a circus more than a football team, they started what was to become a magical, and probably the most successful, four weeks of their history.
A 2-1 away win at Newcastle was then followed up with a 2-2 draw at the KC Stadium against Everton, who after last season’s performances were expected to challenge the top four this time around. Many people started to sit up and realise that Phil Brown was creating a team that could not only stand their ground against better opposition, but also out compete them. The mighty Tigers were to visit London for their next two fixtures, and although heroic performances against Newcastle and Everton could be used as evidence, they were not given much chance of continuing the run against an
Arsenal team that had not quite kicked off their season yet, and a Spurs team that, despite taking Newcastle’s ‘big-top and clowns’ attitude to football, still had roughly £80m of quality running throughout their team.
At 5.30pm on Saturday 27th September the City of Hull gathered around any available TV which was showing the game to watch the biggest match this season for Hull City. Even the most optimistic fans expected the fluid and expansive type of football Arsenal have come to trademark to be too much for an in-form Hull City. Many had likened what they were about to watch to some gory depiction of lambs to the slaughter. In fact, what they saw was an efficient display which thwarted that fluid and expansive style of football and, thanks to a 30 yard beauty from Brazilian ‘superstar’ Geovanni, Hull
surprised the entire Football League with a 2-1 away win at what had become fortress Emirates.
Hull City fans were now in dreamland, and a high had been reached which could not have been foreseen at the start of the season; if you had offered Phil Brown just 1 point from the two fixtures against Arsenal at the start of the season then he would have taken it! Amongst the footballing community this result was seen as a fluke and one which, given the domination Arsenal had in the game, would not be repeated. However, the weekend after the surprise win away at Arsenal Hull had
to visit London again, and every Hull fan was dreaming of another away day victory, however unlikely it would be.
With Tottenham struggling for form and any kind of normality around the club, this was a good time to play them. Hull City put in a better showing this time in London and yet again, against everyone’s predictions, they came away from White Hart Lane with all 3 points courtesy of a 1-0 victory. Again, it was down the Brazilian ‘superstar’ Geovanni who managed to put the ball where many people would struggle to put a postage stamp. This victory against Spurs has shown some people that the victory against Arsenal wasn’t just a fluke, and that this Hull City team truly has something special about them.
Although we’re only seven games into the season, Hull City are sitting 3rd in the League, just behind Liverpool and Chelsea. Who’d have predicted that at the start of the season!? It will be difficult for Hull to maintain their impressive form and carry it through the season, however, they have given
themselves the best possible start and a real platform to launch a survival attempt on the Premier League. Let’s all hope this season doesn’t mirror the likes of Ipswich Town and Reading!

Nick Stobbs

]]> http://www.hullfire.com/2008/11/01/one-hull-of-a-start/feed/ 0 It’s Never Dull In Hull http://www.hullfire.com/2008/10/08/its-never-dull-in-hull-2/ http://www.hullfire.com/2008/10/08/its-never-dull-in-hull-2/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:41:05 +0000 News Editor http://www.hullfire.com/?p=816 ]]> Hull. Hardly the most inspiring sounding place in the world, is it? Never fear, however, because despite the city’s reputation as a crime-ridden hole of a place, generations of students have come and gone and thoroughly enjoyed their time here. Hull really is a city where entertainment is everywhere. For many this will involve many alcohol fuelled escapades in clubs such as the Sugar Mill or Pozition, while others may find other activities more suited to their tastes. Whatever is more your style, rest assured that there will be something here for you.
The first stop for any fresher should be the Student’s Union. Two bars, a club, the Athletic Union and a wide-range of societies of all sorts provide a ready source of activity for all students. The fresher’s bazaar in the first week is a great opportunity to take a look at the societies and teams that are available to join, so be sure to check it out. The Union runs club nights in Asylum (located within the Union building) on most nights, especially during Fresher’s Week, with Tower on Wednesdays being a particular favourite of the sports societies. The neighbouring bar, Sanctuary, is open every day until 11pm, serving  a wide range of foods in addition to your favourite tipple.
For those staying at the Lawns, the Veranda Bar is in the Lawns Centre and is open every night from 7-11 providing a cheap and convenient alternative to pubs elsewhere. There are quizzes on various nights throughout the week, and they show most big football matches and other sporting events. Cottingham has a number of pubs within staggering distance of the Lawns; the Cross Keys, the Hallgate, the King William IV, and the Fair Maid are all in and around Cottingham village centre.
If you’re staying on Cranbrook Avenue, Cottingham Road, or anywhere else near the University there is plenty to do. Aside from the Union, the Gardner’s Arms and the Hayworth Arms are within easy walking distance, both having a student friendly atmosphere and great deals on food and drink, including a yellow discount card that’s definitely worthwhile for regular customers. Fusion is a relatively new bar on Cottingham Road which serves good food and hosts club nights on certain days.
Whenever you are in Hull you’ll never be short of places to go for a night out, with many clubs either in the city centre or on or near bus routes. The Sugar Mill is popular on Monday nights, but beware of long queues and it filling up quickly. Handily, queue-jump tickets are available from the box office in the Student’s Union, or from Mission and Schnapps, bars located behind the Sugar Mill. Alternatively the Piper, on Newland Avenue, hosts a very cheap night on Mondays, but queues can be a problem here too. Attic can be good on a Tuesday night, and Revolution sometimes has decent offers on cocktails. Wednesdays are unmistakeably Tower night in the Student’s Union, complete with the infamous Asylum Text Screen.
Thursdays give you a choice between Pozition and Welly. Pozition is located in the city centre and plays a wide range of music over several floors, while Welly is on Beverley Road and caters to a more alternative taste, including a Drum and Bass night once a month. Other clubs and bars in and around Hull that are worth checking out include Spiders, Sharkeys, the Adelphi, The Linnet and Lark and the Lamp, while Fuel is the centre of the city’s gay club scene. Many bands play Hull throughout the student year, with the Union, Welly, and the Adelphi all hosting gigs semi-regularly.
If clubbing isn’t really your thing, there are plenty of other options. Hull New Theatre and Hull Truck Theatre both regularly put on acclaimed plays, with the Truck Theatre moving into a new multi-million pound home this year. The Ferens Art Gallery is located in the city centre, displaying a wide range of sculpture and painting; in addition to art ranging from the medieval to the modern, it also houses arguably one of the best collections of contemporary art in the country. The Hull Maritime Museum, located close to the Ferens Art Gallery provides an interesting look into the past of the city and its connection with the sea. No article about activities in Hull would be complete without a mention of The Deep, “the world’s only submarium”. What’s a submarium? You could be forgiven for suspecting that nobody is entirely sure, although Wikipedia probably has a page explaining it, but it makes for a good tagline nonetheless. The Deep provides a stunning look at sea life and really is worth a visit. If your idea of a good day out involves plenty of shopping, even on a limited student budget, you’ll be well served by Hull.
The St Stephen’s complex, conveniently located next to the bus and train station, opened quite recently and offers a wide range of shops including Next, H&M, Topshop, and River Island. St Stephen’s also houses several restaurants and a Reel cinema, one of two in the city centre with the other, a Vue, being situated in the Prince’s Quay shopping centre. Prince’s Quay is bigger again than St Stephen’s with a large Primark, a Zavvi, and a host of other opportunities for blowing your student loan on things you’ll look back on and wonder “why?”. The Prospect Centre is probably the smallest of the three, but includes a Currys.Digital and a Wilkinson’s for bits and bobs for your accomodation. Outside of the shopping centres, Hull has the range of shops that you would expect in any other similarly sized city.
For those of a more sporting nature, there is ample opportunity to support a Hull team. Hull City AFC, playing at the KC Stadium in the south-west of the city, are riding high (well, eleventh at the time of writing, but it’s probably best not to expect that to last too long) in the Premier League, while the city is also home to two top Rugby League sides; Hull FC and Hull Kingston Rovers. Both play in the Super League and, as you can imagine, the rivalry is fierce. Hull FC have been the more successful of late and share the KC with Hull City AFC, being the “West Hull” team, while Hull KR play at Craven Park in the east of the city.
Hull is also home to the wonderfully named Land of Green Ginger, a street in the “old town” of the city, which is where you can see what is claimed to be the smallest window in England. Unfortunately, Hull suffered badly at the hands of the Luftwaffe in the Second World War, but some remains of the old part of the city are on view; located here is the Holy Trinity Church, reputed to be the largest parish church in the country. If you appreciate a nice building, this is definitely a place to have a wander around if you have a spare afternoon. Also in the old town, on Silver Street, is the Ye Olde White Harte. Ignore the farcical spelling and have a pint; upstairs is where the city elders are said to have planned what prompted the first military act in the English Civil War, refusing Charles I entry to the city in 1642. Just round the corner, High Street has several old pubs that have a fantastic atmosphere.
As you can see, Hull is a city that has something to offer everyone, so don’t be put off by its shaky reputation and get stuck in; whether you find something we’ve mentioned above, or a hidden gem of your own, you can be sure that by the time you leave the University of Hull you will have found a city that truly is never dull.

]]> http://www.hullfire.com/2008/10/08/its-never-dull-in-hull-2/feed/ 0 Will the bell toll for Hull? http://www.hullfire.com/2008/08/13/will-the-bell-toll-for-hull/ http://www.hullfire.com/2008/08/13/will-the-bell-toll-for-hull/#comments Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:03:54 +0000 Online Editor http://www.hullfire.com/?p=56 ]]>

For seven years a bell has lay dormant in Hull. On the 16th August it shall be rung to a crescendo of applause rising out of the KC stadium and all of England will know that Hull City are about to play their first ever match in England’s top flight. And what a journey it has been to get this far and even Hull fans wearing rose-tinted glasses would have not been able to envision the rise of Hull City over the past seven years.

In 2001 Hull City were on the verge of becoming bankrupt and dropping out of the Football League completely. Yet on the 12th March 2001 Hull City’s future was saved, just. The then benefactors presented the club with a bell with the condition that it should not be rung until the club’s first day in the top flight, and this coming Saturday it will ring out and be music to the ears of the hardened Hull fans.

The progression up the football pyramid has been remarkable, after two languid years in the fourth tier of English football Hull gained back to back promotions as runner-ups, jumping up to the Championship for the 2006-2007 season, under the guidance of former England Under 21 manager Peter Taylor. Yet Taylor left the club in December of 2006 but Hull managed to avoid relegation by ten points, building a platform to scale further up the Championship table in the next few years. After three successful years, Hull appeared to falter, yet another management reshuffle took place and by June 2007 Hull barely avoided relegation finishing in 21st place. But once more a transformation took place, improving from 21st Hull finished 3rd in the Championship last season and gained promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs, beating Bristol City in a nail biting Playoff Final at Wembley, with Hull City legend Dean Windass, defying his advancing years to score the only goal.

Their ascent from fourth tier football to the Premier League is the third quickest in English football (Swansea and Wimbledon share the honour for the quickest climb) but surely a bigger test of character, grit and determination await over the course of the next 38 league games. Can Hull survive in the Premiership alongside the free-spending billionaire owners and former European Champions? Many pundits believe they cannot, but if History has taught us anything, it is not to write off The Tigers, and on Saturday when the bell rings, The Tigers will roar.

Chris Boothroyd (Online Ed.)

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