Last season will be remebered for off the field drama and on the field success. In February Hull City AFC had arguably their toughest month in history but came out of it stronger and in the process of a push which would propel them to their highest league finish in years.
After a few friendlies, the highlight of which was a marvellous Theodore Whitmore goal against Derby and the low standing on a freezing cold night in Doncaster, City were to kick off the season away at Blackpool. It was important we got off to a good start but it was not to be. An unlucky 3-1 defeat at Bloomfield Road was followed by 2 points being dropped at home to Plymouth and draws with Macclesfield and Lincoln.
The home game with Cheltenham on September 2nd was The Tigers' worst performance of the early stages of the season. The Chelts brushed City aside 2-0 and it meant we held a very unfavourable position after 6 games - bottom.
The elusive win would not come - Draws followed at Orient and Mansfield, and notts County also put paid to the club's Worthington Cup hopes.
However, Shrewsbury at home yielded the waited for 3 points and sparked off an impressive run for City: 5 wins, 4 draws and only 2 losses (against Chesterfield and Brighton) in the next 10 games.
Then came one of the best and worst weeks of the season. Kettering town provided opposition in the FA Cup and after holding the Cobblers to a 0-0 draw at Rockingham Road, City entertained them in what many saw as virtually a walk-over. Again, it was not to be. In their worst performance of the season, the Tigers were dumped out of the cup thanks to a super goal in the 2nd Half.
Then came the better side. Scunthorpe away was up next, and many Tigers supporters were not looking forward to the trip: After seeing that awful display what hope was there against a Scunny side who had beaten Mansfield 6-0 the previous week with danger man Guy Ipoua hitting 4? The answer: Plenty of hope. In a complete turnaround from the Tuesday previous, City played absoulutely marvellously and took 3 points back over the Humber Bridge thanks to a superb David Brightwell free kick.
This was the last high point for a while, as over Christmas word began to spread of financial troubles and on the pitch things were'nt much better. City lost 4 and drew 2 of their next 6 in the league, and did not score for 4 games consecutively. This even with the arrivals of strikers Rodney Rowe and Kevin Francis in the New Year. Chester also knocked us out of the vitally important LDV Vans Trophy infornt of a huge crowd at The Deva Stadium.
By the time of the Kidderminster away game on January 27, it was well known that Buchanan and co. had the club in serious financial trouble. A winding up order was to be held due to massive unpaid tax debts and the future looked extremely bleak. City then lied 13th in the table. Various names were talked about as rescuers of the club after Buchanan resigned and Administrators came in, but one eventually emerged.
The players responded with a marvellous run of 6 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss, right through to the Brighton game on March 6, by which time our saviour Adam Pearson had been revealed as the new chairman. Only Clint Marcelle, David Brightwell and Steve Harper left during the uncertain times.
Now the task was to carry on the run and that is what the team did, aided by the arrivals of Andy Holt, Gary Fletcher, Mark Atkins and Rob Matthews. At the start of April, City lied in 9th place in the table, with derbies against Scunthorpe, York and Chesterfield at Boothferry Park to come.
Scunthorpe were up first. In a super game, the Tigers held off the Iron to record a 2-1 victory, and the sight of Lee Hodges missing a penalty to draw the Scunts level infront of their supporters was one of the moments of the season. This win carried us in to 6th place in the table; In the play offs.
An away win at Hartlepool followed, and so to the return of our idol Terry Dolan. York were infact as many predicted a thorn in our side due to their boring hoof tactics, and the match ended 0-0. Still, an away win at Darlington kept City firmly in the play off positions.
Chesterfield had been in the headlines long before they arrived at Boothferry Park on April 28th for the crucial derby showdown. Illegal payments to players and tax dodging had been investigated by the Football League, and the Spireites had been found guilty on 2 charges, but criminally only been given a 9 point deduction and a small fine by a disciplinary panel. Although the decision was being re-thought, Automatic Promotion was a distinct possibilty, but by no means impossible. City beat Chesterfield 3-1 with a brilliant performance, and headed to Southend just concentrating on their own results.
A 1-1 draw at Roots Hall coupled with the news of Chesterfield's punishment sticking meant we were in the play offs. Nothing more or less. Carlisle away was an anti-climax, a 0-0 draw with half the team rested.
So to the play offs and Leyon Orient. A single John Eyre goal gave the Tigers the slim advantage heading to Brisbane Road, but it was not to be. Goals from Steve Watts and a wonder strike from Matthew Lockwood meant no trip to Cardiff and no promotion.
So, we look forward to the upcoming season with great anticipation, and hope we can one go one step higher and clinch autmomatic promotion. |
