Being spied on by Hull fans...

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http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/253488-Thoughts-from-Sheffield

Apparently we're feeling overconfident, the "dregs of Yorkshire" and "retarded minnows".

Nice.

There's a fair bit of mud-slinging towards us on that thread, but really, does anyone on here see them as "local rivals" as they seem to want to make out?

Wednesday, Rotherham, Barnsley, Chesterfield... yeah. But Hull

No not a derby at all, they may want it to be cos they've got no big rivals in their "manor" but tough titties!
I thought I'd seen (read) it all, until I saw that crap.
I stopped when I read some fckwit describing how Tony Capstick was booed off stage in 'Ull "a couple of years ago."
Not surprised he was, he's been dead for about 11 years to my knowledge.....
Good grief, next!
 
Hull City is the only team in the football league containing no letters that can be coloured in. Now that's a FACT!

That is indeed their only football related claim to fame, but sadly they won't even have that distinction next year.

I was in support of their 'City 'till I die' campaign, but now I hope they get lumbered with being called 'Hull Tigers', the arrogant twats. It's a win win really, either a ridiculous name or their chairman walks, followed inevitably by relegation through the football leagues. :)
 
Hull City is the only team in the football league containing no letters that can be coloured in. Now that's a FACT!

Not if they add Tigers to the name, another source of distinction gone. oops, should have read the post above.
 
City fan in peace, as they say.

Just a small observation, from a ‘lurker’. In City’s last season in League 1 (2004/05) the average home attendance was 18027. I note that this year Sheffield United average home attendance is 17071 (so far).

City has around 19000 season pass holders. It’s probably not fair to describe the fans per se as ‘plastics’ who have only appeared because the club is in the premier league.

The comments on the not606 thread about rivalry between the two clubs makes sense to people of a certain age. If you followed either club in the years up to and including 1983/84 season you might appreciate this.

Just a small observation, from a ‘lurker’. In City’s last season in League 1 (2004/05) the average home attendance was 18027. I note that this year Sheffield United average home attendance is 17071 (so far).

City has around 19000 season pass holders. It’s probably not fair to describe the fans per se as ‘plastics’ who have only appeared because the club is in the premier league.

The comments on the not606 thread about rivalry between the two clubs makes sense to people of a certain age. If you followed either club in the years up to and including 1983/84 season you might appreciate this.

Good luck for the rest of the season, obviously excluding 13 April.


At the request of Linz since I have major respect for her and Foxy I will be polite. No name calling.
Just to iterate your plastic tag does not come from the Premier League entry either this time or last. It comes from the increased crowds after you suddenly got the new stadium for free just for having white phone boxes. I can't remember going to Boothferry and 12000 being turned away when the crowd was announced at 3,652. I believe the Stadium was completed in 2002 at the site where I used to enjoy the Hull fair. Then you state your last season in League 1 (i.e. promotion season or your last season would have been their later) was in 2004/05, therefore people jumping on the bandwagon of a new stadium and promotion. By definition plastic. We this season have managed to hang on to similar crowds to your promotion season despite a horrendous start due to an untried manager who found out he couldn't cut it yet. Your attempt to show how unplastic you are has only really demonstrated how plastic you are.

Having said all that it is highly unlikely that the Blades will progress to the final and highly likely that Hull will. Based on the resources in terms of personnel Hull have at their disposal. But the caveat of that is that we have a chance as well. A small chance but a chance never the less. I would argue that a bigger chance than Wigan had away to Man City. So we have a possibility nothing more as we don't receive £50m in Murdock's (Phone Hacking News of the World) dirty revenue to supplement our other revenue streams. We are doing great in the league now that we have a competent manager (too late I fear for promotion this year) but he is smart and understands tactics better than any other manager I've witnessed at the lane. I include Bassett and Warnock in that. I wasn't old enough to understand Harris's tactics. So I'm not afraid of the Semi but if we lose as is likely I won't sweat it either.
 
There's a load of Hull fans around me at uni and I find their arrogance astounding. Surely they should be wary of the precedents we have already set against Villa, Fulham, Forest, Charlton? Then there's the Wigan miracle last weekend. I'd be worried about this trend of upsets if I was a Hull fan.

HULL, anyway? Eww.
 
As in the last rounds, from Villa onwards, I have told people who mention it, 'This game is a step too far and we will lose. But hey ho we have earned some valuable revenue for the club and enjoyed the run'. This is what I think inside too. The thing is, by saying that, no-one can have a go and in the unlikely event, so far so good, a very happy Blade. When a Leeds fan on Monday, through gritted teeth said to me 'You must be very pleased' I just said, 'Yeah it's OK but we'll lose against Hull.' It really pissed him off for some reason. I think because he couldn't tell everyone I was gloating :)
This is the same guy who when we were promoted to the Premier League in 2006 and they were in league one, said he never wanted to talk to me about football ever again. I had gloated that time :)
 
As in the last rounds, from Villa onwards, I have told people who mention it, 'This game is a step too far and we will lose. But hey ho we have earned some valuable revenue for the club and enjoyed the run'. This is what I think inside too. The thing is, by saying that, no-one can have a go and in the unlikely event, so far so good, a very happy Blade. When a Leeds fan on Monday, through gritted teeth said to me 'You must be very pleased' I just said, 'Yeah it's OK but we'll lose against Hull.' It really pissed him off for some reason. I think because he couldn't tell everyone I was gloating :)
This is the same guy who when we were promoted to the Premier League in 2006 and they were in league one, said he never wanted to talk to me about football ever again. I had gloated that time :)
Had a bit similar in Morrisons in Morley yesterday.

Was wearing my shirt as I was going to the game and the bloke behind me in the queue said " you must be proud of your lads at the moment"

I'm sure he found it hard to say but it's a measure of the respect we're starting to earn.
 
That thread is a classic example of a series of idiots spectacularly missing the point. I know that Hull doesn't have the greatest reputation but didn't think it manifested itself that obviously.

Out of the three other sides left, who did United want? The holders, on a great run of form and having just dumped out the favourites? The side currently third in the Premier League? Or the side currently 13th in the Premier League table who will be missing their two strikers as they're cup tied?

Add in the Yorkshire element (like it or not, 'Ull is in Yorkshire) and it was always going to be them that most Unitedites wanted.

The point they're missing is that we're entitled to not be despondent. Yes, we're in the third tier but Clough's is not a third tier side - which is why we've won 6 league games on the bounce without conceding. I don't think any Blade expects us to waltz into the final but at the same time, I have a feeling that they'll underestimate us just like Fulham, Forest and Villa did.

Oh, and we have the Beard. For t'is written in the stars.

PPS Before I read that thread, I had some sympathy for them over the name change. Now I'd quite like to see it changed to "FC Go Go Hull Tigers Roooooaaaar" just to piss them off.
....
Hull fan here. Not a plastic either. Hull born and bred. I gather most of the replies on this thread are in answer to some of the sh1te posted on the kids forum, not606? Word of advice 99% of the stuff on there is posted by 14 year olds. Please ignore them. Let me explain this 'rivalry' thing first. See it as a compliment. It started in the 70's when you brought decent followings to the old Boothferry Park, always a good game, good atmosphere and the old faces on here will know why the games were a bit special. I was at the Battle of Bramall Lane in 70/71 and up to recently classed it as one of the best ever away games I'd been too. I remember the reception committee when we got back to the train station! That's where the rivalry started IMO. Those posting on 606 weren't even born. Keith Edwards, great player for both clubs, one of the best. Billy Whitehurst the Mexbourgh brickie who couldn't trap a bag of cement when we signed him but what a player he turned into. Legend, I loved the bloke.
Ken Knighton, made his debut in the Battle of Bramall Lane, I can see him now stood in the centre circle with his arm aloft, fist clenched. Magnificent player, hard as nails.
And the Sheffield Mafia who nearly finished us off. Stephen Hinchcliffe and Buchanan. I met Buchanan a couple of times. Once at a pre season friendly at Goole Town, he came across and introduced himself as the new chairman. Said he was a Blade and I asked him if he was there in 70/71. He knew fuck all about the Battle of Bramall Lane. Smooth talking con man who took us to the cleaners, never paid for anything and ran up massive debts for Hull then fucked off.
And we attracted that sort for a generation and more. The diehard fans chased each and every one of them out of town eventually. So don't call us a plastic club. We paid the players wages for six months. We kept the club in the Football League.
We came from the bottom of the Football League were we sat six points adrift on New Years Eve 1999 to briefly top the Premier League in 2008. Plastic club ? No chance.
I have an admiration for Sheffield United having down a lot of business in your city with proper lads, Berrisford Tools, Malin Bridge ? I took the stick when Hull were in the lower leagues and you were in the Premier League that first season, and I gave it back when the positions began to reverse. Good times.
I also knew Paul Heaton quite well when he lived in Hull, often spoke football with him and I couldn't get him interested in City much as I tried. He once organised tickets for a gang of us who went to see the South in Dublin without being asked too. Top bloke.
This is fast turning into an epic, so quickly. Huge game for both clubs, good to be at Wembley, good for both cities. We wont be underestimating you and we expect the same from yourselves. I met Nigel Clough one dark night in Hull some time ago when he drove himself over to present trophies at a boys team presentation night. Level headed bloke.
We are far from a plastic club and we are not MK Dons, far from it, or a rugby town, in fact thy are our real rivals because they not only hate us they hate football but almost every one of their supporters also 'support' the Man Utds and Chelsea's.
Anyhow good luck.
 
hullbloke cheers for that reasoned response. Not sure why you've picked on my post though - I'm too young to remember the history you refer to and I've not at any point referred to you or your fans as "plastics". Let's not forget that when we were in the Premier League we averaged over 30,000, some of whom would not have been at the Lane had we not been successful so they could be described as "plastic" too.

Point taken about not606 but there really are some twats on there and it's their views I was responding to. You'll find that this forum welcomes posters who support other sides so long as they remember where they are, the Charlton fans have been great.
 
....
Hull fan here. Not a plastic either. Hull born and bred. I gather most of the replies on this thread are in answer to some of the sh1te posted on the kids forum, not606? Word of advice 99% of the stuff on there is posted by 14 year olds. Please ignore them. Let me explain this 'rivalry' thing first. See it as a compliment. It started in the 70's when you brought decent followings to the old Boothferry Park, always a good game, good atmosphere and the old faces on here will know why the games were a bit special. I was at the Battle of Bramall Lane in 70/71 and up to recently classed it as one of the best ever away games I'd been too. I remember the reception committee when we got back to the train station! That's where the rivalry started IMO. Those posting on 606 weren't even born. Keith Edwards, great player for both clubs, one of the best. Billy Whitehurst the Mexbourgh brickie who couldn't trap a bag of cement when we signed him but what a player he turned into. Legend, I loved the bloke.
Ken Knighton, made his debut in the Battle of Bramall Lane, I can see him now stood in the centre circle with his arm aloft, fist clenched. Magnificent player, hard as nails.
And the Sheffield Mafia who nearly finished us off. Stephen Hinchcliffe and Buchanan. I met Buchanan a couple of times. Once at a pre season friendly at Goole Town, he came across and introduced himself as the new chairman. Said he was a Blade and I asked him if he was there in 70/71. He knew fuck all about the Battle of Bramall Lane. Smooth talking con man who took us to the cleaners, never paid for anything and ran up massive debts for Hull then fucked off.
And we attracted that sort for a generation and more. The diehard fans chased each and every one of them out of town eventually. So don't call us a plastic club. We paid the players wages for six months. We kept the club in the Football League.
We came from the bottom of the Football League were we sat six points adrift on New Years Eve 1999 to briefly top the Premier League in 2008. Plastic club ? No chance.
I have an admiration for Sheffield United having down a lot of business in your city with proper lads, Berrisford Tools, Malin Bridge ? I took the stick when Hull were in the lower leagues and you were in the Premier League that first season, and I gave it back when the positions began to reverse. Good times.
I also knew Paul Heaton quite well when he lived in Hull, often spoke football with him and I couldn't get him interested in City much as I tried. He once organised tickets for a gang of us who went to see the South in Dublin without being asked too. Top bloke.
This is fast turning into an epic, so quickly. Huge game for both clubs, good to be at Wembley, good for both cities. We wont be underestimating you and we expect the same from yourselves. I met Nigel Clough one dark night in Hull some time ago when he drove himself over to present trophies at a boys team presentation night. Level headed bloke.
We are far from a plastic club and we are not MK Dons, far from it, or a rugby town, in fact thy are our real rivals because they not only hate us they hate football but almost every one of their supporters also 'support' the Man Utds and Chelsea's.
Anyhow good luck.
Good post HB..I was on the Lane end that night stood behind the goal with my Dad..Blades and City fans mixed together,but no problems.On the pitch though we were being roughed up by Knighton,Chilton and co...real X rated stuff..never seen anything like it...both teams riding high,big game..42k crowd under the lights..United unbeaten at home until then.
Most Blades are realistic about the Semi at Wembley...we think we've got a chance to progress,but it won't be easy against a Prem team who will be favourites..but we are capable of an upset on our day.
I can remember the pad locks at Boothferry Park not so long back when you were locked out of the ground...just shows how things can change.
UTB!
 
. Billy Whitehurst the Mexbourgh brickie who couldn't trap a bag of cement when we signed him but what a player he turned into. Legend, I loved the bloke.

Me too, but he's a Thurnscoe lad not from Mexborough. He played for Mexborough.
 

hullbloke welcome to the forum, good to hear a level headed response.

Still can't see the rivalry, I'm sure the games you mention were big games packed with incidents no doubt on and off the pitch, but I'd never see hull as a local rival. I've rarely paid much attention over the years to hull, similar to Scunthorpe or Huddersfield. Hull seem plastic to me because they have this shiny stadium with fans and rattles.

You're above us at the moment, like 56 other sides but like Cardiff, Doncaster et al I can't really see it lasting for a generation. That's not because were a huge side, but with owners like you have there is only one ending and it's not going to be pretty.
 
Hull City is a nice club with good Yorkshire folk supporters. Yes they were close rivals during a certain stage of our history - many of us can remember Wagstaffe, Chilton, Houghton, McKechnie et al with some trepidation. It was a hard place to go and our family have been there about 8 times and stood amongst the home fans in years gone by. I can honestly say I cannot recall any problem with their club or their fans. Go to Grimsby just down the road and you need a tin hat.

All Forums attract types like the OP, yes a lurker and probably needs attention. He will have read silly posts on here and he just wants a bit of banter that's all. It's all part of the build up to the big game and it's a much bigger game for them than us. I personally have been to 5 semi-finals watching United. We've lost them all but that is just a statistic. Have some sympathy for Hull supporters, they've only ever been to one semi-final in their history and that was in the 1930's, they lost that too.
 
....
Hull fan here. Not a plastic either. Hull born and bred. I gather most of the replies on this thread are in answer to some of the sh1te posted on the kids forum, not606? Word of advice 99% of the stuff on there is posted by 14 year olds. Please ignore them. Let me explain this 'rivalry' thing first. See it as a compliment. It started in the 70's when you brought decent followings to the old Boothferry Park, always a good game, good atmosphere and the old faces on here will know why the games were a bit special. I was at the Battle of Bramall Lane in 70/71 and up to recently classed it as one of the best ever away games I'd been too. I remember the reception committee when we got back to the train station! That's where the rivalry started IMO. Those posting on 606 weren't even born. Keith Edwards, great player for both clubs, one of the best. Billy Whitehurst the Mexbourgh brickie who couldn't trap a bag of cement when we signed him but what a player he turned into. Legend, I loved the bloke.
Ken Knighton, made his debut in the Battle of Bramall Lane, I can see him now stood in the centre circle with his arm aloft, fist clenched. Magnificent player, hard as nails.
And the Sheffield Mafia who nearly finished us off. Stephen Hinchcliffe and Buchanan. I met Buchanan a couple of times. Once at a pre season friendly at Goole Town, he came across and introduced himself as the new chairman. Said he was a Blade and I asked him if he was there in 70/71. He knew fuck all about the Battle of Bramall Lane. Smooth talking con man who took us to the cleaners, never paid for anything and ran up massive debts for Hull then fucked off.
And we attracted that sort for a generation and more. The diehard fans chased each and every one of them out of town eventually. So don't call us a plastic club. We paid the players wages for six months. We kept the club in the Football League.
We came from the bottom of the Football League were we sat six points adrift on New Years Eve 1999 to briefly top the Premier League in 2008. Plastic club ? No chance.
I have an admiration for Sheffield United having down a lot of business in your city with proper lads, Berrisford Tools, Malin Bridge ? I took the stick when Hull were in the lower leagues and you were in the Premier League that first season, and I gave it back when the positions began to reverse. Good times.
I also knew Paul Heaton quite well when he lived in Hull, often spoke football with him and I couldn't get him interested in City much as I tried. He once organised tickets for a gang of us who went to see the South in Dublin without being asked too. Top bloke.
This is fast turning into an epic, so quickly. Huge game for both clubs, good to be at Wembley, good for both cities. We wont be underestimating you and we expect the same from yourselves. I met Nigel Clough one dark night in Hull some time ago when he drove himself over to present trophies at a boys team presentation night. Level headed bloke.
We are far from a plastic club and we are not MK Dons, far from it, or a rugby town, in fact thy are our real rivals because they not only hate us they hate football but almost every one of their supporters also 'support' the Man Utds and Chelsea's.
Anyhow good luck.

I wasn't talking about you or your generation. I had respect for those that turned up at Boothfery (most of them bar those that were spoiling for a fight in the Silver Cod I like the football that's what I paid for). But there was more than a significant event that changed Hull (alright I'll be polite "City") from the club similar really to York but with a smaller conurbation (well no conurbation really unless you include Bransholme) to what it suddenly became. You gained over 12000 fans virtually overnight. That was the free Stadium. That's the plastic bit. You are not plastic definitely not and I fully respect you, but having had to take people to the City stadium it feels very plastic compared with proper football stadiums (including Boothferry). And the team built on the back of initially the stadium and latterly your no history owner (proof that he would even consider removing City when you all call your team that. it would be like our board wanting to stop calling us the Blades). That's the plastic bit. Unfortunately when you moved from Boothferry the original soul that was Hull City was removed with it not with your generation but those that have followed since as they think that what you have now is how football is. The history removed and replaced by results. That's why even with the restrictions of the roads if the Blades ever got a mega bucks owner that we do not move from Bramall Lane ever. I want my sons to feel it as well.
 
I wasn't talking about you or your generation. I had respect for those that turned up at Boothfery (most of them bar those that were spoiling for a fight in the Silver Cod I like the football that's what I paid for). But there was more than a significant event that changed Hull (alright I'll be polite "City") from the club similar really to York but with a smaller conurbation (well no conurbation really unless you include Bransholme) to what it suddenly became. You gained over 12000 fans virtually overnight. That was the free Stadium. That's the plastic bit. You are not plastic definitely not and I fully respect you, but having had to take people to the City stadium it feels very plastic compared with proper football stadiums (including Boothferry). And the team built on the back of initially the stadium and latterly your no history owner (proof that he would even consider removing City when you all call your team that. it would be like our board wanting to stop calling us the Blades). That's the plastic bit. Unfortunately when you moved from Boothferry the original soul that was Hull City was removed with it not with your generation but those that have followed since as they think that what you have now is how football is. The history removed and replaced by results. That's why even with the restrictions of the roads if the Blades ever got a mega bucks owner that we do not move from Bramall Lane ever. I want my sons to feel it as well.



By your defininition Arsenal, Man City, etc are plastics then.
Our ground is compact, old fashioned and is not Premier ready by any means....even when we get there.
Where did the phrase plastics come from for god's sake...it's stupid.
 
By your defininition Arsenal, Man City, etc are plastics then.
Our ground is compact, old fashioned and is not Premier ready by any means....even when we get there.
Where did the phrase plastics come from for god's sake...it's stupid.

It came from the esperanto - plastico, and yes, with success comes the sort of false promise of love that fools no one. They travel far and wide, but we are Blades men, we stand with body armour and plastic detectors, and never are fooled by johnny come lately's....and we also demand a full set of information, we may be wonderful but reading minds is not on our list of genetic talents UTB
 
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By your defininition Arsenal, Man City, etc are plastics then.
Our ground is compact, old fashioned and is not Premier ready by any means....even when we get there.
Where did the phrase plastics come from for god's sake...it's stupid.

No if you read further up the thread you will see that it was mentioned that Man City already had a huge following (30k in the third division), as did Arsenal. However there are very few extra fans based on their move. But it still changes the community by losing the historic link. With Man City their extra plastics come from the glory supporters that are starting to follow them, fans that claim they have always followed them despite living in the south. However in terms of the stadiums, The KC is like the other pop ups like Coventry etc. and this started the increase in support, bandwagon jumpers. Boothferry never had this level of support so where did these people suddenly come from? That's the plastic bit. Even some of my closest friends in Hull suddenly started going when the stadium was built having never bothered before. Even though they admitted they were really York fans. It was not as a consequence of the community building it up.
Arsenal are a different matter and I feel fortunate that I don't support them, even though I do respect them. The Emirates makes more money from the boxes around the ground (prawn sandwich) then it ever did from the whole of Highbury. I had a long talk with a massive Arsenal fan who had a high up job in the company I was at. He has said that Arsenal are after the families that come in spend some money in the ground and then go away again. They don't want the fans that go for a few pints before the match go to the match and then for a drink after, or the passionate fans. They are actively trying to get rid of theses supporters for business reasons. They are in London where there is more available income and they want people to spend it in the ground. They are trying to change it to a sterile money making entity, which fits in perfectly with the Premier league.
I'm sure there's loads of Blades fans that would trade history and community for some silverware and Prem footy, I'm just not one of them.
 
Reading to me is the perfect example of plastic club. As new stadia go, I really like Stadium of Light, the way you can walk round the ground and the way the noise carries in s round enclosed stadium. Stewards are shite though. I don't like the cloned stadia of Huddersfield, Bolton,Reading etc
 
Had a bit similar in Morrisons in Morley yesterday.

Was wearing my shirt as I was going to the game and the bloke behind me in the queue said " you must be proud of your lads at the moment, are you having the pensioners special too?."

I'm sure he found it hard to say but it's a measure of the respect we're starting to earn.

You never know who's in earshot when you go shopping do you.......;)
 
No if you read further up the thread you will see that it was mentioned that Man City already had a huge following (30k in the third division), as did Arsenal. However there are very few extra fans based on their move. But it still changes the community by losing the historic link. With Man City their extra plastics come from the glory supporters that are starting to follow them, fans that claim they have always followed them despite living in the south. However in terms of the stadiums, The KC is like the other pop ups like Coventry etc. and this started the increase in support, bandwagon jumpers. Boothferry never had this level of support so where did these people suddenly come from? That's the plastic bit. Even some of my closest friends in Hull suddenly started going when the stadium was built having never bothered before. Even though they admitted they were really York fans. It was not as a consequence of the community building it up.
Arsenal are a different matter and I feel fortunate that I don't support them, even though I do respect them. The Emirates makes more money from the boxes around the ground (prawn sandwich) then it ever did from the whole of Highbury. I had a long talk with a massive Arsenal fan who had a high up job in the company I was at. He has said that Arsenal are after the families that come in spend some money in the ground and then go away again. They don't want the fans that go for a few pints before the match go to the match and then for a drink after, or the passionate fans. They are actively trying to get rid of theses supporters for business reasons. They are in London where there is more available income and they want people to spend it in the ground. They are trying to change it to a sterile money making entity, which fits in perfectly with the Premier league.
I'm sure there's loads of Blades fans that would trade history and community for some silverware and Prem footy, I'm just not one of them.

Sorry mate but Boothferry Park had some fantastic support, and we had some pretty crap gates too. But the potential was always there. I've been part of a crowds over 40,000 for third division games, long time ago, 65/66 but we had some amazing crowds considering Boothferry Park never saw First Division football. The record actually is 55,019 v Manchester United although we once sold 58,000 tickets for a Boxing Day game with Rotherham but 'only' 49,000 turned up.
For 70/71 season we averaged about 22,000 and that ranged from 40,000 down to 18,000 in the same season. It started to peter off in the mid 70's. The ground also had its capacity cut drastically after the Taylor Report so even when we could get a decent crowd in we couldn't because of the ridiculous restrictions.
The reason why Boothferry Park was allowed to deteriorate was because when the owner, Harold Needler died in the mid 70's the club was handed to his son who had no interest in City, or football and he lived in France and he was already minted. But it was the family silver and they were reluctant to sell it to anyone else. Eventually he split the club from the ground and this opened the door to all sorts of wide boys and chancers to move in. Most of them milked it dry.
That's when the financial problems started and we spent over 25 years sliding down the Football League whilst every other club was expanding and building new stadiums.
The KC Stadium came about after some public pressure over a number of years about the council's complete lack of any investment and even interest in the football club. We used Leeds U as the benchmark and how their council had backed them and eventually brought European football to the city. Hull is a Port and has a massive terminal for the P@O Ferries running in and out of Holland/Europe daily. We were the forerunners of European football in the 50's because we were one of the first clubs to have floodlights. Yet we had never played competitive football in Europe. And did not look ever to likely too.
It was funded when the locally owned telecommunications company was floated on the stock market. If handled correctly and with hindsight the council could have built 40 KC Stadiums with the cash they wasted on other schemes.
It did wonders for the club although we were already on the steady climb up the leagues. The facilities compared to the old ground were fabulous and the fans came back in their droves.
We were getting bigger crowds in the old 3rd and 4th Divisions then we are currently getting in the Premier League this season, meaning not every home game has sold out the 24,900 capacity. I blame the telly because every game home or away can be viewed for the price of a pint in pubs all over Hull.
We get people in our own city accusing new fans of being 'glory hunters' What glory ? Every one has to start somewhere. I first went in 1964 with me old man to see an FA Cup game v Everton. Now there are 14 of us, all different ages obviously but most of them couldn't have gone when City where in the old div 4 because they were not born!
By the way I didn't pick any poster out purposely to reply too, it was a random choice..
History lesson over. What do you think about Steve Quinn?
 
What do you think about Steve Quinn?

Pathetic attempt at a Beard. He best shave it off or grow it to a proper length or else he'll be ripped to shreds at Wembley.

Never quite understood this obsession some people seem to have for "plastic" fans/clubs.

You pays your money, you go and watch your team, who gives a flying fuck why you decide to do this? Plastic? Grow up!
 
No if you read further up the thread you will see that it was mentioned that Man City already had a huge following (30k in the third division), as did Arsenal. However there are very few extra fans based on their move. But it still changes the community by losing the historic link. With Man City their extra plastics come from the glory supporters that are starting to follow them, fans that claim they have always followed them despite living in the south. However in terms of the stadiums, The KC is like the other pop ups like Coventry etc. and this started the increase in support, bandwagon jumpers. Boothferry never had this level of support so where did these people suddenly come from? That's the plastic bit. Even some of my closest friends in Hull suddenly started going when the stadium was built having never bothered before. Even though they admitted they were really York fans. It was not as a consequence of the community building it up.
Arsenal are a different matter and I feel fortunate that I don't support them, even though I do respect them. The Emirates makes more money from the boxes around the ground (prawn sandwich) then it ever did from the whole of Highbury. I had a long talk with a massive Arsenal fan who had a high up job in the company I was at. He has said that Arsenal are after the families that come in spend some money in the ground and then go away again. They don't want the fans that go for a few pints before the match go to the match and then for a drink after, or the passionate fans. They are actively trying to get rid of theses supporters for business reasons. They are in London where there is more available income and they want people to spend it in the ground. They are trying to change it to a sterile money making entity, which fits in perfectly with the Premier league.
I'm sure there's loads of Blades fans that would trade history and community for some silverware and Prem footy, I'm just not one of them.

Hi jezzablade, if what you describe about Arsenal is true it makes for depressing reading, or maybe that's just the face of modern, contemporary, corporate football. Actively dispensing with your bread and butter support seems crazy, as the thing that matters, and always will, are the fortunes on the pitch, and although it's hard to imagine Arsenal sliding into the Championship, should that ever happen, I wonder who'll find Arsenal an attractive proposition then? Clubs and there Directors would do well to heed the gap they create between fans and some newly minted twat's ambition's.

I can understand the need to maximise income streams, what I fail to grasp is why clubs sometimes adopt a them and us approach to their supporter's. After all, when everything is boiled down, it's the connection and chemistry between the players and the fans that is at the centre of any club's identity. A football club must have a community ethos, it must always be mindful that without those fans they are a shapeless, characterless, entity. Everything that surrounds a club reflects the allegiance of those fans. I think that sometimes directors forget all of this, and that they seem to think that they can alter a sport/business that thrives on it's historical roots. History, the present, the future, this is what drives fans to continue to follow their team. Not whether there are super plush padded seat in corporate, but whether their club cares about these supporters.

It's a simple equation that some clubs appear to be on the brink of forgetting.....if you do, you fools, you will regret your stupidity and arrogance. UTB forever!
 
Sorry mate but Boothferry Park had some fantastic support, and we had some pretty crap gates too. But the potential was always there. I've been part of a crowds over 40,000 for third division games, long time ago, 65/66 but we had some amazing crowds considering Boothferry Park never saw First Division football. The record actually is 55,019 v Manchester United although we once sold 58,000 tickets for a Boxing Day game with Rotherham but 'only' 49,000 turned up.
For 70/71 season we averaged about 22,000 and that ranged from 40,000 down to 18,000 in the same season. It started to peter off in the mid 70's. The ground also had its capacity cut drastically after the Taylor Report so even when we could get a decent crowd in we couldn't because of the ridiculous restrictions.
The reason why Boothferry Park was allowed to deteriorate was because when the owner, Harold Needler died in the mid 70's the club was handed to his son who had no interest in City, or football and he lived in France and he was already minted. But it was the family silver and they were reluctant to sell it to anyone else. Eventually he split the club from the ground and this opened the door to all sorts of wide boys and chancers to move in. Most of them milked it dry.
That's when the financial problems started and we spent over 25 years sliding down the Football League whilst every other club was expanding and building new stadiums.
The KC Stadium came about after some public pressure over a number of years about the council's complete lack of any investment and even interest in the football club. We used Leeds U as the benchmark and how their council had backed them and eventually brought European football to the city. Hull is a Port and has a massive terminal for the P@O Ferries running in and out of Holland/Europe daily. We were the forerunners of European football in the 50's because we were one of the first clubs to have floodlights. Yet we had never played competitive football in Europe. And did not look ever to likely too.
It was funded when the locally owned telecommunications company was floated on the stock market. If handled correctly and with hindsight the council could have built 40 KC Stadiums with the cash they wasted on other schemes.
It did wonders for the club although we were already on the steady climb up the leagues. The facilities compared to the old ground were fabulous and the fans came back in their droves.
We were getting bigger crowds in the old 3rd and 4th Divisions then we are currently getting in the Premier League this season, meaning not every home game has sold out the 24,900 capacity. I blame the telly because every game home or away can be viewed for the price of a pint in pubs all over Hull.
We get people in our own city accusing new fans of being 'glory hunters' What glory ? Every one has to start somewhere. I first went in 1964 with me old man to see an FA Cup game v Everton. Now there are 14 of us, all different ages obviously but most of them couldn't have gone when City where in the old div 4 because they were not born!
By the way I didn't pick any poster out purposely to reply too, it was a random choice..
History lesson over. What do you think about Steve Quinn?

I could pick out the scant over bits but since you are a decent bloke I will leave it. Quinny I liked him especially towards the end of his career with ourselves. He is a very good Championship player and hoped he could make it in the Prem however he seems to be a bit part with City. He ran our midfield towards the end of his time with us, however his style wouldn't fit Cloughy's style as it is more speed passes and direct running rather than his buzzing style. He could do the defensive bit but it would be a waste for him as he has an attacking part of his game.

Thank's anyway for the history lesson, I didn't realise that Hull were a powerhouse of football in the 70's and that they "all" came back three years after you got into the KC. It was a shame with you not being a rugby town that this throng didn't back you whilst you were struggling with poor crowds for over two decades. Its a shame they all went to Wembley instead to watch Hull v KR and placed a sign on the roundabout saying "last out turn out the lights". They must have all wished they were watching "City " there.
Also nice to know that the KC was not in any way funded by the sale of Kingston Communications, it was all the council investment, due to pressure, interesting. How did they fund the £45Mill was it a mortgage or from the coffers?
Just to mention I lived in Hull in '82 the lecturer at the college (who was from Leeds but lived there due to the nautical college on George Street and still lives in Hessle), told all us young un's on our first day that there are two rugby clubs to follow if we want something to do and his words "I've heard there's a football club as well if any of you are interested" which was strange from a bloke that organised our footy team for the college. His comments must have been jealous sarcasm due to Hull's illustrious recent history of huge crowds.
 
All this plastic this plastic that, who really gives a shit?! The blades are better supported by a country mile and we are gonna beat ull at wembley!
 
Hi jezzablade, if what you describe about Arsenal is true it makes for depressing reading, or maybe that's just the face of modern, contemporary, corporate football. Actively dispensing with your bread and butter support seems crazy, as the thing that matters, and always will, are the fortunes on the pitch, and although it's hard to imagine Arsenal sliding into the Championship, should that ever happen, I wonder who'll find Arsenal an attractive proposition then? Clubs and there Directors would do well to heed the gap they create between fans and some newly minted twat's ambition's.

I can understand the need to maximise income streams, what I fail to grasp is why clubs sometimes adopt a them and us approach to their supporter's. After all, when everything is boiled down, it's the connection and chemistry between the players and the fans that is at the centre of any club's identity. A football club must have a community ethos, it must always be mindful that without those fans they are a shapeless, characterless, entity. Everything that surrounds a club reflects the allegiance of those fans. I think that sometimes directors forget all of this, and that they seem to think that they can alter a sport/business that thrives on it's historical roots. History, the present, the future, this is what drives fans to continue to follow their team. Not whether there are super plush padded seat in corporate, but whether their club cares about these supporters.

It's a simple equation that some clubs appear to be on the brink of forgetting.....if you do, you fools, you will regret your stupidity and arrogance. UTB forever!

This was a very committed Arsenal fan that told me this Dyed in the wool in fact. But it shows the gap between the top end of football and where we are. We will take anyone so long as they pay to come in and want more. But in London in the top end of the Prem (top 4) they are deciding what type of fans they want. So they have looked at it and identified families as bringing in more revenue than the Dyed in the wool fans. So they are targeting the higher revenue fans. Also by bringing in families they have got the fans of the future. Its brutal but business tends to be. Its why I hate the Premier League it destroys everything that built football in the first place and has stolen our (working class which I am) game and given it to the money people upper middle class. Still clubs like ours keep on going, they can't take us all.
 

All this plastic this plastic that, who really gives a shit?! The blades are better supported by a country mile and we are gonna beat ull at wembley!

It means something because football is and has come from the communities. Unfortunately we are highly unlikely to beat 'ull, but it is a possibility.
 

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