Yet more on Hull from Gary Clark. Here, the Tigers’ prolific scribe discusses his candidates for relegation, wonders how Stoke can get away with playing on an under-10s size pitch and questions Alan Shearer’s appointment…
I do not think Phil Brown has been linked to the Sunderland manager’s osition since we dropped out of the top half of the table.
He hasn’t appeared on Question of Sport since either. Or been linked to the England job. In fact if we do go down this season he will have a battle on to keep the job he has.
In this day of modern communications one person can start a campaign to undermine anything simply by texting and e-mailing the local radio station and the local newspaper with negative thoughts about anything under a host of different names.
All are read out or printed. We are getting that about our manager and even our chairman!
No one knows how many of these objectors are genuine fans or simply stirrers from other clubs or, in our case, even another sport. But it does put people under pressure and on the defensive when results are not going your way. It also plants doubts in people’s minds.
I couldn’t care less who wins the Premier League; I have no time at all for any of the top clubs and I would have thought they think the same about us.
If forced into a corner I would tip Manchester United to win it, which isn’t surprising is it? I would sooner a club like ours win it but that will never be allowed will it? As for the other end of the table? That is far more interesting.
In August I tipped Stoke, WBA and Blackburn because of the Paul Ince effect. Now he’s gone I hope it’s Newcastle and the other two. But I can see Stoke pulling out of it mainly because of the unfair advantage they have manufactured for themselves at home.
How they can get away with that tiny pitch is beyond me, its like a under 10s pitch. Now we have the media going all sloppy about the 12th man’s role, the crowd play. I don’t believe a word of it, in fact when Hull visited there they were as quiet as church mice for 95 per cent of the game.
But it’s getting like the media myth surrounding the Kop. “You never get a penalty in front of the Kop” etc. The only trouble is some referees start believing it! Now because a chorus of Delilah starts at the Brittannia Stadium the home team have to be given all the decisons! Madness.
When Paul Ince was found out I changed Blackburn for Portsmouth because of the way Tony Adams was wilting under pressure, then they sacked him. I don’t think you will go down but that could depend on your result against us and I do not want to tempt fate. You must understand that?
Boro are in serious danger even after we handed them three precious Easter points. We gave them a goal start on three minutes, then equalised after which Boro looked and played like a doomed team. So we gave them another soft goal courtesy of the linesman wrongly awarding them a corner when the ball didnt cross the line.
Our captain received a yellow card and as a result misses the Sunderland match. The third goal was another mistake in the 90th minute. But that one win doesnt guarantee them safety, far from it, nor does it condemm Hull. It just makes it a bit harder.
So my three are now WBA, Boro and Newcastle. The latter because appointing Shearer was a huge mistake. He talks a good game on MOTD but that with the benefit of hindsight.
Predicting the outcome of a game before a ball has been kicked is a totally different kettle of fish. Besides that we have beaten them home and away this season and with a reserve team at Sid James Park.
But it will go to the last kick of the last game and out last game is at home to Manchester United.