Who are you? We’re Hull, the finale

With thanks again to Hull City’s Gary Clark, we conclude this week’s marathon look ahead to the game on Saturday, one that is vital to both clubs.On the big question – Sunderland or Hull to win – he wavers between a narrow victory for City and a draw…

City played Newcastle at the height of the protests against Kevin Keegan’s latest departure and I was stopping over in the Toon at the time.

So I read all the local newspapers and watched the local telly about the forthcoming protests and their chances against Hull.

The best result the fans interviewed gave us was a 4-0 defeat.

Outside Sid James Park I was asked for my views by a reporter about the “crisis” at Newcastle. I tore into him. “Crisis? what crisis? A crisis is being morooned at the bottom of the bottom league, six points adrift, with nowt in the bank, the electricity cut off, locked out of your own ground and the players wages being paid by donations from the few fans we had left, thats a crisis! Not moaning because your chairman only spent £40m on players!” He was gobsmacked and I dont think they used my interview.

I also told another reporter that I had no sympathy at all with their situation; it was entirely their own doing.

Why do Newcastle fans think they have a god given right to anything? They have had the very best of everything, not won a lot mind you, but at least they have had a chairman in the past who invested in the club. The biggest problem on Tyneside is the expectations of the fans and that will be the undoing of Alan Shearer.

If they think they have been badly done by they should try following a club like Hull City for a couple of seasons. Of course that does not apply now but would they have stuck by the club if they had been through the years of turmoil that Hull City fans have been through? I think not.

The Tigers played there the last game of the season, mid 1980s, old second division, we had already been relegated. The crowd was about 8,000 and they were even protesting that day against Arthur Cox, which was a funny chant, Cox Out! Not one Geordie remembered that game which City won 2-0 and I reminded every one I met when we stopped over for that league game in September, which we also won!

I have time for Sunderland as a club and always admired their support at Boothferry Park during the 70s. I would also like to be in your position where you have one club in the city and everyone supports it, I like that.

Compared to Hull where a big slice of the locals follow an entirely different sport altogether but compare them like for like when it suits them.

Club v Country. It doesnt really apply to us. We have several internationals at the club now and it doesn’t bother me if they represent their countries; in fact it’s quite an honour to the club.

We have no one yet playing for England but I wouldn’t have a problem if we did and the country comes first.

I remember when Terry Neill was Hull’s manager and played for Northern Ireland against England at Wembley scoring the only goal. I was as pleased as punch that my club even got a mention during the match commentry.

So what’s the score on Saturday? The very nature and importance of the match tells me a nailed on draw. I thought your 4-1 win at the KC changed the course of our season because from that game Brown changed his tactics and we carded teams that were difficult to beat on paper.

It hasn’t worked because we have only won one game since. To be fair I thought 4-1 flattered you, 1`-1 would have flattered you that day! With ten minutes left it was your new manager who looked the more worried but that one wickedy deflected shot from Richardson changed everything.

We then chased the game and let two more in at the death. If I could have any two of your players I would chose Cisse and Keiran Richardson. They are what we lack although Danny Cousins could be back on Saturday.

My heart tells me 1-0 to us, my head tells me Brown will field a defensive line up and go for the jugular like against Stoke at home.

Which is all very well if we do not concede an early goal. If City score first expect a City win because we have not lost this season when scoring the first goal.

I’ll be there travelling down nice an early on Saturday morning by car. That is mainly to avoid being treated the same way by the police as we were at Boro last Saturday. Our independently organised coach, average age 40/50, was told we could not go within the “ten mile exclusion zone” around Middlesbro’ before the game.

We had to report at a designated time for a police escort into town. After the game every away bus was escorted all the way to the East Riding border with every exit road blocked by the police. We wanted to go to York, the police wouldn’t allow us too.

As we told them the only offence committed today was a serious outbreak of grown men trying to spend their money.

Enjoy the game and good luck in the remaining matches.