There are a lot of questions on people’s minds at the minute, but as supporters, we have to look at the present, the future, and only remember the past.
Fond memories pass over the durable City supporters; dreams come true and dreams shattered all with a kick of the ball. Hull City is a fans proud club, with a most loyal and true fan base, but let’s start to clear up a few things here.
Questions over recent months regarding players such as Jimmy Bullard and Ian Ashbee; owners: Bartlett, Duffen, Pearson, now the Allams, and let’s not forget the managers. But what is here is now, and what has gone is history.
There is no doubt that the transfer of Jimmy Bullard caused controversy over the last year or so, and how it split opinions of supporters. There’s no doubt he was and is a talented footballer, but he no longer plays for us. Some players fit, some players do not, what happened has happened, money was spent, whichever conclusion of wise or unwise does not matter anymore, we have to look to the present and the future. The same applies for Ian Ashbee, no doubt a passionate and loyal captain, who will be remembered fondly for years to come I am sure, but he has moved on, we have to accept this, and see that the club has moved on too. As for managers, no one person can doubt the achievements of Phill Brown, he guided us to the Premier League, that has to go down as an achievement in itself. But he is in the past, whether wrong or right he went, and has a new chapter in his career, as does our current manager Nigel Pearson. Some doubters, some believers, but let us look at what has been achieved here. From the brink of bankruptcy and no money to spend, and having a team with no belief, to a team challenging for a play-off place, creating history away from home, and giving the supporters hope, inspiration and excitement for the future.
We all have a memory of our first Hull City game. Whether it’s standing in the terraces at Boothferry Park, swaying in the Kempton stand, or sitting down in the Family stand whilst bird droppings fell off the roof and landed on you. It might be watching a City team in the 60’s under Mr Carter, or watching the likes of Brabbin, Joyce and Edwards in the 90’s. Whether your memory is your first game at the K.C Stadium, or the game at Wembley, if you listen from a far, or see every match in person, you are like me, loyal, faithful, with a head full of memories gone by. Through the times of hurt, anger, fear, seeing us on the brink of extinction, relegation stirring us in the face, debts and being locked out of the ground. Through the promotions, the good times and the bad, seeing the Tigers reign supreme in their rise through the football league, to seeing them reach glory at Wembley.
Whether your memories are long or short of being a Hull City supporter, you have got to remember these things, but not dwell on them, or bring them into the present. As a loyal and strong supporter of my home town club, I remember watching my first game as a young boy, stood in South Stand terracing at Boothferry Park watching the Tigers play Hartlepool United, leading two - nil at the break. We lost that game three – two, but that was it, hearing the roar of the Kempton breathe through the atmosphere, hearing ‘come on you Hull’ echo around the ground, I knew this is where I wanted to be, I was a believer, a supporter for life.
These memories will stay and we shall not forget, but let us move on to seek new memories, and new achievements under what we have now. The issues of the past have been and gone, they lay deep in the hearts of the club, as do our memories, they cannot be removed nor changed. So let us not look back, but forward to a future, one of a team full of loyal, strong, and loud supporters. Whatever the future holds, a club is only as strong as its fans. We do not need silverware, we do not need league titles, and glorified cups to keep us strong or give us our name. What we need is you, our fans, our supporters, our blood and veins to keep the club alive. If there is ever a time to put on that old football sweater, or take your child to their first game and give them their first memory, it is now. So make your pilgrimage this Saturday, because just like our club, the fans are the Tigers too, and we roar passion home or away.
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