To celebrate Hull City’s return to the Premier League, we have created a Hull City XI for the Premier League era.
In the Premier League era, which began in 1992, Hull City have spent 8 seasons in the fourth tier, 5 seasons in the third tier, 7 seasons in the second tier and are currently in their fifth season in the Premier League.
The last decade has been the most successful in Hull City’s history, and as such, it should come as no surprise that the vast majority of their Premier League era XI played for the club relatively recently.
To clarify, by Premier League era XI, we mean the best players to play for the club since 1992, not the best players to play for the club in the Premier League.
Current star Abel Hernandez makes our Premier League era Hull City XI
Goalkeeper: Boaz Myhill
One of four club legends to have played for Hull City throughout their rise from the fourth tier to the Premier League, Myhill spent 7 years at Hull, playing 277 games. His kicking may have been a little suspect but his reflexes were not.
Right Back: Liam Rosenior
Likeable and capable, Liam Rosenior joined Hull City on a free in 2010, and for 5 years, he was a class act both on and off the field.
The former England U21 international played over 150 games for the Tigers, winning promotion to the Premier League and reaching an FA Cup final in that time.
Centre Back: Michael Turner
Hull City greats Michael Turner and Ian Ashbee
Towering centre-back Michael Turner had a difficult debut season at the KC Stadium, joining the club from Brentford in 2006, but went on to become an all-time great.
A titan in Hull’s 2007/08 promotion and 2008/09 survival, he won the clubs Player of the Year award two seasons in a row, before moving on to Sunderland where his career stalled.
Centre Back: James Chester
Arguably the finest defender to play for Hull City in the last half century, James Chester was magnificent in the four years he played for the club after signing from Manchester United for just £300,000.
Left Back: Andy Dawson
Andy Dawson in his new role at Scunthorpe
Like Bo Myhill, Andy Dawson played in every division of the Football League with Hull City. The ever-dependable left back with a wand of a left foot spent 10 years at the KC Stadium, having his testimonial game in 2012.
Right Midfield: Geovanni
I have just committed a cardinal sin which Phil Brown was culpable of doing so often during the 2009/10 season, and that is playing Geovanni out wide rather than in his natural position.
The Samba star is an attacking midfielder who I’ve had to shoe-horn into right midfield. He joined Hull in 2008 and enjoyed a spectacular start. Many Hull fans never thought they’d see a player of his calibre in black and amber.
Central Midfield: Mo Diame
Mohamed Diame scored the goal which won Hull promotion back to the Premier League
A controversial choice, but one of Tom Huddlestone, Jake Livermore or Mo Diame surely has to make it into this starting XI, and we’ve gone for the Senegalese international.
The former West Ham man is one of the most gifted players to ever play for Hull City, despite suffering a long term injury and often looking a little disinterested. He ended his Hull career by scoring the goal which sealed their promotion to the Premier League.
Central Midfield: Ian Ashbee
The easiest choice in this XI is Ian Ashbee. An all-time Hull City legend, had he achieved what he achieved at Hull with virtually any other club, there would be a statue of him outside the ground.
Ashbee spent 9 years with the Tigers, captaining the team through all four divisions of the Football League in that time, making him the only man in history to have done so.
Left Midfield: Nick Barmby
Nick Barmby heads home in Hull’s 2008 play-off semi-final vs Watford
Another club legend, Nick Barmby had the ability to match his heart and desire. An England international who played for the likes of Tottenham, Everton and Liverpool, Barmby dropped down to play for Hull in 2004.
Aged just 30, Barmby looked a class apart in the third tier of English football, and helped Hull City to promotion in his first season. He ended up spending 8 years at City, two in the Premier League, and played around 200 games for the club.
Centre Forward: Abel Hernandez
Some will feel Nikica Jelavic or Dean Windass are more deserving of this position, or perhaps even Ben Burgess or Danny Alsopp, but Abel Hernandez is simply more talented than the others mentioned.
The Uruguayan scored 22 goals last season, the most scored by a Hull City striker since Dean Windass in the 1993/94 season, in a division below. Ultimately, Hernandez’s top flight credentials will be judged on this season.
Centre Forward: Shane Long
Shane Long left Hull City for Southampton after just 6 months
His time at Hull City may have been brief, bought and sold for almost twice the price six months later, but his sale proved to be costly, as Long is a proven Premier League forward and menace for defenders.
The Irishman doesn’t give defenders a moments rest, and formed a partnership with Nikica Jealvic which was one of the best in the bottom half of the Premier League.
Subs: Allan McGregor, Curtis Davies, Tom Huddlestone, Stuart Elliott, Robert Snodgrass, Jay-Jay Okocha and Dean Windass
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