Hull City’s crowds continue to drop under the Allams, despite their Premier League status.
Hull City AFC saw crowds of 23,495, 23,006 and 22,562 flock to the KC – now the KCOM – Stadium to watch the Tigers, who were then playing their football in the old Third Division, the fourth tier of English football. Now a Premier League club, and in just their fifth season in the top flight in their 112 year history, Hull City have seen crowds far lower than that for home games against the likes of Chelsea, Stoke and Southampton, despite highly favourable figures being announced by the club.
It was a similar story at Wembley in May when Hull City overcame Sheffield Wednesday in the playoff final. Fans of the East Yorkshire club were largely criticised for their lack of support for their team, which perplexed opposition fans and large sections of the national media, seemingly oblivious to the recent off-field issues which have blighted the most successful era in the club’s history under the Allams.
Hull City supporters struggles to have their voice heard, of perhaps more poignantly listened to, are ongoing. The Hull City Supporters Trust have been at the forefront of pushing fan issues such as the stealth rebranding of the club and the new membership scheme which has scrapped concessions.
The poster, displayed above, questions the club’s vice chairman Ehab Allam, whose influence has grown over the last couple of years due to his father’s unfortunate ill-health. It was Ehab’s growing influence which eventually lead to the departure of Steve Bruce.
Despite fans often being disgruntled with Assem Allam, Bruce always got on with the Egyptian-born business man. But when Ehab took the reigns, he and Bruce found themselves at loggerheads, with the new Aston Villa manager recently claiming that “Ehab wanted to go in a different direction to how the club had been run before.”
The Allams, both Assem and Ehab, have made a number of claims over the years which some Hull City fans believe are now deserving of ridicule. Assem Allam once said, “Watching football should be like breathing air – free of charge.” Whilst Ehab’s comments criticising rising ticket prices are displayed in the HCST poster. Both seem a little hollow given the prices now required of children and pensioners to attend matches at the KCOM Stadium.
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