Where are they now? Hull City’s young guns; featuring Tom Cairney

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We catch up some of the Hull City youngsters to leave the club in recent years.

Two former Hull City youngsters who are currently vying for a place in the Championship play-offs are Liam Cooper and Tom Cairney.

Cooper left the Tigers for Chesterfield in 2012, and has since spent the last three years of his career at Leeds United. After captaining the Whites on three occasions at the start of this campaign, the centre-back has struggled to find a place in Garry Monk’s plans, last featuring in the 2-0 home defeat to Cardiff City.

Cairney has skippered surprise package Fulham since October. The midfielder has been pivotal to the Cottagers recent run of results, adding six goals and seven assists during this campaign.

Former Hull City youth prospects Will Atkinson and Mark Oxley are both hoping to win promotion from League One with Southend United.

Oxley joined the Tigers from Rotherham United in 2008, but only featured once for the first-team in his seven-year spell at the club. The goalkeeper, 26, has kept eight league clean sheets for the Shrimpers this season.

Atkinson had loan spells at Port Vale, Mansfield Town, Rochdale, Rotherham, Plymouth Argyle and Bradford City during his time at Hull City. He eventually left for Southend on a permanent deal in 2013, and he still remains in ex-Hull boss Phil Brown’s starting-eleven.

Joe Cracknell is also at League One play-off contenders Bradford City. The goalkeeper, who was released by then Tigers’ boss Steve Bruce in the summer of 2015, has returned to the Bantams after spending the first half of the 2016/7 season on loan at non-league side Bradford Park.

The former Hull youngster with the best chance winning promotion from League One during this campaign is Conor Townsend. The fullback had nine loan spells in his time at the KCOM Stadium before sealing a move to Scunthorpe United in the summer. Townsend was impressive for the Iron in the early stages of the season, but hasn’t been available in recent months because of a groin injury.

Calaum Jahraldo-Martin is a name some City fans might remember. The winger spent three years at Hull following his arrival from non-league football, but only made a six minute cameo off the bench for the Tigers. Jahraldo-Martin signed for Oldham Athletic in the summer, where he is yet to break into the Latics starting line-up.

Will Aimson and Mark Cullen are now plying their trade in League Two with Blackpool. Both men have struggled to hold down a place in the Tangerines first-team, as they look to make a late charge for a play-off place.

Plymouth Argyle look set to finally win promotion from English football’s third tier, with the help of former Tigers centre-back Sonny Bradley. After spells with Portsmouth and Crawley Town, Bradley joined the Green Army in the summer and has been ever-present in the league so far. He has also netted five times, including a decisive brace in the 2-1 win over Cheltenham Town in January.

Jamie Devett is also in League Two with Carlisle United, while Nicky Featherstone is one on the books at Hartlepool.

One Hull youngster who hasn’t stayed in English football is Matthew Fletcher. The striker joined Australian side Central Coast Mariners last year. However, he was released last month after making seven appearances for the A-League side.