HULL RISK FANS’ FURY AS THEY FAIL TO KILL ‘TIGERS’

Hull City are stalling on plans for ticket concessions and fans fear that promises to restore the club’s identity have been broken. the club told supporters at a meeting in February that the official name, ‘Hull City AFC’, and badge would be restored to the website and areas around the KCOM Stadium before today. it was part of a dialogue to end the fans’ protests but the only promise upheld so far has been to bring ‘Hull City’ back to the club’s social media accounts. As of yesterday, the official website was still branding the Championship club as Hull City tigers and the crest on display at the stadium was a tiger’s head with 1904, the date of formation, and ‘Hull City AFC’ missing. these are the latest exchanges in a bitter dispute triggered more than four years ago by the attempt to change the club’s name to Hull tigers. the Football Association rejected the name change, so the Allam family put the club up for sale, but they have yet to sell and are still in control with vice-chairman Ehab Allam running the club. An unpopular membership scheme was introduced which removed concessionary ticket prices for junior and senior fans and this, together with the erosion of the club’s identity, led to protests from fans. Supporters’ groups were promised action on the name, crest and ticket prices, but proposals for concessions were coupled with large price hikes for adult members. these were rejected in a ballot but the club refused to accept the result because only 18 per cent of members had voted. ‘As a club we’re committed to being fair with the process for the concessions vote,’ read a statement on Wednesday. ‘We’ve also really listened to your feedback and take it on board.’ A new concessionary pricing structure was proposed, which included an even steeper price hike, with some adult members’ membership fees more than doubling. this proposal will go to a members’ vote which will close on April 19. Hull are only six points above the drop zone. Since relegation last year they have sold their best players, including Harry Maguire to leicester and Andy Robertson to liverpool, and recorded a £35million profit for 2016-17. the return of former boss Steve Bruce on Saturday only emphasised the fall from grace. Bruce, who led Hull to promotion twice, to their first FA Cup final and into Europe, quit on the eve of last season after differences with Ehab Allam. Bruce led Hull to play-off success two years ago and might have to repeat the feat if Villa are to escape the Championship. they now have just one point from three games and trail secondplaced Cardiff by nine points. ‘Cardiff have been on an amazing run,’ Bruce admitted. ‘But they’ve still to come to ours so you never say never. ‘unfortunately at the worst possible time we haven’t picked up enough points.’