Last season we went to Bristol on a plane, this season we went on a bus
MCCANN EXPLAINS WHAT HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES WHEN TIGERS GO ON THEIR TRAVELS
Hull City’s world now is a very different one to that of last season, in more ways than one. The chasm of difference was particularly evident this week when they travelled to Bristol Rovers by coach, compared to their previous visit to the Avon, when they flew by plane to face City at Ashton Gate back in July.
Such is the strain coronavirus restrictions are putting on society, the Tigers themselves are having to follow stringent guidelines in order to continue the League One season.
Head coach Grant Mccann has given an insight into some of the club’s preparation for the many games which are coming around with a great deal of regularity.
“Last season we went to Bristol City on a plane, this season we went on a bus,” Mccann joked. “There’s a big difference.
“I think we do it well here, we split everybody up. The staff will go on one coach and the players on another, we make sure everybody is socially distanced, wearing a mask, gloves, whatever it may be.
“Myself and some of the staff will drive to games to keep us socially distanced and away from the rest of the group a little bit.
“When we get to the hotel, everybody has single rooms and the tables are all spread out.
“We try and do the best we can, we try and follow the protocols and I think we’ve done it quite well and hopefully we continue to do that,” he said, in conversation with BBC Humberside ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Swindon Town.
At many grounds in the Football League, teams are having to prepare in hospitality areas given the size of many dressing rooms, especially at older grounds, and this was particularly evident at the Memorial Stadium on Tuesday evening, which did understandably create some logistical issues, Mccann admitted.
“At Bristol Rovers, we changed in the bar area which was massive. It was big, we could socially distance the players much better than in the away changing room, which at Bristol Rovers, is quite tight.
“I think everyone’s trying their best to make sure that everyone is safe when they come to the stadiums, and we’re no different when teams come to the KCOM.
“Bristol Rovers used both their changing rooms on Tuesday night, the home and the away ones.
“Obviously they’d have had to clean them at half-time to enable our players to go in and use the showers after the game.
“The players are used to it now, we’re (the staff) are used to it, we follow whatever the EFL and the guidelines are setting us and we get on with it.”