The Tigers owner has been reflecting on the period since he stepped up interest in the East Yorkshire club
Turkish businessman Acun Ilicali has spoken of his pride four years on from when his interest in buying Championship club Hull City was first made pubic. Back in early November 2021, Ilicali was in discussions with the Allam family over a £30m takeover, and it would eventually be sealed on January 19, 2022, just over an hour before a home victory over Blackburn Rovers. Ilicali’s first interview with the British media came on November 11, when he spoke to Hull Live in the city to open up on his reasons for buying the club, which were struggling at the wrong end of the Championship following promotion as League One champions back to the second tier. City have gone through no shortage of ups and downs since Ilicali took the reins both on and off the pitch, in his first foray as a club owner.
There have been five permanent managers, flirtations with the play-offs, a battle against relegation which went down to the final day of last season, and more than sixty players signed. Fans have been taken on holiday on a Hull City-branded aircraft, amongst a host of impressive engagement projects, while crowds at the MKM Stadium have risen and remained healthy. Over the summer, the club were hit by a three-window transfer fee restriction for falling foul of the EFL’s rules, though that was later reduced by one on appeal amid concerns about the club’s finances, something Ilicali has always refuted. This term, under Sergej Jakirovic, the Tigers are fifth in the Championship after a fifth home win of the season on Saturday, beating Portsmouth 3-2 in their 15th outing, and Ilicali is keen to see that form continue after the international break, when the squad will welcome back key players, including Oli McBurnie, John Lundstram and Liam Millar, from injury. Throughout the many ups and numerous downs, Ilicali says the club has remained together, praising the spirit of those connected with the East Yorkshire club.
“Today marks a very special day for me,” Ilicali wrote. “It has been four years since we publicly announced the start of the process to acquire our beloved club, Hull City. That moment marked the beginning of a truly meaningful chapter in my life.
“Over these four years, together with our players, technical staff, fans and sponsors, we have built a strong sense of unity; a united family spirit. We have shared both joyful and challenging times, yet through it all, we have always remained one family, united under one dream. Every second of this journey has been a source of pride and happiness for me.
“I am proud to see that, four years on, our team stands within the play-off places. With six of our injured players soon returning, I am hoping we will finish this season in a strong position.
“As I have often said, we have faced many challenges and will surely face more. But challenges never hold us back; they only make us stronger. Up the Tigers!”
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