Hull City’s remarkable 12 months laid out as Tigers prepare for Wembley trip

City’s rise from the threat of relegation to the cusp of the Premier League is quite a story

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Hull City are a football club that is never too far away from some kind of story, whether that be almost going out of business, owners wanting to change its name, or winning promotion with one of the greatest goals ever scored.

The life and times of a City fan are filled with drama, be that good, bad or indifferent. As the saying goes, it’s never dull in Hull, and that’s certainly been the case over the past 12 months.

After losing 1-0 at home to Derby County in their final home game of last season, City survived on the final day thanks to a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth, coupled with Luton Town being hammered 5-2 at West Brom.

Fast forward 12 months and City are just one game away from a sensational return to the Premier League. Sergej Jakirovic’s men are preparing for the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday, when they’ll face Middlesbrough.

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Here’s a look at a remarkable 12 months

• Matt Crooks’ goal at Fratton Park saw City avoid relegation to League One on goal difference, on the final day of the Championship season last term

• Opted to sack Ruben Selles who only arrived in December and kept City in the league, bringing in Sergej Jakirovic who had never managed in England

• Just days after Jakirovic’s appointment, were hit by a three-window transfer fee restriction, which was reduced to two on appeal, and was unable to pay any transfer or loan fees for new players

• Have never been able to name a fully fit squad all season, so bad has their injury record been

• Spent more than four months in the top six before falling out in the final two weeks of the season

• After winning at Wrexham in March, were nine points clear of the chasing pack

• Saw Sergej Jakirovic nominated for Championship Manager of the Season

• Found themselves losing 1-0 at home to Norwich City on the final day and were eighth in the table at one stage, before coming back to win 2-1 and take sixth spot

• Despite being ahead of Millwall at one stage during the run-in, they finished 10 points behind Alex Neil’s Lions

• Beat Millwall 2-0 at The Den on Monday night to secure their safe passage into the final without conceding a goal in the two legs
• Became the first team since 2018/19 to finish sixth and make it into the play-off final

• City have not lost any of their two previous Championship play-off finals at Wembley, beating Bristol City in 2008 and Sheffield Wednesday in 2016

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