There’s a key theme to Andy Last’s messaging this week – and he wants Hull FC’s supporters to play their part.
John Kear celebrates winning the Challenge Cup with Hull FC in 2005.(Image: SW PIX)
Andy Last has outlined the importance of Hull FC’s start against Huddersfield Giants this Saturday afternoon – and is pleading for the club’s supporters to get behind his side.
The Black and Whites return to the MKM Stadium for the first time in nearly two months and are looking to end a run of four successive defeats against Super League’s current basement side.
And with the club expecting a fair crowd for their Hull and Proud week game, Last is hoping to use that home advantage and create a positive environment.
“We’re back in front of our home crowd and I think it’s really important that they get behind us and make the stadium a really positive environment,” Last said. “We certainly need that; we need them to be loud and get behind the boys.
“We need to make sure we start the game well and get the crowd involved in a positive way. That will help us settle into the game. We just need to make sure that we focus and perform well ourselves. If we perform well and defend well, I think we’ve got enough to beat Huddersfield.”
Praising recent support from the Old Faithful, Last continued: “I think the fact the supporters are still there in the numbers, supporting the team, just shows what this club’s all about.
“When you’re doing it tough, I always feel as though the supporters recognise how tough you’re doing it, and that’s when they go to a different level from a supporting point of view.
“You do get these armchair supporters, shall we say, like when things are going really good, they’re there, but I’ve been around it a long time and you see the same faces.
“They’re at the heritage nights, the shop signings, scholarship matches, reserve grade matches, and they’re there away from home. They’re the ones who I tip my hat to and go, ‘Yeah, you’ve been through the thick and thin with us,’ and you’ve been around it in those Hull Sharks days; you’ve been around it when we’ve had tough times before and they’re the ones that I applaud.
“There’s a big nucleus of those supporters, and I know that come Saturday, Hull and Proud Week, we’ll have plenty of people in here and they’ll be supporting us like they always do, with plenty of gusto and hopefully a nice strong voice, and they get this stadium rocking. We’ll be doing our best to try and give them something to shout about.”
Saturday’s game is also Hull’s first at home since former coach John Kear’s passing last week, with Last aiming to bring the same positivity that the late coach gave his players.
“I mentioned it last week but John messaged me after the Leigh game and his words hold a great deal to me,” Last said. “I’m sure he’ll be watching down with his Hull FC shirt on this weekend and sending some positive thoughts to us.
“I’m a big believer in going in and being positive and leading the team with some positivity and some energy. I spoke about that with the players about attacking this game head-on and being positive with every action.
“If we make an error, attack it with a positive action, which is the next set of six defensively. And then when we come up with some good players, make sure we celebrate it and just generate that real togetherness, which was a real strength of ours last year, and it’s been the strength of us again this year. We just need to continue that and hope that will allow us to turn a narrow loss into a victory.”