Despite growing frustration in the transfer market, with just one signing this summer. City didn’t look at all out of place, passing the ball well on a number of occasions, against a Beijing side in the middle of their season at the top of the Chinese Super League, with the Tigers ended up winners on penalties, after the game ended all square.

                           City made a great start, when on 9 minutes Brazilian Geovanni showed some of his early season form from last year, by waltzing his way past the Beijing defence and produce one of his trademark right footed shots into the Beijing goalkeepers Yang Zhi’s top right hand corner, typical of the little maestro.

           And “Geo” to what he’s more notably known to the Tiger faithful almost scored another, after a counter attack from a Beijing corner, only just missing the bottom right hand corner, after again weaving his way through the Beijing defence.

           Hungarian Peter Halmosi, yet to convince the City crowd, that he is Premier league material, also went close in the first half only for his left footed shot to be cleared off the line by defender William Paul Modibo.

         Hull didn’t have it all their own way in the first half however. Beijing’s number 10 Emil Martinez who looked a threat throughout the game, and possibly a player for Boss Phil Brown to look at closely, went close on 30 minutes, when his free kick was unconvincingly saved by City’s second choice keeper Matt Duke.

          After the break, Beijing started like a house on fire, scoring on 46 minutes by fans favourite Modibo, after a mix up between Anthony Gardner and Goalkeeper Duke, made it easy for Modibo to equalise for Beijing.

        In fact defensive mistakes were the main theme throughout the game for the Tigers, all though Brown claims that his striking force is the clubs biggest worry. The defence were caught out at a number of times by a no more than decent Beijing attack.

       Beijing continued their dominance throughout the second half. Zhou ting went close from a bullet shot, and Martinez continued to trouble the City backline with the dead ball, with a sweet left footed strike, to catch even his own players out, luckily Duke read it well and just about tipped it over the bar.

        The Tigers did have one chance in the second half. Frenchman Bernard Mendy sprung to life, to weave past the Beijing defence, for the first time in the game and square it to Geovanni, who struck a bullet shot, only for the Goalkeeper Yang Zhi to parry for a corner.

      Despite it only being friendly, tempers flared several times in the game, and reckless challenges were plenty throughout the 90 minutes. A total of Four yellow cards were handed out altogether.

   Although Beijing dominated the second half, at ninety minutes the game ended all square, with no extra time set up, the game went straight to penalties. Not the usual dreaded pressure of a penalty shootout, but it was important for both teams to progress to the next stage of the competition. After five penalties, the two teams still couldn’t be separated. Dean Marneys penalty was well saved, while Sui Dongliang blasted his effort over. The teams were only separated by a sudden death shoot out, Beijings number 20 Zhang Xinxin missed with his penalty, meaning City to progress to the next round.

Tomorrows clash has added spice, both sides are two of the three recentley promoted sides and getting one over last seasons promotion rivals is a must. Both Stoke and Hull have already seen off the challenge of last seasons Championship winners West Brom who currentley find themselves bottom.

Stoke’s form has been unpridictable this seaon, yet one thing the Tigers can expect from tomorrows game at the Britannia stadium is a Rory Delap long throw. The midfielder has used this unique weapon to great effect this season and has Stoke have seen half of their goal tally come as a result of Delap’s throwing abilities.
Hull City goalkeeper Boaz Myhill will be tested and will be looking to prove himself to the Tigers faithful after transfer rumours linking him with a move to Inter Milan. The Welsh international has had a solid season in goal so far this season and it came at no surprise to Hull boss Phil Brown that rumours of a move for the 26-year-oldsurfaced. However, Myhill has pledged his future to the club, stating in the local press yesterday; “I have no intentions of leaving this club.”

Transfer rumours have also surrounded Hull City centre back Michael Turner this week and is another who is likley to be tested by the unorthodox Delap throw. The national press have linked Manchester City with a move for the ever impressive Londoner, the sum of £6 million has been suggested in order to capture the Hull man.

Phil Brown will no doubt be looking for a performance from his striking duo; Marlon King and Daniel Cousin in what promises to be a pyshical game against Stokes strong back-line. The pair have been far from prolific in front of goal so far this season. Brazilian midfielder Geovanni currently heads goal scoring table at the KC Stadium with 6 goals to his name.

Tomorrows is unlikley to be a classic encounter, but nonetheless an important game for both side.

It is thought that Brown is eager to add to his striking power which could lead to Dean Windass’ eventual departure from the club. Oldham Athletic boss John Sheridan has confessed he is interested in the 39-year-old but also admitted that several other clubs are monitoring the veteran striker, with Leeds and Doncaster thought to be two of the main protagonists.

Following Windass out of the KC Stadium in January could be John Welsh and Wayne Brown, who last week completed one month loan deals out of Hull after struggling to break into the first team this season. 

Continuing injury concerns over Anthony Gardner could leave Brown searching for defensive cover come January.

Brown has remained quiet on his transfer targets, despite the national press linking numerous players to the club. “It all depends on how clever you are in the transfer market and how clever you can do your shopping.” He told the Hull Daily Mail, “We’ll get our ducks in line and hopefully come January 1st we’ll be able to hook them in.”

The tabloid press have linked Newcastle striker Alan Smith with a possible move to the Tigers. The former Leeds and Manchester United star has struggled for appearances under new interim manager Joe Kinnear and move away from Tyneside could on the cards for the cards.

Summer transfer target Fraizer Campbell could also be a possibility, but any sort of deal would involve co-operation from both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United after the strikers loan move from the latter to the struggling Spurs. However, if the England under 21 International does not feature Harry Redknapps plans, then a move away from White Hart Lane maybe possible. 

Hull City’s transfer funds will be revealed closer to the window opening according to Brown; “How much I’ve got to spend in January and what is available in January will be answered around about Christmas, but we’ve got to plan for that” .

The Tigers currently sit 6th in Premier League table and a top ten placing come January could see more players be tempted to move to the KC Stadium.

City responded brilliantly after the 5-0 hammering over Wigan, a fortnight ago,By recording there first away win in the Premier league.

This win was obviously helped by the current state of the magpies and the fact that they were 5 000 fans down but none the less, City will take this win, And they’ll take a win like this every single week, if needs be.

Now All three promoted clubs have now recorded there first win this season, Bookies are scratching there heads in a bid to pick out a team for relegation, None of the teams have hinted that they’ll be in the relegation scrap, So picking three teams will be like picking the lottery, Surely this season will be tighter than it ever has been.

The Tigers though have justified that the defeat against Wigan was just a bad day at the office, And hopefully for Tiger fans this can be a stepping stone for Hull and they can have a succesful season after all.

As for the toon army though.Well it just gets worse and worse for them.Who’d be a Magpie fan ey ?

Two months later. City appointed ex-England Manager Peter Taylor. Not only did Taylor pull City out of the Relegation scrap. City established themselves into a comfortable 13th position.

Boothferry to Kc

On the 14th December 2002 The Tiger faithful said a tearful goodbye to Boothferry park after 56 years, To move to a state of the ark all-seater 25 000 stadium. It was the start of a new era for Hull City Football club.The Kingston Comminucations.

The main objective in the second tier of English football was to survive. They did it with ease finishing in 18th place a comfortable 10 points clear of relegation, And there highest position for 16 years.

The Tigers suffered a set-back however when Peter Taylor left the club in June 2006 to take up the role of the Crystal Palace Manager. Phil Parkinson took over with little experience having only been assistant manager at Charlton Athletic.

The lack of experience proved costly for Parkinson as he was sacked after only being in the job for less than five months, As City were in the Relegation zone. A North-easterner who went by the name of Phil Brown took over as caretaker manager, A man who also had little experience in managing, Having only been assistant Manager at Bolton under Sam Alladyce, And had a brief and unsuccessful spell at Derby County.

After a string of good results and taking Hull out of the Relegation zone, Brown was awarded the job full-time in January 2007.One of his first signings was Dean Windass on loan from Bradford City. Brown had brought Windass home and back were he belonged, He scored eight goals to secure Championship football for another season and the veteran was awarded with a permanent contract.

Dare to dream

In June 2007 Hull City chairman Adam Pearson the man who had taken Hull City to the second tier of  English football sold the club to a consortium led by a man called Paul Duffen. Pearson clamed that he had taken the club as far as he could. Pearson resigned from the board on 31st July 2007.

Duffen gave Brown the funds he required by signing the likes of Caleb Folan for one million pounds from Wigan and Wayne Brown from Colchester for 450 thousand pounds.

The Tigers main aim for the 2007-08 season was to establish themselves as a Championship team and finish in a mid-table position. No one could of predicted what the outcome would be at the end of the season for City.

Halfway through the season and City were lying in 11th position, Which would meet the expectations of the fans and the board.

The month of March was a great one though for the Tigers with 6 wins in 8 games including a decisive win against fellow promotion chasing Watford. This put City into third place.1 point off the automatic promotion slot, With only 5 games to go.

 one win one draw one loss in the next three games put City into a difficult position.3 points behind automatic promotion with only two games to go.

Five minutes to go and Hull city were drawing against play-off chasers Crystal Palace 1-1,Stoke City were leading Colchester 2-1.If results stayed as they were Stoke were heading for the Premier league, And City would have to settle for the play-offs

However City were not finished just yet. The Tigers captain Ian Ashbee leading by example by slotting home to give City a 2-1 lead. Stoke would have to wait until the last game of the season to celebrate.

The last game of the season and City would need a miracle if they were to get promoted without using the play-offs, They would have to beat Ipswich and hope that Stoke were beaten by Leicester.

Unfortunately for Hull, Stoke had beaten Leicester and they were beaten by Ipswich, Which meant that Stoke would be promoted, And if City were to reach there Premier league dream they would have to do it with the play-off system.

Citys opponents in the play-off semi final were Watford. They were no match for the Tigers with City beating them in the first leg 2-0 and the second leg 4-1 securing a play-off final against Bristol City

The Tigers came in there numbers at Wembley as they sold all of there remaining ticket allocations with ease.

Dean Windass proved to be the hero of Hull as his first-half volley proved to be the vital match winner. Sending his home town club into the Premier league for the first time in there 104 year history

Three games into there First Premier league campaign,And there are mixed feelings for the Tigers, A great win against Fulham, And a solid draw against Blackburn, Prove they can survive in the top flight, However a humiliating 5-0 hammering against Wigan, Will prove a concern for the Tigers.

Many had predicted the Tigers to go down without a fight, todays result would back-up that theory after Phil Browns men ended there 2 game unbeaten run in the Premier League.

If this game is the story of there Premier league campaign, Pundits, Fans and Players will wonder were Tigers next point will come from.

But maybe today was just simply a bad day at the office for City, After the defencive heroics from The Tigers last weekend, Hull City will know that they’ve got the potential quality at the back to become a force in the top-flight.

After being brought down to earth by Premiership minnows Wigan they must now put that defeat behind them if they are stay as a Premiership team.

And now that City have made a 7 Million pound bid for rookie Frazier Campbell, It proves that there in this for the long haul, And the money and the potential is there to be looked at seriously.

So is this just a one off game? A simple blip and things will soon get back to the way they was? or will this result define there season and those two heroic performances by City were simply “Beginners luck”?

Questions similar to these will be answered in what proves to be a vital several weeks for City, If they are to save there season.

But its more than likely that it won’t be straight forward atall, Due to the fact that City are expected to rest most of there first-team squad. Possibly a hint that Phil Brown sees this clash as an unwanted distraction.

Assistant Manager Brian Horton is quick to dismiss these rumours.

“I’m a big fan of the League Cup, I think you should look forward to any game of Football at this level, We will make changes tonight,But whoever comes in should be trying to prove that they want to be in the team for Saturday,”

If City are to remain in the Premier League, One can only think that games like these are simply not needed, But silverware for the Tigers wouldn’t go a miss.Theres plenty of room in the trophy cabinet.

Rovers Manager Paul “The Guvnor” Ince has a full squad to choose from, But maybe tempted to rest a few players,With no fewer than ten of them playing for there Nationalitys in mid week.

City on the other hand only had two internationals playing in mid week,Welsh duo Sam Rickkets and USA born Boaz Myhill were included in the Welsh squad.

Veteran George Boateng has been labeled by Boss Phil brown as a “slight doubt” for this weekends game, After picking up a thigh injury in the 2-1 win against Fulham last week.

Apart from Boateng though, Phil Brown has a full squad to choose from, But is expected to name the same squad as last week, Should Boateng be fit.

The black and amber army will be arriving in Lancashire in force,With 4 000 tickets sold,With more expected to follow.

This will be the Tigers biggest test of the campaign so far as Paul Ince is hoping to retain the success his predecessor Mark Hughes had at Ewood park, And bounce them back into Europe.

And the Tigers will be hoping that Campbell will appear at the KC more often though after more speculation linking him with a move away from Old Trafford to the KC.

Sources say that if United purchase Dimitar Berbatov then Sir Alex Ferguson will allow Campbell to join City temporary or perhaps permanantly.

Campbell who appeared for The Tigers on loan and scored 15 goals in 34 appearances last season will be looking to put all that speculation to one side,As he hopes to make his second start for the England under 21s,And maybe score his first goal for his country.

Fans are being urged to turn out in force to supports Englands young talent,And if your in the area why not come along as it promises to be a vital encounter and good preparation for their Championship Qualifier against Portugal next month.

The eye of the tiger

Check your odds bookmakers.City are in the Premier league,And there not here to make up the numbers.

City didn’t have it all there way though,Fulham did take the lead with a 35 minute strike from Seol ki-hyeon.One that made the Tiger roar go silent.

But that silence didn’t last to long however an equaliser from Brazillian born Geovanni set the ball rolling for City just before half-time.One can only think that Geovanni will have to play a key role if The Tigers are to stay in the Premier league.

Both teams had settled for the point until a shocker from Fulhams Paul Konchesky allowed Craig Fagan to square it to Caleb Folan who slotted the ball into the back of the net.

The football nation was baffled.Not to mention Roy Hodgson who said he was dissapointed by the mistake of the “normally” reliable Konchesky.Infact the media was so suprised,Charlie Nicholas almost fell off his chair.

And the so-called experts who sit in there air-conditioned studio criticising Referees and players,Had Also Predicted Hull to do another Derby,And go down as the worst Premier league team ever.They’ve already equalled there winning record,And they’ve still got thirty seven Barclays Premier league games to go.

However City fans musn’t get carried away.This is just three points and three points only.Theres still more work to be done for Phil Brown and his barmy army,But who knows? come 24th may this win may be important.

So what does this game tell us about City’s hopes ? It dosen’t tell us that Hull City will survive in the Premier league,And it certainly dosen’t tell us that they’ve got the quality to survive, But it does tell us that there not going down without a fight, And they’ve got more than 25 000 supporters to cheer them on every game.