Club name-row owner accused of ‘rubbishing history’

Hull City owner and chairman Assem Allam has insisted the name is currently “Hull City Tigers”, the business name that was registered at Companies House in spring.

He later announced he would prefer the club to be renamed Hull Tigers to boost its global marketing appeal, but fans are incensed and are campaigning to protect the name Hull City AFC, which has stood since the club’s inception in 1904.

The club said in a statement: “The club name is currently Hull City Tigers, after it was shortened in the spring of this year.

“However, as a result of the greater exposure generated from playing in the Barclays Premier League, a further shortening of the club name is under review with a decision likely to be made early next year.

“Dr Allam’s preference for the club name remains ‘Hull Tigers’, as he has previously stated, but he has also explained that the club will first ensure that a shortened name will provide the anticipated global marketing impact.”

Supporters opposed to the changes have come together under the umbrella City Till We Die, which responded with its own statement, claiming Dr Allam was wrong and that the name was still Hull City AFC.

They said: “We remain puzzled that Dr Allam cannot distinguish between the name of his holding company and the football name of the club he owns.

“Until he registers a new name with the Football Association, the club remains Hull City AFC. His belief that we are already called Hull City Tigers, a name ripe for shortening, is therefore spectacularly ill judged and erroneous.

“Our group has already had extensive contact with key figures at the FA, and we anticipate they will take a dim view both of this announcement and of Dr Allam’s rubbishing of our club’s proud history at the meeting we had with him last week.”