Bygones: Move from Boothferry Park to KC was '˜essential', says Peter Taylor

HELLO THERE: Peter Taylor introduces himself to the fans before the match against Rochdale at Boothferry Park in October 2002. Picture: Terry Carrott

He loved how close the crowd were to the pitch. He loved the atmosphere that even a few thousand could generate.

And he loved the hunger that was evident among the locals when his reign as Hull City manager started with a 3-0 victory over Rochdale just a couple of months before the final curtain came down on the club’s home.

But Taylor is adamant that the Tigers’ rise from the basement division to spending five of the past 15 seasons in the Premier League would simply not have been possible without the move to what is now called the KCOM Stadium.

LAST NIGHT: Hull City's Ian Ashbee (left), fails to catch Darlington's Ashley Nicholls during the club's last match at Boothferry Park. Picture: John Jones./PA.

“I had always thought Boothferry Park was a special place,” said the 64-year-old.

“To me, a real football ground and the sort we would all probably love to have today. It certainly earned points in its heyday. My first game was against Rochdale and the thing that struck me the most was the hunger of the people. They were so desperate for us to succeed.

“It can be tough for football fans when a club moves. In many cases, the club is their life and you are wrestling them away from a place they love.

“You can understand why people are so attached. That, though, is progress in football and it is debatable whether Hull would have had the 15 years that they have if still at Boothferry Park. I couldn’t have seen it happen.

“The KC was a huge step forward for the club. I didn’t get shown around before taking the job (in October 2002), but I met Adam (Pearson, then chairman) in London and he showed me the plans. I could immediately see the potential and, to be fair, the club really started to progress quickly after the move.”

The defeat to Darlington was Taylor’s first defeat on home soil as City manager. He said: “Losing the last game was a disappointment but that is how football can be.

“If football was a film or book, we would have won that game and everyone leaves on a high. We didn’t but the big thing is we won the first one at the KC a week or so later. That was important.”