MATT Crooks' reputation as being one of the nicest guys in football is firmly established and with good reason.

In Championship play-off final week - well from midweek at any rate - the Hull City midfielder had to show a different side ahead of Saturday's showpiece with former club Middlesbrough.

Crooks' family home remains on Teesside. When Boro were confirmed as finalists after the decision to expel Southampton over Spygate 2.0 was upheld, he received many messages from ex-team-mates and friends at the club.

The Yorkshireman was determined to steadfastly keep his business head on. It was also a bit of a challenging time for his young son Elias, very much the only Hull follower at a Boro-supporting school.

Hull City's Matt Crooks celebrates following the Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture: John Walton/PA Wire.

placeholder image — Hull City's Matt Crooks celebrates following the Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture: John Walton/PA Wire.

He said: "I took my son on Wednesday and they had the 'We Shall Be' project. My son didn't actually want to go to school.

"That was a really grounding moment for me as he was really upset. But he can go to school now with his head held high."

As for his former colleagues getting in touch, Crooks, who said he was planning to toast promotion with a pint of Guinness, added: "I've ignored them all week. Dael (Fry) was texting me when the news came out (after Boro were reinstated).

"He lives around the corner from me. Hayden (Hackney) also texted me and a couple of staff members tried to talk to me before the game, but I wasn't having it.

Hull City's Matt Crooks (centre) celebrates with the trophy and fellow one-time Middlesbrough team-mates Ryan Giles and Paddy McNair after winning promotion to the Premier League following the Sky Bet Championship play-off final against Boro at Wembley. Picture: Adam Davy/PA Wire.

"Even when I was getting coffee (on Saturday) and fans asked for a picture, I said no.

"I just wanted to focus on the job in hand. Dael, Hayden and Sol (Brynn) are great lads and I feel for them (Boro) and the staff I know, but it's a game of winners isn't it."

Oli McBurnie's late strike secured a joyous promotion for City, who became the first team since Blackpool in 2009-10 to win promotion after finishing in sixth place.

On returning the top-flight at 32, the boyhood Manchester United fan, who played at the Theatre of Dreams in a cup game with Boro back in 2022, continued: "It's Old Trafford again and big game after big game.

"I went up with Rotherham on points per game in League One (in the 2019-20 Covid season) and it didn't feel like a promotion. This definitely does.

"I've worked hard all my career to get as far as I can. I went to America; I thought that was probably me. I probably wrote myself off a little bit and saw myself as a Championship player."

And specifically on the winner, the Leeds-born player continued: "It was just a bit of a blur. It will be in my head now forever; Oli with his top off. Although I have seen it many times and am used to it.

"I'm so proud of the lads, we've been written off all season outside the building.

"But we had a quiet confidence about us and go about our business in a certain way. We are frowned upon sometimes by outsiders sometimes outside of Hull.

"The boys and everyone had belief at the character, determination and grit and we showed that (against Boro). We dug in and came up with a great goal at the end."

As for the goal hero himself, Tigers match-winner McBurnie said: "We knew we weren’t going to come in and have hold of the ball. I don’t think we’ve had a game this year where we’ve had more than the opposition.

"It was tough out there with the heat and Middlesbrough are a top, top team.

"But we felt we were going to have one chance and it was written for me to get it. I didn’t think it would be like that late on, but what a feeling."