Jack Butland's simple message to Hull City's Premier League new boys: 'Enjoy it'

With the financial gap between the Premier League and the Championship widening if not by the year then certainly with each new television contract, being a newly-promoted team in the best division in Europe has become an increasingly tall order.

Leeds United and Sunderland bucked the trend of the previous two seasons by surviving in their first year back in the Premier League, although the Whites were in a relegation battle for much of 2025-26.

Even a 100-point Championship campaign in 2024-25 built on the back of a record-breaking defensive unit did not stop Burnley being cannon fodder back in the big league.

So as play-off winners, it seems a fair bet that whatever the eventual outcome of the next 10 months of work, Hull are going to have to deal with plenty of setbacks.

But playing in the Premier League is what youngsters – and not just English ones – dream of, so goalkeeper Jack Butland says it is vitally important his new team-mates enjoy the ride.

"I guess it's important not to lose sight of enjoying this season," says Butland, who faces an individual battle after Hull this week added £20m Greece goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis. "You have to.

"It's the best job in the world. Not enjoying it would be a crime.

"Yes, when it comes to the gameday, you're not satisfied with a loss or a draw. It's never that. You always want the best.

"But the majority of the time, you need to really play with a smile.”

Under ever-ambitious Turkish chairman/owner Acun Ilicali, Hull will certainly give it a good go, not content to simply make signings with one eye on relegation. He has 14 top-quality additions planned, with £8m attacking midfielder Jens Jens Hjerto-Dahl becoming the sixth on Friday.

And fortunately, having grown up in war-torn Bosnia, Hull coach Sergej Jakirovic has life in its proper perspective and is rarely without a smile and a joke, even in defeat.

“I think the environment here is one that the manager encourages that,” says Butland, the club’s first signing of this summer. “He wants the lads to feel relaxed, he wants the lads to be rewarded.

"And as a result, the lads give everything and more for him. And I think that's just a great way to be.

"But it's about enjoying it."

Not that Butland, who made his England debut as a teenager and played Premier League football for Stoke City and Crystal Palace before three years in the hot house of Old Firm football with Rangers, wants to give the wrong impression about how Hull will be going about their work in the coming season.

"We're not just here for the year," the 33-year-old goalkeeper is keen to stress. "We want to stay here.

"And while we're enjoying it, we’ve still got to get the job done."

Hull make their return to Premier League football after a decade away at home to Manchester United on August 22.

Their preparations continue with a friendly away to Eintracht Frankfurt at 2pm on Saturday.