Stakes are high as Hull City take a risk on signings

Just last week, for instance, the Tigers’ finances had to be juggled – with the help of a money-spinning FA Cup draw away at Arsenal – to allow Steve Bruce to make a couple of signings during the final hours of the transfer window.

Money remains, as Allam admits, “a little tight” at the KC Stadium but that can not be used as an excuse to side-step the big calls.

It was the same last summer, when major decisions had to be taken over not only Bruce’s future as manager but also just what size of squad the club was capable of supporting at a time when tens of millions of pounds had been wiped off the balance sheet.

“Relegation can be difficult on many levels,” said vice-chairman Allam when speaking exclusively to The Yorkshire Post in his office at the KC Stadium. “We had spent big in the Premier League on transfers, just over £40m (in 2014-15). You don’t pay for all those in the one year, you pay across two to three years.

“So, this season we have still been paying for those transfers. I did most of our deals over two years and not three. My thinking is that if you can’t afford a deal over two seasons then you can’t afford it, full stop.

“What that has meant is us having to find £20m this season, money that becomes an extra burden in the Championship. But we have come through that and I would say things are looking pretty good, all round.”

City’s league position backs up the sense that the club is in decent shape. If Bruce’s men can retain their current standing in the top two come May, promotion and a windfall that will include £120m in TV income alone next season will be heading the Tigers’ way.

It is an illustration of just how high the stakes are for Hull and their rivals – and why the Yorkshire club brought in Nick Powell on loan from Manchester United and Legia Warsaw goalkeeper Dusan Kuciak for £250,000 despite starting the window believing funds would dictate no new arrivals.

“Once again, it was a case of risk management for us,” said Allam, who along with dad Assem has run the East Riding club since December, 2010.

“At first, we were only really looking at the goalkeeper situation. But the draw away at Arsenal helped matters, as the funds we will get from the game and it being on television meant that additional income could be invested.

“The away draw is, basically, paying for the two new signings. Although we are complying with Financial Fair Play, things are a little tight and that extra income helped us take a calculated risk.”

Only time will tell if reinvesting City’s share of the gate receipts from the Emirates Stadium – plus the £247,500 broadcast fee from BT Sport – will prove the difference in what seems certain to be a promotion race that goes the distance. But the decisions to both stick by Bruce last summer and retain the likes of top scorer Abel Hernandez have already been justified.

“We have always said from our first season of ownership that the key to success is stability,” said Allam. “Steve is a good manager and we had faith in him. Plus, we already had the instability of a relegation, did we want to add to that by changing manager and backroom staff? No.”

This desire for stability has also led to Allam shelving his plans, revealed when last sitting down with this newspaper in early November, to bring in a new managing director to ease his own workload.

“I have stayed hands-on,” added the Tigers vice-chairman. “Ideally, I should be focusing more on (the family business) Allam Marine. But I don’t want to introduce someone new and extra parameters at the club because we do have good working relationships here.

“Another big character being introduced to the organisation can upset something that is really positive at the moment. I don’t think it is the right time.”

Whether that changes in the future remains to be seen. Ditto the Allams’ attempts to sell the club. Talks remain ongoing with several interested parties but that has not been allowed to deflect from the day-to-day running of the club. The new extended contracts recently signed by David Meyler and Allan McGregor back this up, while the club is also hopeful of tieing up another key player in the near future.

“A lot of work has gone into contract negotiations,” added Allam. “Obviously, those outside the club just see the end product. But these talks began in early November and are continuing.

“Carrying the strength of squad we did into this season was a calculated decision. That is why we found the funding and it is the same with the contracts. Discussions can be time-consuming (City have another four key players whose deals expire in the summer) but we believe progress is being made.”