Kingston upon Hull Hull City Association Football Club

Hull City Association Football Club, founded in 1904, spent most of their history in the lower divisions before an extraordinary rise in the 2000s took them to the Premier League for the first time in 2008 and to an FA Cup final in 2014, where they led Arsenal 2-0 before losing 3-2 in extra time. Based at the MKM Stadium (formerly the KC Stadium), the Tigers have become a club of contrasts — thrilling highs followed by painful lows, ambitious ownership undermined by managerial instability.

The Allam family's controversial tenure from 2010 to 2022, which included an unpopular attempt to rename the club Hull Tigers, gave way to the arrival of Turkish media mogul Acun Ilicali in January 2022. Ilicali brought energy, visibility, and genuine enthusiasm to a club that had felt neglected, and his early tenure coincided with a period of optimism. However, the search for the right manager has proved elusive: Shota Arveladze, Liam Rosenior, Tim Walter, and Ruben Selles all came and went within Ilicali's first three years, none lasting a full season.

The 2024-25 campaign was a struggle, with Hull narrowly avoiding relegation in 21st place. Sergej Jakirovic, the Croatian-born Bosnian coach who previously managed Dinamo Zagreb, was appointed as manager for 2025-26, representing yet another fresh start. Despite the turbulence, Hull's fanbase and the quality of the MKM Stadium infrastructure provide a solid foundation, and Ilicali's commitment to the club remains evident even as patience with the managerial carousel wears thin.