November 2 – Game, Set, Match | On This Football Day

November 2 – Game, Set, Match

CROSSING over from one professional sport to another is rarely a good idea. Think Dwain Chambers and Sir Clive Woodward for recent examples, but today we are looking at a match made in Hull between football and tennis.

Hull City’s rise through the divisions has been almost as fast as it has remarkable, (just ten short years ago they were struggling in the bottom division) but what is even more remarkable is how they have coped with the leap up into the top-flight. Of course, a few seasons ago Steve Coppell’s Reading were wowing everyone with their attractive football and high league position in their first Premiership season. Coppell even told everyone how he didn’t believe in second season syndrome. Hmm, what odds on Hull being relegated next season?

Former tennis player, fitness magnate and coach David Lloyd proved in 1997 that Tim Henman wasn’t the only Tiger he loved when he bought control of Hull City AFC and immediately started making big promises to the fans. A new all-seater stadium would be built and a big-name manager brought in to oversee the club’s bright new future.

Former England striker Mark Hateley was appointed as the new manager on a huge wage and set about leafing through his little black book to bring in some experienced pros. Results failed to improve however and Lloyd started taking drastic measures to reduce the wage bill, sacking the clubs marketing and commercial staff, the club chairman and chief executive, and even more bizarrely, the club physio.

Then the promised new stadium fell by the wayside as Lloyd’s plan to secure council owned land fell through and he was unable to sell Boothferry Park.

Although the fans were still filling the home ground they had lost faith in Lloyd and things came to a head on this day in 1998 when he decided he had had enough, and sold the club to a Sheffield-based consortium for just £250,000.

The story did not end there though as Lloyd retained his ownership of Boothferry Park and later locked the club out of the ground over a rent dispute, and the team continued to struggle until Adam Pearson took over in 2001.

Below is Dean Windass scoring in the play-off final at Wembley to send the Tigers into the top flight. We will be back tomorrow but also on this day one of the Premiership’s most influential players was making his return to the field after a well deserved ban.