By Paul Nicholson
November 19 – Hull City AFC supporters are not giving up their fight to retain their name in the face insistent owner Assem Allam’s (pictured) repeated statements that he will change the club’s name to Hull Tigers.
The Egyptian-born businessman has already changed the company name to Hull City Tigers and now also plans to drop ‘City’ from the club itself. Though his belief that this is the club name now registered with the FA is in fact incorrect
But Allam is not moving on his position, saying: “It’s up to me. Nobody in the world will decide for me how I run my companies, certainly not a few hundred people. No, no, no. I will not allow that. Let us establish this – nobody questions my decisions in my business.
“What the fans should be interested in – I will never change the colour, I will never change the logo, I will never remove Hull, I will never remove Tigers.
The City Till We Die group have requested “an inclusive and meaningful consultation on his name change proposals.” Also saying: “The Football Association will require consultation with fans before it will ratify a name change – so let’s get on with it.
Allam had initially promised that he would undertake research, and launch a consultation process into the name change, with a 2-3 year pause before changing the club name. However the supporters’ group now says Allam is pressing ahead regardless in the New Year.
City Till We Die (CTWD) are proposing “a simple and inclusive supporter consultation regarding the name change proposal. CTWD has the passion and time to put the consultation paper together, and we will give equal prominence to our justification for keeping Hull City AFC and Dr Allam’s reasoning for change (we want him to write this personally, we promise not to change a word).
“We will also agree with Dr Allam the wording of a single, simple yes/no question. All we ask of the club is that they use their database of 20,000 season ticket holders to distribute the consultation paper, so that the full breadth of City’s support can be heard.”
Allam has stated he believes 98% of Hull City fans support the proposed name change though CWTD obviously argue differently.
CWTD’s solution is a ballot. “Let’s ask them. If he wants to ignore the views expressed, that’s his prerogative. But let’s hear the full voice of the fans right here, right now.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734869585labto1734869585ofdlr1734869585owedi1734869585sni@n1734869585osloh1734869585cin.l1734869585uap1734869585