CRUISING FOR A BRUCE-ING
ONE WAY TICKET TO HULL AND BACK
In stark contrast to their last appearance at Wembley, there were swathes of empty seats in the Hull end on Saturday. This didn't go unnoticed amongst columnists and commentators, with those closest to the club diagnosing a self-inflicted wound. Attempts to make Hull more marketable have caused a major rift between ownership and support. Chairman Assem Allam has been dogged in his pursuit of a rebrand as the "Hull Tigers", a move which has angered many and somewhat taken the gloss off the team's promotion.'Tigers'. It's sad that someone at the club made sure the kit didn't have 'Hull City' on it. They must be proud. pic.twitter.com/1tXTsLXK9x
— Hull City Kits (@HullCityKits) May 29, 2016
If they are going to win back their disillusioned supporters, the ownership would do well to quietly concede that the "Hull Tigers" sobriquet would do more harm than good. The reality is that Hull City is a proud, doughty and profoundly unfashionable club. It is a true community asset, which relies on its loyal fanbase. It is not going to accrue a massive international following because it has a catchy new name. Meanwhile, attempts to impose that catchy new name are almost certain to alienate its core support.A lot of empty seats in the Hull end at Wembley today… #HCAFC pic.twitter.com/Is7F5lJP7L
— Football Away Days (@FBAwayDays) May 28, 2016
A SMALL MINORITY OF IDIOTS
While there were no serious injuries in the scuffles which followed, the incident was still enough to prompt swift condemnation from the FA and a series of unedifying articles about the club. All in all, it's a cause for much eye rolling, with a couple of exaggerated sighs thrown in for good measure.Millwall fans broke through police barrier and charging after Barnsley supporters pic.twitter.com/57u1EjBTh3
— Football Away Days (@footyawayday) May 29, 2016
THE FANS, UNITED
The Dons are fan-owned, fan-organised and fan-led. They have a strong volunteer culture, and incredibly proactive supporters. More than anything, they live up to their reputation as a community club; few football teams have so cohesive an identity.Though the fan ownership model will be put to the test in League One, the Dons have a history of overachievement. With a new ground on the horizon and double headers against clubs like Coventry, Bolton and Charlton Athletic to look forward to next season, there are very exciting times ahead.WATCH: "A goal that has promotion written all over it". What a parting gift this could be from Akinfenwa. https://t.co/zivVPnoD03
— Football League (@SkySportsFL) May 30, 2016
DERBY-DAY EXISTENTIALISM
The saga of the old Wimbledon's rebrand as the MK Dons is long and arduous, but one thing's for certain: there will be no love lost when the two sides meet later this year. While younger fans might consider the match to be a sort of derby, many older AFC Wimbledon fans refuse to recognise the legitimacy of the club they pejoratively call: "Franchise".With one set of fans refusing to recognise the others' right to being, clashes between the two clubs have a profound air of existentialism. Do the MK Dons exist? If not, do the matches they participate in really happen? Are their players grounded in actuality, or are they figments of our subconscious? It's all very confusing. We just don't know anymore.@W_F_MageeREAD MORE: Passion, Progression And The Future Of Fan Ownership: Now Is The Time For AFC Wimbledon