Hull City owners, the Allams Family, have been slammed after their latest controversial statement posted on Monday morning.
Incredibly, those at the top of the Championship strugglers don’t want negativity, but didn’t help themselves after banning journalists from their most recent fixture.
Reporter, James Smailes, opened up on last week’s shocking events that went on as the media were building up for the huge league game against Charlton.
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He explained: “Last Thursday I was contacted by Hull City to inform me that Hull Live and the HDM (Hull Daily Mail) would not be allowed access to the KCOM for Hull City games and all access to Grant McCann and his squad had been withdrawn.
“We held discussions with Hull City and hoped to rectify the situation ahead of Saturday’s game, however at present there doesn’t appear to be a resolution. As expressed in our statement, it is not our job to be a cheerleader or PR arm of the club…
“We want Hull City to be a success and will continue to bring you the very best Hull City coverage regardless, hopefully reporting on the club maintaining their position in the Championship this season.”
Club Statement: The Athletic
➡️ https://t.co/Atu2BBZ0HI#hcafc | #theTigers
— H u l l C i t y (@HullCity) June 22, 2020
Hull City’s latest statement focuses on The Athletic after they gave them a list of questions about the state of the club.
One Twitter user, @thekempton, says: Those claims put to Hull City by The Athletic that they refused to answer were…
4 Club’s highest earner, Stewart, is on £17,000 per week and is leaving on a free
5 The maximum wage for new signings will be £5/£7k per week
6 The club has banned the Hull Daily Mail due to ‘negative’ coverage
7 The Allams now want somewhere between £30m and £46m for the club— 3 O’Clock At Kempton (@thekempton) June 22, 2020
12 The Allams have received £20m of interest on their loans to the club and Ehab enjoy stays at the Dorchester Hotel
13 Steve Bruce fell out with Ehab Allam over the refusal to give paid leave to a junior staff member and over the aborted signing of Andre Gray— 3 O’Clock At Kempton (@thekempton) June 22, 2020
Hard to see why the club put all this in the public domain to then just to say ‘we won’t comment’
— 3 O’Clock At Kempton (@thekempton) June 22, 2020
Hull City’s statement read: “On Friday 20th June at 12:34pm whilst the Club’s Management was in the course of preparing for the re-start of our season and dealing with the financial challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought upon the football world, we received the below communication from a journalist at The Athletic.
“It is a shame that, whilst all in the football world should be pulling together to ensure the ongoing viability of football clubs and the game in general, this journalist appears to seek scandal where none exists. He will no doubt publish this story, which is nothing more than a trouble-making cheap shot. Accordingly, in the interest of transparency, we publish both his email to the Club and the Club’s reply below.
“We have redacted certain names and financial information in his email in the interest of preserving the confidentiality of the parties involved.
“Click here to read The Athletic’s original email.
“Click here to read the Club’s response.”
As Hull City’s statement came out, news emerged that Hull Daily Mail and Hull Live were banned from the club.
The news website’s response, as written by Philip Buckingham and James Smailes read: “We hope you did not notice. We hope you enjoyed our in-depth and comprehensive coverage like any other football weekend.
“But on Saturday the Hull Daily Mail and Hull Live were denied access to the KCOM Stadium to cover Hull City’s home game with Charlton Athletic.
“The club took this disappointing stance on Thursday morning, two days before the resumption of the Championship season.
“They explained it was due to what was perceived to be negative coverage and cited our assessment of captain Eric Lichaj and vice captain Jackson Irvine leaving the club last week as the latest example.
“This was the first time in 15 years that the Hull Daily Mail was not present at a City first-team fixture. In that time we have covered games from China to Chelsea, Slovakia to Southend and Portugal to Portsmouth, covering the highs and lows of a club this paper has followed like no other since founded in 1904.
“On every occasion we have strived to be accurate, honest and fair. Nothing has changed. Our reporters only remit is to say it as it we see it. We always have and always will. And when we make a mistake, we right the wrong and hold our hands up.
“To be barred entry to the KCOM Stadium on the grounds of being negative, we believe, is not justified.
“We have always supported the club and wanted success from every game but we make no apologies for honest and frank analysis. It has never been our job to be a cheerleader or a PR arm.
“Clubs make mistakes and take decisions that are not well received by supporters. To turn a blind eye to these is impossible if you strive to be a respected media outlet.
“Our approach did not change for the weekend even though, like you, we watched the game through the club’s streaming service. We offered analysis and reaction like no other outlet and will continue to do so in these eight crucial games that remain.
“Below we have included the articles which have angered Hull City and were sent to our sports editor James Smailes and Hull City reporter Philip Buckingham to explain the reasons behind the ban.
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/hull-city-news-allam-mccann-3988532
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hull-city-golden-age-wembley-4169798
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/hull-city-contracts-lichaj-irvine-4233505
“We hope in time there can be an amicable resolution that allows our reporters access to the KCOM Stadium and to ask the questions of Grant McCann and his players, but we will continue to cover City’s fortunes as fairly and as honestly as we have always done.
“In the current climate with so many concerns in the world, we don’t see the sense in falling out over a handful of stories which are perceived as negative. There are bigger concerns right now and in football terms, bigger concerns for the club.
“Eight crucial games remain – five of them away from home where we will be present and we hope to report on the club successfully retaining their position in the Championship.”
The Hull owners were slammed after their latest controversial statement…
That would mean Ehab would have to act professionally and in a reasonable fashion buddy.
— Jamie Turnbull (@ThatjamieT) June 22, 2020
— Hull City News (@HullCityStats) June 22, 2020
“Ill-informed, substantially inaccurate, tittle tattle and misleading gossip.” Yikes.
— Bobbi Hadgraft (@bobbihadg) June 22, 2020
There’s nothing in there I know to be factually untrue.
— Elliot (@E_Clifford139) June 22, 2020
— Steve Mackinder (@stevemackinder) June 22, 2020
Lol imagine being fucked over by the Athletic on the pitch on Saturday and The Athletic off the pitch on Monday ?
— Elliot (@E_Clifford139) June 22, 2020
trying to use a pandemic to get sympathy off people when all them points stated are probably true , rotten to the core the club is riddled state of it
— harrison (@harrisonsh98) June 22, 2020
Speechless! This is quite simply wanton destruction of a football club.
— George Bell #BlackLivesMatter (@GeorgeBell0561) June 22, 2020
@HullCity highlighting in black is not a very thorough way of redacting a document !!! pic.twitter.com/sa6ELLoVN6
— Yorks (@YorkeJames) June 22, 2020
I’m quite happy that their own greediness has resorted in them losing over 100 million
— JSoley (@JSoleyy) June 22, 2020
I mean the same thing has happened numerous times for continuous years… We the fans aren’t stupid Ehab and Assam! Don’t act so naive! #WeWantOurClubBack
— Darren Hatfield (@dazzahatty) June 22, 2020
How incredibly child like by the club…. hope the athletic expose the allams for who they really are to the footballing world ??
— matty hayward (@MattyHC5) June 22, 2020
Oh my word, what have Hull City gone and done?
Feel so sorry for their fans, been shafted by that chairman for years on end.
Unfortunately for fans and employees of the club, this season could end with relegation to League 1.
The owner deserves that, nobody else does.#HCAFC
— Dan Green (@Daramsta17) June 22, 2020
Every football fan up and down the country knows our club is being ripped apart. Assets have heen stripped! We are heading to league 1, and there is nothing we can do now! These are very sad times. The Athletic have this spot on! #allamsout #hcafc
— Danny Hodson (@DannyHods) June 22, 2020
Peter Spruce
25th June 2020 at 2:56 pm
I’m a Blackpool fan we got rid of the scum oystons by standing together for 4 years not a penny more is the answer ? good luck for the future.