HULL CITY TIMELINE
With huge thanks to Hull City, Hull Daily Mail, TigerTube (@TigerTubePlayer) and Nick Turner (@TigersEarly) for their references and assistance with this page
News clippings courtesy of the British Newspaper Arhive (@BNArchive)
Club
Manager
Boardroom
Player
Fixture
Other
|
Thu 25th Feb 1982 |
Hull City - first League club to be placed into receivership |
 |
As the first Football League club to ever be placed into receivership - Hull City fans respond to receiver Martin Spencer`s calls for support by doubling the previous home gate, for the following game - a 2-0 win against Mansfield. | |
|
Wed 3rd Mar 1982 |
Mike Smith sacked by receivers with 7 players also gone |
 |
Due to the clubs financial circumstances, receiver Martin Spencer sacks manager Mike Smith, assistant Cyril Lea, Commercial Manager Gordon Dimbleby , and 7 players - Billy Whitehurst, Nick Deacy, Dennis Booth, John Davies, Brian Ferguson, Micky Horswill and Dale Roberts - all other players are given free transfers. Chris Chilton and Bobby Wilson are put in temporary charge of the team | |
|
Sat 15th May 1982 |
Don Robinson announced as principal shareholder of Hull City AFC & players out |
 |
Hull Daily Mail reports that Don Robinson will be the new majority shareholder of Hull City AFC after a long speculation. Described as a leisure business millionaire, Mr Robinson is announced by Christopher Needler - who also announces a plan to purchase Boothferry Park through a recreational foundation in memory of the late Harold Needler, former owner of Hull City. In the same day, City announce contracts will not be extended for Tony Norman, Billy Whitehurst and others | |
|
Tue 8th Jun 1982 |
Colin Appleton announced as new manager of Hull City |
 |
New chairman Don Robinson announces that Colin Appleton will be the new manager of the Tigers, coming in after a successful spell at Scarborough. | |
|
Sat 30th Apr 1983 |
Promotion from Tier 4 sealed at Sealand Road |
 |
After Don Robinson takes over, comes a rare highlight in the 1980s as City win promotion from Tier 4 with a 0-0 draw at Chester City. Colin Appletons men include notables such as Steve McClaren, Brain Marwood, Emlyn Hughes, Billy Whitehurst, Les Mutrie, Gareth Roberts and Peter Skipper | more info |
|
Tue 15th May 1984 |
Appleton resigns as manager |
 |
After City fail to secure promotion despite winning at Burnley, Colin Appleton resigns immediately after the match to take up a position at Swansea. City had been resident in the top 3 until January, but then slipped down to 4th place, losing out on promotion by just 2 goals | |
|
Mon 11th Jun 1984 |
Brian Horton accepts role as Player-Manager of Hull City |
 |
ex-Luton Town captain Brian Horton is named by chairman Don Robinson as the new player-manager of Hull City. Horton then pays his own way to fly to Florida, to watch City in action against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the Anglo-American cup and meet his new team | |
|
Sat 4th May 1985 |
Champagne flows as Tigers promoted to Tier 2 |
 |
Under the stewardship of player-manager Brian Horton and assistant Dennis Booth, City are promoted to Division 2 after an away win at Walsall, with two games to spare. Chairman Don Robinson celebrates before the following Home game against York City by handing out champagne to the City faithful in the stands. City just failed to seal promotion on the final day of the previous season under Colin Appleton, who then moved on to Swansea City | more info |
|
Fri 2nd May 1986 |
Last regular train leaves Boothferry Park Halt |
 |
After the club object to paying British Rail £200 per month to maintain Boothferry Park Halt, the platform is closed for safety reasons after the match against Brighton. Infrequent trains were run when the demand was higher (eg. local derbies and big Cup games) - but the very last of these was on September 16th 1989, when the club requested a train to take away some rowdy Leeds United fans. (The picture depicts loco `55013` passing through in 1979, 55019 was the highest attendance at BP) | |
|
Tue 12th Apr 1988 |
Brian Horton sacked |
 |
After a defeat by Swindon, Brian Horton is sacked as manager of Hull City. Despite announcing that he was experimenting with the team, and being given the support of Don Robinson - patience finally snapped after a poor defeat, and Horton was gone. | |
|
Mon 13th Jun 1988 |
ex-Leeds manager Eddie Gray appointed as new Manager |
 |