Hull City - Player by Player 2018/19

Hull City - Player by Player 2018/19

 

David Marshall - All comps 44 starts (0 subs) – 0 Goals

Marshall enjoyed his first spell as undisputed number one at City since Mike Phelan left. After struggling to justify his place pre-Jakupovic and looking shaky in his rare appearances since, we finally saw the best of him. He’s an experienced and agile shot-stopper but not a keeper who leaves his goal-line very often. He was worth a point or three on many occasions and was probably player of the first half of the season.

Future? Marshall is out of contract and leaving. He’s the most expensive goalkeeper we’ve ever bought and has wages to match. George Long was brought in to take over next season – and to get Sheffield united promoted apparently.

George Long – 5 (1) – 0 Goals

The heir apparent stepped in towards the end of the season to get himself accustomed to the role that will surely be his next season. Long is tall, athletic and confident. He kicks well and has the confidence of the manager. He’s not yet conceded a goal he looked responsible for so it will be interesting to see how he responds when that comes.

Future? He’s next season’s number one. The interesting question will be whether the management bring in a keeper to challenge him or whether Will Mannion or Callum Burton are given the opportunity to do so.

Eric Lichaj – 36 (4) – 0 Goals

One of my favourites. Lichaj was the best signing we made last summer and considering how well some of the others did (eventually) that’s a fair old compliment. An experienced US international right back, he was a bargain at £400,000 and didn’t need a minute to bed in. He’s proven versatile enough to also play left-back and as one of three centre halves. He defended superbly all season and got forward well from full back. Sadly he didn’t manage to score and after that sitter he missed against Preston, I’m not sure he ever will!

Future? He’s under contract for at least another year and we should be thinking about extending that already. He’d be captain next season for me.

Todd Kane – 38 (3) – 3 Goals

Kane arrived on loan from Chelsea as a right-back, played his initial games wide in midfield and would also play left-back and centre midfield. His versatility was more of a curse than a blessing as he struggled to nail down any particular position but injuries meant he was often in the team somewhere. His defensive work isn’t great but the gets forward well and chipped in with some goals including two brilliant strikes at West Brom.

Future? Kane is out of contract at Chelsea and approaching his 26^th birthday early next season. He desperately needs to find a permanent home and play week in, week out. It doesn’t look like that will be here.

Stephen Kingsley – 25 (2) – 0 Goals

I find Kingsley one of the more frustrating players in the squad. His injury record is worrying although 25 starts is a huge improvement on just 10 last season. Mid-season after a run of games, we saw the best of Kingsley who looked a terrific outlet down the left wing and whose defensive play improved with games and sharpness. When he’s in and out of the side with niggles, he looks sluggish and makes mistakes. Season highlight was his delightful run and cross for Irvine to open the scoring at Preston.

Future? Kingsley’s contract runs until next summer with the club holding a 1 year option. His injury record makes running with him at first choice a big risk but with such a huge turnover of players expected, it’s hard to see the club adding a left-back.

Brandon Fleming – 3 (3) – 0 Goals

It’s not quite been a breakthrough season for Fleming but an interesting introduction for him. Yet another home-grown left-back, he’s still only 19 and has plenty of time on his side. He’s quick, covers the ground well and can deliver a ball into the box. On the negative side, he’s small and susceptible to a big diagonal as we saw at Millwall in the Cup.

Future? He’s well tied up, contractually, until at least 2021. If the club run with just Kingsley ahead of him, opportunities are going to be plentiful next season. He won’t let anyone down and will improve further with games.

Reece Burke – 33 (2) – 0 Goals

When he came in from West Ham for (apparently) £500k up front, Burke looked a shrewd signing and despite some teething problems – that’s proven to be the case. He’s tall an athletic, eats up the ground and has improved the air. Although he looked a bit lightweight at first, he grew into the physical battles and barely put a foot wrong in months. He even had a go at playing right-back after Elphick came in and gave it everything despite looking a bit uncomfortable. Highlight was his terrific performance in the win over West Brom in November.

Future? We might get away with it because we go under the radar and our defensive record is poor overall but I’d be worried otherwise that someone would sniff around Burke. For his age and experience, he looks more assured than someone like Michael Turner did. Will be a pbig player next season.

Jordy De Wijs – 30 (2) – 1 Goal

Probably the hardest player to judge in the squad. For five or six games, he looked a calamitous signing. Adkins stood by him after some dreadful errors though and he started to show what he had. He’s outstanding in the air and has a decent left foot – though like Michael Dawson, it’s not as good as someone’s told him it is – and an incredible attitude. I still chuckle at Louis Moult throwing an elbow at him, bouncing off and hitting the floor. Despite being hard as nails, he’s prone to injuries which alongside the odd catastrophic error is his biggest downside. Delighted that he finally got off the mark with a thumping late header to beat Wigan.

Future? He and Burke look far better equipped to be a first choice defensive pairing next season. They compliment each other but the big worry is that they don’t play enough games so cover/competition is needed.

Robbie McKenzie – 13 (8) – 0 Goals

McKenzie is another proper local lad in the first team which everyone should take pride in. He’s played almost exclusively at centre half in the Championship which takes some doing and he’s done a terrific job. He’s young, not fully developed physically and naïve off the ball at times but he’ll only improve with games. Even more impressive is that his games for City’s youth sides have often come in midfield (where he played originally) and at right-back (of late) as well as centre-half so the position is one he’s still learning and doing so, well, at a high level.

Future? A great asset for the squad in the short-term, he could easily be a future, local, captain.

The Rest of the defence: Tommy Elphick (18 (0) – 1 Goal) was a great short-term signing for the first half of the season who sadly we can’t even dream of having back. Ondrej Mazuch (4 (3) – 0 Goals) has had a nightmare with injuries which is a shame because he looks good at times. He’ll be released this summer. Angus MacDonald (3 (0) – 0 Goals) has had awful look with illness and injury but has another year here. He’s never impressed to the level of Burke and De Wijs though. Liam Ridgewell (4 (3) – 0 Goals) has looked a pointless signing on the face of it but it’s hard to judge his influence in “the building” without being part of the squad. Another who will probably be released.

Markus Henriksen – 39 (0) – 2 Goals

This year’s skipper is often-maligned by some in the crowd – the current “boo boys favourite” if you prefer. We’re a poorer team without him, that’s clear to see. He’s not a defensive midfielder but he’s been employed there for most of the season and his guile has been important. He’s also found another level of aggression and stepped up as the leader of the group. He was as important as anyone in turning the season around and pushing for a play-off place. Off the field, he’s a very classy guy who’ll be a huge loss.

Future? Looks to be heading to France after missing out on a move in January. I’m not convinced we saw the best of him, certainly as an attacking player, but we’ll miss him.

Dan Batty – 24 (5) – 0 Goals

Batty’s a terrific young player who had much more involvement this year after making his debut at Brentford on the last day of last season. He’s tenacious and hard-working and has a tremendous range of passing. There were times when he looked knackered and Adkins took him out of the side wisely. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury and was a loss for the second half of the campaign. He’s another who will keep improving with confidence and fitness. There is more to come from him around the box too.

Future? He has another year on his contract which needs sorting this summer. He’s going to make waves next season as the big names move on and City need to protect a prized asset.

Jackson Irvine – 37 (2) – 6 Goals

A crucial player who we missed mid-season when he went to the Asian Cup. That couldn’t have come at a worse time after his form in December. He’s been used all over the midfield because he’s so valued that the manager will try to ensure he’s in the team, wherever that is. I prefer him playing in front of the midfield as he’s a goal threat and not a particularly good defensive midfielder but he’s so versatile that he dropped in when there where options like Evandro and Pugh, played wide before Grosicki came good and pushed on when others weren’t available. Was outstanding at Preston on Boxing Day.

Future? He’s another who is in with a good shout of being the next captain and another who might just attract a little interest. City have no need to sell but that’s never stopped us. Crucial, crucial, crucial.

Kevin Stewart – 19 (11) – 0 Goals

Stewart had a baffling season. After being a joke for the first year and a bit of his City career, he came good from November onwards and was an important player during the winning run in December. His City career turned around in 8 odd days in November when he was very poor against Crewe’s U23s one week and then superb against championship leaders Norwich the next and never looked back. Oddly fell out of favour after being the scapegoat for the Derby defeat and never really got back in.

Future? He looks important given Henriksen’s impending departure and his inclusion in the last couple of games of the season reflects that. Needs to produce week in, wee out what he showed last winter.

Kamil Grosicki – 35 (5) – 9 Goals

Ah, the enigma. Kamil had another summer where a transfer away from City was a case of when not if. Eventually a loan move to Turkey fell apart and he stayed but it wasn’t Wigan away in September that he played a part in a league game. He came into a faltering side in a tough run of fixtures and took a while to get up to speed but once he did, he and Jarrod Bowen started to blow away opposition defences. In the home win against West Brom in November, he was a one-man highlight reel and he continued that form throughout December and January. He makes a lot of goals but should score far more too. Nine isn’t a bad return but he only scored in six games (He got three braces) and that’s not indicative of the chances he created.

Future? He’s surely going this summer after four transfer windows of doubt and with the budget set to be cut in half. He earns a fortune for this level and we can’t afford to pay it. I’m glad he’s going out on a bit of a high because he’s always been a talent but was maligned for his attitude. He’s been a big part of the team this season and Adkins has managed him superbly.

Jarrod Bowen – 45 (1) – 22 Goals

This is the point I cry. I’ve watched Bowen playing for our young teams since he arrived from Hereford at 17 and watched him develop into a tremendous winger who scores goals for fun. He should have been around the first team long before he broke in at the end of Marco Silva’s reign and it seems crazy now that Greg Luer and Brian Lenihan got chances under Steve Bruce but Jarrod didn’t. He had an outstanding season last year and with the team struggling for the first 14 games and him chipping in only 4 goals, there was some suggestion that he wasn’t all that. Adkins left him out of the starting line-up at Sheffield United, the only thing stopping him being ever-present in the league, but quickly restored him. He worked hard even when things weren’t happening for him in front of goal but there was a lot of disruption as we tried to settle on a line-up and that didn’t help. Like others, his form since late October has been exceptional and if there was any question that he’s the real deal, that ended when he destroyed Leeds United, then top of the league, on their own patch.

Future? He’s going and for big, big money. It’s distressing to see us forced to sell a player we’ve identified and nurtured but he’s outgrown our ambition at this point.

Evandro – 14 (9) – 3 Goals

While he’s been at City, Evandro has had the same three seasons. Obviously competent. Flashes of brilliance. Mostly injured. This has clearly been his best and half his City league appearances have come this season. We have some highlights now, that strange volley at home to Villa that temporarily levelled, the comeback he sparked at home to Swansea, the destruction of Bolton and that fabulous volley at Villa that was one of the goals of the season.

Future? He’s also on his way. He’s old, expensive and injury prone. Brilliant though. So a shame we’ve never seen it regularly.

The Rest of the midfield: David Milinkovic (1 (10) – 0 Goals) was an interesting signing but neither his attitude nor ability warmed him to Adkins and he was very quickly dumped. Resurgence was fleeting. Marc Pugh (10 (4) – 3 Goals) was an excellent loan signing who took a little while to find a starting place but chipped in with some important, and excellent, goals. I don’t expect him to be back but he is available on a free. Jon Toral (1 (10) – 2 Goals) has had a season ruined by injury. Another who looks good in flashes but nowhere near enough. He’s a Poundland Evandro at this point. Max Sheaf (0 (3) – 0 Goals) is a tall, tidy all-action midfielder who has just been given a taste of things this season. We’ll see more of him next year.

Fraizer Campbell – 31 (8) – 12 Goals

We waited ten years to see Fraizer in black and amber again but despite a few goals, it just wasn’t the same last season. He never looked fit and was in and out. It would have been gutting for that to be the lasting memory of him at City. This season has put paid to that with him back to his vibrant best, harassing defenders, leading the line and playing with a smile on his face. His goals have been those of an experienced poacher for the most part, sniffing chances and punishing errors but his volley at home to Sheffield Wednesday was a beauty. His link up play has been outstanding, particularly his through balls for our brilliant wingers.

Future? It’s crazy after the season he’s had but I think this is the end. He came in after relegation on a good wage and the club not taking up his extra year option was telling. It’s such a shame because he’s back to his best, clever, experienced and a wonderful influence.

Chris Martin – 16 (15) – 2 Goals

Martin was a deadline day loan signing from Derby who has had rough couple of years. That told in his demeanour with his general lack of confidence shining through. He wasn’t bad though and proved an effective foil for the wide players. Some of his link up play was nice but he’s not particularly a big target-man and has lost a yard of pace. There were times when he played instead of Campbell and it was indefensible. His season was probably summed up by finally scoring his first goal in the rout of Bolton and then smashing against the bar with the goal gaping minutes later.

Future? Returns to Derby and we never see him again I suspect.

The Rest of the attack: Nouha Dicko (4 (15) - 2 Goals) has spent a couple of months out in the cold with Adkins preferring others to him even on the bench. At present, he's the only senior striker likely to be a City player next season. Will Keane (3 (7) – 0 Goals) started one league game this season which was the impressive win at Leeds. I’m still not sure why and he disappeared out on loan to Ipswich days later. He scored three times for Ipswich which is three times more than he scored for City. His contract is up and he’s surely done too. Keane Lewis-Potter (0 (1) – 0 Goals) made his first appearance as a sub at Millwall in the cup. He’s a cracking little striker who was rewarded for his hard work and goals in the U18s and U23s with a first team appearance. He’s only just turned 18 and while he has pace, he’s small and needs to develop. He’s one for the future without doubt.

Hull City: The last good times?

The last fifteen years have been the best in Hull City’s history despite battles off the pitch between fans and our horrible owners of late. 

The resurgence kickstarted by Adam Pearson and Peter Taylor (soon to be immortalised in Richard Gardham’s book The Decade) taken to the next level, somewhat dubiously, by Paul Duffen and Phil Brown and then topped by The Allam Family thanks to Steve Bruce has seen the club reach levels we could only dream of as we stared relegation from the football league in the face 20 years ago. 

Promotion from Division 3 (now League Two) in 2004, going straight through League One in 2005, Play-off final wins at Wembley in 2008 and 2016, automatic promotion to the Premier League in 2013, playing in the FA Cup Final in 2014, a cup of coffee in the Europa league later that year. You all know the story. From oblivion in 2001 to facing Arsenal with the eyes of the world on us in 2014. A fairy story. A dream.

Well wake up, sunshine. It’s almost over. Unless Nigel Adkins and his players can pull off a miracle in the last 7 games of the season and make (and win) the play-offs, the future for City looks gloomy. It has been coming. Gates have dropped alarmingly since the abandoning of concessions and closure of the West Upper Stand at the KCOM Stadium and at a faster pace with every drop of enjoyment and ambition being squeezed out of the club. That Nigel Adkins somehow has the team competing in the top half of the Championship is miraculous but in no small part due to the few players still left from the Premier League days.

Those players, particularly Kamil Grosicki, Jarrod Bowen, Markus Henriksen and David Marshall are almost certainly going this summer. Grosicki, Bowen and Henriksen are too good to stay and too valuable to the Allams. No doubt their sale will be justified as “lowering” the scandalously high asking price the gruesome twosome hold over the club. Marshall is going because his wages are a throwback to a very recent but bygone age. The same is true of Evandro and Fraizer Campbell while Ondrej Mazuch, James Weir, Will Keane and Liam Ridgewell will surely go too along with loanees Todd Kane, Chris Martin and Marc Pugh.

That makes a potential 13 departures from a squad that is already weak and is without factoring any interest in the impressive Reece Burke, Jackson Irvine, Eric Lichaj and Daniel Batty or the chance sof cutting losses on the unimpressive Nouha Dicko, Jon Toral and David Milinkovic.

So how bad are things going to get? Every indicator suggests that City will have a bottom six, maybe bottom four, budget and squad for next season and that survival in the Championship will be a fantastic achievement for Nigel Adkins. Oh wait, that’s if Nigel Adkins is still the manager given that he too is out of contract and impressing potential suitors.

In 2016 City spent £13m on Ryan Mason. In early 2017, they spent £7m on Kamil Grosicki and signed the likes of Andrea Ranocchia, Oumar Niasse and Lazar Markovic on loan from Inter Milan, Everton and Liverpool respectively. Two years later they’ll be scouring Leagues One and Two, the Scottish Premier League and the reject bins from the Championship hoping to find players no-one else wants.

Photo: Hull Daily Mail

That in itself isn’t the end of the world. It’s a massive comedown and it will put paid to the support of some of the “less-hardcore” fans. But it’s a position many clubs are in and a trip into League One isn’t beneath a club of our size. The real kicks in the teeth are that it’s utterly needless, caused by the spite of the Allams in response to their failed rebrand, and its playing out amidst their refusal to fix the problems they’ve caused by removing concessions and chucking long-term supporters out of the parts of the ground they’ve inhabited since we moved from Boothferry Park.

For a club that is probably going to need all the help it can get in three months’ time, the way it is run has to change. Not in terms of finance - that’s always at the owners discretion in my book – but in the way it treats the players, staff and fans. The lack of communication is ridiculous. The lack of concessions unforgivable. And the lack of humility is driving the club off a cliff edge at a rate of Knotts.

Hull City 2 Stoke 0: Rick's Match Report

I hate playing Stoke. I’ve only seen us beat them once since 1992. There was another very memorable win in the league but given I didn’t go and missed Myhill’s brilliance that day, it doesn’t count. After a quiet end to the transfer window and a disappointing end to our unbeaten run last week, the visit of a bit of a bogey team and the absence of three centre halves made this one hell of a test.

City: Marshall, Kane, Kingsley, Lichaj, McKenzie, Henriksen, Stewart, Bowen (Milinkovic), Irvine, Grosicki (Pugh), Campbell (Martin).

The first half was drab. And that might be an over-statement. A real scrap between a team lacking the confidence to commit to attack given the makeshift defence and one looking confused by their change of manager and changes in personnel.

Stoke signed Sam Vokes for £7m on transfer deadline day and that put the fear of god into some City fans with our stand-in centre halves but Adkins countered it by pushing Lichaj and McKenzie up high – to half way at times – accepting that Vokes wouldn’t run them and he wouldn’t then be a target for long balls. It came undone once, when McLean ran off Kane early but otherwise, it worked beautifully although it contributed to the scrap in midfield with a lack of space and time.

As I found myself getting annoyed by the linesman’s inability to tell if the ball was in or out of play in front of the West Stand, I realised sod all was happening in the game. Lichaj and McKenzie were doing a great job of standing up to their threat and the midfield harried and blocked led by Kevin Stewart who has undergone the biggest transformation since Eric ate a banana. He’s physically stronger, he’s making quick decisions and he’s passing the ball like the player I saw running games for Liverpool’s U23s three years ago.

City improved as half time approached and Stoke were warned as Bowen met Grosicki’s brilliant deep corner and headed into the side netting. On 43, Kane was tripped by Martins Indi. The free kick was just outside the area, ten yards to the right of the D. It was just too wide to hit and the wall wasn’t far enough back. It needed something miraculous and it got it as Bowen stepped up and whipped it over the wall and inside the post. Magnificent. 1-0.

Typical City time as half the crowd rushed off to get the beers in and the rest stood basking in the glow of Bowen’s brilliance. Kingsley fouled Vokes innocuously and handed Stoke and immediate equaliser. Or he would have if David Marshall’s trailing foot hadn’t booted away Vokes soft penalty. I’m pretty sure that’s the first time a City keeper has saved a penalty against Stoke. Bound to be.

This was a depleted City team in defence facing a side who’ve just spent over £10m this week on Danny Batth and Vokes. If the quality they possess wasn’t obvious, their subs warming up at half time included £12m signing Afobe, £12m signing Berahino, £10m signing Ince, £6.5m signing Ryan Woods (a player I really like) and long-serving captain Ryan Shawcross.

For all that investment, they only threatened once in the second half. Lichaj was penalised for a good tackle. The free kick was chipped into the box, Henriksen went up with Batth and the ball looped off one of them, over Marshall and back into the keeper’s arms off the post. A deserved let off. At the other end Grosicki wasted a very good break and then led another charge lofting a cross up that Campbell volleyed into the side netting. The value of Grosicki and Bowen became obvious as the game stretched with their pace exploiting the space behind Stoke. Campbell was a nuisance for the whole game too. He ran himself into the ground, chased lost causes, battered defenders, upset the keeper and annoyed the ref. We’ve missed him.

Stoke put Tom Ince on for Bojan who’s key contribution had been his little signals before corners. I could only decipher that holding two arms aloft means “put it on Bowen’s head” and holding the ball in the air means “play a short one that Kingsley will intercept”. My favourite moment for the visitors though was when Etebo, who might be the worst player I’ve seen all season, sprinted to get the ball so they could take a throw in quickly only to pass the ball into the front row of the West Stand with his mate looking on aghast.

Ex-Tiger Ince had no impact on the game but got himself a great view of City doubling the lead. A nice move out from the back, left to right, eventually found Bowen, he put his foot down and burst at them, slid the ball in the channel for Campbell and he squared for Grosicki who just cantered into the box and knocked the ball in off the far post. 2-0.

Stoke made two more subs and needn’t have bothered. City made three to kill time. Ashley Williams got a booking for getting fed up of Campbell and slamming an arm in his face. Kane got the stadium MOTM award. It was Kevin Stewart for me closely followed by Lichaj and McKenzie. All three were tremendous.

This was the best result of the season in the circumstances and given the opposition. A tactical challenge won and a midfield battle conquered. It leaves City four points off the play-offs. It’s going to be extraordinarily hard to break into the top six. Not only do you have to overhaul the expensively assembled sides like WBA, Middlesbrough and Derby but there are other teams like ours, Bristol City and Blackburn, who are giving it a real go and are in tremendous form. Last week was a reality check. We just need to enjoy being closer to the top than the bottom, enjoy the improvement in our players and the trust placed in young players by our manager. Then what will be, will be.

Hull City: Nigel Adkins Anniversary ... Bring a board game

It has been a year (and four days) since Nigel Adkins took charge of Hull City for the first time in the wake of Leonid Slutsky’s sacking. The once happy, affable Slutsky wilted under a bad run of form and his time ended after a 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday with a hooded Adkins standing behind him holding a scythe.

"Nigel Adkins is having a party, bring your scrabble, and your shandy"

Slutsky was a brave appointment. Britain’s first ever Russian manager, a man of great pedigree having managed CSKA Moscow and the Russian national team. Unfortunately, a lack of support from our disinterested owners turned the relationship very sour, very quickly and while Slutsky’s team played with some style - they were defensively vacant. Slutsky had to cope with a depleted squad following relegation from the Premier League and replacements were signed too late and with little thought. The malaise that set in over a year earlier at the club went into overdrive during Slutsky’s reign. He never had a chance.

Adkins had to have witnessed it all having seemingly bought a membership at the KCOM that summer (making the total number sold = 1) so when he stepped in for the visit of Brentford last December ago, he assured he’d get little sympathy if the same issues that had haunted Slutsky played out again.

Adkins managed Scunthorpe and Southampton with distinction but following his harsh sacking by Saints had poor spells at Reading and Sheffield United. Those hard times didn’t affect his confidence or his irritating chirpiness. He arrived at City having turned his personality up to full “David Brent”.

Adkins recognised the defensive deficiency of the City squad, although so did Theresa May and she couldn’t manage a piss up in an Atom Brewery. City had been free-scoring under Slutsky and the goals dried up but so did the goals against with City conceding less than a goal a game in Adkins’ first ten in charge compared to almost two per game under Leonid. Despite that performances, particularly away from home, continued to range from average to downright abysmal with the capitulations at Bolton and Sunderland being particular lowlights.

Adkin’s post-match interviews have made him a figure of fun but the most baffling may have come after that abysmal performance at the Stadium of Light when he expressed his surprise at the performance because of how well the players warmed up. Fans spent the next few months gauging the pre-match preamble for clues as to whether it worth hanging around or best to head back to Princes Avenue for a pint in the warmth.

Ten days later, City drew 0-0 at home to Leeds United’s U12s. With the transfer window having closed with City signing only a cheap centre-half and a winger on loan, Adkins bemoaned the fact that the team put 47 crosses into the box without reward. I’m not sure whether he’d had a bang on the head and imagined the signing of a big striker or whether training that week consisted of Fraizer Campbell practicing headers while sitting on Nouha Dicko’s shoulders like some freaky pantomime act but quite what Adkins thought 47 crosses was going to achieve is anyone’s guess. Maybe he just got a “Best of Brendan Rodgers” tape for Xmas.

City avoided relegation from the Championship comfortably thanks do a very good Spring with the loan-signing of Harry Wilson proving inspired and a fit-again Abel Hernandez and interested-again Kamil Grosicki showing their quality. The brilliant 4-3 comeback win over Norwich, 3-0 win at Ipswich, 5-0 demolition of Burton on a tremendous evening at the Pirelli Stadium and crazy 5-5 draw at Bristol City were particular highlights.

There was little cause for optimism though as Hernandez and Michael Dawson were amongst eight first team players out of contract and the signs suggested that even home-grown Max Clark, perma-injured Moses Odubajo and Seb Larsson – who didn’t even have a club until the previous September – wouldn’t be staying. The club made no effort to keep David Meyler – the last man-standing from the most successful period in the club’s history under Steve Bruce. Everything pointed towards another summer of cost-cutting, bargain-hunting and beating the life out of a previously happy manager. Adkins saw the writing on the wall. Or he should have. He could have taken his own advice after telling Matt Dean in April “If you can’t do the maths, go and learn the maths”. WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?

The summer passed as everyone could have predicted. Three loan players from Chelsea and Harry Wilson went back to their clubs and eight senior players left at the end of their contracts. Reinforcements were on loan like Todd Kane, cheap foreigners like Jordy De Wijs and David Milinkovic, low cost up-front like Reece Burke or, in fairness, an utter bargain like Eric Lichaj. Business was done earlier than usual and Kamil Grosicki wasn’t sold as expected while on deadline day, the experienced Tommy Elphick and Chris Martin came in loan to somewhat salvage the situation. 

It still left Adkins with a threadbare looking squad and that’s been proven since with the involvement of many youngsters from the club’s U23 squad filling the bench or - in the case of Robbie McKenzie and Brandon Fleming – joining the now established Jarrod Bowen and Daniel Batty in the first team.

The season has been a predictable struggle. City won just 2 of the first 14 Championship games. As much as Adkins is dealing with a bad hand – it isn’t as bad as 2 wins in 14. Considering no-one was excited about his arrival in the first place, except himself of course, he throws a party if he finds a blue smartie, he was lucky to survive such a terrible start to the season. There are extenuating circumstances considering the squad he has been left with – one that can’t afford the odd injury or carry any player who is having a bad day (slash season, slash career) but that all comes full circle to the owners who have long since thrown their toys out of the pram and Adkins knew all about that before he begged for the job.

We’ll never know, given the silence of the Allams (geddit?), whether they had faith in Adkins or they just don’t care, but there were signs of improvement despite defeats at Sheffield United and Bristol City and that has been borne out with three wins and three draws from the last seven games. Two clean sheets in three home games suggest defensive improvement but that last three away games have an average score of 8-7 which utterly belies that! There are signs of stability though with City fairly set on a system now, with three hard working forwards, and players stepping in to cover who look like they’re close to the level of the players they are replacing.

With no sign of the rumoured takeover happening, there is no optimism that the club’s downward spiral will end any time soon. Fans are absent in their thousands. More players will leave in the summer at the end of their contracts (David Marshall, Evandro, Markus Henriksen, Ondrej Mazuch, Will Keane and James Weir are up while the club have an option on Campbell). The words “transfer window” have been crossed off the calendar in Adkins’ office. Any other manager would be ground down by the situation. Fortunately for Adkins, he’s perpetually chippy, and sees this as the start of establishing stability at the club (don’t say “strong and stable”, don’t say “strong and stable”).

For context, I asked fans on Twitter what the thought of Adkins first year and his prospects. 52% (of 453 votes) felt he could have done a better job. However, 56% (of 598 votes) would keep him as manager if a takeover happened. I think that sums up my feelings too. I do agree that results and performances could have been better when you compare our squad, depleted as it is, to those we are coming up against.

Yet considering the recent improvement and the overall lack of backing, I also think it would be harsh not to give him a few months after a new broom has swept the club clean of Allam stink.