Last minute goal from McBurnie
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Hull City is back in the Premier League after nine years and the interim drop into the third division. The Tigers narrowly beat Middlesbrough FC 1-0 (0-0) in the final of the Championship playoffs at Wembley Stadium. Striker Oli McBurnie scored the golden goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Hull City almost got relegated last season. It wasn’t until the last matchday that the club jumped up to 21st place thanks to a 1-1 draw at FC Portsmouth – tied on points with Luton Town, only the better goal difference decided it. A new coach, Sergej Jakirovic, was then brought in, who transformed the club from a candidate for relegation to a candidate for promotion. Also on the last matchday of this season, the Tigers moved up to sixth place in the playoffs with a 2-1 win against Norwich City.
The achievement is particularly remarkable because Hull City was banned from transferring last July due to financial irregularities and was only able to sign free transfer players or make loans. After a successful appeal shortly thereafter, those responsible can become active again in the next transfer window, subject to certain conditions.
The Championship playoff final is considered the most valuable game in the world. Promotion to the Premier League is expected to bring an estimated 230 million euros into the winner’s coffers. The duel received particular attention this year due to the “Spygate” incident. The actual final participant FC Southampton was excluded after he spied on the training of opponents Middlesbrough shortly before the semi-final and was caught. The Saints won the duel in the second leg 2-1 after extra time. Southampton’s exclusion was only official on Wednesday evening, which is why Hull City announced legal action in the event of a defeat in the final.
“We just want justice here. If justice is not served, no one will enjoy football anymore,” owner Acun Ilıcalı told the BBC. He questioned why the ban was not decided by the EFL earlier. The allegations were already in the air before the semi-final first leg. “If this action was so serious that it eliminated a team from the playoffs, why haven’t they already eliminated them from the semifinals and investigated?” In that case, seventh-placed AFC Wrexham, overtaken by Hull City, could have moved up. “For me it is an incredibly wrong decision to reinstate a team that has been eliminated – that is what our lawyers say and that is also their opinion,” emphasized Ilıcalı, who can now waive an objection.
