On with the show

Well here we are at last. Just over a month before the newly promoted Tigers face off against the mighty Chelsea on City's opening day of the Premiership. Back where we belong? I don't think we've quite earned ownership of a place in what could arguably be stated as the best league in the world but it seems we are becoming a regular visitor, due, in no small part to Steve Bruce and most certainly, the Allams. From a fans perspective, this seasons place amongst the elite seems very different from the last time Hull City graced the premiership. There appears to be a quiet confidence which I put down to the back room staff's determination to keep everybody's feet (football boot donned or not) firmly on the ground with a focus on a long term tenureship which can only be achieved by level headed thinking, calm and calculated decisions and most importantly…Stability. The Allam's seemed to have set their stall out pretty prominently on that score. During City's last roller coast ride in the Premiership looping around the likes of Arsenal and Spurs with dips at Liverpool and against Everton, with tight banks against Man United, stomach in mouth swerves through games at Chelsea and West Ham we were really gripping the seat in front of us, every last man and woman knowing that City's life in the top flight was ultimately unsustainable but what a ride it was. This did no more than whet every city supporters' appetite for more of the same but next time it had to be different somehow. And I believe it is. Hull City are not making the same noises that Phil Brown voiced during his bottled sun tan reign but instead Steve Bruce, under orders of a tight but manageable budget is quietly going about his business looking at less than star studded signings and playing the transition between divisions very low key as City's first competition game against Chelsea is all but upon us. Do the fans expect us to win?...At one time, fuelled by blind faith and hysterical optimism we would have screamed "yeah easy…eight nil". This time round…it's a more conservative "Probably not" but City, I believe are building for the long haul. If we can just peg away with a focus on finishing at the top of the bottom third of the table then any top scalp would be a bonus and survival would take care of itself. What we don't want at last game of the season (not that we would under Bruce and the Allams I'm sure) is to get beat and then to suffer the cringing indignation and embarrassment of our manager running onto the pitch and start singing out of tune…"We are staying up…I said we are staying up"….Urgh!...Remember that? So here's to a long hard but sustainable and enjoyable life in the Premiership.