The closed season's sands of time have all but ran out as our first game of the 2025 2026 hove's into view in the shape of Coventry City away at the CBS Arena at the weekend and for most of us the season can't get started quick enough.

As what seems to have become the norm with City is that we never seem to run smoothly on or off the pitch. There's always a drama and this summer was no different. Another season end and another sacking as we saw the second manager of the season get his marching orders (Selles) after we narrowly escaped relegation followed by yet another unknown managerial appointment, Sergej Jakirovic and the third manager under Acun Illicali with zero EFL or Prem experience under their belt starting with his initial appointment Alveradze who replaced incumbent Grant McCann and Walters after Liam Rosenior was released after a 7th placed finish and the best season our Turkish owner has seen to date.

Yes the jury is out on Jakirovic but a very healthy pre season has garnered positive interest from the City Faithful but has yet further work to do to convince the unfaithful and it's looking like only a string of Ws will address any doubters and confirmation to those of us who have our fingers crossed, Acun has found our saviour. 6th Manager Lucky? We'll see.

Obviously the biggest blow was Acun's "Financial Admin error". A fiscal misdemeanour involving outstanding payments to Aston Villa which the EFL took great interest in and slapped us hard in the face with a fee related transfer embargo and salary cap. This happened after we managed to sign 2 players and all the wheels stopped turning, cogs ground to a halt and meetings fell apart while our "brain team" became a "brain freeze" only there was no ice cream to enjoy. Just more woe.

Now at this point Sergej, our brand spanking new Bosnian manager who hadn't even laid out his desk, let alone put his feet under it must have thought "what have I done?" while the ink was still wet on the 2 year contract. Only players he had was the handful of players that were clearly no good to improve the clubs situation and worse we lost some good loan players, namely Gelhardt who was recalled back to Leeds Utd. The situation couldn't be much worse. Yes it could. We then loaned out Jacob, a promising left back, loaned out Burstow who looked good in pre season and sold Jones a solid left back. Yes fine in a normal situation but not being allowed to sign anyone seemed madness.

Fans understandably started to get a bit more vocal questioning Acun's ability to run Hull City and even his focus questioned because not only did he take his eye off the ball with Hull City he had previously bought a majority share holding in Shelbourne Utd in Dublin, Became Chairman of Fenerbahçe in Turkey and even went hunting for a club in Slovenia and many assumed we were nothing more than a trinket English club to show off within social circles.

Thankfully, all this tinkering has now stopped (or appears to have stopped) as all other football activity outside Hull City is no longer a distraction.

Back onto the Embargo and the EFL pulling all the strings. Sergej had no choice other than to look inward at our developing players and it has paid off unearthing a few gems, Sellars-Flemming and Brown are two stand outs and a Harry Vaughn who is a far better player than he was this time a year ago. As at the time of writing we are still waiting for a complete reprieve of any transfer or salary restrictions and somehow we've still managed to sign 8 players with others incoming. And not just any players. Players with some drive, power and quality such as Ajayi, Lundstram, Akintola and a blistering twinkle toed winger in Ndala who looks to be a Philogene MkII.

So how? Well, that's probably down to a smart appointment by Acun. Hodges our recruitment manager and Jared Dublin, Ops manager will have been working overtime to firefight the transfer situation. It's their outstanding professionalism behind the scenes that have half wiped out the frustration and misery from the fans faces to one of hope and renewed belief. I saw many comments when the embargo news came out and the mood was one of relegation. Now I've even seen some saying top 6. Personally I think a strong mid table finish is the most likely given this is arguably the third complete rebuild under Acun and one he MUST get right.

Acun is a risk taker, He admits he likes a punt and doesn't do half measures. He's in or he's out. His involvement with all the other clubs (IMO) was a lesson to him that although he means well there's are only so many skittles you can juggle before you start dropping them and Hull City has taken a lot of his time and money and in too deep, I'm pretty sure he wants a return on both £££££s and to reach his goal as quickly but as responsibly as he can. Premiership and European football. He's a showman. Loves the footlights as well as the spotlights and would love to parade City around as another one of his success stories alongside his TV channels and TV shows world wide.

We seem to have turned a corner so hope Acun has learned from a huge learning curve with his final piece of the jigsaw is lowered into place . Sergej Jakirovic who looks the strong silent type with a bit of menace about him.

No doubt the roller coaster ride will continue but for now we are in a far better place than we were, the mood is more upbeat, hope returned, over 15K memberships sold, a blinding shirt design for both home and away kits, rail seating installed, some very promising signings and all we have to do now, is take our seats and watch the action unfold.

In the wise words of John Lundstram & Oli McBurnie.

"UP THE F****N' TIGERS"