Daniel Storey has been nominated for Writer of the Year at the Football Supporters’ Association Awards 2024. You can cast your vote here . A while after West Brom’s first goal went in, enough time to allow the away end to quieten down and the bad news to settle in, a ripple of applause moved around Hull City’s MKM Stadium.
The participants understood that their team needed support, but a full-throated roar felt deeply misplaced given the events of the previous week. Behind one stand, a thick mist hung over Hymers College and Sculcoates beyond it. It felt strangely akin to this half vote of confidence: a sleepy reaction to a sleepy team on a sleepy Sunday.
There is a marked difference between the sounds and behaviour of home and away supporters of the same team, even among those who do both. The miles and the money tend to bring with them a stronger bond and greater patience, a “we’ll support you ever more”, “we’re all on the road together” mindset that temporarily places players and clubs on a more equal footing. It comes with a flipside.
Managers can typically survive some unrest at home, where boos are more likely. But when the away supporters turn, the impact is more visceral because they do so en masse. That is why I arrived in Hull at 11am on a Sunday.
I heard Hull City supporters turn several days earlier and I knew what it might mean. Let the rubbernecking commence. This soap opera became supercharged a fortnight ago when Tim Walter , Hull City’s Ge.