World Soccer Season Preview

Last updated : 29 August 2008 By Andy Beill
1) Last season was...
our most successful ever. It all came together in the second half of the season and we broke into the top 6 in March. From there on we were focused on automatic promotion but just missed out. Victory at Wembley in the play-off final more than made up for it.

2) This season will be...
our first in the Premier League. The false claims that Hull is the biggest city in Europe never to have a top flight team (census figures show bigger cities in Germany and Russia) will finally stop now we've made it there. Who knows how tough we'll find it, but at the moment we're as happy as can be!

3) Our biggest hero...
Dean Windass. Hull-born forward we released as a youngster, then re-signed to carry us through the early 1990s. His sale for financial reasons in '95 led to relegation to Division Three for City, and spells in the Scottish and English Premier Leagues for him. We brought him back in January '07 to save us from relegation yet again, and a year later he scores the almost unbelievable winner at Wembley to take us up. As close to "hero" as a footballer gets.

4) Our biggest villain...
We're too joyous to hold any grudges... Well there is David Mellor, who says our promotion damages the credibility of the Premier League. And Trevor Brooking, who as SportEngland Chair refused us funds for a stadium as big as 25,000. Then there's always Ken Bates...

5) Our best terrace chant last season was...
"You're Welsh and you know you are" to our California-born, ex-England youth Boaz Myhill after making his Wales debut