Hull were nearly relegated to League One last year. Now they are fourth in the Premier League.
S ixteen months ago Hull City avoided relegation to League One on goal difference. Four months ago, they needed a last-minute goal from Oli McBurnie at Wembley to win the Championship playoff final. Three weeks ago, when the pre-season predictions were published, they were tipped to threaten Derby County’s record of the worst ever points tally in the Premier League.
On Saturday night, they left Stamford Bridge third in the Premier League with eight points.
Hull will not be competing with Arsenal and Manchester City come the end of May.
To understand where they have come from, it is worth going back to the final day of the 2024-25 season in the Championship. Hull were in the bottom three and their whole campaign would come down to 90 minutes against Portsmouth at Fratton Park. Win and Hull were safe; draw and they needed other results to go their way; lose and it was League One.
A 1-1 draw, and Luton’s defeat to West Brom, preserved their status in the Championship, but only on goal difference.
Most sides look to rebuild after a campaign threatened by relegation, but a transfer embargo meant that the side that had scored the fewest goals in the league could not strengthen.
Given the speed and statistical improbability of their rise, you could blame the naysayers for wondering whether Jakirovic and Hull would struggle in the Premier League.
In the Premier League, it has fallen to 29.4%, the lowest.