Grant McCann full of praise for Hull’s owners after securing promotion

Posted Sunday, April 25, 2021 by PA

Grant McCann thanked Hull’s under-fire owners for their support after the Tigers clinched promotion back to the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-1 win at Lincoln.

Knowing victory would ensure automatic promotion, Josh Magennis volleyed the visitors into the lead after four minutes.

Lewis Montsma levelled for the Imps 20 minutes into the second half and the game was in the balance going into the closing stages.

But a foul by Lincoln right-back Regan Poole on substitute Tom Eaves resulted in a penalty which was converted by Mallik Wilks seven minutes from time.

Lincoln hit a post through Brennan Johnson late on but the Tigers held on, with the final whistle triggering jubilant scenes amongst the travelling players and staff.

Hull’s owners, the Allams, are not popular figures among fans, but boss McCann paid tribute to them as he toasted the club’s return to the second tier.

“I’m over the moon for everybody at the football club, particularly for Assem and Ehab (Allam) for their backing of me in the summer. So I thank them for that,” McCann said.

“My staff and the players have been outstanding, it’s been a real team effort.

“The players have taken hit upon hit and criticism upon criticism when they have lost games, and they’ve responded.

“It’s been a tough season, particularly without having any fans in the ground and it’s a shame they weren’t there today to witness that.

“Hopefully sometime soon we can get together and have a proper party.

“For us today, we’re just delighted to get over the line. I made a real point to the players at the hotel about concentrating on the performance.

“I knew, deep down, it was all about the win, and we’ve done it. I couldn’t be more proud of everybody.”

The result ended Lincoln’s faint hopes of automatic promotion, although they remain well-placed to secure a play-off spot.

Imps boss Michael Appleton was pleased with the performance, despite the result.

“Obviously the result was disappointing but I thought the performance was excellent,” he said.

“For large periods of the game, I thought we were dominant. We had them pinned back in their own half, around their own box.

“It was frustrating to lose. I couldn’t see us losing the game. I could see them hanging on for a point.

“The way we lost – and the manner we lost – was a bit of a killer. A lack of concentration from Regan but he’ll be fine, that won’t affect him too much.”

For the first goal, Magennis had his foot high as he beat Montsma to the ball.

“The first goal, it is a high foot and in a lot of games they do get turned over,” added Appleton. “But I would have been disappointed had it been chalked off for a foul, so I can’t complain too much.

“For the second goal, there’s a rush of blood (from Poole), it’s a little bit school-boyish.”