What promotion would mean for Hull, Bolton and Salford
Wembley offers only one prize, but the stakes stretch far beyond football. Huw Davies, Sam Parry and Matt Watts write on why one result could change everything for three very different clubs.
Hull
Huw Davies
Firstly, if you’ll forgive the flippancy, promotion would be a satisfying middle finger to Hull’s doubters. After many – myself included – predicted pain, they’ve spent all season having their wins dismissed as either freakish or fun but unsustainable (funsustainable), then their play-off final preparations heavily disrupted. Even now, some are gloomily/gleefully saying they’ll break Derby’s record low points tally if promoted to the Premier League, having glanced at xG data without important context:
Undeniably, though, they would need a busy summer. Hull’s mish-mash squad has some underrated players but few who’d fit right into the world’s most brutally unforgiving division.
