Hull City

You got to give it to Hull City haven't you? Up until this season and for 103 years Hull was the largest English city never the have had a team play in the countries top tier. Now, I'm not a great lover of Hull, it's bloody grim up there but credit where credit's due those northern monkeys must be on cloud nine at the moment.

Just 10 years ago Hull just managed to avoid relegation from the old fourth division to the conference. In 2000 under Brian Little they had the baliffs close their old ground Boothferry Park with bankruptcy seemingly around the corner. In 2001 a takeover by former Leeds director Adam Pearson settled the ship and he ploughed considerable money into the club. Brian Little was sacked and replaced by Jan Molby, a big name and a big belly. He was the hot ticket that Pearson wanted but after just a few months with City struggling in Division 3, he was sacked and replaced by Peter Taylor, who had left Brighton bemoaning financial constraints. Hull had a bit of money.

Taylor took the helm just as the Tigers moved out of the dreary Boothferry Park and into the KC Stadium (named after sponsors Kingston Communications). The next season Taylor got Hull promoted from the old Div 3 to the old Div 2 (now League One) finishing 2nd. Then Taylor did it again with another runners up spot to take Hull into the Championship for the first time since 1990.

Taylor achieved stability in his first season in the Championship and finished 18th, then Taylor made a mistake he will live to regret - he buggered off to Crystal Palace. the now Charlton assistant manager Phil Parkinson took over, spent a lot of money but struggled. Pearson showed again he would not accept failure and sacked Parkinson.

But this time he erred away from choosing a big name and persuaded Phil Brown to leave Big Sam's side at Bolton and take his first management job. This was in December 2006. Brown brought back ex-player Dean Windass and together they kept Hull up.

Last summer in a move that has been a huge factor in Hull's success, Brown brought in ex-manager Brian Horton as his number two and last season against the odds they made the play-offs and won promotion. Also last summer Adam Pearson, who had done so much for the club and community decided to sell up to Paul Duffen, who had made his money in the media.

Hull was the 3rd club that Duffen and his consortium tried to buy after West Ham and Cardiff. Duffen plays a much more behind the scenes role than Pearson did, but he sat and watched Hull win the play-off's at Wembley and has backed Phil Brown with a fair bit of cash this season, although what they have achieved so far deserves serious credit.

And where did Adam Pearson go? To take over Derby County last autumn, the team that went down with record points, and had their place taken by.... Hull City of course!

Interesting fact: Hull already have 3 more points than Derby got during the whole of last season.