Friday 12 September 2014 15:59, UK
Manager Steve Bruce insists life at Hull City will continue as usual, despite revelations about the club being put up for sale.
Owner Assem Allam announced on Thursday that he put Hull on the market on April 10, less than a day after the Football Association Council rejected his proposals to rename the team Hull Tigers.
An appeal has since been launched by the Egyptian, who will stay in charge if the Court of Arbitration rules in his favour.
Bruce has played down the negative impact of this period of uncertainty and suggested that Allam will only push through with the sale as a last resort.
"Deep down I know for a fact he doesn't really want to sell it but he feels that passionately about it (the Tigers rebrand) that we have to respect it," said Bruce.
"I think for all of us here nothing has really changed, he's just reiterated his beliefs.
"So for me it's business as usual. It's been hanging around us now for six months.
"There were all sorts of rumours flying around that he'd already sold it and we all know the situation now. Let's get on with playing football and waiting for the CAS decision because I think that's going to be months away from what I can gather."
The Tigers row raged throughout last season, but did not prove a major distraction as the team reached the FA Cup final as well and a best ever league position.
Supporters' group City Till We Die led protests against the name change and Bruce hopes for a resolution in the near future.
"We're all a little bit wary in this country of change because we're all huge traditionalists and so am I," he said.
"But he (Allam) feels passionately that the club can move forward with a name change and that you have to respect. And of course the one thing we have to do when there is an argument is respect both sides.
"In England we are wary of change, but I never thought 20-odd years ago that the big clubs would break away from the Football League and create the Premier League. I never thought Arsenal would leave Highbury and play at the Emirates.
"It's a difficult situation I find myself in always, but we all want one thing: for the club to get bigger and better and succeed.
“I hope the supporters will respect that there is an argument going on and find a middle ground."
