Thursday 2 April 2015 17:34, UK
Hull owner Assem Allam has earned the right to press ahead with his plans to rename the club Hull Tigers, according to manager Steve Bruce.
Allam had his initial name-change proposal rejected by the Football Association 12 months ago, with the FA council voting against it by 47 votes to 27.
But Hull have now formally appealed the decision and are understood to be hoping to have the decision overturned in time for the beginning of next season.
Speaking at his press conference ahead of Hull's game at Swansea on Saturday, Bruce said: "To be perfectly honest, as I've said repeatedly, the owner knew weeks ago that he had the right to challenge the appeal and he wanted to just go quiet on it.
"There’s no disputing his views have not changed (regarding the name change). That’s the kind of man he is so we have to respect those views. For what he has done for the club – and I say this repeatedly – he’s put it on the map a little bit and he’s put his hard earned money so he’s entitled to have his opinion.
"Now you are going to get some, and we’re all traditionalists, that will be opposed to it but hopefully there is a middle ground where everybody can find a solution. I think at the moment we put it to one side and make sure that Hull City/Hull Tigers are going to be in the Premier League next year and we can have that debate in the summer."
Hull are three places and three points away from safety, but their survival hopes have been boosted by the return to fitness of Mo Diame who has been out with a knee injury.
"He will be involved,” Bruce revealed. “Physically he's immense, he's terrific, but he has been out for four months with a horrible injury.
"He's okay but we have to careful with him, though we also only have eight games left. Let's hope he stays injury-free because he had a wonderful start with us here - four goals in seven games.
"He has trained and he has done everything he can physically in training. I would have loved to have had him back before but it was not possible.
“In the last few weeks we have played well but we have not got the results we hoped for. Now we have to make sure we turn those performances into points."
