Hull have issued a statement accusing the Football Association of “prejudice” in the way it has handled the club’s bid to be renamed “Hull Tigers.”
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Hull owner Assem Allam is determined to rebrand the club and in December a formal application was made to alter the name from next season, but the FA announced on Monday that its Membership Committee had recommended that the application be rejected.
The rebranding attempt has received strong opposition from the “City Till We Die” fans’ group -- which led Allam to memorably tell them last year that “they can die as soon as they want” -- but Hull have now said in a statement that they will hold a ballot and hope “the silent majority” of supporters will come forward to back the club’s plans.
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The statement released on the club’s official website, hullcitytigers.com, read: “The club are disappointed with the timing of Monday's announcement made by the FA.
“We feel we have been prejudiced right from the outset. The FA introduced a new policy to handle our application on the back of consultations with the City Till We Die group, and we therefore feel that our application was already pre-judged.
“This feeling has been reinforced with Monday's announcement, as the club feel this will further prejudice the forthcoming ballot of season pass holders.
“However, this is now the time for the silent majority to come forward and support the club's aspirations. Details of the ballot will be released to season pass holders within the next 48 hours.”
Egypt-born Allam, who first moved to Hull in 1968, bought the club in 2010 but has previously warned he will walk away if he is unsuccessful in securing a name change.