Kirk Yeaman: 'I've played at Wembley, but nothing beats running out for Hull FC at a packed KC Stadium'
The KC Stadium is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Hull FC's Kirk Yeaman tells James Smailes about his favourite moments at the 'special' ground ...
IN the bowels of a half-built stadium a 17-year-old with big ambitions takes a look around and affords himself a thought of what might be.
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65 AND COUNTING: Kirk Yeaman crosses for another Hull try.
On the verge of becoming a first-team player at Hull FC, Kirk Yeaman's immediate focus is on forcing his way into Shaun McRae's side.
Boulevard glory remains the first goal, but as the new building rises from the ground, so Yeaman's dreams of lighting up the new stadium rise with it.
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Fast forward 10 years and Yeaman is also celebrating a 10-year anniversary, with the highlight of his testimonial celebration being a game on the now hallowed turf of the KC.
In the intervening years no player has played more times or scored more tries at the KC Stadium, with Yeaman's place in the folklore of the building assured.
When the facts are put to him, the pride at the statistics brings a smile to his face and it becomes abundantly clear what the KC means to the 29-year-old.
"To have scored 65 tries at the KC is something I could only have dreamed of and each try I score there is special," explains Yeaman with a real sense of pride.
"I've been so privileged in my career to have played in Australia, to have played at Wembley, the Millennium Stadium, but nothing beats the feeling of running out at a packed KC Stadium against Hull KR on a Good Friday.
"It was the game you dreamed of playing as a kid and to get to do it at such a great venue, the best in rugby league, it is always a special occasion and something that gives you a lot of pride."
Yeaman made his first appearance at the KC at the start of the 2003 season and having missed out on the opening game against Halifax, he came off the bench in the stadium's second-ever rugby match against Widnes.
A fringe player who had started to get noticed at the back end of 2002, the KC Stadium's first year would coincide with Yeaman's breakthrough season.
It's a time he remembers fondly. "The players were buzzing when we heard about moving to a new stadium," adds Yeaman.
"We enjoyed playing at the Boulevard, but we all knew what a new stadium meant and we used to watch it going up with real excitement.
"Playing in front of bigger crowds at the KC didn't bring a louder noise, but having so many people come along to watch us made it more special for the players."
Ask Yeaman to pick a highlight of his 10 years of success at the KC and he'd be forgiven for stalling on an answer.
From the great cup triumph over Bradford in 2005, to a victory against the Bulls in 2006 to reach the Grand Final, to an international appearance at the KC, Yeaman is not short of options.
But, with little hesitation, it is clear what his favourite memory is.
"The game that always sticks in my mind is the 2008 derby match," says Yeaman.
"The derby games are always something special and have the best atmospheres. They're not so good when you lose, but in 2008 we had my favourite derby at the KC."
For the record, Hull beat Rovers 44-18 for the club's biggest ever derby win, a record derby score and the most points scored in a derby game.
"The records were great, but it was just a fantastic game to be involved in," says Yeaman.
"The first 20 minutes it was try after try and after the first quarter there was no sign of what was to come. Then as the game wore on we stepped on the gas and pulled away from them, scoring some great tries.
"I was lucky enough to get two tries that day, but nobody but me will probably remember them. All anyone remembers, and rightly so, was Tom Briscoe's incredible length of the field try.
"In 10 years, it is probably the best try ever scored at the KC Stadium. It was a special game for a special stadium.
"Having all the records is great, but it is still such an honour to be able to go out every other week and play at such a wonderful stadium."
• Read lots more KC Stadium memories in a special pull-out inside today's Mail. Contributors include Nick Barmby, Stuart Elliott, John Kear and Shaun McRae.
Comments
by dextertexter
Monday, December 17 2012, 9:23PM
“kempton wasnt to many year ago since your tigers were begging the rugbyleague fans to turn out and help support your club in its hour of need,i guess your another city bandwaggoner who has not known those days,give thanks to pearson and the allams,othewise your big games would be a local derby against grimsby and york,i was watcing when 55,000 turned up at boothferry park for a cup game,and 53,000 turned out for a 3rd division game against rotherham,incidently still a record for a league game in the 3rd division,all the teams have had their ups and downs over the years,few years back at bothferry park it was a struggle to get 3 and a half thousand through the gate in the glory days of mark hateley”
by dextertexter
Monday, December 17 2012, 9:07PM
“kempton,yes but have you ever had 93,000 watching your teams play in the major attraction of the day,in how many major finals have you filled the ground,i think every rugbyleague fan can give you the answer to those questions,lol”
by kempton
Monday, December 17 2012, 6:01PM
“by sarkymarkMonday, December 17 2012, 1:23PM
"kempton attendences mean nowt u explain what have hull city ever mon apart from promotion?? ile tell you nowt zilch nada sweet fa NOTHING AT ALL the most unambitious club in the football league-same excuse when they are knocked out of every competition by teams 2 divisions lower than them were concentrating on the league and where are the glory hunters now? yes if they do go into the premiership the prawn sandwhich brigade will turn up again to watch the likes of man u etc play at the kc. jog on pal and stick to wendyball."
How embarrassing that this unambitious club can get bigger crowds in Division 4 than the world famous rugby clubs do when in the top flight and far more than FC did when they won the Cup.
Attendances mean quite a bit - they are an indication of popularity and a source of revenue.
There isn't much chance of a rugby club getting knocked out of the cup by teams 2 leagues lower. It takes rugby all its time to have 14 full time clubs. Of course more turn up to watch City play Man U. Just as more turn up to see FC play the big, successful clubs like Leeds, St Helen's and Wigan than do to watch them play the London Broncos and whichever token Welsh club is in the Super League at the time.
Enjoy your game but never forget it is small time, category b stuff. Announced today that funding to netball has increased but decreased for rugby. Says it all.”
by albaz
Monday, December 17 2012, 5:42PM
“Ok Phil and others,you win. I answered a harmless jibe about Rovers and Wembley with an equally harmless one in response,but some people seem able to read but not comprehend what's written.
Personally I don't understand why you mentioned 32 years ago,I certainly didn't.”
by Phil_West
Monday, December 17 2012, 4:32PM
“@albaz... YAWWWNNNN !!!... Aye, they did... erm 32 years ago !!.. Now change the record, it`s kinda boring now.”
by sarkymark
Monday, December 17 2012, 1:23PM
“kempton attendences mean nowt u explain what have hull city ever mon apart from promotion?? ile tell you nowt zilch nada sweet fa NOTHING AT ALL the most unambitious club in the football league-same excuse when they are knocked out of every competition by teams 2 divisions lower than them were concentrating on the league and where are the glory hunters now? yes if they do go into the premiership the prawn sandwhich brigade will turn up again to watch the likes of man u etc play at the kc. jog on pal and stick to wendyball.”
by dextertexter
Monday, December 17 2012, 8:41AM
“when Kirk kisses the badge it sends em wild,out there in the wilds of poorhouse lane,lol”
by kempton
Monday, December 17 2012, 8:39AM
“ReportClick to rate Rating 0
by robd63Sunday, December 16 2012, 1:20AM
"by Solly_AtwellSunday, December 16 2012, 12:03AM
""nothing beats running out for Hull FC at a packed KC Stadium'" LOL
Hull Fc and packed Kc Stadium = a contradiction in terms"
What is it with you sad Hull City fans? You're obsessed with having a pop at Hull FC.
Hull FC play a minority sport yet are still only 4-5k less than City in average attendances, even when they're playing garbage.
As for City's attendances, your highest this season was against Burnley, yet even though you play the national sport, there were nearly 7,000 empty seats. Care to explain that?"
What has it being the national sport to do with anything?
The last biggest derbies in the universe and everywhere else , just like Rangers and Celtic with people scrambling for tickets which were like gold dust according to the HDM had crowds of less than 18,000 which meant 7,000 empty seats. Care to explain that? City's average in every full season at the KC, even in the 4 th Division was higher than that. Care to explain that?
In the top flight, in other words on equal terms, City averaged over 24,000 with all home tickets selling out, short of capacity due only to away teams not selling out and our hopeless police insisting on ridiculous segregation. In those two seasons FC averages 11,000 less. Care to explain that?”
by airlieman1263
Monday, December 17 2012, 8:16AM
“spelling mistake should have past not passed”
by airlieman1263
Monday, December 17 2012, 8:14AM
“What have all these comments got to do with the story , every story that is printed in the Hull daily mail becomes a slanging match between certain supposed fans,don`t forget if it was not for the fact that hull has two superleague teams there would never be the " True " and only local Derbies .the story is about an individual who has played his whole career so far at the Kc for Hull Fc ,but as usual the Trolls are spoiling what is an achievement for any sports star ,of any team to achieve. there is too much made of passed times and glories,the time is now, i am a rugby supporter, who follows Hull Fc ,but i love to see any 2 rugby teams play ,especially Derbies.Banter is good, bring it on , but dont dwell on the passed, onwards and upwards.”