Tigers fans head south

AN army of 37,500 Hull City fans are converging on Wembley for the biggest game in the club's 104 year history.

The M1 motorway was a sea of black and amber as fans flying scarves and flags headed south this morning via coach, car, van and minibus to the play-off final against Bristol City.

Bleary eyes were sparkling with excitement at the Walton Street car park next to the KC Stadium, west Hull, as fans gathered in their thousands to hop aboard one of more 100 coaches leaving for the capital from the site.

Fans clutching cool boxes, flags and their all-important tickets for the big play-off final against Bristol City congregated at the car park early in the morning, as first reported on the Mail's website.

Shouts of “We Are Hull” echoed across the concrete as excited supporters dashed around trying to find their coaches before setting off on the long road to Wembley.

Travelling by coach were sisters Rachel, 10, and Rebecca, 15, Cook, west Hull, who were dressed in black and amber from their vibrant wigs down to their colourful socks.

Rachel said: “City are definitely going to win, I'm so excited.

“We'll both be screaming them on – you'll be able to hear me shouting in Hull.”

At Hull's Paragon Interchange, more than 3,000 extra passengers boarded trains to travel to London's Kings Cross this morning.

Lisa Greenham, and her sons Sam, 12, and Tom, nine, were among those catching the train.

Mrs Greenham, of west Hull, said: “We thought the train would be the easiest way to travel down. My husband Simon is already in London so we are meeting him there. It's my birthday today, so hopefully it will be a great day.”

Paragon Interchange station manager Dean Lancaster said there were three extra direct trains on top of the three regular scheduled services, plus about six trains which change at Doncaster.

He said: “It's been really busy, but it's all gone very smoothly.”

Graham Boanas, chief executive of Power Plus in West Dock Street, Hull, missed the traffic by flying to London for the game in a Cirrus CR22.