Today I'm going back 19 years to 2003 and Hull City's Football League Division Three (fourth tier) fixture against Wrexham. The reason for my visit was to maintain my 92 Club qualification as the game was played at Hull's brand new stadium, the KC Stadium (there is no word as to what happened to the Sunshine Band) which had opened the previous December. The KC is today known as the MKM Stadium for sponsorship reasons (a purveyor of building supplies apparently), is shared with the Rugby League club Hull FC and lays claim to being the largest Rugby League stadium in England.
York City fans may be interested to note that Hull City had not one but two Minstermen goalkeepers that season in Alan Fettis (who played in the featured game) and Paul Musselwhite. Additionally a young Clayton Donaldson had his name in the programme with a Hull squad number of 33 although he would make just two appearances for the Tigers before moving on to York. Denis Smith was in charge of Wrexham and his side included a few notable names including veteran goalkeeper Andy Dibble, striker Lee Trundle, future Wrexham manager Andy Morrell and future Peterborough, Preston and Doncaster manager and son of Sir Alex, Darren Ferguson.
Hull should have taken the lead in the first half of the featured game when they were awarded a penalty following a foul on Stuart Elliott but Dean Keates' spot kick was well saved by the Dibble. The Tigers eventually took the lead in the second half following bit of penalty area pinball before Hull's programme cover star Jon Otsemobor lashed the ball into the back of the net. However, back came Wrexham and were awarded a penalty of their own in the 67th minute which Andy Morrell dispatched with ease to show Hull how it should be done. Morrell was also on hand 13 minutes later to score Wrexham's winner to the disappointment of the majority of the crowd of 15,002.
Jon Otsemobor was only on loan at Hull City from Liverpool at the time and the move was never made permanent. He made just nine appearances for the Tigers scoring three times. Otsemobor did appear four times for Liverpool in the Premier League but he never did make his mark there and would go on to have a career that took in a number of clubs without him ever making 100 appearances for any one club. His career ended on loan at Tranmere Rovers at the end of 2013 but he is perhaps best remembered for having been the innocent bystander in a gangland shooting in a Liverpool nightclub in October 2003. He was shot in the buttocks and it is understood that this was a total pain in the arse!
Peter Taylor's Hull side struggled to adapt to their new home, having a record of three wins, five draws and one defeat going into the featured game and would go on to finish solidly midtable in 13th place in 2002/3 before going on to secure promotion the following season, the first full season in their new home. Wrexham had a much better time of it and were automatically promoted after finishing in third place that season. Champions were Rushden & Diamonds with Hartlepool United and AFC Bournemouth also being promoted. Exeter City and Shrewsbury Town exited the Division through the relegation trapdoor.
CRB Match No. 1316
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