Derby's are important, even contrived 'Friendly ones' and it's always good to win, and so I guess I would class this last one as disappointing if not predictable. Rovers looked like a team that had played two games already we looked like one that hadn't played any. I won't be passing too much judgement until after the Warrington game because that's not fair on the Coaching team and anyway this week there was for me a far more important occurrence for every loyal and committed FC fan.

"I hope that all of you, if you meet anyone who used to come to Hull FC, will do everything you can to encourage them to come back and give us one last chance"

That's how Adam Pearson issued the rallying cry to the 'FC Faithful' at last week's excellent fans forum event at the KC. It was one of several telling issues that came to the fore at the event and whatever else came out, I think that it is safe to say that he doesn't like Leeds much at all, does he?

In fact as far as our new owner is concerned our fiends from down the M62 are in danger of taking over the mantle of 'public enemy number one' from the Dobbins across the City. The first event of its kind in Super League history to be streamed live on the internet attracted viewers in 14 different counties who looking in to watch as Peter Gentle announce Andy Lynch as our Captain and Adam Pearson commented that Mr Hudgell was simply trying to get some "Extra mileage" out of the Gleeson issue by demanding an enquiry. His assertion was certainly borne out by that final statement that the League made on Friday to draw a final line under the whole affair.

For me there was a deal of honesty, openness and interesting stuff about and I'll be having a look later in his Diary, from this fans point of view, at some of the issues raised and the background to them

In this week's Diary there's the Derby, a report from the game at York, I'll look in detail at the forum, Adam Pearson, Peter Gentle our new Captain and the quiet and measured Mr Moa. Then there's why callers at Johnny Whiteley's house could be soon visiting the Doctors, Rovers at the KC on Good Friday, the condition of the KC pitch, me eating humble pie and admitting I got it wrong, Why our owner won't be using Stobart haulage any time soon and Adams dislike of Leeds, and in Codgers Corner just for Mr Pearson, a trip back to the days when we always beat em!

After another round of revelations about the Drugs scandal in the Mail on Sunday yesterday you do tend to wonder why we bother don't you? Peter Gentle says his Hull FC side are now "ready to go" for the new season, or so it was claimed in the Hull Daily Mail and I think its true to say that goes for all of us don't you? I am fed up with Gleeson, Rule slimming tablets etc. etc. I just want to watch a bit of Rugby!

I could do to be facing someone else besides Rovers to ease ourselves in both on and off the field, but the lure of some income for both Clubs sees, what is likely to now be an annual event on our calendar, as some-thing to be endured rather than enjoyed. Still York on Saturday should be interesting with some fringe players showing us what they have learned from our new Coach in pre season and at their Tenerife training camp and I'm looking forward to going over to the Huntington Stadium although it could be a cold night and I think at 14 pound, the tickets are a bit pricey, but you can't blame York for wanting to make a bit of cash on the deal can you?

It looks like the Tenerife Camp has been a great success and all the lads were tired out by they got home, however no one can blame us all for being a bit cautious at this point in the proceedings because the previous regime were very good at hyping all this pre season stuff up weren't they? That was usually done before we all found out what the actual 'proof of the pudding' was, once we met a proper team in a proper game in the Super League, still we can hope!

In what is the last Diary before we get back to some action on the field, I have a look at Gleeson Again, at whether this 'Drug' is actually taken by a lot of athletes quite legally, there's more bad news from the previous regime and how I managed for once to actually predict it many weeks ago, our training Camp, Adam in Tenerife, The Premier League's view on shared grounds and renegotiating our deal at the KC. Then there's Dowes v Agar, Lynne at Full Back, Briscoe heading Down Under (or hopefully not), the Chico Jackson Challenge, photographic proof of the lads who got into camp last week and in Codgers Corner a game that Chico featured in when we beat Saints in a game that bucked the trend in a poor season.

So in a week when the dust settled after what was without doubt another few days of shame at our great Club things are on the up again, with a lot of positive stuff coming out of the KC. The boys or most of them anyway, are away in Tenerife. No Beer, no British TV, no Contact work and on leaving at least, no injuries. There is little doubt that the investment that Adam Pearson has put into conditioning, preparation and training is certainly paying dividends. I really believe he is a top bloke.

In an excellent Q&A session with James Smailes in the Mail Pearson appealed for every one of us to get behind the team and to in effect 'Give the Club one last Chance' and I hope we all do just that. There is little doubt that although they have had to work, by and large, with someone else's 'tools' Gentle and Pearson are throwing everything into a new exciting brand of rugby and a committed and focused squad. In effect on the field and off it we all want to win, but in the mean time some more expansive rugby and a new 'Play book' has to be a start doesn't it!

In this week's Diary we look at what Adam had to say, at a great new Saturday supplement in the Mail at the weekend, at Tenerife and our (very) warm weather camp, some surprise visitors for the lads, the big picture event, Meet the players or rather don't and how everyone is doing in pre season. Then there's integrating youngsters and senior players in the same squad, does proper conditioning stop strains, Peter Gentle, Bombers views on the facilities at Hull, Wade McKinnon's hamstrings, Kath's statement and in Codgers Corner as Westerman begins to prepare to take the number 13 position I look at the best loose forward I have ever seen at the Club.

That was the week that was!!!! Geraniums, Cover ups, Bouncers hats, parties, suspensions and disgrace, it's all been going on! Gleeson, and Ben Cooper I can deal with, but James Rule???? How bloody embarrassing was that!

As we all enjoyed Christmas, the dark shadow of the last administration manifests itself once again, bringing embarrassment and scorn upon the Club we all love, as again my Club are centre stage for all the wrong reasons and branded as cheats in the eyes of national sport.

Ruley was always a guy that I defended simply because there was a good case to say that he had transformed our Club administratively from a tin pot operation to a Grade "A" Club that made a profit year on year and that was the envy of many sports Clubs across the game.

Sadly, in some respects, he will now be remembered for one thing and one thing only, because he has been painted as a man who brought our Club into disrepute by instructing staff to lie to cover up what was an unfortunate, but illegal drug issue and in so doing, blew the whole thing into a National disgrace. I still believe I got him right in lots of ways, but terribly wrong overall and I'll be the first to admit it!


In this week's Diary, we look at that abysmal episode, James Rule in disgrace, at hats off to Aspinwall, some chants for the Dobbins, ground up geraniums and ethics and why someone should have bought our last regime a box of them! Plus there's pre season training, the future under Pearson, the big FC family, Eomonn O'Carroll, Westerman at 13, season tickets head for a record and the books all but sell out. Plus there's some vindication for Hutchie and in Codgers Corner a reminder of just how good Bomber is a building successful teams.

This week the Dentist Diary is exactly 6 years old! Boy that's flown and here we are less than 5 weeks off the first meaningful rugby of the new season; that joy of joys, a game against the Dobbins, in what is jokingly referred to as a Friendly!

It's certainly been another extremely quiet week at the Club, but that didn't stop us fans doing what we do best; spending money! Season tickets are ahead of last year and possibly on target for a record, thousands of shirts have already been sold and, if like me at the weekend, you had to spend a couple of hours in one of our shops, you would wonder how the staff keep up with the demand as Shirts, Jackets, Vests, T shirts etc, fly out of the place at a record breaking pace.

You know, credit where credit is due, if ever there was a good investment for the Club it was that shop in Savile Street, because a town centre shop at Christmas time is a goldmine and any Club who hasn't got one is missing a big trick. It makes me realise, as I watch all this going on, that in the end, there are few sets of fans like us lot and there must be many other Clubs who wish they had the size and loyalty of a great supporting community as we have, but more of that later.

In this week's Diary there's a few thank-you's, I have a look at those sales figures, at Sam Moa's view of training, ?Rocky' Radders, a whole new game plan and what a couple of players told me about Peter Gentle. Then as it's Christmas and a time for taking stock and so I look at the phenomenon that is the FC Army, the rule changes and what they mean for the game next season, a renaissance at the Halliwell Jones, Stanley Gene's good looks, and my letter to the Allam's, plus in Codgers Corner I have a look at one of those rare great away wins against all the odds that you experience in a largely forgettable season.

Well its been another quiet week and hard to find any news or indeed any Whiffs. On Thursday I braved the elements and went to the open training session, at the new facilities on Chants Ave North but boy was it cold and wet!! I survived for about 50 minutes but the lads just did their stuff and looked really sharp. For me, there's a really strong spirit amongst the players this year whilst the new boys fitted in superbly. There are a lot of new ideas about the place, not the least Gentle's insistence that they only get a three day break at Christmas. It's something I bet a few coaches in the past would have liked to introduce, but quite frankly they probably daren't do it. We have certainly come a long way since the days of locking the balls up until after Christmas, two week festive breaks and imports not arriving till January haven't we.

In a shortened Diary this week I'll have a look at records tumbling in the Club shops, the Club Christmas do, 'Scary Cat' Ryan Bailey, Freezing at training, foul mouthed Windass, Pinky the Chihuahua and Sky at it again.....already. Plus there's the possible demise of rugby coverage on local radio, Doncaster after Judas, The Super Spuds, Huckleberry Hound hats, news of a book signing, drinking in the seats and in Codgers Corner, as we all talk about a possible new era beginning, a look at what a new era is really all about, courtesy of the amazing Brian Smith!

Well another week has gone by and this one saw over 1000 fans rammed into St Stephens in Thursday for a meet the player’s event, season tickets still selling ahead of last year, a new team in the 2013 competition and Hull being picked as a host City for two World Cup teams. For me, the tension is just starting to mount towards the new season and all the signs are that that the team is doing really well in training. We’ve seen the latter bit before I know, but we can hope and as I always say. I simply can’t wait!!!!

The new facilities down on Chants Ave North have been really well received by the players and Peter Gentle seems to be going down really well with everyone both on and off the field. In fact, I think that the fans can find little to criticise of late which is a change for us lot, and indeed, with the Hull FC section of the Rugby League Fans message board having one of its quietest weeks ever, it is probably a reflection of the fact that many supporters are either satisfied with how things are going or too busy Christmas shopping. A couple of defeats early on next season will change all that though!!

Still, there’s been lots happening and in this week’s Diary I have a look at ‘The Sun’ telling us that Tom Briscoe is going Down Under (for a holiday), there’s Gareth Raynor in a bit of difficulty, several interesting Wilf’s Whiffs, Training, Seymour comes clean, a gnome sets off for the USA, new stock in the shops, a new team in Northampton, Will we get a semi final in the World Cup and more on the Tigers Eyes at the KC. Plus there’s Yeamo’s testimonial, a look at training and who is going well and in Codgers Corner this week the coldest any of us have ever been at a Rugby League game.

In this week’s Diary regular readers might be surprised to see me making a few observations that smack of approaching the coming season with a little bit of caution. I think things will be a lot better on the field and that in Pearson, Gentle and Bomber we have on the face of it potentially got as near to the “Dream” ticket as we could have hoped. Adam has inherited some ‘dubious’ and outmoded practises and conventions in the back office that he immediately addressed and put right. That’s the easy bit! The legacy of Etherington and Agar on the field however is more difficult to just brush aside, because of the players we had already signed and contracted prior to our change of ownership.

I still believe that we now have the ingredients in place to regain our position at the very top of the RL ladder but I don’t envy Peter Gentle the task of working with what he has been presented with, (rather than what he would have signed) as far as signings and more importantly imports are concerned. It’s not long to the season starting and with all those new signings it’s going to be hard to get the team to gel from day one, particularly when most of the incoming players are not the current Coaches choices. Still the fans are on side big style and with season tickets again flying out the door, one thing’s for sure and that’s that we’ll be in there doing our bit probably in greater numbers than last season.

On a more worrying note I received several Texts and E mails on Saturday night from fans who attended the Hull City game on Saturday and their observations should make for interesting reading for all FC fans.
I this week’s Diary there’s the new fixture list, on the road with the FC and Millenium Manchester, plus a few mentions of Mr Heremaia (because I have to learn to spell his name) and the SMC in trouble with a lot of FC, ‘City’, fans. Then there’s the worries I believe we all share about some of our new signings, Agars deadly legacy, the World Cup announcement, Pearson putting the fans first publicity wise, bringing on the ‘friendlies’, James Cunningham and a bit of humanity still around in a profession sport. Plus, Seymour and the border Agency, and in Codgers Corner, still on the theme of friendlies, we go to Castleford back in the early 80’s!

The First Two fixtures where released on the RFL's website yesterday and confirmed our first game of the season would be at home on Sunday 5th February against Warrington Wolves with a 3:00pm KO followed by a trip away to Catalan Dragon's on Saturday 11th February with a 4:00pm KO

“Don’t worry we’ll look after your Club”

That was the final statement of Adam Pearson at last Tuesday’s excellent Meet the Management Team event for the first 400 pass holders at the KC. I have been going to these meet the Coach ‘malarkey’s’ since 1968, when it was a case of ‘Meet Johnny Whiteley at the Chomley Club’ and I have to say that I have certainly never been to a better one. In fact for content, information and a deal of intrigue, I am tempted to say that it was the best I had ever been to.

It was I suppose the drama of the whole thing, as Pearson also said, “I have never lied in 11 years in Sport in this City” and after what I have heard over the last three months I have to say that I’m impressed and experiencing that same feeling of security and relief that I felt when Shane Richardson spoke after the Merger. The difference for me though is that although both Richo and Pearson are winners, Shane always talked about the financial ‘Hurdles’ that lay ahead, whilst Adam comes in with his eyes wide open. He is investing his own money, realising that success on the field and big gates will reap massive benefits for us all.

As I’m an old cynic so I’m a bit tempted to say, “Have we seen it all before?” but I have to admit that I’m starting to get really excited about next season, our new Coach and the squad we’ve assembled. The word from training this week is that the players themselves are pretty buoyed by the new management’s attitude and ideas whilst team spirit, despite 10 new faces, is developing well, and many players are really enjoying it. Several of the lads are tweeting that they’re knackered though, so for me after week one, everything is going well!

In this week’s Diary we look at Tuesday night at the KC and a great showing by Gentle, Bomber and Pearson, Youngquest as the latest name ‘on the Whiffs’, there’s ‘we can see you sneaking out’ G, a guess from me as to why the old Board sold up, Sam Obst gets an offer and Mike Burnett’s back from the abyss. Then there’s Eamonn O’Carroll changing nationalities, How Stevo’s subsidising his pension, time to get your season tickets and a massive demand for the new shirts. Plus what is happening at Salford, amazingly the book sells out and in Codgers Corner, a look at Steve Crooks’ first spell as a Caretaker Coach!!

Well Mr Gentle is here, the International was superb, we have shirts and squad numbers, and at last the squad is back in training and the start of next season seems just a little bit closer.

It’s been another busy week for news when I even managed a quick word with Peter Gentle, but more of that later. The game on Saturday was a great night out and how nice it was to see the KC almost full and fans from all clubs sitting together and getting behind our National Team. I am an old, gnarled and I guess at times cynical Hull FC fan who supports his Country but who can usually, as far as any other team besides Hull FC playing Rugby League is concerned, take it or leave it. However on Saturday, just as the EYMS Band and the choir struck up the first chords of Jerusalem and that coincided exactly with the England boys, including Tom and Kirk, running out to warm up, I was actually quite emotional and that set the mood for my night. I thoroughly enjoyed the occasion and it was a good game to watch too.

How nice it was to be back at the KC and watching some Rugby, I wonder what Mr Gentle made of the place full of people, role on January eh!!!!

In this week’s Diary I’ll have a look at that game, at how our two lads did and at the KC as a venue. I describe a brief meeting I had with Peter Gently and Bomber, look at Manchester as the possible venue for the Magic event this year and look at the teams shoe sizes. Plus there’s a couple of Whiffs, Hello Aspinwall and goodbye Sam ‘The wee man’, where’s Mr Gentle going to live, Rovers moving their training centre, the new training kits, what’s Adam Pearson done for us? (with a nod to Monty Python), some ladies in comfortable shoes at Wembley last week and in Codgers Corner we travel back to 1981 and a home game against Leeds in the days when ‘Knocker was King!’