HULL, England — On May 3, 2025, Hull City AFC dodged disaster, scraping a 1-1 draw against Portsmouth at Fratton Park to secure their place in the EFL Championship for another season. The Tigers, teetering on the edge of relegation to League One, clawed their way out of the bottom three on the season’s final day, with fans sweating through a match that felt more like a high-stakes poker game than football.
The day began with Hull City in the relegation zone, one point shy of safety after a bruising 1-0 loss to Derby County the previous weekend. A win against Portsmouth would guarantee survival, but a draw left their fate hanging on other results. Fratton Park, a fortress where Portsmouth averaged 1.77 points per home game this season, was no place for faint hearts. Yet Hull came out swinging. Eighteen minutes in, Matt Crooks latched onto a Gustavo Puerta corner, flicked on by Joao Pedro, and buried it at the near post. The away end erupted, hope flickering in the spring drizzle.
Portsmouth, already safe and playing for pride, didn’t roll over. Early in the second half, substitute Christian Saydee crashed home an equalizer, silencing the Hull faithful. Tension gripped the stands as chances came and went. Hull’s defense, led by captain Lewie Coyle, held firm, but the real lifeline came from elsewhere. Luton Town’s 5-3 thrashing at West Brom sealed the Hatters’ fate, relegating them for the second straight year and ensuring Hull’s point was enough.
The final whistle sparked wild scenes among the traveling supporters, who’d endured a season of gut-punches. Hull’s campaign was grim—sacking manager Liam Rosenior after a seventh-place finish last year, then stumbling under Ruben Selles, who took over a squad that slipped into the drop zone by mid-February. A draw against Coventry City on April 16, thanks to a late Abu Kamara strike, hinted at fight, but losses like the Derby defeat left them staring into the abyss.
Selles, speaking post-match, kept it brief: “The lads showed character. We’re here next season. Now we rebuild.” Coyle, ever the leader, had rallied his teammates all week, vowing to keep spirits high despite the odds. Their resilience paid off, but only just. Portsmouth’s home record—losing just twice in their last three league games against Hull—made the point a minor miracle.
The numbers tell a stark story. Hull finished with one win in their final six matches, their home form a particular sore spot. Yet survival means a chance to reset at the MKM Stadium, where they’ve played since 2002. For now, the Tigers avoid the fate of 2020, when they last dropped to the third tier. The post-mortem can wait—Hull City lives to fight another day.
Hull City’s next Championship season begins in August 2025. Their final 2024-25 record: 46 matches, 10 wins, 15 draws, 21 losses, 45 points.