•Click here to see pictures of Hull City's win over Liverpool at the KC on Dec 1st, 2013

WHAT began as a day with an identity crisis building uncontrollably around the KC Stadium, ended as one of the greatest in Hull City's 109-year history.

Conquering the might of Liverpool for the very first time with a performance to remind every supporter in a sell-out crowd exactly why they were there, all the bickering over a proposed name change was forgotten for 90 minutes. A blessed relief, if only for an afternoon.

If there is one thing City's outspoken owner Assem Allam and his growing band of dissenters can agree upon (and there is very little else, it seems), it is that all want the best for a club that carries their immense financial and emotional investments. There are polarised views on the best path forward but a day on the common ground had an uplifting feel. Oh for many more.

Steve Bruce's side were quite magnificent. Exploiting every chink of vulnerability in Liverpool's uncertain make-up, they deserved each one of the three precious points banked on the first day of Advent.

The victory relied upon two deflected goals off Liverpool's luckless defender Martin Skrtel but do not be fooled, this was certainly no fluke win. City were disciplined and resolute in defence and rolled the dice when it mattered to reap the huge rewards.

Jake Livermore's first Premier League goal was cancelled out by Steven Gerrard's excellent free-kick, before a decisive strike from David Meyler and a Skrtel own goal inside the final quarter of an epic contest swung the game irretrievably towards the Tigers. The KC was a manic sight to behold.

A fifth win of the season eclipsed all four that had gone before. For the stature of the opposition and the test of character asked of City after two sobering defeats to Southampton and Crystal Palace, there is every chance it will not be bettered for years.

Bruce and his side will rightfully be awash with superlatives and plaudits this morning but, more importantly, they find themselves seven points clear of the bottom three with a third of the season gone.

If Bruce is correct and 10 wins will see his side stick around for another year in the top flight, they are already halfway there. Suddenly, an expedition through December's choppy watrers no longer seems quite so daunting.

There is, of course, something that cannot be ignored during these final weeks of 2013. Allam's latest outburst in the Independent on Sunday, branding opponents to his Hull Tigers rebranding as "hooligans" and the "militant minority", turned the volume up to 11 on a name change row that refuses to cease.

Rather than demonstrating a modicum of understanding on this emotive issue from deep within a self-inflicted hole, Allam has put his head down and carried on digging.

Bruce admitted afterwards he will offer a helping hand of diplomacy to his headstrong owner during a meeting this week but do not bank on Allam accepting it.

Although the long-term health of City is suddenly impossible to predict, as Allam weighs up a potential exit strategy in 2014, the noisy distraction was drowned out by the sheer desire of Bruce's side. Focusing on anything but their heroics would be a monumental disservice.

In these trying times, Bruce returned to what he has known best during his City reign. A wing-back shape not seen at the KC Stadium since the Spring deployed Ahmed Elmohamady and Robbie Brady in positions where they flourished last season. A bulked up central midfield brought a return for Meyler, too, and his trademark industry spread across the side in a bright start.

Liverpool, without the injured Daniel Sturridge, were uncomfortable with the appetite of their hosts from the outset. Curtis Davies was unfortunate to see his header fly past from Alex Bruce's precise cross, but City grabbed a deserved opener in the 20th minute.

Against a backdrop of "City till I die" chanting, Livermore latched on to Meyler's pass to stretch the Reds and tried his luck from 25 yards. For a player that has twice hit the woodwork at the KC Stadium, the on-loan Spurs man deserved the slice of luck that lifted his shot over Simon Mignolet, thanks to a deflection off Skrtel.

If the opening goal poked at the pride of a Liverpool side beaten just twice this season, the result was a stylish reaction. Seven minutes later they were level when Davies' foul on Jordan Henderson on the edge of the box gave Gerrard an opportunity he would not pass up. Striking his free-kick with power and accuracy, Allan McGregor was beaten low to his left.

Although the equaliser promised to alter the momentum of the contest, City were not to be rolled over. Their defensive discipline, with Bruce and Maynor Figueroa excelling against gifted opponents, formed a tight line for Liverpool to breach, while the hard-working Yannick Sagbo gave Kolo Toure and Skrtel an unpleasant afternoon.

Suarez, who was limited to just one half-chance in the first period, was first to threaten after the break when shooting low at McGregor from a tight angle but City continued to give more than they got. Davies and Huddlestone both gave Liverpool warning of the Tigers' intent when narrowly missing the target, before pandemonium arrived with 18 minutes to go.

Liverpool's unconvincing defending had always given City hope and when Toure fluffed three chances to clear inside the penalty area, Meyler arrived to unleash a low left-foot shot past former Sunderland team-mate Mignolet. A first Premier League goal was just reward for the indefatigable Irishman.

City's lead was a victory for persistence and a refusal to lie down, typified by McGregor a minute before the decisive goal. Philippe Coutinho's ball into the box undid the defence but the Scotland star somehow kept out Victor Moses with the goal begging.

It felt like a match-winning save and that status was confirmed three minutes from time. A counter attack led by Sagbo teed up the outstanding Huddlestone to shoot and Skrtel provided the helping hand to a tame effort when nodding past Mignolet.

There was still time for City to spurn the chance for a fourth when Elmohamady dragged wide at the end of a lightning attack, but none were grumbling when the final whistle sounded soon after.

A famous win on a day that will not be forgotten quickly. Thankfully, for all the right reasons.

A GIANT electrical transformer weighing 170 tonnes has been driven through the streets of Cottingham to replace one damaged by fire earlier this year.

The transformer, which is the size of a house, had been shipped 5,500 miles from Korea.

It arrived at Hull docks yesterday morning and was brought to the Creyke Beck substation on a lorry travelling at about ten mph.

The five-metre long, five-metre high piece of equipment was delivered by National Grid.

Project manager Neil McMinn said: "It's been a great achievement to deliver the transformer to Cottingham substation.

"The challenges of delivering something this size and over such a distance have taken months of planning and collaboration with many agencies and a specialist haulage transport team.

"We are pleased it has gone so well and thank everyone for their patience."

The delivery saw roads closed in the village centre after the transformer went along Clive Sullivan Way from Albert Dock before heading north up the A164.

The final leg of the journey was through Cottingham and then into Park Lane.

Northgate, one of the village's main shopping streets, was shut by police as the load passed through and Park Lane was closed until noon.

National Grid aimed to minimise disruption by bringing the lorry through at a quiet time.

Mr McMinn said: "One of the challenges was the final stretch of the journey.

"Obviously, with such a large object, you have to go very slowly, between ten and 15mph, which is one of the reasons we travel on a Sunday when there is less traffic.

"We give advance warning to the communities and if necessary street furniture has to be removed to enable us to move the transformer around narrow streets."

The lorry drew attention as it made its way slowly past villagers' homes.

People stopped to watch its journey as it moved past the Cross Keys Inn.

Mr McMinn said: "It's truly an amazing sight to see something as big as a house moving down your street."

The transformer will replace an existing one at the Creyke Beck substation after fires broke out there in April.

The emergency services spent hours battling the huge blaze.

Reports suggested oil was on fire and more than six fire engines rushed to the scene.

Witnesses described hearing an explosion before the transformer burst into flames.

Keith Bruton, 67, was painting a fence at a house near the substation when he heard a "loud bang".

He said: "I looked up and saw flames and the dog started barking.

"I couldn't believe it and rang the owner of the house, who rushed back to see what had happened."

Owner Pat Lovelock, 66, said she was "frightened" when she received the call while she was out.

She said: "Because I wasn't there, I didn't know how bad it was and how near the house it was."

Motorists parked up on grass verges to take photographs of transformer yesterday.

Andy Corbett took pictures from the side of the A1079.

He said: "I saw it as soon as I pulled on to the slip road for the A1079.

"It looked big even from that distance."

Internal parts of the transformer reignited days later, causing a second, smaller blaze.

The two fires are under investigation by the National Grid. No one was hurt in either incident.

The new transformer will be used to reduce the voltage of electricity passing through and supply it to homes and business in the region.

It arrived onsite around noon.

FOR many men across East Yorkshire, the razors were out in force as the beginning of December marked the end of Movember.

However, for one Hull woman, who grew her facial hair to raise money and awareness of polycystic ovary syndrome, the challenge has marked the beginning of her new-found confidence.

Sick of stares in the street and hurtful comments, Sarah O'Neill, 29, decided to ditch her razors and hair-removal cream to raise awareness of polycystic ovary syndrome, side effects of which include weight gain and facial hair.

In doing so, she has raised £900 for charity.

Sarah, of Bransholme, said: "I decided to do this because I wanted people to understand I'm not trying to be a man and that my facial hair is something that can't be helped.

"The amount of money raised is fantastic. I am so pleased.

"I spoke to my partner's work colleague the other night and he was saying that I have raised more than most men who have been doing the challenge.

"I think the novelty factor has a lot to do with the amount of money I have raised.

"People say I have been incredibly brave, but all I have done is not shave for a month. It is people's support that has got me through – they have been absolutely fantastic.

"People have shared their stories with me, fellow sufferers who have been through what I have and felt alone.

"A lot of them have said they don't think they would be able to do what I have done.

"It's not such a taboo subject now for the people that have seen my story."

Sarah, who lives with her partner Tina Briggs, 25, was diagnosed with her condition in 2006 after suffering many of the symptoms related to the condition.

Sarah, who is an account manager for a kitchen and beds company, says she often gets people looking at her, wondering why she has facial hair.

This caused her a lot of upset and distress but, following the Movember challenge, she has changed her outlook on life.

"There was a delivery guy at work who was staring at my face during the challenge," Sarah said.

"In the end, I told him what I had been doing and I think he felt rather uncomfortable.

"Doing this, though, has given me more confidence and has stopped me feeling embarrassed.

"From a personal point of view, it has been very liberating and made me feel much better about myself."

Sarah's normal ritual is to use hair-removal cream prescribed by doctors to get rid of most of the hair.

She does this about once a week, using tweezers to get rid of stray hairs inbetween cream treatments.

Having never gone a week without shaving, Sarah found the Movember experience very daunting at first.

She said: "Now Movember has finished, I am going to shave some of the hair away, but I am thinking of keeping the moustache.

"This has definitely made me feel less self-conscious.

"People have been so generous and I would like to thank everyone who has donated to my cause."

Sarah's partner Tina, whom she is engaged to, supported her decision to take part in Movember.

The couple, who have been together since 2011, recorded videos of Sarah explaining how she was feeling during the challenge to help those who also suffer with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Tina said: "She is so amazingly brave and I am very proud of her."

FATHER Christmas might be hard at work in the North Pole, but if you peer through the window of one west Hull house, you would be forgiven for thinking he was wandering around inside.

Darren Edmondson, 43, has used more than the usual lights and trinkets to decorate his Sibelius Road home.

An avid movie fan, he has hooked up the projector from his home cinema to play festive videos on his front windows – from the Coca-Cola advert to a DVD that makes it look like Santa Claus is creeping around the room.

He said: "Most people stop for the window, I think, but the decorations are quite all right."

Moving from Bransholme 13 years ago, he was shocked by the different atmosphere at Christmas time.

He said: "When we moved here, we noticed no one decorated their house, but in Bransholme everyone did it.

"This is a very quiet area, my next-door neighbour loves it though, she goes to bingo on a Sunday and when she comes back, she stands staring at it."

The all-guns-blazing display looks expensive and Mr Edmondson estimates that if he bought the decorations from shops, he would be looking at a receipt of up to £3,000.

Luckily though, he is a dab hand at DIY and makes a lot of the decorations himself.

He said: "I spend quite a while making stuff because I want it to look nice during the day as well as night.

"We have a porch, so I made the columns into candy canes and then I've got 5ft candy canes attached to the wall that I made myself."

This approach of making the decorations gives Mr Edmondson a flexibility from year to year. He already has plans for next December's display.

He said: "There is this thing called Lightorama, which you plug your lights into and attach to a computer to play your music, it makes your lights flash in time to the tune. I don't know how to get hold of one in the UK but I'll figure it out in the next year."

As much as he loves decorations, they are a time commitment Mr Edmondson can't always stretch to.

He said: "I don't really decorate for Halloween. If we could, we would, but it's the time. Christmas is the best time of the year."

TRIBUTES have been paid to long-serving Hull KR radio commentator Chris Park, who has died.

Mr Park, who had been suffering from cancer, had covered Rovers games since the 1990s and was popular with the club's fans and other sports broadcasters.

Matt Dean, sports output editor for BBC Radio Humberside who the commentator worked for as a freelancer, said his reliable, positive attitude would be greatly missed.

Mr Dean said: "He was a lovely guy, a very dedicated journalist and you couldn't meet a nicer person.

"People are saying lots of nice things about him. Every tribute I've read and every feeling people have expressed has been very sincere.

"He's a really big loss to us and we're still trying to get our heads around it."

Fans who had tuned into Mr Park's match reports every Sunday for years agreed.

Supporter Sue Walford, who lives in west Hull, always looked forward to hearing his voice.

She said: "I'd known Chris for many years and he was Hull Kingston Rovers through and through.

"The club and Radio Humberside has lost too soon a great friend.

"All sympathy to his family. We are so shocked."

Mr Dean remembers his colleague as an efficient operator with a great turn of phrase and a fanatical interest in rugby league.

He was not just popular with his chosen club, but respected in the sport as a whole.

The editor said: "Whenever you turned the radio on when Hull KR were playing, you could guarantee Chris would be there.

"He had such great knowledge of the club and of the sport as well.

"You can just feel the love people had for him, you can read the tweets and see the sentiments are all sincere. We loved him dearly and he will be sorely missed, there's no question of that."

Dozens of people took to Twitter to send their condolences after the news broke.

BBC Radio Five Live controller Jonathan Wall was among those paying their respects.

He wrote: "Very sad to hear Hull KR commentator Chris Park has died.

"I was [Radio] Humberside presenter when he did his first Rovers game in '95. Gentleman."

Legions of fans also tweeted their thanks for Mr Park's constant support.

Richard Lusmore wrote: "Sad news about @RadioHumberside's #HKR commentator Chris Park. That's one particular Sunday service that just won't be the same."

Former KR player Paul Cooke, who is now with Doncaster RLFC, said: "God bless the Park family. A softly-spoken, genuine, good man who will be sadly missed."

A GAMBLING addict who stole more than £17,000 from a vulnerable man to feed her slot machine habit has been jailed.

Janet Marshall wept as she was sentenced to eight months in prison for stealing from Neil Starkey, 41, over a period of six years.

Mr Starkey, who cannot live on his own, became so distressed by her constantly asking him for money that he lashed out at his mother and smashed up the family home.

It was only when he was arrested that Marshall's exploitation of him came to light.

Prosecuting, Richard Sheldon, said: "Mr Starkey craves relationships and is very vulnerable to exploitation.

"She stole £17,650 in small sums between 2006 and 2012.

"He would show her his wage slips and say, 'Look, you are taking all my money' and still she continued to take it.

"It started to affect him so much that he started to misbehave at work and at home.

"He couldn't stop giving her money."

Gambling addict Marshall pleaded guilty to stealing money from Mr Starkey, which she frittered away on slot machines and bets.

She met Mr Starkey, who is vulnerable as a result of being ill as a baby, at her daughter's wedding and they became friends.

In 2007, he made her sign a promise she would stop asking him for money and, in 2010, she was warned by police to stay away from him.

Mr Sheldon said: "She continued to do take money from him anyway.

"It started to affect him so much, he started to misbehave at work and at home.

"It was only when he was arrested because of the pressure from all this, that the police became aware of what Marshall was doing."

After his arrest, Mr Starkey made a formal complaint to the police and Marshall was arrested.

Defending Marshall, John Thackray said she wished she could turn back the clock, and appealed for the sentence to be suspended.

He said: "She was struggling with her addiction and asked to borrow money. This is where the cycle began. She was trapped in a bubble.

"She simply couldn't stop gambling and taking advantage of the complainant. She feels genuine shame."

Sentencing her to eight months in prison, Judge Simon Jack said: "You took his money and his happiness.

"He was so distressed by what was happening he started misbehaving and took it out on his mother.

"That is a mark on the affect you were having on him.

"This was despicable behaviour.

"He didn't have the power to say no. It was like stealing a baby's toys."

As the Chancellor prepares to deliver his Autumn Statement in Parliament on Thursday, business leaders and politicians are uniting to call for rail links to the city to be brought into the 21st century.

First Hull Trains has submitted a business plan for a private finance deal to overhaul the railway network, unlocking Hull's potential for economic recovery.

And we're sending a message to Downing Street – hook up Hull to keep us on track for a brighter future.

SLOW trains, no late-night service, over-crowding and cancellations caused by outdated signalling, these are the problems faced everyday by people catching trains to Hull.

But the city has been missed out of plans to revolutionise the UK's railway system, and with it, the potential to unlock millions of pounds of economic benefits.

Now, city councillors, business leaders and senior politicians are uniting under the banner of the Mail's campaign to bring electrification to the railway network in and out of Hull – and link the city to the £50bn HS2 network to slash journey times south in the future.

As UK City of Culture 2017, we're calling on Chancellor George Osborne to use his Autumn Statement on Thursday to approve electrification on railway lines in and out of the city to support its economic regeneration.

First Hull Trains has submitted a business plan to Network Rail and the Department for Transport. Under its private finance deal, about £94m would be spent to install 70 miles of electrified Overhead Line Equipment (OHLE) to cover tracks both ways from Hull to Temple Hirst Junction, five miles to the west of Selby.

The funding would also include the procurement of new electric trains.

Although First Hull Trains is expecting a decision before Christmas, Chancellor George Osborne could use his Autumn Statement this week to approve the plan.

Will Dunnett, managing director of First Hull Trains, said: "This campaign is a fantastic idea.

"A lot of people have worked very hard to get this vision to this stage of reality and we are hopeful a positive decision will be made in the coming weeks.

"In the many detailed discussions we have had with Department for Transport during the past few months, it has been maintained that a commitment to making a decision, along with their Treasury colleagues that be forthcoming by Christmas.

"We welcome anything, which moves these proposals forward. We are keen to move ahead even further, with such things as the procurement of electric units, for which discussions are also at an advanced stage."

The city's three MPs, Alan Johnson, Karl Turner and Diana Johnson, are supporting the Mail's campaign, along with their East Yorkshire colleagues.

MP Alan Johnson said: "I would be amazed if the Government did not use this opportunity to contribute towards economic growth in the North.

"With Hull Trains willing to contribute and HS2 on the stocks, there will never a better time to move ahead with an electrification project that will have to be done at some time in the future.

"My message to the Government is make the future happen now."

At the Guildhall, there is rare cross-party support for electrification, with politicians from all parties saying Hull needs to be part of a wider electrified rail network rather than being left out on the edge of it.

Councillor Martin Mancey, the transport portfolio holder, has been closely involved in the authority's lobbying of the Government over the issue.

He said: "The Trans-Pennine rail service between Hull and Leeds to the west is currently woefully inadequate to serve as the primary rail link for a population of more than 500,000 people.

"Line speeds are especially poor and barely average over 50mph, while services suffer from poor reliability due to outdated signaling.

"Operating hours are restricted, meaning the network effectively closes down every night leaving the city and sub-region with no late-night rail links.

"Even during the day, the city has to rely on a single hourly service to Leeds and Manchester."

For these reasons, he said joining Hull to a wider regional electrified regional network was essential.

"Although the advantages of being connected to the electrified network are great, the negative consequences of not being connected are even greater," he said.

"If all the other major cities in the North are connected to the network and Hull isn't then they will experience all the benefits with associated increased economic advantage over the city."

Cllr Mancey said the First Hull Trains proposal to put together a £110m privately- financed scheme electrifying the line between Hull and Selby with short connections to the East Coast Main Line would put the city firmly back on the railway map.

"Hull Trains' aim would be to undertake the works in the period 2014-17 so that this would be the first section of the Trans-Pennine route to be completed east of Manchester and ready to served the needs of the City of Culture in 2017," he said.

A long-term goal, however, would be to improve connection to the proposed HS2 network at Leeds, which is currently envisaged toward the end of the next decade.

Cllr Mancey said: "These are exciting times for the city of Hull with the prospect of the Siemens wind turbine factory moving even closer, hopefully kick-starting the development of the Humber as the UK hub for offshore wind manufacturing. To this end, early electrification to improve the east-west link between Hull and the East Coast Main Line will allow faster, more reliable, more regular connections to the HS2 network at Leeds and via York.

"This will, in turn, allow the economy of the Humber area to grow and to take full advantage of the investment in HS2 and help to maximise the benefits for the wider UK economy."

Conservative Councillor John Fareham has also been taking the lead in drumming up support within the council.

He said: "As far as the city's economic regeneration goals are concerned, electrification of rail services as far as Hull would be highly desirable."

In June, a full council meeting unanimously backed a cross-party motion supporting efforts to make the case for bringing forward investment to fund the work.

It followed Network Rail's confirmation that it only intended to electrify east-west rail services as far as Selby as part of a £9.4bn package of rail infrastructure funding announced by the Government late last year.

The rail company's stance had already prompted a meeting between city leaders and transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin over the issue.

It also spurred First Hull Trains to reveal its own plans to secure private investment to fund the electrification.

The council has stepped up its own lobbying campaign by passing another unanimous full council motion calling for the "early delivery" of higher quality, faster and more reliable train services between Northern cities such as Hull and Liverpool.

The council also again highlighted its support for the First Hull Trains' electrification proposal.

The motion also called for the council to step up its lobbying efforts by arranging another joint delegation to meet again with Mr McLoughlin.

Will Dunnett, of First Hull Trains, described the benefits of faster rail links to Hull and East Yorkshire as "innumerable".

He said: "We're committed to the region, to securing and creating jobs, and to continuing to provide the best possible journey for every single customer, this project will undoubtedly enable us to provide a service that is faster, more reliable and offers even better value for money.

"Additionally, we also understand our wider responsibilities to support inward investment and economic growth. The transport links we provide are vital to the continued progression of the wider Humber sub-region, made all the more important after the much-deserved award of City of Culture 2017 for Hull.

"Any announcement will give us greater certainty ahead of our licence extension in December 2016, enabling us to operate new trains on a fully electrified route in 2017, coinciding with, and helping us to add even more value to, Hull's fantastic year of culture.

"Everyone at First Hull Trains is pleased this has been recognised by those who are today supporting the Hull Daily Mail's campaign."

THE victim of a man who attempted to rape her after dragging her off Myton Bridge in Hull has been forced to attend court seven times without seeing her attacker brought to justice.

Rolands Brize, 25, pleaded guilty to attempted rape at Hull Crown Court on March 9 and had been due to be sentenced on Friday.

However, the case was adjourned for the seventh time because a hospital bed with a readily available translator in a mental health unit cannot be found.

Brize, who spent years in a mental institution in Latvia before he was released and arrived in Hull, is still awaiting sentence eight months after admitting attempted rape. He could be sent to prison or a mental health unit.

A source told the Mail: "The information as to why this keeps happening is very sketchy but what we do know is that Friday's court case was cancelled and it will be a few weeks until it goes ahead.

"The defence want an option of sending him to a secure mental health unit but they cannot do that if there isn't a bed available, so he cannot be sentenced.

"We are not sure when it is going to end but it's certainly not very good, especially so soon before Christmas."

Brize's first sentencing date was in May and most recent was last Friday but it was called off the day before.

In October, his young victim, who was pounced on from behind while she was on the phone to a 999 operator, had the courage to attend his sixth appearance in a desperate bid to find closure.

But Judge Michael Mettyear was forced to adjourn the case yet again after the psychiatric consultant informed him there was still not a bed available because Brize, who had a translator in court, needs someone who speaks Latvian and English with him in hospital.

Mr Mettyear told lawyers he didn't want it coming before the court if it was likely to be adjourned again, because it was unfair on the victim.

Brize had spent time in a mental health institute in Latvia after burning down his family home, and came to Hull upon his release.

At the time of her attack, the young woman was walking alone after leaving the Sugar Mill nightclub, to which Brize had been refused entry.

Brize grabbed her from behind but she screamed and managed to shake him off, before frantically calling 999.

Hysterical, the operator calmed her down enough for her to explain she was being followed by a man who had attempted to grab her over Myton Bridge.

As she did, Brize grabbed her again, pulled her on to a footpath by the bridge over the River Hull and attacked her.

Hearing her desperate screams, the operator alerted officers and they raced to Myton Bridge.

They discovered her shoes and her handbag strewn across the pavement and followed the trail to find Brize attacking her.

Brize is due to be sentenced on Wednesday, December 18.

No one from the Crown Prosecution Service answered the Mail's enquiry about the adjournments.

Hull City fans spoke of their frustration last night after owner Assem Allam threatened to quit the club over the name change row.

Many supporters were shocked when Assem Allam threatened to put the Premier League club up for sale unless his plans to rebrand it Hull City Tigers were accepted.

However, others reacted with anger after the owner said: "I don't mind them singing 'City till we die'. They can die as soon as they want."

Chants of "We're Hull City, we'll die when we want to" rang out during the side's historic 3-1 victory over Liverpool, which was broadcast live on Sky TV yesterday, after his interview appeared in a Sunday newspaper.

Yesterday, sources close to Mr Allam, who has invested more than £60m in the club, confirmed his position that he if felt the majority of fans were opposed to his stewardship of Hull City, he would "walk away".

City manager Steve Bruce has said he will talk to Mr Allam about the row, admitting he has sympathy for fans and saying the bitter row cannot continue. Ahead of yesterday's kick-off at the KC Stadium, fans at the Polar Bear pub in Spring Bank were divided over his comments.

Russell Anson, 45, has supported the club since he was a young boy.

He said: "What Allam has said is an utter disgrace and I am absolutely disgusted. His actions are appalling and I want him out of my club as soon as possible."

But Ernie Anderson said: "He has put a lot of money into this club and he is a good owner.

"He can call us whatever he likes as long as we remain in the Premier League."

Gary Leask and his nine-year-old son William travel from Stevenage every weekend to watch the team play, after relocating from Hull a few years ago.

Gary said: "This is really dividing the fans. You have some who are just happy that we are in the Premier League and thank him for that, and then you have the more traditional fans who have supported the club all their lives and don't want the name to change.

"What I disagree with is the way Allam just bulldozes ahead and doesn't listen to anyone else."

Friends Colin Hines, David Peck, Mike Meara and Mike Rocke said that, even if Mr Allam changes the name of the club, it will still remain Hull City to supporters.

Mike Rocke said: "We will still be Hull City.

"We just won't spend any money there or buy any home shirts – simple as."

The row over the rebranding came to a head at City's home game against Crystal Palace last weekend, when a banner reading "We are Hull City" was unfurled in the stadium, leading to a stand-off between protesters and stewards.

In his interview with the Sunday newspaper, Mr Allam said he'd had enough of fans opposing his plans to change the club's name.

Mr Allam said: "How can they call themselves fans, these hooligans, this militant minority, when they disturb and distract the players while taking away the rights of others to watch the football and of companies who have paid good money for their advertising?

"If they want to express their feelings, they are free to do so, either outside the stadium or pay to take space.

"Seriously, they are welcome to talk to the stadium management about buying a space for a permanent banner, ten times as big if they want. I am a supporter of democracy. I would have no issue with that."

And Mr Allam insisted he would walk away from the club he has invested £60m in if he believed supporters did not want him to remain.

He said: "I'm a simple man. Do they want me to stay? If it's 'No thank you,' fine, in 24 hours the club is for sale. I do not put in one more pound."

HULL Stingrays captain Matt Suderman has quit the club – citing fans' criticism and the standard of officiating in the Elite League as prime reasons for his decision.

The Canadian leaves immediately, meaning Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Sheffield and last night's 4-3 penalty-shot win over Braehead were his last in Stingrays' colours.

Suderman said: "Things just did not work out for me basically.

"It's kind of personal, I'm not really having fun.

"Some of the fans are the worst I've played in front of. They think they are knowledgeable, but they aren't.

"Some send me personal messages and all sorts of stuff. There's a lot of reasons for my decision, but those are the main ones."

The final straw appears to have come against Cardiff last weekend.

An initial 10-minute misconduct call was upgraded to a "travesty of the game", after Suderman smashed his stick against the penalty box glass, and on his way back to the dressing room.

It meant he was suspended for the trip to Edinburgh 24 hours later.

Suderman said: "Against Cardiff I was trying to make their guy answer for what he had done. I got a penalty I didn't feel I deserved.

"I flew off the handle, then the fans were chirping at me when I left the ice, and that was it for me here."

However, it appears it wasn't just last Saturday that miffed Suderman, he had been pondering his future for a while.

Never a "dirty" player and not afraid to stand up for team-mates, he had already totted up 170 penalty minutes this season, many for "chirping" to the officials.

And the defenceman revealed, apart from Tom Darnell, he believes the general standard of officiating is not up to scratch.

Asked if he regretted returning to Britain after a two-year absence while he battled against a medical condition, Suderman said: "I do, but only due to the state of the Elite League as the officiating has got much worse, to the point where I am embarrassed to be a part of it.

"I feel the officiating could stop the league being considered one of the top ones in Europe.

"If we had five or six Tom Darnells officiating I would be fine."

Suderman is keen to stress he has no other team lined up to join, in fact he may retire from the sport.

Short-term, though, he is returning home to Banff in Alberta.

"I can ski three days a week at home," he said. "I have to figure it out, and not rush into anything.

"I'm pretty sure I'll be done ice hockey-wise, but something could come up that I'd have to consider, but I've nothing planned right now.

"I have a bit of time, I don't have to rush into anything, I'm going skiing to get my head straight."

Asked if he thought fans might feel he was leaving the team in the lurch, Suderman said: "Probably, but I don't really care what they say.

"My team-mates know what I am about. So far, I've had support, and not had any negativity, and that's all that matters.

"The 20 guys in the room is what I care about. It's not easy to leave, but it's something I have to do."

Coach Sylvain Cloutier must now fill two holes on the Rapid Solicitors Stingrays import roster, with Suderman following sacked forward Derek Campbell out of the door.

He hopes to have at least one new face in the line-up ahead of this weekend's trip to Scotland, although it is believed two of his targets have played in Hull before.

In Suderman's swansong weekend, Carl Lauzon's goal put Stingrays 1-0 up against Sheffield on Saturday, but the Steelers won thanks to goals from Rob Sirianni and Drew Fata.

Last night, Chris Frank put Braehead in front after five minutes.

Two goals from Lauzon and Guillaume Doucet turned the tables for 2-1 Stingrays, but Joe Cullen levelled for 2-2 at the first break.

Neil Trimm netted the middle period's only goal and Lauzon the third's to send the game into overtime and then penalty shots, with Lauzon and Doucet on target, and only Cullen netting for Clan.

Cloutier said: "The win against Clan was massive. Hopefully, we can bring a new guy in before the weekend."

STEVE Bruce believes Hull City are now halfway towards their Premier League survival target after making history with a famous 3-1 win over Liverpool.

The KC Stadium played host to arguably its finest hour yesterday as Jake Livermore, David Meyler and a Martin Skrtel own goal earned a first victory over the Merseysiders.

The richly-deserved win quickly banished memories of back-to-back defeats to Southampton and Crystal Palace and lifted City back up into the top half of the table in 10th, seven points clear of the bottom three.

Having set his side a target of 10 wins for survival on the eve of the new campaign, Bruce believes a fifth victory in 13 games this season has reinvigorated their plans for another season in the top flight.

"I don't think it's any fluke we're sitting in the top 10 of the Premier League. Let's hope we can continue it, that's the hard part," said Bruce.

"If we can get another five wins, 10 or 11 wins is usually enough in my opinion. We've won five and find ourselves in the top half.

"The other teams at the bottom on seven points and eight points, they've got a lot to do in terms of winning 10 games when they've only won a couple."

Bruce promised a reaction following the 1-0 loss to lowly Crystal Palace eight days earlier and his side duly delivered in style.

Outplaying a Liverpool side that had begun the day second in the Premier League table, the Tigers took the lead through Livermore's deflected shot from distance in the 20th minute.

England captain Steven Gerrard equalised with a free-kick soon after, but City eventually found the win their efforts deserved when Meyler pounced to make it 2-1 before Skrtel's own goal killed off the contest three minutes from time.

"You can talk about tactics and this, that or the other, but at the end of the day, it's the 11 players that are put out there performing to a level which I've grown accustomed to.

"It was important that we had a response and to be fair to them, I knew there would be.

"You've got Liverpool at home, one of the big teams, and you need a game like this sometimes. Thankfully, we've played really well on the day and deserved to win it."

City will now turn their attentions to Wednesday night's trip to league-leaders Arsenal with a revived sense of belief after defeats in four of their previous five league games.

A host of players, most notably the recalled Alex Bruce and Meyler, made their chances count and the City boss added: "It's always hard when you bring a team out of the Championship to give them that belief. There's a few of the players who haven't really played in the Premier League, and this should give them that little bit of self belief that they can play here as long as they're playing as they are.

"That's the difficulty of the Premier League, we've got to be at our best."

CITY will be without Curtis Davies for Wednesday's trip to the Emirates after he collected his fifth yellow card of the campaign yesterday.

•Click here to see pictures of Hull City's win over Liverpool at the KC