Hull City will relish tackling Mourinho on return

Four and a half years ago in the Tigers’ first season in the top flight, Phil Brown’s freefalling Hull managed to slow their descent by earning a valuable point at the Bridge in a goalless draw.

Hull avoided the drop by a single point that season, but the fixture bore more relevance to Chelsea’s campaign, as just days after they met on February 2, Luis Felipe Scolari was sacked as Blues manager, with that result the final straw for owner Roman Abramovich.

Six months later the two locked horns again in south west London on the opening weekend of the Premier League season – just as they will at the start of the 2013-14 campaign.

Hull, represented by a cosmopolitan cast including Geovanni, Steve Muoyokolo and Kamel Ghilas, took a surprise first-half lead through Stephen Hunt.

Didier Drogba equalised within 10 minutes, but for the remainder of the game it looked like Carlo Ancelotti’s first League appointment in charge would end in disappointment, until Drogba stepped up to score a winning free-kick deep into stoppage time.

It was a microcosm of the season for both clubs. Chelsea went on to win the title, Hull were relegated.

Now the East Yorkshire club are back in the top flight after a three-season hiatus, and are squaring up to a Chelsea side led by a familiar face in returning former boss Jose Mourinho.

Bryan Hughes, an unused substitute the first time the Tigers played at the Bridge, believes kicking off the new season with such a glamorous fixture will be something the men from the KC Stadium will have wanted.

“It’s a massive game going back to Chelsea with Mourinho back in English football and I’m sure Steve Bruce and all the lads will be looking forward to it,” said Hughes.

“Every footballer around the country will have been excited to see the first game. We were no different back in 2008 when we got promoted.

“We got Fulham that day and we managed to get the three points so Steve and the boys will be looking forward to going to Stamford Bridge and trying to cause an upset.”

From a former Tigers midfielder to a current one in David Meyler, the excitement yesterday went beyond that first trip, with Hull also visiting Manchester City in the first two weeks of the season.

Meyler said: “You look at the list and you see the first two away games are against Chelsea and Manchester City, so it’s going to be tough.

“We’re all looking forward to it and it’s going to be amazing. It’s what we all worked so hard for last season, isn’t it?

“We’ve got the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City coming to the KC and it’s going to be brilliant. It’s great for the city of Hull and it’s going to be great for the players as well.

“I’m sure the manager will have us all fired up and ready to go for that opening game against Chelsea.

“Jose Mourinho will do the same with his players and they’ll be hoping to win the league. It will be tough, but maybe we can spoil his party.”

The anticipation of a match-up with the Blues was being felt by the fans, too, with Chris Smith of the Hull Supporters’ Federation adding: “It could have been better if we were home to Chelsea.

“The first time we played there Phil Scolari got the heave-ho.

“It’s a big occasion, they’re all going to be big matches for us, but to be meeting one of the top four teams is brilliant.

“There’s no easy matches and it is a tough start, but if we can pick up the odd point here or there out of those first few matches then that will set us in good stead.”

Norwich City provide the first opposition at the KC Stadium on August 24.

Liverpool are the first of the big clubs to visit Hull on November 30, while Bruce has been handed a reunion with his former employers Manchester United on December 26. Hull visit the champions at Old Trafford on April 12.

The return trip to Anfield is on New Year’s Day with Chelsea visiting the KC on January 11 and Arsenal in town on April 19. Hull finish at home to Everton on May 11.

The FA Cup final has returned to its historic place at the end of the domestic season next term.

In recent seasons, the Wembley showpiece has lost some of its gloss, but in 2014 it will be played on May 17, a week after the Premier League season has concluded.