Guest Column - Lee Radford: Radford eager to atone for 'that' punch against city rivals

I ACTUALLY came within just four hours of signing for Rovers last week. Now I'm just a few hours away from playing against them again in the biggest derby in years.

Yet that is only because I won my appeal against a one-match ban on Wednesday night after getting sent off for the first time in my career last weekend; you could not have made up what has happened to me over this last week or so.

It has all been a bit weird, a proper rollercoaster.

Tuesday was the first time I'd ever been to the disciplinary. It's a bit like a court room and – given the importance of Saturday's game and knowing I might miss out – it was all a bit nevre-wracking.

I was really disappointed with the initial outcome but delighted with what happened the following evening although the guy who headed the panel took an eternity to give the outcome.

He went through all the ups and downs of the case and it seemed like a 20-minute speech before he finally told me I'd got off.

I did still have to pay the 300 fine though and, as people who know me will realise, I was a bit gutted about that.

I was going to try and appeal that as well but the club told me I should just be happy at being able to play this weekend and maybe they're right.

I'd have been absolutely distraught if I'd have missed this one; a knock-out game against our local rivals, the first-ever sold-out rugby league match at the KC and all anyone is talking about in the city.

Every local radio station you switch on is talking about it. It's just massive.

I was so gutted about what happened last Saturday (dismissed after 10 minutes for punching Leeds Rhinos' Ryan Bailey).

I know it affected the way our team performed, especially with Leeds scoring a try late on to win it and take fourth spot from us.

If I'd still have been out there maybe we would have gone on to win but I still don't think it should have been a red card. A yellow for both players would have done the job.

As for Rovers, we've defeated them twice this season already but that will probably count for nothing tomorrow.

They've had the upper hand over us in Super League up until this year but, again, it doesn't mean anything.

This is effectively cup football now; lose and your season is finished.

I do think this is the biggest game since the 1980 Challenge Cup final between the sides.

I was only one-year-old then but everyone knows about it. It is going to be a fantastic match and, as always, it will be really physical.

But it is bizarre to think that, in reality, I so nearly joined Rovers last week. There was a contract there for me and I came so close to signing it.

I wasn't far off at all moving and the way these things happen is amazing.

Everyone knows I was brought up in East Hull, supported Rovers as a kid and still live that side of the river.

I cop quite a bit of stick when I go back over there after training and I admit it was tempting to switch but, in the end, it was this group of players here at Hull which made my decision for me.

They are a great bunch and I realised it would have been just too hard to leave them.

Interview by Dave Craven