Hull City Name-Change Application Rejected
It was the second time the application by the club's owners to change the name to 'Hull Tigers' was rejected by the FA council.
Hull City won't be changing their name to Hull Tigers.
The Football Association's council has rejected a request from the Championship club.
FA chairman Greg Dyke says the motion was rejected on a basis of "about two to one".
A brief statement from the FA read:
The FA Council has rejected Hull City's application to change their playing name to Hull Tigers.
The Council's decision - carried by a 69.9 per cent vote of its members - came after a recommendation from The FA's Membership Committee.
The Council, which is made up of representatives from across football, fully considered the recommendation in reaching its decision.''
The controversial plan to ditch the traditional Hull City AFC name in favour of Hull Tigers has been hugely divisive. It was rejected by the FA Council in April 2014 but the club won an appeal via an independent arbitration tribunal in March this year. Allam then met an April 1 deadline to resubmit the case, but the FA Council has again voted against the proposal.
The same three-man panel formed from the FA's membership committee has reiterated its previous recommendation to reject the name change.
Allam is convinced that rebranding the club is the only way to bring in new investment from overseas and his future with Hull is now in doubt.
Discontent among the majority of Hull fans who oppose the name change and regular protests have been a feature of the club's two-year stay in the Barclays Premier League before they were relegated last season.
Manager Steve Bruce has frequently been cast as mediator between supporters and owner.
He performed the role with aplomb, never compromising his popularity with the fanbase but always underlining his respect for Allam. Nearly two thirds of Hull City Official Supporters Club members were opposed to the name change in a poll carried out in April and May, with 459 out of the 704 who voted saying no to Hull Tigers.
In a statement, Hull City said:
"The Club acknowledges the FA Council's decision with regards to our name change application.
"We always knew that following a change to the FA's policy, the chances of changing the name were slim but we also feel it is important to fight for what you believe in and we believe that being called Hull Tigers would be the best strategy for the future.
"We will be taking some time away from the Club to consider our options and we will make no further comment until we have come to a conclusion."
Ian Waterson is from the Hull City Supporter's Trust and says:
"This hopefully will be the line in the sand and the owner recognises that after three times of attempting to change the name when it's not been wanted or needed, this should be the end of the matter and hopefully common sense will prevail now.
"Hull City AFC is a name that we have had since inception and it is the fabric of the club, it's what binds generations of supporters together. Our fathers, our fore fathers and our grandfathers before that, they've all supported this club under the name of Hull City AFC and it is very important to us."