Today, Hull City owner Assem Allam kept to his word and announced that he is putting the club up for sale. The Egyptian businessman had previously stated if the Football Association would not allow him to rename the team “Hull Tigers”, he would consider selling the 110-year-old Yorkshire club.

Speaking to the media at the KC Stadium this afternoon, Allam said: “Lately there have been a lot of rumors and that is not a good thing, so I decided it was better to have a face-to-face conference and clear the air.”

“We stated earlier this year that the club would be for sale should our attempt to globally promote Hull Tigers as a brand name and as a playing name be blocked.”

“As a consequence of the FA decision on 9 April, I announced on 10 April, within 22 hours, that Hull City is for sale.”

“I am using the wording Hull City now to show respect to the FA decision. This announcement is in accordance with my decision 10 months ago that I would walk away within 24 hours (if the name change application was unsuccessful).”

“In actual fact, it was 22 hours. When I say something, I mean it.”

“We have begun the appeal against the FA’s decision via the Court of Arbitration for Sport and we are hopeful of a positive outcome or that the FA reconsiders their decision.”

“Until conclusion of either sale or appeal, whichever comes first, we will remain committed to the club, evidenced by the latest remarkable additions to our already very good team.”

“If the appeal comes first, okay, no harm done. If the sale comes first – sold.”

“If it comes to selling, I will sell with tears in my eyes, because I haven’t finished.”

Allam bought Hull City in 2010 when it was in a difficult financial position. To this point, his backing helped the club win promotion to the Premier League in 2013 and advance to the FA Cup final last season.

The owner brought the wrath of his club’s supporters when it was announced he was attempting to re-brand the English side, Hull Tigers.

At first Allam dismissed fan protests. “I honestly don’t know why the fuss, why a small group are making all this fuss,” the owner said last November.

“Nobody in the world will decide for me how I run my companies, certainly not a few hundred people.”

“Let us establish this – nobody questions my decisions in my business.”

The Egyptian businessman first announced in August 2013 that the company name had changed from Hull City AFC to Hull City Tigers. Allam stated a ‘Tigers’ brand would be more marketable, and considered the word ‘City’ to be “lousy” and “common”.

At the time, the owner stated: “What the fans should be interested in – I will never change the color, I will never change the logo, I will never remove Hull, I will never remove Tigers.”

“These words were there for many years. The color of the club, amber and black, is there. The logo is there. That’s for the fans and I will never change this without consulting the fans.”

“As for the commercial reasons – my decision.”

In the following months, fan protests grew significantly through the efforts of supporter’s organization, City Til We Die.