Hull City bus window smashed before Wembley final

Hours before the Championship play-off final, Hull City’s team bus was damaged after stones and bottles were thrown at it.

The vehicle was reported to have had a window shattered just before the £200million promotion match against Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium, with a place in the Premier League next season at stake. The Tigers’ squad were staying at the Hilton Hotel a few hundred yards from Wembley on May 23.

It was not confirmed whether the players were on board when the incident happened, although indications suggested the damage took place as the bus travelled to the team hotel where Sergej Jakirovic’s squad had been based. Hull City players have now arrived at the stadium and have been seen on the pitch.

Damage on the way to the hotel

Sky Sports said the Hull team bus had a window smashed in the afternoon after objects were thrown at it on the way to the team hotel. The broadcaster added that the players were just arriving out of the hotel and on to the bus, and that stones and bottles had been thrown at the vehicle.

Sky Sports also said some of the glass on the outside of the window had to be knocked out, but that the bus was still OK for the players to make the very short trip to Wembley Stadium from the hotel, which was a few 100 yards away.

Final build-up and controversy

The build-up to Saturday’s game has also been affected by the Spygate controversy, which has sent shockwaves through English football after Southampton, who had beaten Boro in the semi-final, were expelled from the tournament following a guilty verdict for espionage, reports the Mirror.