A New Year’s message from Hull FC’s Chief Executive, Richie Myler.
This time twelve months ago, I wrote to our members, supporters and club partners reflecting on a significant few months for Hull FC, expressing a deep hope that the groundwork had been set to allow us to enjoy a year of development across the club – a year on, as we head into 2026, I’m delighted to reflect on the progress we made in 2025 as we now move forward into the next chapter of this exciting new period for the Black & Whites.
2025 saw us achieve many significant milestones; our highest average home attendance in 15 years, huge digital and commercial growth, reengaging into our community with over 400 hours of community appearances by our first-team squad, and returning to Grade A status under the IMG Grading system – and ultimately, falling narrowly short of reaching the play-offs which has left the club hungrier to achieve more in 2026.
It goes without saying that I’d like to acknowledge the incredible support of our members as we head towards the new Betfred Super League campaign – over 9,000 members already signed up for the new season, our highest membership figure for over five years, and already an increase of over 1,500 members compared to 2025. On the back of a period of underachievement for our club, your continued loyalty and support is outstanding.
This support has been replicated by our supporters in response to the release of our 2026 jerseys, with the club enjoying one of its most fruitful retail periods in many years – all three shirts have proved to be some of our fastest selling of the modern era, with over 6,000 jerseys sold over the past five weeks alone.
This collective effort from across our fanbase, across memberships and retail, plays a crucial part in helping the club move forward and ultimately compete at a higher level on the playing field. The club therefore is pleased to announce that it has invested the full salary cap available into this year’s playing personnel.
We would also like to thank all of our club partners for their invaluable support as we head into 2026 – in particular, our new main principal partners Sports Events Services and PBS Construction who we are extremely excited to have on board in a prominent position after some long-standing support – we wish them all plenty of success in their own endeavours this coming year.
While we are pleased with the progress made across the club in 2025, finding ourselves in a much stronger position than this time a year ago, everyone across the organisation understands that there is still a significant amount of hard work ahead, and we must continue to drive standards even higher in all areas to fulfil this club’s undoubted potential over the coming years.
In 2026, we look forward to some exciting milestones and events for our club, including the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Challenge Cup Final, the return of Hull&Proud Week, two trips to France, some exciting events and a superb new venue for Magic Weekend in July – however most significantly, we will come together to mark the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Hull FC Community Foundation, who’s incredible and tireless work across the city and wider region continues to grow, engaging with tens of thousands of individuals every single year.
The Foundation recorded over 275,000 session attendances in 2025, directly engaging with 16,106 individual participants across 34 projects. We will be announcing a range of events in the coming weeks to celebrate their two decades of life-changing work throughout 2026.
Off the field, we have made significant additions including the appointment of the highly experienced Sian Jones as Director of Operations – Sian brings a wealth of knowledge and experience after over two decades with Leeds Rhinos, and is already having a positive impact across our retail, commercial, and marketing operations.
We are also delighted to formally welcome Tony Sutton back to the club as our Chief Operating Officer, following nearly a decade with the Rugby Football League, most recently as Chief Executive Officer from 2022 to 2025. Tony returns after a 13 year spell with the club between 2001 and 2014, and will oversee all financial, operational and compliance matters across the club and the Hull FC Community Foundation to ensure our off-field operations run as smoothly as possible. Like Sian, Tony brings over two decades of experience to the role and is a crucial addition to the club.
The club is buoyed by the fact we have an incredibly passionate, professional and proud group of people behind the scenes at the club, and we are all driven to pull together in a positive direction.
As we did in 2025, we have added some important leadership figures to our squad this season from winning cultures in the likes of Joe Batchelor, Harvie Hill and James Bell – individuals who understand the standards required to succeed, that are already having a positive impact on the younger players within our squad. Our senior players are responsible for setting our standards, and I’m impressed once again by what they have displayed so far during our pre-season campaign.
This playing group, overseen and guided by John Cartwright, Andy Last, Simon Grix and Gareth Ellis, is without doubt united – and I hope that has been clear to see in some of the brilliant pre-season content we have shared over the past few months. Coming into training with a smile on your face every day is an incredibly important factor in targeting success. Like all of our supporters I am sure, I love seeing their energy and passion both on and off the training field. They are a genuine pleasure to be in the company of, and interact with.
The club has made the decision to invest in its academy and youth teams which is demonstrated by the club announcing its Academy Development Tour of Australia in January 2027, for what will be a unique opportunity for players to learn about different Rugby League environments and assistance with their own personal progression. We thank Richard Tate and Francis Cummings for their commitment. In our penultimate home game last season, we finished the match with thirteen English players on the field – eleven either from Hull or with direct Hull FC links. This is exactly where we want to be.
The players have without doubt restored pride in the Hull FC shirt 2025, but in 2026 we need to take the next step to becoming more resilient and clinical in key moments. I am confident that together as a club, this year will be another significant and exciting step forward, together.
With six weeks until we get our Betfred Super League campaign underway, we are all excited to see that magnificent “Black & White Army” at the MKM Stadium under the Saturday night lights in Round One.
Hull FC is one large family, and families always stick together. That has certainly been the case in 2025, and we thank you all for what has been a challenging but stimulating period.
It now goes to say that we wish all of our members, supporters, club partners, and everyone associated with the club a very Happy New Year, and I hope 2026 brings you peace, happiness and success.
Richie.
