Michael Dawson (2014/15)
After securing the highest league position in the club’s history along with reaching the FA Cup final, Steve Bruce added a former England international to the ranks in August 2014 when signing Michael Dawson from Tottenham Hotspur.
Brother to club Hall of Fame member and current first-team coach Andy, Michael had already carved out a very successful career representing Nottingham Forest and Spurs, along with earning four senior caps for England. Winning the League Cup in 2008 with Spurs, the defender had played over 400 senior games prior to his arrival in East Yorkshire with the now 40-year-old excited to join the Tigers.
“I remember the move clear as day. I saw the club being on the up and Hull did everything to try and sign me. The job Steve Bruce was doing was great and they were trying to progress and bring players in. Myself was one, Robert Snodgrass, Mohamed Diamé came in, who I thought was a great signing, and adding in Harry Maguire and Andy Robertson into that group of players as well; there were plenty of positives around the club,” said Dawson.
“The season the club had previously was magnificent and I was really excited to move back North, work with Steve and a new group of players after being at Spurs for so long. It was hard for me to leave Spurs, but I love playing football.
“I knew the club inside and out from when Andy was there. I was there at Wembley when ‘Deano’ (Dean Windass) scored that goal as a fan supporting Andy. I had been there to watch him and I had been there the season before playing for Spurs and I got a reception saying ‘I was just a poor Andy Dawson!’ I took it in good spirits,” joked Dawson.
Making his Hull debut away at Aston Villa, the defender made his home debut in a 2-2 draw against West Ham United. Two months later, Dawson was handed the captain’s armband for the first time in his City career in a 1-1 draw away at Everton.
“When I came through the door, Curtis (Davies) was captain and he was a great captain and everywhere I had been, I had been captain. I never once when I signed said I wanted to be captain, it was just something that Steve gave me away at Everton. It is always an honour. I captained Forest at the age of 18 and it brings a little bit more pressure and more expectation as people look up to you to lead. I was always vocal whether I had the armband or not; that never changed me, but it was always a privilege for every team I played for.”
A small hamstring injury saw Dawson on the sidelines for a month before returning in the new year. The Tigers battled throughout the 2014/15 season to avoid relegation. One game that stands out from the campaign was in April 2015 when Liverpool arrived at the then-named KC Stadium. Later in the interview revealing that it was his favourite game, Dawson lead the team out and netted his first Hull goal in the 1-0 victory.
“I remember the goal being a header and I just ran off in celebration. Paul McShane played out, it was whipped in by Elmo’ (Ahmed Elmohamady) and I just timed my run right and it was great when it hit the back of the net and to win the game.”
Unfortunately, three successive defeats before a goalless draw on the final day against Manchester United saw City relegated from the top flight. Despite relegation, Dawson received the club’s Player of the Year award in his debut campaign at the club. However, the 40-year-old said he would have traded that award if it meant staying in the Premier League.
“I appreciate winning the award. It is special and the supporters and staff recognised the work I put in individually but I’ll tell you now, I would have loved to have swapped it if I had the worse season ever but we stayed up,” revealed Dawson. “I would have done that and taken the criticism on that side for a group of players, for a football club, for the fans, for everyone in the City, I would have quite easily had a disastrous season and say I was a failure signing for the club if it meant we stayed in the Premier League. It is always nice when people appreciate you and recognise you give everything to Hull, like I did for my other two clubs, but it still hurts that disappointment of relegation.
“To this day, it was my worse day as a footballer getting relegated,” added Dawson. “We should have had enough to stay in the Premier League. I think if Diamé had been fit, we would have stayed up, because he was an incredible signing. I don’t think we ever got blew away in a game which made it harder and it was fine margins.”
Gearing up for the following campaign in the Sky Bet Championship, Dawson would captain the side to promotion via the play-offs at the first time of asking. Making 37 appearances in all competitions and scoring his second Hull goal in the 1-1 draw against QPR, the defender lead the team out under the famous arch of Wembley as Diamé’s fantastic finish saw the Tigers back in the top flight.
“I think Steve and the players were brilliant, but I also think arguably that we had the best squad in the league. Thankfully we went up via the play-offs and we made hard work of it. At Wembley, we dominated the game and it should have been more than 1-0, but we turned up and performed on the big stage and as I say, relegation was one of the worst days of my career but promotion was up there as one of the best.
“Walking up the stairs being promoted and lift that trophy to get Hull back to the Premier League was a real honour. It was the only promotion I have ever had and it changes lives. More jobs at the football club and people in the city and you want to test yourself against the best teams in the world. It is a special day and the highlight of my Hull career.”
The defender had another two seasons with the Tigers, amassing 132 appearances and scoring nine goals before returning to his boyhood club Nottingham Forest at the end of the 2017/18 campaign.
Currently a club ambassador at Tottenham Hotspur along with being a popular pundit on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday, the 40-year-old concluded the interview by speaking on the fanbase and how the football club will always be a part of the Dawson family.
“I got nothing but love from the Hull City fans. They were great to me along with any other player, because they want the best. I thought they were magnificent, stuck with us through hard times and not once did they turn on us,” explained Dawson.
“Hull City will always be a part of the Dawson family. Andy is still there, Lucas is in the academy which is great. It is a great football club and one day I want to see them back in the Premier League. They have started the season really well and I tell you what, you never know. In the Championship, if you get on a wave and you see how it goes and get that positive mentality anything can happen. The recruitment they have done over the summer is very, very good and I am a big fan of Liam Rosenior.
“I played with ‘Rosey’ when I was there and he was always going to be a manager and a coach in the making that is for sure. He loved it from a young age, took sessions at times when he wasn’t playing when Steve Bruce was there. He was taking sessions so it is great to see the way he plays. He is always positive as I listen to him in his interviews and press conferences and he’s great.”
