'Be proud', Sir Tom Courtenay tells Hull City

One of Hull's best-loved sons has told Hull City's players he has every faith in them ahead of their Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Sergej Jakirovic's side are due to face Southampton on Saturday 23 May in what is described as the most lucrative match in football, with the winner joining Coventry and Ipswich in the Premier League next season.

Sir Tom Courtenay, the acclaimed actor who has starred in multiple films - including the famous 1965 classic Doctor Zhivago - is president of the Hull City Official Supporters Club.

The 89-year-old said: "Football is exciting. It moves people. I have been impressed by this manager and players. They should be proud of themselves."

Sir Tom said he has been impressed by Jakirovic, who arrived at the MKM Stadium in May 2025, replacing Ruben Selles as head coach.

At the time, Hull City were facing the prospect of relegation to League One.

"I was impressed at the way the manager adjusted the team after the first leg [of the play-off semi-final against Millwall]. It really worked."

Southampton have been charged by the EFL with breaking rules over the so-called Spygate scandal and face a hearing of the Independent Disciplinary Commission on or before Tuesday.

It means there is a possibility that the play-off final might not go ahead on 23 May, though the EFL is working on the basis that it will.

Assuming the Tigers do face Southampton as planned, Sir Tom warns they will need to produce a top-level performance to defeat a side who beat Arsenal in the quarter-final of the FA Cup last month.

The Saints lost 2-1 against Manchester City in the semi-final.

"They will be a tough side to beat," said Sir Tom.

Sir Tom said his love affair with Hull City stretches back more than 80 years.

He recalled his first Hull City match at the former Boothferry Park ground.

"It was in 1945," he said. "So straight after the Second World War. I was eight years old, and I went with my dad.

"I believe it ended 0-0."

Despite the lack of goals, Sir Tom said the atmosphere created by thousands of Tigers fans in full voice meant he was immediately captivated.

"Hull City fans are very keen," he said. "I always smile when I see them on television. It reminds me of all the years I have supported the club.

"I could never support any [other] team."

Aged 18, Sir Tom left Hull, where he was born and raised, to study at University College London, before enrolling at the nearby Royal Academy of Performing Arts.

Today he lives in Putney, south-west London, but insists he has never forgotten his home city, where he still has family, including his sister.

"I have never tried to pretend I am anything other than a Hull lad," said Sir Tom.

He returned to East Yorkshire in 2014 for the filming of Dad's Army in which he played Corporal Jones.

In 2018, he was given the Honorary Freedom of Hull.

Sir Tom said he will not be attending the Wembley match but will instead be watching the action on television.

He added the players "need to do it for themselves", and said even if they do not secure promotion they will "still have done very, very well".

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