Hull City

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A nomination for the Championship's manager of the season award is an honour for the whole club, says Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic.

The former Bosnia and Herzegovina international is up for the award alongside Frank Lampard of Coventry City, Millwall's Alex Neil and Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg.

"It's a big honour for me being in this company and in such a competitive environment it's already a big achievement for me," Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside.

"I would like to thank my club, my staff, family and especially the players because without them it's not possible and it shows we are doing a very good job this season."

The Tigers are currently in fifth place in the Championship table having started the season with a background of transfer embargoes.

"In my opinion a lot of head coaches and managers are doing a great job because it's not easy, there are a lot of games, a lot of injuries and you are doing everything to find a way to get results and no matter which position in the table you are, you are fighting for something so there is no time to relax," added Jakirovic.

"This is a big achievement for the club. I am the head coach but we are doing a great job, especially in our circumstances all season and I would like this feeling to continue."

Hull are away at Sheffield United in the Championship on Saturday (15:00 BST).

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Hull City will aim to cement their place in the paly-off spots as they visit Sheffield United on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Tigers are currently two points ahead of Southampton in sixth and only four in front of seventh-placed Wrexham after two successive draws.

The Blades have failed to win any of their games in March and are still searching for a victory in April.

• Sheffield United have lost their last two league games against Hull, as many as in their previous 24 against the Tigers (W15 D7).

• Hull are looking to complete the league double over Sheffield United for just the second time, previously doing so in 1952-53.

• Since Boxing Day, only Sheffield Wednesday (1) have kept fewer Championship clean sheets than Sheffield United (2 in 19 games); they are the only side without a home clean sheet in that time.

• Hull have drawn their last two league games, having only drawn two out of 27 beforehand (W15 D10). They last drew three in a row back in November 2024.

• Sheffield United's Gustavo Hamer has assisted the most goals in the Championship this season (11) – the last Blades player with more in a league campaign was John Fleck in League One in 2016-17 (16). Indeed, 10 of Hamer's 11 assists have been at Bramall Lane, six more than any other player has at one venue this season (Ryan Giles at the MKM Stadium for Hull, 6).

Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic spoke to BBC Radio Humberside following Monday's goalless draw with Coventry City.

"I saw a good game as we were faced with the best team in the league," he said.

"They are in first place and I'm happy for the lads because they played very well since the first minute - we started very strong.

"I can say we took control and won possession, especially we had very good combinations and tried to press them to create some chances.

"Also we didn't allow too much, which is great because we are struggling all season with clean sheets and I'm happy for the lads they put everything into it today.

"Unfortunately we didn't win the game, but we have to continue like this.

"It's always a big battle. Both teams had very good organisation and tactical discipline, so it's not easy because they are a great team. I saw that we can compete with them, which is a great message to us."

Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic was happy with their point at Oxford after calling it "a very ugly game".

Jakirovic felt Oxford were content to use the wind to play long balls at the Kassam Stadium and admits his Tigers could have been better.

But the point keeps Hull in fifth and Jakirovic was satisfied with the result.

"We can be happy with this point because they had very good chances towards the end of this game," he told BBC Radio Humberside.

"We began well and took the lead through a very nice goal and then mostly we controlled everything.

"Maybe they know how to use this wind because they played a lot of long balls behind our defence line. We struggled there sometimes and we made one mistake in midfield when we lost the ball and they used this immediately to win a penalty.

"After this, for me, it was a very ugly game because it was first ball, long ball, second ball, who will be successful there? I think we lacked creativity, especially on the ball. We must be comfortable on the ball.

"We didn't use the wind in the first half because when you saw the second half, they used it. From 30, 35, 40 metres, they tried to shoot on goal. This is their home ground, so this is expected."

Image source, Getty Images

Championship clubs spent just over £69.5m on agents fees over the past 12 months according to figures released by the Football Association,, external an increase of £6m on the previous year.

The figures cover the period from February 2025 with Ipswich Town the top spenders, paying £11.7m having spent the first three months of the accounting period in the Premier League.

Southampton (£8.3m) and Leicester (£5.8m), who were relegated alongside Ipswich are the second and third-highest payers on the list.

Troubled Sheffield Wednesday were the most frugal when dealing with agents, spending £534,559.

Wrexham come in sixth on the list with an outlay of £3.6m while current Championship leaders Coventry spent just short of £1.5m.

Championship agents' fee spending, external

• Ipswich - £11,738,920

• Southampton - £8,381,358

• Leicester City - £5,866,587

• Sheffield United - £5,005,498

• Norwich - £4,020,206

• Wrexham - £3,660,584

• Swansea - £3,088,645

• Middlesbrough - £2,900,314

• Bristol City - £2,774,990

• Hull City - £2,450,431

• Stoke City - £2,088,886

• Birmingham City - £1,996,502

• Millwall - £1,982,348

• Preston North End - £1,831,233

• QPR - £1,829,036

• Watford - £1,612,833

• Coventry - £1,497,990

• Derby - £1,409,507

• West Brom - £1,346,030

• Oxford - £1,235,536

• Charlton - £904,698

• Portsmouth - £831,818

• Blackburn - £676,980

• Sheffield Wednesday - £534,559

Image source, Opta

Oxford United welcome Hull City for a crucial encounter with ramifications at both ends of the table on Friday (kick-off 15:00 BST).

The U's had been on a four-game unbeaten run (W3 D1) before their defeat to Southampton last time out and are 23rd but just one point adrift of safety.

The play-off chasing Tigers beat bottom side Sheffield Wednesday before the international break but have lost three of their past five games.

Hull are fifth, three points clear of seventh-placed Wrexham and five points behind the automatic promotion places.

• Oxford have won just one of their previous six league games against Hull (D1 L4), though it did come in this exact fixture last season (1-0).

• Following their 3-2 win in August, Hull are looking to complete their third league double over Oxford United after 1965-66 and 1975-76.

• Oxford are unbeaten in their past three home league games (W2 D1), having failed to win (D2 L3) or score in any of their previous five at the Kassam Stadium.

• No side has won more away games in the Championship than Hull City this season (10), though the Tigers have lost two of their past three on the road.

• Oliver McBurnie has been involved in more goals than any other Championship player this season (20 – 13 goals, 7 assists). He's the first Hull player to reach 20 goal involvements in a Championship campaign since Jarrod Bowen in 2019-20 (23).

Image source, Rex Features

Hull head coach Sergej Jakirovic said his injury-hit side need a break after a jaded performance in the 3-1 win over already relegated Sheffield Wednesday.

"Everyone was expecting three points," Jakirovic said. "But I knew it would be a tough game as they are aggressive, dangerous on the counter-attack and difficult to break down.

"I'm very pleased with the boys. We left everything on the pitch because it was not easy.

"We will use this break for mental and physical recovery. We have played so many games with our problems and our injuries so they deserve this rest.

"We hope the international players come back healthy and then we have seven games. We must be ready for every one of the them – and we will be.

"But for seven days I don't want to see anyone. I will go back to Croatia, but I will not be able to switch off from football."

Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic has mixed feelings about the upcoming international break.

The Tigers are fifth in the Championship table and host relegated Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT) before the two-week break for international matches.

"It's good we have a two-week break," Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside.

"(But) We have eight international players and I hope they get some minutes but it's more important they stay healthy."

Hull have suffered a number of injury problems throughout the season and Jakirovic is wary of asking too much of players returning from long trips with their national teams.

"We may have some problems when they return from the international games - Ivor Pandur (Croatia) is in South America, Semi Ajayi (Nigeria ) is in Jordan, and Liam Miller is with Canada in Toronto so that could be a problem but we will see when they come back," he added.

"I understand the World Cup is coming and the players want to be on their list and it is a big dream for them. We are proud of our international players."

Jakirovic also confirmed Hull decided not to appeal against the sending-off of Charlie Hughes against West Bromwich Albion last weekend after he realised the suspension will only be for one game rather than two, so the defender will miss the meeting with Sheffield Wednesday.

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Jobi McAnuff believes just five teams are fighting it out for two Championship play-off spots.

In the latest edition of the BBC's 72+ EFL podcast, Aaron Paul and McAnuff were joined by AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson discuss the top stories from the EFL.

Watford's 3-1 win over Wrexham on Tuesday opened the door for Southampton to take over the Welsh side's top-six spot - and they did so, winning 1-0 against Norwich on Wednesday.

Watford are ninth, five points behind the Saints with eight games to go, while Birmingham are a further two points behind in 10th.

McAnuff said: "Watford are still in the mix. I feel like seven points feels a bit too big at this stage of the season. Birmingham feels a little far away.

"Southampton are the ones I believed would come through and get a play-off place.

"A couple of weeks ago I'd have said there's only one place up for grabs (sixth). That's changed now, (fifth-placed) Hull have been really inconsistent so they have been brought into it a lot more.

"You've got Easter coming up, six points can go in a week. You have a quick turnaround. If you can put a run of games together you can really jump up four or five places in the space of a few days. Anyone down to Watford (can make it), Birmingham feels a little too far away at this stage."