‘Signing of the season’ Oli McBurnie fires Hull City to the Premier League
Oli McBurnie has been labelled a ‘cult hero’ and the ‘signing of the season’ after scoring the winning goal to send Hull City to the Premier League at Middlesbrough’s expense.
The final was preceded by an extraordinary series of events, as Southampton had beaten Middlesbrough in the play-off semi-finals before being expelled for spying on a training session. Southampton appealed against their expulsion, claiming their punishment was ‘manifestly disproportionate’, but their claims were thrown out by an independent commission.
While Southampton will begin next season with a four-point deduction, Hull will return to the Premier League for the first time in 10 years.
McBurnie came close in the 45th minute when he fought off Adilson Malanda to head onto the crossbar.
Boro’s best chance came in first-half stoppage time when David Strelec sat down Charlie Hughes before dragging a left-footed shot wide.
Boro fans serenaded Hayden Hackney onto the pitch in the second half as they pushed for a winner in an increasingly cagey affair, but it was Hull who struck in the 95th minute.
Yu Hirakawa beat his man down the left wing and crossed for McBurnie. Boro goalkeeper Sol Brynn spilled, allowing McBurnie to become Hull’s hero by finishing first-time on his left foot from close range.
Boro threw players forward as they hunted an equaliser in injury time, but Hull held on to win the £200million game and return to the Premier League.
It capped off an incredible season for Sergej Jakirovic’s side, who narrowly avoided relegation to League One last term.
Sky Sports pundit Jobi McAnuff said: “One moment from one side that clearly is gonna be a very regrettable, big mistake.
“But you’ve got to be in the right place at the right time, and it almost typifies Hull’s season in terms of being on the right side of results.
“Finding a way to win when you break it all down, you look at the data… that experience, that know-how, that’s what gets you through the biggest games.
“That’s where, clearly, the game was won today, with him popping up with that moment.”
Oli McBurnie a ‘talisman’ for Hull City
When asked if McBurnie is the Championship signing of the season, fellow pundit Gary Rowett replied: “Absolutely! He’s been such a talisman, hasn’t he.
“Early season, there were quite a few clubs trying to get him. He maybe doesn’t fit the profile of today’s data, he’s not 23 anymore, but that experience, that know-how…
“He held the ball up, he took the knocks, he won headers. He was probably, when Belloumi went off, the most likely to score for Hull, so it was fitting that he did.”
Former Hull defender Curtis Davies added that McBurnie is a ‘cult hero’ at the club.
The result sees Hull return to the top flight for the first time since the 2016-17 season. For Boro, meanwhile, it caps off an emotional and tiring season.
Boro had been expected to go up via the automatic places, only to tail off and eventually finish in fifth place.
They thought their play-off dream was over following defeat to Southampton, only to be given a second chance after the Spygate scandal.
To add insult to injury, Boro are expected to lose star player Hackney to a Premier League club this summer.