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Tigers fans savouring the good form 'while it lasts'

Matt DeanHull
News imageBBC A father and son, both wearing glasses, sit together. The son is wearing a vintage amber and black Hull City shirt. His father is wearing a dark coloured polo shirt. He has his arm around his shoulder.BBC
Oliver and Adrian Swingler are determined to enjoy Hull City's "best days".

A Hull City fan has described his side's start to life back in the Premier League as "beyond words" and admits his ultimate dream is European football next season.

"I'm a bit crazy in the head!" said Oliver Swingler, 19, who is season ticket holder.

"I'd like to go the classic stadiums. Your San Siros, the Bernabeu, Camp Nou. It's exciting to think about. I don't think it'll happen but you never know!"

The Tigers, who many tipped for relegation, have made an unbeaten start, the third best by any promoted side in Premier League history after four games.

'Everyone's dreaming'

"We'll just savour it while it lasts", said Oliver's Dad, Adrian, 58, who attends matches with his son.

"He's already trying to work out how he's going to explain to his mother that he won't be at university on certain days if we've got to go to Europe to watch football", he joked.

"Obviously everyone's dreaming, everyone wants to see them doing well, but you know at some point we may get taken back to reality."

Buoyed by this season's distinctive Mauled By The Tigers chant the pair watched the 2-2 draw at Chelsea last Saturday, a match Adrian described as "almost scripted from heaven!"

Supporters and pundits alike are drawing parallels between the club's current form and the start to their first season in the Premier League in 2008/09.

Under their former manager, Phil Brown, they suffered just one defeat in their first nine games and won consecutive games away at Arsenal and Tottenham.

However, they took just eight points after Christmas and ended up avoiding relegation on the final day of the season.

"All of a sudden teams were paying a lot more respect to us." Brown said of the initial run that season.

"Teams were paying a lot more attention to us. But the togetherness and the camaraderie, you can't match that."

"My message to the whole City fans is keep on enjoying it," he added. "Who knows where it can take you?"

News imageGetty Images A man wearing an amber and black Hull City tie, white shirt and suit is pictured singing with a microphone on the MKM Stadium pitch, surrounded by photographers. The East Stand in the background is full of supporters. Sunshine covers part of the pitch.Getty Images
Former Hull City manager Phil Brown celebrated Premier League survival on the final day of the 2009/09 season.
News imageA woman with grey hair, wearing brown rimmed glasses, is pictured smiling. She is wearing a claret coloured jumper over a blue coloured t-shirt.
Lifelong fan Cass Patton is thrilled by The Tigers start to the season.

Lifelong fan, Cass Patton, 75, from the city is "daring to dream" about the team's prospects this season.

She says she's seen many ups and downs but is enjoying being surprised by the way her side have started the season.

"I love the Tigers, but really it's a bit of a boulevard of broken dreams, literally. However they pull it out of the bag, so you never know.

"I think that's why they're so amazing!"

Hull City will see if their Premier League form can continue as they travel to face Newcastle on Saturday.

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