'I'd probably sell a kidney' to be at final

A life-long Hull City fan who is travelling from his home in Australia to support his team in the Championship play-off final says "there's no way I was going to miss out".

The Tigers will face Middlesbrough - not Southampton - on Saturday after it was announced late on Tuesday that Saints had been thrown out of the play-offs for spying on three clubs in the Championship season.

Jack Gorbert, 27, said: "I've been lucky enough to experience some incredible moments over the years, including the two previous play-off finals at Wembley.

"Those are memories I'll never forget and moments that really show what supporting Hull City is all about - the highs, the hope and the loyalty of the fans."

The EFL charged Southampton with watching training sessions involving Oxford United and Ipswich Town, as well as filming Middlesbrough as they prepared for the first leg of their play-off semi-final on 7 May.

The independent disciplinary commission also handed Southampton a four-point deduction in the Championship for next season.

Saints will now miss out on a game dubbed the richest in world football, with the winners of the play-off final guaranteed a minimum £110m in Premier League broadcast revenue.

The final will remain on Saturday at Wembley with the kick-off time to be confirmed.

Gorbert, who watched his first Hull City game when he was four, booked his tickets prior to the decision being made to kick Southampton out of the final.

He said: "My dad is from Hull and grew up there, so even though our family lived in Derby because of his work, Hull City was always a massive part of our lives."

He said he fell in love with the club watching players like Stuart Elliott and Ian Ashbee.

"They were heroes to me as a kid."

Even after moving to Melbourne, he said his passion for the club remained, getting up in the early hours to watch every game live.

"Hull City is part of who I am. It keeps me connected to home, to my family and to so many memories growing up.

"That's why this play-off final means so much to me.

"With the situation in the Middle East things are pretty volatile, but there's no way I was going to miss out."

"I'd probably sell a kidney if I had to," he added.

Meanwhile, Miles Fletcher, 30, who is travelling from his home in Dubai to watch his team play, said he had spent more than £1,000 on flights and hotels.

However, he said: "I couldn't not go. It's a priceless ticket to be honest.

"They don't come around often these trips," Fletcher said.

"It means everything to me to be there."

Kieran Greenham is travelling nearly 4,500 miles (7,200km) from his home in Miami, in the US state of Florida, to attend the match with his wife.

"It is hard enough not being there week in, week out, and I've had plenty of early mornings getting up just to watch games.

"But the hardest part is missing that time with my dad and my brothers - the walk to the ground, the nerves, the emotion, all of it," he said.

Kieran said he and had his wife had spent about £4,000 in total on flights and accommodation.

However, he added: "When Hull reached Wembley, there was no way I could miss it because this was more than just a football match to me."

His brother Joe, who is travelling down from Newcastle for the match, said the whole family was "buzzing" with excitement.

"We were all there in 2016, and it's a bit of a reunion for us all to meet up again."

The winner of the final will join Coventry City and Ipswich Town in being promoted to the Premier League.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.

Listen to highlights fromHull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North.

Download the BBC News app from the App Storefor iPhone and iPad orGoogle Play for Android devices