How Hull City landed £22m cash windfall - it will never be forgotten | OneFootball

Jarrod Bowen can credit the Tigers for a major part in his upward trajectory

The past 20 years or so of Hull City's history has been chequered, to say the very least.

After beginning the new millennium in what is now League Two, the Tigers have since gone on to become regulars in the Championship, as well as tasting the riches of the Premier League for five seasons in between the years of 2008 and 2017, and even further, a run to the FA Cup final and a venture into the early stages of the UEFA Europa League in 2014.

Steve Bruce, still to this day, receives plenty of plaudits and love from those at the MKM Stadium for the relative success enjoyed in a four-year spell between 2012 and 2016 - the majority of which was done in extremely chaotic circumstances due to a chain of events under the Allam family's ownership.

However, it must also be said that plenty of cult heroes amongst supporters were created during said timeframe, with the likes of Abel Hernandez, Curtis Davies, Tom Huddlestone, David Meyler, Harry Maguire and Andy Robertson all falling into this particular bracket.

It has been well-documented how the Tigers were able to turn a profit on both Maguire and Robertson, although it has also been stated by many that the £8m fee parted with by Liverpool for the Scot was far too low, particularly when assessing his subsequent Anfield achievements.

However, City certainly weren't left short-changed through yet another transfer masterstroke in the same summer.

Jarrod Bowen saw Hull City flip £0 transfer agreement into eight-figure cash windfall

Indeed, Hull were able to profit from Hereford United's expulsion from the National League and pick up the then-17-year-old Jarrod Bowen on a free transfer, with the forward subsequently becoming an impressive figure in the Tigers' academy ranks.

After making a small breakthrough under Mike Phelan and Marco Silva in 2016/17, Bowen's first run in the first-team saw Russian boss, Leonid Slutsky, rewarded for his decision on the opening day of the following season, with the winger firing home a stunning finish against his boyhood club, Aston Villa.

After signing a contract extension until June 2020, the Leominster native continued to grow in confidence, despite being one of the youngest names on the teamsheet for the newly-relegated side under Slutsky and his successor, Nigel Adkins, who was appointed in December 2017.

Eventually, the contributions of Bowen, Kamil Grosicki and fellow star names such as Harry Wilson and the returning Hernandez, were enough to see the Tigers to safety, before their prized asset continued his upward trajectory the following season.

After scoring one third of Hull's 66 goals in Adkins' only full season in HU3, Bowen earned a place in the EFL Team of the Season, as well as three individual awards at City's end-of-season ceremony and breaking a 60-year record of scoring in eight successive home outings, before continuing to be the 'star man playing on the right' under Grant McCann.

Indeed, Hull were able to prove several doubters wrong in the Northern Irishman's first half-season after joining from Doncaster Rovers, although it was once again Bowen and Grosicki at the heartbeat of proceedings.

By the turn of the new decade, Hull found themselves in eighth, with Bowen contributing 16 goals, a figure which also took him past the half-century for the Tigers.

However, speculation was, unsurprisingly, as rife as ever, with his contract expiring just five months later, leading to worries that another Maguire or Robertson situation would unfold.

After a 2-1 defeat against Huddersfield Town, Bowen played his 131st and final game for the club, scoring 54 times, joining West Ham United for £22m on the same day that his fellow creator-in-chief, Grosicki, moved to West Bromwich Albion.

Hull City eventually had little regrets over Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United sale

It is well known that Hull went on to pick up just six points in a half-season period which coincided with Bowen's departure, seeing them finish bottom of the Championship, before bouncing straight back as League One champions.

Naturally, this meant there was a sense of regret that City didn't do enough to help achieve their aspirations at the time, albeit many were resigned to the fact that Bowen was destined for bigger and better things.

Over time, such regret has dissipated, with those who saw the winger's talent at first-hand in East Yorkshire often watching on with pride as the Herefordshire-born man continues to showcase his high-quality ability at the London Stadium, as well as being named club captain in August 2024.

Indeed, Bowen has accumulated over 100 goal contributions in the top-flight in over 200 league appearances for the Hammers, and will forever be a part of East London folklore for his stoppage-time winner in Prague which secured the UEFA Conference League trophy in June 2023 under David Moyes.

The ex-City star is also starting to receive plaudits at an international level, having opened his England account in a 5-0 success over Republic of Ireland at Wembley in November 2024, becoming a Three Lions regular under both Gareth Southgate and current boss, Thomas Tuchel.