In our November 4 article “Why Paul Duffen’s largesse has plunged profitable Hull into financial hell” we alleged that Hull City’s current financial position was the sole responsibility of former Chairman Paul Duffen.

We wish to make clear that the level of debt at Hull is in fact £9 million and not £27 million as stated. We apologise for this error.

Further, Paul Duffen has informed us that he was not solely responsible for the club’s financial decisions, including mortgaging, and that the club’s wage bill was considerably less than the average wage bill in the Premiership.

OK, enough of the apology doing the talking -  now it’s our turn.

1) If you’re going to use the terms ‘largesse’ and ‘financial hell’ in an article directed at one person, it might be a thought to have your facts straight.

2) The difference between £9m and £27m is £18m. That’s loads.

We tried to find the original story, but astonishingly, it’s gone. It’s as if it’s just… vanished. Well, you can still see the cached opening lines on Google which begins:

It seems Gordon Brown has a rival when it comes to spending other people’s money. I thought we had seen the end of such largesse in the Premier…

Fills you with confidence, doesn’t it?

Steve Gibson - quite likes Middlesbrough - Photo Wikipedia

On Sunday the Middlesbrough Chairman was the subject of a Sunday Express article in which it was claimed that he was ready to sell Middlesbrough, the club over which he has presided since 1986. For a story of such significance, rather too much weight seemed to be placed on the idle speculation that since he had plans to move to Guernsey and live as a tax exile that he wouldn’t be able to stay in charge on a day-to-day basis:

Middlesbrough could be put up for sale following chairman Steve Gibson’s shock decision to become a tax exile. It is believed that Gibson is planning to live in Guernsey and would stand aside for new investors.

As a tax exile he will be restricted to just 90 days in the United Kingdom – which would effectively rule out any chance of continuing his full time involvement with Middlesbrough.

Highly speculative work, especially given that even the proposed move to Guernsey is covered by the phrase “it is believed that…” Still, the headline Gibson ready to sell off his beloved Boro was hardly as tempered.

Gibson, for his part, didn’t think too much of the rumours, and before you could say Christophe Karembeu he had categorically denied the charges. And, more amusingly, the Express had issued a counter-story on the same day as their original story:

Gibson: Boro are not for sale

The Sunday Express claimed the lifelong Boro fan was ready to end his day-to-day involvement with the club and invite outside investment following their relegation to the Coca-Cola Championship.

‘The Sunday Express’ - or ‘us’.

But Gibson on Sunday issued a strongly-worded statement insisting: “This report is totally inaccurate.”

“I’ve made that absolutely clear in the recent past. My sole focus for Middlesbrough Football Club is getting us back in the Premier League. That’s what we’re all working towards and we believe we can do it.”

And has he made it clear in the recent past? Well, yes, here he is on May 28th, according to the Telegraph:

“I am going to stay at this football club. Forget about the rumours and the nonsense but that’s what happens when you are losing games.

“I was never asked those questions when we were winning games and we’ve got to start winning games of football again. Just keep the faith.

“We want the club to be the flagship of Middlesbrough and the flagship of the community and we want to do a lot of good in the town”

Ah. So either Gibson is playing fast and loose with the truth, which after 23 years of unswerving loyalty to Boro would be odd, or journalists are speculating. It’s hard to know.