On this week’s Members Monday, we feature Paul Kurring, who was the scoreboard operator at Hull FC’s previous stadium, The Boulevard.
Paul and his family currently live in Boston Spa, West Yorkshire, but they still make it a priority to travel across for home matches, whilst also regularly attending away games.
FC: What are your earliest memories of supporting Hull FC?
I started going to watch Hull FC at The Boulevard with my dad when I was a small child, although I don’t remember a lot from that.
I remember more from when I started going properly on my own when I was about 16. It was the season where we were in the Second Division and we won every game.
When I was 18, I started going to some of the away games, as well. There was a period in the 80s where me and a group of friends went to pretty much every game home and away.
FC: You used to operate the scoreboard at The Boulevard – tell us how you got into that role.
I had a friend who worked at Hull, managing the gates and helping out with programme sales. He spoke to me and said the regular scoreboard operator had let him down at the last minute, and not for the first time, and he asked if I would go up and operate the scoreboard because I knew the game fairly well.
He then asked if I would be able to do it at every home game, so I did.
I remember well that the lady who worked in the little tea shop below would bring me a cup of tea and a pie up at half-time.
I ended up doing it for years, right up until we left The Boulevard. That was when I finished my role as scoreboard operator because the club moved to the new stadium and there was an electronic scoreboard in place.
FC: Are there any memories that stand out for you from supporting the club?
The games against Hull KR always stand out for me.
But I used to love watching Gary Kemble, Fred Ah Kuoi, Dane O’Hara and James Leuluai – when the Kiwis came over we had a world class team. That period during the 80s was great because we had a world class team!
With Knocker Norton and David Topliss, as well, it was fantastic to watch.
The standout game for me would have to be the Challenge Cup Final Replay against Widnes at Elland Road.
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