Hull City notebook as wages delay causes pre-Portsmouth stir and Tigers aim for reunion

Hull City are preparing for their biggest game in years on Saturday afternoon as they head to Portsmouth knowing victory will keep them in the Championship.

A dismal season will come to an end on the South Coast, just as it did 12 months ago when the Tigers were chasing a play-off place, but the dynamics are altogether different this time around.

Ruben Selles' men know only victory will secure their place in the league, and defeat would send them crashing down to League One, though a draw could be enough if results elsewhere go their way.

As Saturday looms large, here's a look at the latest news from the MKM Stadium and around the Championship....

Players paid their salaries

News emerged on Wednesday night that City's players had been paid a couple of days late. While clearly not ideal, the squad were made aware on Monday that they would be paid on Wednesday, and they were. All non-football staff were paid as usual on the 28th.

Sources close to the situation told Hull Live that it was an issue relating to the transfer of funds, which can often come through the likes of the Dominican Republic, Romania and Hungary, as well as Turkey, and as has been the case previously, was resolved in the timeframe given.

The players' contracts state they will be paid by the end of each month in arrears, and this is what happened, so there was no issue with the PFA or EFL, which would have been the case had City breached contracts, and as they did not, things were dealt with.

Naturally, given the stress, worry and incessant rumour about Acun Ilicali's future, a situation such as this does little to ease those concerns and only hightens the worry.

Not going to Pompey?

City have long since sold out of their 2,100 allocation for Saturday's huge game at Fratton Park, with a fleet of coaches leaving the MKM Stadium around 4am after the club put on free travel.

For those not going to the South Coast, the club are opening up the Legends Lounge at the MKM Stadium with fans able to get free entry to watch the 12:30pm kick-off.

Places are limited with a pizza menu on offer, but tickets must be booked in advance with doors opening at 11:30am ahead of the big game getting underway an hour later. You can book your place here.

Walsh gets a reprieve

Liam Walsh looked crestfallen when he was sent off against Coventry City on Saturday, having been given a straight red card for a petulant shove on Luis Binks.

Referee Oliver Langford, who will take charge of Derby County vs Stoke City on Saturday, brandished a straight red card just moments after the former City loanee was booked for an earlier challenge.

“Luton Town’s Liam Walsh will be available for their next five matches after a claim of wrongful dismissal was upheld by an independent Regulatory Commission. The midfielder was sent off for violent conduct on Saturday, 26 April, during their EFL Championship match against Coventry City," the FA said.

Walsh, however, can consider himself rather fortunate given his shove was arguably worthy of a yellow card, which would have seen him sent off, and Luton unable to appeal..

Birmingham claim the record

The Blues' 2-0 win at Steve Bruce's Blackpool on Wednesday night saw the club notch an EFL record by hitting 108 points, eclipsing the 106 Reading reached in 2005/06, and they still have one game to go.

After going down on the final day of last season by virtue of the Tigers losing 1-0 at Plymouth Argyle, Birmingham have roared back in some style with their 33rd league win. If they beat already relegated Cambridge United at St Andrew's on Saturday, they'll hit an incredible 111 points.

A new name in the Championship next term

Given the Hollywood feel around Wrexham, their promotion to the Championship after thumping play-off-chasing Charlton Athletic on Saturday night will generate plenty of excitement.

Should City take care of business this weekend, they can look forward to a reunion with former boss Phil Parkinson next season, assuming he's still in charge of the North Wales outfit.

The pair last met way back in February 2005 when both clubs were in League One - City were 2-1 winners on that winter's afternoon.

What's going on at QPR?

Spanish boss Marti Cifuentes has been put on gardening leave at Loftus Road and will not take charge of their final game of the season at Sunderland.

There had been strong suggestions he was being lined up for the vacant job at West Brom, but that's now not believed to be the case.

Former City defender Ryan Mason is second in the betting at 5/1 to take over being Pierre Sage, while Grant McCann features a bit further down the list having just guided Doncaster Rovers to promotion from League Two.