Hull City saw one of their sponsors turn on them this weekend after a photoshoot opportunity was used as a platform to protest the club’s owners.

Wolds Engineering Service Limited was the main match sponsor at the Premier League club’s home fixture against Crystal Palace on Saturday (10 December), however rather than use the investment to market itself to the fans in attendance the Yorkshire-based company took aim at the unaffordable ticketing scheme which had recently been put in place.

Managing director of Wolds Engineering, John Oxley, took to the centre circle at the KCOM stadium ahead of kick-off for a photoshoot as part of the one-day sponsorship agreement with the club.

However, Oxley stunned officials when he unveiled a banner reading: “Bring back concessions. Hull City generation after generation. Allams out.”

The protest was directed at Hull City’s owners, Assem and Ehab Allam, who opted to replace the club’s season tickets with a new monthly scheme for this season, which does not feature concessions for either juniors or senior citizens.

Oxley, a lifelong fan of the club, was quickly ejected from the stadium but not before fans in attendance captured photos of the banner and shared it widely on social media.

Discussing the stunt, Oxley told the Hull Daily Mail: “There was a lot of soul-searching before I did it but it is something I feel that strongly about I felt I had to go through with it.”

The Allams’ ownership and financial backing has coincided with anger amongst fans who have been unhappy with new owners' attempts to change the club’s name to Hull Tigers and the fall out with managers Steve Bruce and Nick Barmby. The interference has made them unpopular figures with supporters and attendances have dwindled.

“I feel there is a bit of apathy among many Hull City fans, it’s as if it is accepted that the Allams are untouchable and nothing the fans do will make a difference. I wanted to show that’s not the case,” continued Oxley.

“The situation drives me to despair and I wanted to do something publicly that would put the spotlight on the situation. The national media don’t understand the situation and you see them on Match of the Day talking about empty seats, without any real concept of why we have (lower) gates than we did in the old fourth division 10 years ago.

“I’ve sponsored a game in December for over 10 years now and I knew this was my opportunity, but it wasn’t a decision I made easily.

Oxley added: “I was very nervous walking onto the pitch knowing what I was about to do. I’d gone to the extreme of wrapping the banner around myself before we went to the game in case I was searched and then I went to the toilet and took it off and stuffed it in my pocket ready to go on the pitch.

“I took a big risk but hopefully this can kick-start something among the fans again and hopefully raise the profile for City fans and increase the pressure on the owners.”