Hull City Ladies rocked by fraud probe & legal action
ALLEGATIONS: Hull City Ladies
By Simon Bristow and Angus Young
Hull City Ladies Football Club is facing an uncertain future after being embroiled in legal action and a police fraud probe over alleged financial irregularities.
It is thought a sum of about £225,000 could be unaccounted for.
Mounting disquiet at the Tigresses emerged last month after the players issued a statement warning the club “might not exist in a few weeks”.
Former England captain Dr Carol Thomas BEM also announced her intention to leave her role as a club ambassador.
Civil action is being taken by two separate parties over alleged financial irregularities in cases initiated earlier this year.
Humberside Police has now confirmed it is also investigating suspected financial fraud at the club.
The force said: “Officers from our Economic Crime Unit are currently investigating reports of suspected financial fraud at a community group in Hull.
“Since we received the report on Wednesday, 9 April, specialist fraud investigators have been exploring a number of lines of enquiry and we would appeal to anyone with information which may assist with ongoing enquiries to please contact us via our non-emergency number 101 quoting crime reference 25*44993.”
The Hull Story understands a leading Hull legal firm specialising in commercial litigation has been hired to represent the claimants in the civil cases.
A well-placed source said: “It is a very serious situation which has put a big question mark over the club’s future.
“Everyone who has the club’s best interests at heart will be hoping things can get resolved quickly.”
Sponsors at the club were informed of the civil litigation in March, two months after the claimants contacted a solicitor.
It’s believed some of the alleged irregularities date back several years and include a sum of around £225,000 in income which is unaccounted for.
The Football Association is also understood to have received details of the allegations.
In a statement on social media, Dr Thomas said: “My option to support the club remains open. But I can only remain or return once it can be proven that the club is run by and to the standards expected of a club at its current position in the women’s footballing pyramid and my own personal standards.”
Hull City Ladies – who are not affiliated with the men’s Championship club Hull City – currently play in the FA Women’s Northern Premier Division, the third tier in women’s football in England, after being promoted as champions of National League North in the 2023/24 season.