Hull chairman Pearson admits relegation firesale likely

Hull City chairman Adam Pearson admits relegation will mean a firesale of their best players.

Accounts published earlier in the week revealed the club would be faced with a £21million shortfall should they go down to the Championship.

Pearson told the News of the World: "You would have to take 50 per cent off the wage bill straight away if you go down. It is achievable but it is damn hard work to have to go through.

"We would need to move some of the big earners out but we don't know which ones. You would have to have a wage bill of between £15m and £20m. It is not a pleasant experience and it starts the day you are relegated."

He went on: "There is a long-term plan here. There is a great academy and training ground being developed and we want to extend the ground and add office blocks and a hotel. That goes on hold if we go into the Championship.

"It is crucial we stay up to fund the long-term plan. We are adding 2,500 to the ground capacity and that will cost £3m to 4m. Then there is a four-star hotel and an office block.

"But people don't want to rent office space or stay in hotels if you haven't got a Premier League club. That is the real key. The academy is a £20m, 11-pitch huge project. We hope the planning will go though this summer but we need Premier League football to do it."