The ex-City boss is set for an emotional return to East Yorkshire on Friday evening
Barry Cooper Hull City correspondent
11:00, 12 Feb 2026
Liam Rosenior is heading back to Hull City on Friday night
View Image
Liam Rosenior is heading back to Hull City on Friday night (Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Liam Rosenior admits he owes Hull City a significant debt of gratitude for being the manager of Chelsea, as he prepares for his first return to the MKM Stadium since leaving almost two years ago.
Rosenior, a former promotion player with City under Steve Bruce, was appointed manager by Acun Ilicali in his first permanent managerial role in late 2023.
After guiding City to safety in the remainder of the season, his side came agonisingly close to securing a play-off place in his first full campaign, with the Tigers finishing seventh, and he ultimately paid the price with his job.
Since then, Rosenior has gone on to manage Strasbourg in France and was then appointed Chelsea boss last month, enjoying a fine start to life in the Stamford Bridge hotseat.
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search. Help us stay visible by adding us as a Preferred Source in your search settings
City's former defender is now preparing to bring his Premier League powerhouses to the MKM Stadium on Friday night in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and it's an occasion he admits will be emotional.
"Firstly, for me, Hull City is very special to me," Rosenior said. "My grandma was a season ticket holder. She passed away a year to the day, pretty much when I took that job. I think she did the draw. I've got my family coming up. I probably need about 20 tickets. The club means a lot to me for many reasons. Hopefully, we can put on a really, really good show. It will be amazing to go back.
"Without Hull, without the experience of being there as a player and as a manager, I wouldn't be sat here. I've got a lot to thank the club for. I've had some amazing times there, both as a player and as a coach. It's really good to see them doing so well in the league. It's a great club, great people, great fans, a great city. It's going to be an emotional one for me to go back."
Here at Hull Live , we are dedicated to bringing you the best Hull City coverage and analysis.
Article continues below
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group.
You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK!Latest Hull City news and analysis on our Hull Live FB page