When Acun Ilicali bought Hull City from the Allam family in January 2022, the Turkish media star had a clear desire to take the Tigers back to the promised land of the Premier League.
Unfortunately, over the past three years, that end goal has been nothing but a distant pipe dream for Ilicali with last season's flirtation with the top six the closest City have come under his stewardship.
Twelve months ago, City were chasing a place in the play-offs under fans favourite Liam Rosenior with a vibrant young team full of exciting talent, many of which have since gone on to operate in the Premier League this season, while he's on the cusp of guiding Strasbourg to European football in France. Fast forward 365 dramatic and, at times, chaotic days and Ilicali and the Tigers are fighting to avoid the ultimate failure: relegation to League One.
Relegation to League One would damage Ilicali's relationship with the supporters with whom he's enjoyed a largely positive experience, whether it be fan Q&As, free holidays, visits to a local pub or being welcomed into his MKM Stadium suite just to name a few. As for the club, it could be financially crippling and inherently concerning for many members of staff who are the ones that suffer the most from relegation.
That's why what happens over the next six games this month will go a long way to determining whether or not the club will be scrapping it out in League One once again next term, or building on the solid work done by Ruben Selles since his arrival in December, and plotting a genuine push for the play-offs.
Saturday's 1-0 defeat to relegation rivals Luton Town was damaging and we won't know the full severity of that defeat until Derby County have played Preston North End on Wednesday night, because if that result goes especially well for the resurgent Rams, City could find themselves just one point and one place above the drop zone after 39 games.
City kick off the month with a Yorkshire derby at Sheffield Wednesday in front of a big away following before travelling to another mid-table also-ran in Watford.
Those two away trips are followed up by a Monday night under the lights against Coventry City, who, under Frank Lampard, have been superb and are, statistically, the toughest game the Tigers have left. Once that's done, City start the pivotal Easter weekend in South Wales, hoping for better against Swansea City than they offered up at in Cardiff early last month, before rounding it off against Preston North End in the penultimate MKM Stadium bout of the season.
Their final outing of April sees them host resurgent Derby County in a game that is almost certain to be rescheduled for Sky Sports coverage, and ideally, Selles will want safety secured long before John Eustace's Rams come trotting up the M1.
On paper, and while nothing's ever won on paper, City have a favourable run-in, certainly compared to some of their rivals, and that should work in their favour, but only if they take care of their own business.
Selles will welcome back Joao Pedro at Hillsborough, and Louie Barry may not be too far behind him in adding to his attacking ranks, so there's plenty in that dressing room to see them edge closer to safety this month and ensure they're not going to Portsmouth for anything other than a survival celebration on the South Coast; otherwise, it could be the most depressing of wakes by the sea.
And for Ilicali, who has made mistakes as owner despite his eagerness to try and get it right, relegation would be humiliating both here and back in his native Turkey, but there remains time and this season can yet yield a positive end with reason for optimism over the summer; however, mistakes have to be admitted and importantly, learnt from to ensure this situation is never repeated.
For now, Selles, his staff and the players at Hull City, they have a month to ensure the talk of positive futures can become a reality rather than the dismay, angry and uncertain future if it goes the other way.
You can listen to the latest 1904 Club podcast looking ahead to Hillsborough right here