‘HAPPY HOUR’ blazes out across the MKM Stadium at the end of every Hull City match.
It feels like an act of deference to The Housemartins, the Hull-based band who wrote and sang it, but on Sunday it had a ring of truth. For once, it had been a happy hour and a half by the Humber.
Surrounded by like-minded footballers, Joe Gelhardt was a big part of it. Although he is only on loan from Leeds United until the end of the season, it would be a surprise if he were not part of it for longer than that.
Too often in recent years particularly, and to the frustration of chairman/owner Acun Ilicali, football at the 23-year-old stadium has been a bit of a grind.
Hull City's Joe Gelhardt (front centre) celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Sky Bet Championship match at the MKM Stadium. Picture: Scott Heppell/PAplaceholder image
Hull City's Joe Gelhardt (front centre) celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Sky Bet Championship match at the MKM Stadium. Picture: Scott Heppell/PA
Liam Rosenior's was a bit too patient for the liking of some, even if it did bring decent results. Shota Arveladze and moreso Tim Walter's was not good enough. Picking up the pieces from the latter, Ruben Selles had little choice but to grind out a relegation battle.
Sergej Jakirovic's tenure started grimly too, with a 0-0 draw at Coventry City light on goalmouth action. But Gelhardt and Oli McBurnie were on the bench that day, having only just signed, as was Kasey Palmer.
Throw them together with the bright Matt Crooks and John Lundstram trying his best Andrea Pirlo impression from deep in midfield, and you have something that was fun to watch and fun to play.
In the high-stakes world of modern professional football, where everything is analysed to within an inch of its life, it can be easy to overlook the importance of players enjoying themselves on the field.
HAPPY HOUR AGAIN: Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic celebrates the win over Oxford United on Sunday Picture: Scott Heppell/PAplaceholder image
HAPPY HOUR AGAIN: Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic celebrates the win over Oxford United on Sunday Picture: Scott Heppell/PA
It is uppermost in the mind of the 23-year-old Merseysider who enjoyed his first loan at Hull, in the first half of 2025, that he is back for more. On Sunday he was just having fun.
"Especially in the first half, " says a player who opened the scoring two minutes in.
"We had some success down the right-hand side – probably the left as well but I notice it more when it's down my side. Crooksy was coming over, Kasey was coming over, Cody (Drameh, the right-back), Oli was linking it and we had Lunny (Lundstram) sitting there protecting as well and dictating the play.
"It's exciting playing with these players and I think we made some nice combinations and scored a few nice goals."
MAKING IT HAPPEN: Hull City's Oliver McBurnie (centre) celebrates after scoring his side's late winning goal against Oxford United at the MKM Stadium. Picture: Scott Heppell/PAplaceholder image
MAKING IT HAPPEN: Hull City's Oliver McBurnie (centre) celebrates after scoring his side's late winning goal against Oxford United at the MKM Stadium. Picture: Scott Heppell/PA
Jakirovic looks a good fit for the approach.
During his press conference he joked how "Mr Chairman" would kill him if he asked for another defender.
"I will ask," he smiled. "It's like (with) a woman – you must ask!"
Beneath the joviality he has struck the balance between giving his players the structure to keep a clean sheet at Coventry and the freedom to score six goals in the two games that followed.
"We work on stuff in training and patterns of play and whatnot and you sort of figure out how players play," says Gelhardt, who played alongside Crooks and Palmer last season but not McBurnie and Lundstram. "We just seem to understand each other's game.
"The manager does give us freedom in terms of how we move.
"Kasey's a joy to watch and it sort of comes naturally to a player like him. He's a real, natural footballer.
"Oli's a good lad. He's got experience and he'll score goals. He's that type of No 9.
"You know if you give it to him, you know you're getting a set (-up) or he's going to score for you.
"(Jakirovic) said to me I'd play right wing against Wrexham (the previous midweek) and then he's going to try and play me in the 10 position.
"But the way we set up on Sunday, Cody was getting high up on the right which allowed me to go inside anyway so I didn't feel like I was playing right wing, it was more of a right 10 (inside-right) and I could drift out wide if I wanted to.
"I've told him I don't mind playing right wing. He thinks my preferred, my better, position is in the 10, which it probably is."
The enjoyment Gelhardt took despite last season's struggle plus the love he felt from Hull supporters meant he only had eyes for the Tigers when they tried to bring him back this summer.
"I wanted to come back here as soon as the season ended," he says. "(Given) how much I enjoyed it here last season it was a no-brainer for me.
"I had a few (other offers), but as soon as my agent brought them up I honestly just said, no, I just want Hull again so just try your best to make that happen.
"I spoke to the lads about the new manager and they spoke very highly of him so it was still a no-brainer. It's always easier coming when fans make you welcome. All the players have been the same so I'm buzzing to be back.
"We ended up moving over here last year. We loved living here.
"All the lads are class, all the staff are brilliant, I think it's just got a good environment."
What a good place to be.