Yeaman proud of Hull youth

Hull FC centre Kirk Yeaman is delighted at the number of East Riding youngsters who have graduated to his club’s first team.

The 30-year-old England international, an East Yorkshire native himself, is proud to be surrounded by so many Hull accents in the first team nowadays.

Josh Bowden, Chris Green, Dean Hadley, Jamie Shaul, Callum Lancaster, Tom Lineham and Jordan Abdull all lined up for the Black and Whites against Salford at the weekend.

“On Thursday afternoon once I had arrived home after training and I had seen the team that had been announced for the game, I text Radders [Hull coach Lee Radford] saying what a great achievement it was,” Yeaman told his club’s official website.

“I counted the number of the Hull lads in the side, which was nine and even then you can add Tom Lineham to that because to us he is an adopted Hull lad, and it is absolutely outstanding.

“From what I have seen it is certainly something that everyone at the club has wanted to see for long time.

“I don’t see myself as the senior figure but before now it was really only me, Danny Houghton and Richard Horne who had come through the system and played week in and week out, so we can help the lads out.

“More recently the likes of Josh Bowden, Chris Green and Jamie Shaul have all come through, and then this season we have seen Callum and Jordan break though as well it’s fantastic.”

“Ten Hull lads in this week’s 17 which can only bode well for the future. You never know the dream of winning the championship with 17 Hull lads could be a possibility.”

FC coach Lee Radford is also delighted to have so many local, high-quality youngsters to pick from.

“We had ten kids out there who have come through the youth structure at the club, which is really pleasing personally not only as a coach but as a person born and raised in Hull,” said Radford.

“Joe Westerman is an additional name you can put on the list as well, as he came through our scholars programme at the age of 16.”