Hull City will be the envy of Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley when it comes to forward: View

Hull City will be the envy of Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley when it comes to forward: View

In the world of football, the second half of the 2019–20 season was peculiar, but for Hull City, it was a catastrophic time.

The Tigers were only two spots and a point outside of the play-off spots in the Championship standings at the conclusion of play on New Year’s Day against Sheffield on Wednesday.

The inventiveness of Aaron Bowen and Kamil Grosicki, who would both leave for West Ham United and West Bromwich Albion on deadline day, and were primarily responsible for this first top-six push, were largely the driving forces behind this first attempt, which was bolstered by the lacklustre additions of James Scott and Marcus Maddison.

One of their winter additions would go on a major redemption arc in League One, with such form making Hull the envy of two Yorkshire rivals, even though City’s season would end in comical fashion after ‘project restart’ with an accumulation of six points from a possible sixty and finishing bottom of the second tier.

Mallik Wilks’ strongest form came during Hull City stint

Prior to Grant McCann finalising the winger’s initial loan move, which included an option-to-buy clause that was activated months later, Mallik Wilks had only recently begun his first season in the Championship with Barnsley. The Tykes had only seen him make 16 appearances and score once.

Wilks’ individual performance was quite impressive despite Hull’s decline in the standings, with three goals in his first seven games for the team, even though the East Yorkshire team was already starting to look at relegation to the third division.

City, starting their first League One season, couldn’t be saved despite two more goals, one of which came against Middlesbrough in stoppage time to give McCann’s team its first win in 14 league games.

With a total of 14 goals under McCann’s guidance during Doncaster Rovers’ 2019 play-off run, the Leeds United academy graduate had already thrived at the level, and he would do so again under the Northern Irishman.

50 of Hull’s 80 league goals in the championship-winning season came from the trio of Josh Magennis, Keane Lewis-Potter, and Wilks. The former Accra Stanley loanee scored goals in a variety of ways, including two braces and a hat-trick in a 5-0 victory over Wigan Athletic in February 2021.

The leading three players, Mallik, Josh, and Keano, have all scored in double figures, which is a first for the team since Stuart Elliott, Ben Burgess, and Danny Weaver did so in 2003–04.

But none of his 22 goals in all competitions were as significant as the one he scored in the 83rd minute to seal the promotion against Lincoln City at the LNER Stadium, coolly sending Alex Palmer the wrong way.

Sadly for City, Wilks was unable to maintain this level of play after the team’s quick return to the Championship. He only made 20 appearances, scoring once in wins over Birmingham City and Middlesbrough. His final goal for the team came in a 1-1 draw with Reading in December 2021.

Shota Arveladze only used him three times during his first few months in charge due to a foot injury, with the last one occurring in August 2022 against Burnley before the Georgian moved to Hillsborough.

Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday will be envious of Hull City over Mallik Wilks’ form

Since Wilks’s limited number of club appearances would have limited his ability to score goals, the Tykes would have been disappointed that he was unable to contribute a goal total comparable to that at Oakwell, even though they were fortunate to earn their safety against Hull in July 2020.

There was, nevertheless, optimism among Wednesday supporters that the Yorkshireman could rediscover his form and provide enough goals to support the team’s promotion push under Darren Moore, considering his performance for Hull in the third division during their championship season.

Furthermore, even though the South Yorkshire team managed to return to the second division following an incredible season that saw them finish with 96 points in the regular season before to the most thrilling play-offs,

He would make just 16 league appearances in his first season with the Owls, scoring just once in a 4-2 success over Burton Albion, as well as accumulating five assists.

Once again, the former Grimsby Town man failed to adjust to life back in the second tier with just 15 appearances, with his most recent goal for the Steel City club coming in an FA Cup encounter with Cardiff City in January 2024.

The 25-year-old is now on loan at Rotherham United, where he is playing in the third division. The Millers will undoubtedly be examining his time at the MKM Stadium as proof that the wideman can revive his career following a patchy spell.

They’re not the only team that finds it difficult to resolve the Wilks puzzle. Hull will undoubtedly make Wednesday, Barnsley, and Rotherham envious when it comes to the attacker.

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