By Chris Burton Last updated: 15th August 2008
King: Upbeat ahead of new season
Marlon King is hoping to make a flying start to his career at Premier League new-boys Hull.
The striker has joined the Tigers on a season-long loan from Wigan and is desperate to prove a point to those at the JJB Stadium who have deemed him surplus to requirements.
The former Watford forward joined the Latics in a £5million deal in January, but just one goal in 15 appearances failed to convince Steve Bruce that he had invested wisely.
As a result, King could now be set to make his Hull debut against Fulham this Saturday, eager to silence the doubters who have questioned his ability to perform at the highest level.
"My goal was to come in in pre-season, get my head down and give the manager a headache at Wigan," he said.
"But when you are told your first-team opportunities are limited it kind of takes the wind out of you.
"Luckily the gaffer here said that he'd like me to try to help Hull.
"I never wanted to leave Wigan - and I still haven't - but I'm glad it's been resolved and I'm looking forward to tomorrow and playing my part."
Should he feature against the Cottagers at the weekend, King will come face-to-face with a side he looked set to join in January, before a failed medical eventually saw him head to Wigan instead of London.
"People talk about failing a medical but that's nonsense. I'd played another 50 or 60 games since my injury," he said.
"But that's football, it's business. There are no hard feelings against Fulham. Watford at the time did not want to renegotiate the deal.
"Whether it be Arsenal, Man United, Fulham - whoever it is, I'm looking forward to being part of history, Hull's first game in the Premier League.
"There is no better opportunity to get three points than at a full KC against Fulham."
Hull are widely tipped to make an immediate return to the Championship, but King insists that everyone connected with the club believes they are capable of maintaining their Premier League status.
"It's the first season in the Premier League," he added.
"The whole city is buzzing.
"Everybody here is upbeat and enthusiastic about trying to get the first points on the board on Saturday."

Stoke 1-0 Portsmouth - Fuller and Sorensen
Tottenham 9-1 Wigan - Defoe
Stoke 1-0 Portsmouth - Pulis
Stoke 1-0 Portsmouth - Shreeves' blog
Stoke 1-0 Portsmouth - Hart
Tottenham 9-1 Wigan - Redknapp
Tottenham 9-1 Wigan - Martinez
Bolton 0-2 Blackburn - Megson
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 25th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hull vs Everton |
| 20:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Portsmouth vs Man Utd |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Burnley |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Sunderland |
| 17:30 | Aston Villa vs Tottenham |
| Sunday 29th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:00 | Wolverhampton vs Birmingham |
| 13:30 | Everton vs Liverpool |
| 16:00 | Arsenal vs Chelsea |
| Saturday 5th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Portsmouth vs Burnley |
| 15:00 | Arsenal vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Liverpool |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Man Utd |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Birmingham |
| 15:00 | Wolverhampton vs Bolton |
| 17:30 | Man City vs Chelsea |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Sunday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Bolton 0 - 2 Blackburn | |
| Tottenham 9 - 1 Wigan | |
| Stoke 1 - 0 Portsmouth | |
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Liverpool 2 - 2 Man City | |
| Hull 3 - 3 West Ham | |
| Sunderland 1 - 0 Arsenal | |
| Chelsea 4 - 0 Wolverhampton | |
| Man Utd 3 - 0 Everton | |
| Birmingham 1 - 0 Fulham | |
| Burnley 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Monday 9th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Liverpool 2 - 2 Birmingham | |
| Sunday 8th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Hull 2 - 1 Stoke | |
| Wigan 1 - 1 Fulham | |
| Chelsea 1 - 0 Man Utd | |
| West Ham 1 - 2 Everton | |
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 5 - 1 Bolton | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Portsmouth | |
| Tottenham 2 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Wolverhampton 1 - 4 Arsenal | |
| Man City 3 - 3 Burnley | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea | 13 | 33 |
| 2 | Manchester United | 13 | 28 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 12 | 25 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 13 | 25 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 13 | 22 |
| 6 | Manchester City | 12 | 21 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 13 | 20 |
| 8 | Sunderland | 13 | 20 |
| 9 | Stoke City | 13 | 19 |
| 10 | Burnley | 13 | 17 |
| 11 | Blackburn Rovers | 12 | 16 |
| 12 | Fulham | 12 | 15 |
| 13 | Birmingham City | 13 | 15 |
| 14 | Everton | 12 | 15 |
| 15 | Wigan Athletic | 13 | 14 |
| 16 | Hull City | 13 | 12 |
| 17 | West Ham United | 13 | 11 |
| 18 | Bolton Wanderers | 12 | 11 |
| 19 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 13 | 10 |
| 20 | Portsmouth | 13 | 7 |
Skysports.com looks at the best and worst moments from the latest round of top-flight fixtures.
Take a look back at what Liverpool and Man City fans had to say following a 2-2 draw at Anfield.
Bristol City fan Hannah Shine was strutting her as the Soccerette in the Soccer AM studios this week.
Steven Gerrard is confident Liverpool can 'put things right' and insists morale remains positive despite the team's flagging season.
Jermain Defoe helped himself to five goals as Tottenham demolished Wigan 9-1 at White Hart Lane to move into fourth spot in the table.
Paul Hart played down the injury to David James prior to Portsmouth's 1-0 defeat to Stoke on Sunday.
Stoke collected all three points against Portsmouth thanks to a late strike from Ricardo Fuller.
Bolton squandered the chance to climb out of the bottom three as they were beaten 2-0 at home by Blackburn.