London: English Premier League club Hull City's controversial bid to change their name to Hull Tigers has been rejected by the FA, the governing body said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The FA Council, which is made up of representatives from across football, fully considered the recommendation and the subsequent responses received from Hull City in reaching its decision," the FA said on its website.
The governing body said the decision had been carried with 63.5 percent support of its members. Egyptian-born businessman Assem Allam bought Hull in December 2010 and announced plans late last year to change the club's name in a bid to raise its profile overseas.
A statement on Hull's official website on Wednesday said the club would not be making any comment on the FA's decision. It added: "Our focus is on supporting (manager) Steve Bruce and the team ahead of Sunday's FA Cup semi-final (against Sheffield United), our first in over 80 years."
Fans' group City Till We Die was formed to oppose the proposed name-change, while the club said a ballot of season-ticket holders came out narrowly in favour of the move, although less than half of the 15,033 season card holders voted.
The 74-year-old Allam has previously said he would quit the club if the FA refused to sanction the name change. The FA membership committee had already recommended that the name-change plans should be rejected due to their unpopularity with fans.
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