Promotion about pride not cash says Bruce

London (AFP) – Steve Bruce insists Hull City will be motivated by glory rather than greed when they face Sheffield Wednesday for the lucrative prize of promotion to the Premier League in Saturday’s Championship play-off final. With television revenue for Premier League clubs due to increase next season, the winner of the second-tier showdown at Wembley will land a record cash windfall to go along with their place in the top flight. Wednesday would earn at least £170 million ($246 million) from promotion and that figure could rise to £290 million if they avoid relegation. Hull can also expect a

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With television revenue for Premier League clubs due to increase next season, the winner of the second-tier showdown at Wembley will land a record cash windfall to go along with their place in the top flight.

Wednesday would earn at least £170 million ($246 million) from promotion and that figure could rise to £290 million if they avoid relegation.

Hull can also expect a huge revenue boost if they triumph, although the value to them is less, at £110 million, as they will have to forgo parachute payments pending following their relegation from the Premier League last year.

But Hull boss Bruce isn’t worried about trying to improve the club’s bank balance because he knows his players are solely focused on achieving a promotion that will allow them to face the country’s best on the biggest stage.

After the anguish of relegation 12 months ago, former Manchester United defender Bruce has led Hull to within one game of an instant return to the elite and he ranks Saturday’s clash as one of the most important games of his illustrious career.

“This of course ranks up with the biggest for a long, long time because of what’s at stake,” Bruce said.

“If you can get into the Premier League now it can really secure your club with the amount of money which is washing about, it’s quite unbelievable.

“But the one thing about a footballer is they don’t worry about when they go on to a pitch is money.

“All this ‘it’s a £170 million game’, for them it’s to perform on the biggest stage and who’s going to be the hero if there is going to be one.”

– Big occasion –

Bruce won promotion to the top-flight twice as Birmingham City manager, once via the play-offs, and steered Hull into the Premier League via automatic promotion in 2013.

The 55-year-old will become the first manager to achieve four promotions to the Premier League if Hull win and he hopes the experience of playing in the 2014 FA Cup final at Wembley, a 3-2 defeat against Arsenal, will make it easier for his players to cope with the pressure of the big occasion.

“We’ve got a squad that has been there before in the last couple of years, let’s hope that’s a bit of an advantage,” Bruce said.

“We’ve got some good players and let’s hope we can achieve what we want to achieve.”

Hull finished nine points above Wednesday in the Championship, but there was nothing to separate the Yorkshire rivals in their two draws this season.

Bruce’s team looked impressive in their 3-0 play-off semi-final, first-leg win at Derby, but gave a less solid showing in a 2-0 loss in the second leg.

Wednesday, meanwhile, defeated Brighton and Hove Albion 3-1 on aggregate in their semi-final to move closer to ending their 16-year exile from the Premier League.

Making their first trip to Wembley since 1993, Wednesday this week received an unexpected good luck message from pop group the Jacksons.

Jermaine Jackson, brother of music legend Michael Jackson, has been a Wednesday fan since a visit to England decades ago and regularly tweets about the team.

Wednesday have been hitting the right notes in manager Carlos Carvalhal’s first season and midfielder Barry Bannan believes the club is heading in the right direction under their Thai owner Dejphon Chansiri.

“Hull will go rightly in as favourites because they finished above us in the league but we know what we’re capable of,” Bannan said.

“If we do what we know we can do, then hopefully a result will be ours.

“There is only one way for this club and it’s up, so hopefully we can start by getting into the Premier League.”

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