In 1964, in Paris, the global Egyptian star Omar Sharif was filming his famous movie Doctor Zhivago. He was living at the time with his British actor friend Sir Tom Courtenay in the same apartment. Sharif noticed Courtenay’s deep passion for the results of the English football team Hull City, which was then playing in the second — and sometimes third — division. Courtenay was so devoted that he would contact his friends in England every Wednesday to learn the latest results.

A special dinner was held at the KC Stadium for Omar Sharif and Sir Tom Courtnay in 2010. Pictured is Omar and Tom with Ken Wagstaff and Ehab Allam.

Omar Sharif, a true football enthusiast, was also a close friend of the late Captain Saleh Selim, former president of Egypt’s Al Ahly Sporting Club, and was known himself as a talented footballer. Over time, Sharif’s attachment to Hull City deepened. Hull is a port city in eastern England, located on the north bank of the River Humber, covering an area of about 71.45 square kilometers. It is a coastal city with a significant commercial port. Meanwhile, a young Egyptian named Assem Allam, who emigrated with his family from Egypt to Britain in 1968, was going through a financial crisis. He worked as a dock laborer and later as a welder at the city’s port. Eventually, he completed a degree in Economics at the University of Hull and started working as an accountant at Tempest Diesel in 1981. As his financial situation improved, he secured a loan to buy the company, renaming it Allam Marine, a manufacturer of industrial electric generators. Under his leadership, the company achieved global success. Allam went on to earn a PhD in Economics and became a leading figure in the UK business world. In 2008, Queen Elizabeth II honored him as the Best Entrepreneur in the UK. Allam was a friend of British actor Tom Courtenay, and the friendship between Allam, Courtenay, and Omar Sharif grew stronger over time.

Omar Sharif Receives Honorary Doctorate from the University of Hull

In 2010, the University of Hull invited Omar Sharif to receive an honorary doctorate, recognizing his passion for the Hull City football club. Sharif immediately accepted the invitation, driven by his love for the club. During his visit to Hull, he met businessman Assem Allam, who surprised him with the news: “I bought Hull City — and I invite you to dinner at the club!”

Sharif was overjoyed. He suggested that Allam invite Tom Courtenay and Ken Wagstaff, the club’s legendary striker from the 1960s and 1970s. That day, Allam, Courtenay, and Wagstaff gifted Omar Sharif a Hull City jersey with his name and the number 1 — a symbol of honor during the club’s golden era.

Egyptian Pharaoh Ahmed Elmohamady Leads Hull City The golden era of Hull City under Allam’s ownership peaked when Egyptian footballer Ahmed Elmohamady led the team. Hull reached the Premier League and even played in the FA Cup Final against Arsenal in 2014 at Wembley Stadium in London, narrowly losing 3–2. Allam never forgot his homeland. He was committed to bringing Egyptian players into the team. During Hull City’s only appearance in the UEFA Europa League, its captain was Ahmed Elmohamady. Other Egyptians who played for Hull City included Ahmed Fathi and Mohamed Nagy Gedo. Omar Sharif Inspires British Fans to Cheer for Hull City.

Before the historic match against Arsenal, Omar Sharif recorded a voiceover for Hull City’s promotional advertisement. The ad featured him reciting a poem titled “The Tyger” written by British poet William Blake (from Songs of Experience, 1794). The poem says:

Tyger Tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry? In what distant deeps or skies Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand, dare seize the fire? And what shoulder, & what art, Could twist the sinews of thy heart? And when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand? & what dread feet? What the hammer? what the chain, In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? what dread grasp, Dare its deadly terrors clasp? When the stars threw down their spears And water’d heaven with their tears: Did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee? Tyger Tyger burning bright, In the forests of the night: What immortal hand or eye, Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Omar’s performance was met with great admiration from Hull fans and the club’s management. Fans gathered to meet him, cheered his name, and asked for autographs on sports memorabilia. This appearance would be Sharif’s final public engagement with the club. In 2015, a year after that monumental match, Hull City fans mourned the passing of the legendary actor. Before their game against Huddersfield Town, the fans stood for a minute of silence and raised flags bearing his image in the stands, while the club displayed his photo on the stadium’s big screens — a heartfelt farewell to a global icon who became one of their own.

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Published under International Cooperation with "Sindh Courier"