Hull boss Phil Brown shrugs off quit calls from 'fairweather fans'

Phil Brown has shrugged off calls to quit ahead of the relegation showdown with Portsmouth, claiming Hull's "real" fans are still behind him.

Angry supporters besieged local radio phone-ins after Monday's defeat at Fulham, demanding Brown be sacked.

The Hull manager feels they are a vocal minority and says the fans he meets on his visits to supporters clubs still back him to save the Tigers from the drop.

"You deal with the pressure by going out to supporters clubs and finding out that real people are still one million per cent behind what we're trying to achieve here," said Brown.

"When you go third bottom after nine games then you're going to get people questioning you, but that's the nature of the deal.

"I'm not saying there are more doom and gloom merchants than last year, it's just that they become more vocal because they've got a gripe being third bottom - and I agree with them.

"You have to focus on the bigger picture and focus on the future and the future of this football club is very bright."  

Brown is right in his analysis of Hull's fans and most of the flak aimed at him comes from fairweather supporters, who started following the club when they won promotion to the Premier League.

The hardcore fans still back Brown because they remember how he saved the club from being relegated to League One when he took over in 2007.

Chairman Paul Duffen remains totally behind Brown and feels fans have unrealistic expectations because of Hull's great start to last season.

The Tigers were third this time last year before limping over the line in 17th and Duffen insists they will survive again.

"Because we started so well and survived is down to Phil's management so it's unfair to damn him by comparison with our excellent performance last year," he said.

"We're in the Premier League and we'll still be in the Premier League next year."

Brown has tried to ease the pressure on himself and his players going into the basement battle at the KC, insisting the Pompey clash is not a must-win game.

"People will talk about must-win games, but I don't think this is one of them," he said.

"Of course you go into every game wanting to win and looking to win, but if we were to come out of it with a point, would that be negative speak? 

"There are four or five games in the near future that are winnable or that points can be taken from.

"Portsmouth are trying to heap pressure on us by saying we're the home team, but I know what's coming out of their changing room and I know that they're a good side.

"They're choking at the minute because they're bottom of the division - and so are we to an extent. Our carrot is to be seven points better off than them at the end of the game."

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