Rumours abound but Phil Brown remains at Hull City

I hope we haven’t reached the stage where managers get sacked on rumours.

Yesterday Hull City were compelled to deny the rumours circulating the media and internet world that boss Phil Brown was about to be sacked.

Nevertheless, it is understood that meetings at the club will continue into Thursday to discuss the future of Brown as well as club chairman Paul Duffen.

Hull City fans booed Brown during last Saturday’s tame 0-0 draw with bottom club Portsmouth, and the Tigers remain in the bottom three.

How quickly they all forget.

It was Brown who got Hull City promoted to the Premier League via the play-offs in 2008, and the team clung on to their top status last season, finishing one place above the relegation places. Brown has been in full charge since January 2007.

Relegation could be bad for the club. According to accountants Deloitte the club needs £23m to meet its liabilities, and relegation would cost the club £7m for losing top-flight status. However, many clubs have come through this sort of problem before.

Brown’s “crime” has been over-achievement – getting the club to the Premier League too soon. It was only in 2004 that the club emerged from the lowest tier of the Football League.

It seems to me that some clubs, fans and directors don’t know when they’re well off.