Given that they were 4-0 down at half-time against a Manchester City side who had been out of form, Hull’s players probably couldn’t wait to hide their faces at the interval during their Boxing Day match.
Unfortunately for them, Phil Brown decided to conduct his half-time rollicking under the watchful eyes of the Hull fans. The manager led his players to the penalty area nearest the away fans and forced his players to stay on the pitch for the interval. You can judge for yourselves whether the 5-1 final score indicates a positive impact.
Hull manager dons stage mic and shows us his moves Phil Brown, there’s no need to feel down.
I said, Phil Brown, pick yourself off the ground.
I said, Phil Brown, ’cause you’re in a new town
There’s no need to be unhappy.
Hull City substitute Dean Windass did his best to thwart the now infamous Rory Delap long-throw by doing his warm-up in front of Stoke’s not-so-secret weapon. The veteran did a few stretches in front of Delap before being ushered out of the way by the referee. He then did his best Peter Kay dad run to try to get in Delap’s way as he threw the ball.
It didn’t seem to work though. Perhaps he should have done a full rhythmic gymnastics routine in a lycra leotard. That would have put Delap off his dinner, never mind the throw-in. Super-sub Windass was booked for a similar effort later in the match.
Is this technically an own goal? Marlon King - wearing Newcastle United shorts and socks - fires a penalty past Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given. Hull were stopped from wearing an all grey kit by referee Andre Marriner, who decided there was enough gloom on Tyneside at the moment without a team in all grey playing a team in black-and-white.
