Watford got a point at Plymouth - their seventh draw in a row; Bristol City lost at Cardiff - five games without a win for them; Stoke drew at home to Blackpool - one win in six for them; and West Brom drew at Charlton - no win in three for them. Meanwhile, the Tigers of Hull City won at Leicester, giving them five wins in six matches.

The big four have done and continue to do everything they can to throw the possibility of promotion away and Hull boss Phil Brown has quietly gone about the task of taking his team to the verge of the Premier League.

A look at the top of the table from the beginning of the month compared to now shows just how far Hull have come, and how far some of the favourites have fallen.

The team of players Phil Brown has assembled have a great mixture of youth, experience, flair and fighting qualities. In fact they have everything required to get out of this unusual and difficult league'


March 1

1.       Bristol City 35 64

2.       Stoke City 35 62

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3.       Watford 35 61

4.       West Brom 34 58

5.       Charlton 35 55

6.       Ipswich 35 52

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7.       Plymouth 35 52

8.       Burnley 35 51

9.       Hull City 34 50

March 24


 1.       Stoke 40 68














2.       Bristol City 40 67
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3.       Hull 40 65














4.       Watford 39 65














5.       West Brom 38 63














6.       Plymouth 40 59
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7.       Ipswich 39 59














8.       Crystal Palace 40 58














9.       Wolverhampton 39 58






































So what is behind Hull’s rise into the race for the automatic promotion places? Brown says the warm-weather training camp they went on in January had the necessary effect on fitness and spirit to drive the side on to such a successful second half of the season. If only it were that simple! Watford had a week in Dubai and I don’t think we’ve won a game since then! So it must be down to more than that.

Brown is an experienced coach. He enjoyed great success as a number two to both Colin Todd and Sam Allardyce at Bolton. His first managerial job at Derby ended in the sack after seven months, but Hull will be pleased that they took a chance on the man who clearly had what it takes.

There is a small irony that I’m sure Brown recognises - Hull  may well swap places with Derby come the end of the season. I’m sure he will not be smirking at that possibility.

The team of players he has assembled at the KC Stadium have a great mixture of youth, experience, flair and fighting qualities. In fact they have everything required to get out of this unusual and difficult league. The side would need to be radically changed if they do achieve promotion, but I’m sure that Brown, the board and the fans will be happy to cross that bridge if they get to it.

In the Hull side on Saturday, youth was represented by the exciting 20-year old Fraizer Campbell, on loan from Manchester United, who has chipped in with 13 goals this season. Whist he is the youngest first-team player, Boaz Myhill, Sam Ricketts, Michael Turner, Richard Garcia and Dean Marney are all aged 26 or younger. That makes for a pretty young side, although some of those players, like Dean Marney, already have a good deal of experience.

The ‘mature’ element came from on-loan defender Neil Clement (29), captain Ian Ashbee (31) and strikers Henrik Pederson (31) and Dean Windass (38). All of these players, together with Nick Barmby and Jay Jay Okocha, have been there and done it. The experience and knowledge they can pass on to the younger players must be invaluable.

Being the only team in the promotion race in any sort of form, Hull must be beginning to look like favourites to go up. Of course, when any other team has been given that tag in the Championship this season they have started to lose games.

The Tigers’ run-in looks quite tough on paper but shouldn’t be too bad for a team in form. Home games against Watford, QPR and Crystal Palace and visits to Barnsley, Sheffield United and Ipswich.

So will Hull City suffer the curse of the Championship promotion favourites? Will the fact that their rise is no longer quiet and people like me have shouted about them, affect their form and progress?

I hope so because Watford go to Hull next Saturday.

Come on you 'Orns!