• ‘I look forward to returning in the not too distant future’
• Manager and club negotiate ‘amicable departure’

Phil Brown has paved the way for his return to management after negotiating an “amicable departure” from Hull City. Brown’s career at Hull City is officially over after a statement released by the League Managers Association confirmed both parties had reached agreement on a compensation package for terminating his contract.

Brown, who led Hull to the top flight for the first time in their history, was placed on gardening leave in March as the club battled relegation last season.

Iain Dowie took over team affairs in Brown’s absence and although he was not retained at the end of the season there has been no way back for Brown.

Brown kept Hull in the Premier League on the final day of the 2008‑09 season but was struggling to repeat the feat when the club sidelined him and he spoke of his disappointment to be leaving the KC

Phil Brown may ponder how much more joyous life on the Humber would feel if Jimmy Bullard had only kept his knee uninjured seconds into his debut last January, eliminating him from the Hull manager’s plans until last month.

Even then the midfielder’s return stalled before Bullard’s second coming a fortnight ago preceded the 31-year-old’s late, late free-kick that forced an invaluable winner here against Stoke. This afternoon Bullard and his always-intriguing hair flowed all over the field to illustrate why Brown may, indeed, have made a shrewd move by acquiring him for £5m, plus his £45,000 a-week wages.

Bullard’s first-half performance, in particular, offered the home crowd an exhilarating reminder of why they love the old game, and their manager became such a local hero on taking over in December 2006.

Yet after 13 minutes the reverse emotion threatened to swamp the KC Stadium as Hull fell two behind. At this juncture Brown may have wished Adam Pearson, the new chairman, had placed the scotch and revolver under his seat on the bench for the moment when he could no loner ignore that the time had come for the honourable thing.

Within five minutes Guillermo Franco had headed home. The second came when Franco punted a diagonal ball from the left that plopped on to Jack Collison’s head and back off to loop over Matt Duke.

Cue Brown offering a puff of cheeks. But now Bullard took charge insisting Hull’s play should be constantly threaded through him, and on 26 minutes he yanked them back into proceedings.

Up he stepped to blast a free-kick from the left of the area which hit an onrushing Scott Parker before the ball skidded in of Carlton Cole’s head. Then, a Stephen Hunt free-kick was volleyed cleanly beyond Robert Green by a lurking Kamil Zayette a minute before the break.

When Faubert pulled Craig Fagan down Bullard – who else? – finished to make it 3-2, and that was a vintage half closed. Bernard Mendy’s red card and a West Ham equaliser from Manuel Da Costa ensued after the break. But, in Bullard, Brown may just have found the way to keep him winter warm.

Premier LeagueHull CityWest Ham UnitedJamie Jacksonguardian.co.uk

•’Manager has improvements to make,’ says Seyi Olofinjana
• Brown denies Stoke is a must-win match for his survival

Phil Brown has defiantly played down widespread suggestions that defeat at home against Stoke City on Sunday will see him sacked but one of his players today claimed the Hull manager does need to sharpen up his act.

“Phil Brown has his own faults and has his own improvements to make,” said Seyi Olofinjana, the former Stoke midfielder. “But it is unfair that all the pressure is on him. He is a good motivator and puts a smile on our faces.

“We as players are paid heavily to do a job and, if we don’t get results, it is not always down to the manager. We know we have all made mistakes and not done enough because we have ability. We need a win, even if it is scrappy, to get the season started.”

Aiming to defuse the tension surrounding Sunday’s fixture, Brown demurred. “People are saying Stoke is a must-win and, yes, it’s a very important game but it’s not a must-win. There is a lot of pressure being cranked up by people outside the club but we are just looking for an outstanding performance and to make it exciting for the crowd.

“If we start performing, well then outstanding results will follow. Although we lost at Burnley last week we performed well and it has left me feeling more settled and more at ease.”

Asked whether he feared he was one game away from being dismissed by his new chairman, Brown replied: “I’m not aware of it. It’s just rumour. I have a working relationship with Adam Pearson and it is a working relationship that will go on beyond Sunday.”

Brown does, though, intend to act on Pearson’s demand that there be “more humility and less ego” from everyone at the KC Stadium. “I’m not going to disagree with him,” said the Hull manager, who was present when Pearson entered the dressing room and told the squad essentially to pull their socks up on Monday.

“Our in-house talks will stay private but I’ve got a new chairman and a new opportunity. I’m going to grab on to it and move forward,” said Brown. “And, yes, I am the right person to deliver a message of humility and ‘back to basics’ to the players.

“There’s nothing I can do to end the speculation surrounding my future. Except, of course, win games.”

Hull CityPhil BrownPremier LeagueLouise Taylorguardian.co.uk