by Jon Owen
jon.owen@thesentinel.co.uk

ARGUABLY the most controversial team of the season so far has been Hull City.

Reports manager Phil Brown is close to losing his job have been combined with news that the club need to raise £23m to balance their books if they are relegated, and £16m if they survive.

And chairman Paul Duffen stood down from his position and was replaced by former chairman, Adam Pearson, who quit his job at Derby to return to the Tigers.

On the field, Hull have struggled with only two wins all season and just four in 2009.

Fans were hoping Jimmy Bullard’s return from injury would turn the club’s fortunes round, but the injury-prone midfielder has been limited to just one substitute appearance, although he could make a shock return to the line-up on Sunday.

Stoke will come up against former midfielder Seyi Olofinjana, who signed for Hull in the summer for £3m. Ibrahima Sonko, who is on loan to the Tigers from Stoke, is ineligible for the game.

Why Delilah reporter Jon Owen spoke to Hull fans ahead of Sunday’s clash at the KC Stadium to find out their views on the season so far, and expectations for the game.

In the hot-seat this week are:

Name: Darren Thompson (DT)
Age: 27
Location: Hull
Amount of time supported Hull City: 15 years
Favourite all-time Hull City player: Stuart Elliott, Geovanni
Favourite all-time Hull City manager: Phil Brown, Warren Joyce. Joyce saved us from relegation into oblivion and Brown took us to the Premier League for the first time ever. Glad to finally get that monkey off our backs.
Best moment supporting the Tigers: Wembley Play-off Final 2008. After queuing eight hours for a ticket - and 10 hours travelling - 38,000 Tigers saw us achieve a massive win.

Name: John Holt (JH)
Age: 59
Location: Ferriby
Amount of time supported Hull: 20 years
Favourite all-time Hull player: Michael Turner
Favourite all-time Hull manager: Phil Brown
Best moment supporting the Tigers: Dean Windass scoring at Wembley to put us in the Premier League

Name: Alex Lloyd (AL)
Age: 21
Location: Hull
Amount of time supported Hull: 10 years
Favourite all-time Hull player: Stuart Elliott
Favourite all-time Hull manager: Phil Brown
Best moment supporting the Tigers: Winning 4-2 at Hillsborough in League One

Name: Rick Green (RG)
Age: 62
Location: Hull
Amount of time supported Hull: 50 years
Favourite all-time Hull player: Geovanni, Marwood, Dean Windass, Billy Whitehurst, Stuey Elliott
Favourite all-time Hull manager: Brian Horton/ Peter Taylor (of a mediocre bunch)
Best moment supporting the Tigers: Deano's goal at Wembley. And of course the travelling to games with my sons.

1) First and foremost, we have to start off by asking about Phil Brown. What is your opinion of the situation – do you think he should stay or go?
DT: I believe he should be given a little more time, especially with injured players coming back.
JH: We need a coach with high-quality man-management skills. Is Pulis available?
AL: I think he should stay.
RG: He must go. He is thoroughly inept as this year's results prove.

2) And what do you think about news of financial problems, which could put the future of the club in danger?
DT: I think it is mostly media talk and there is no danger of going bust, although its not ideal. Adam Pearson will have a plan to sort us out.
JH: I see no evidence of irregularities, but the recent revelations suggest extremely poor judgement.
AL: It came out of the blue after getting told we were ok by Duffen. But I thought something wrong in the summer after selling Michael Turner for naff all.
RG: We'll ride those irregularities - they are nothing compared with 10 years ago. And let's face it, we are in the Premier League - the goal of every league club - if we cannot recoup £20m (peanuts by Prem
standards) we want stuffing.

3) How do you feel your season has gone so far, has it matched your expectations?
DT: I had hopes of strengthening the squad, but that hasn't really happened. We have really struggled and looked weak all over the pitch.
JH: With the resources now available to us we have slightly underachieved, probably worth about two more points only. Brown doesn’t seem to know what his best team is.
AL: I thought we might have got a few more points on board.
RG: It is every bit as bad as I expected. I went to Burnley last week and had backed Burnley to win (all my pension £150) - we are playing terrible playground footie.

4) Where are you expecting to finish?
DT: Hopefully better then 17th, but likely to be bottom three.
JH: Pretty much where we are now, around 17th.
AL: I hope 17th, but expect to be relegated.
RG: Bottom.

5) Who has been your star performer this year, and why?
DT: Geovanni by a country mile, his skill, passion and magic boots. Stephen Hunt and Bo Myhill are also doing well.
JH: Geovanni – since he signed his new contract he is giving 110 per cent for the team. He won’t be playing Sunday due to suspension, but everyone knows he is class.
AL: The keeper, Myhill. It’s a poor state of affairs when that's the case.
RG: Geovanni and Myhill. Geo scores and Myhill stops shots. The rest are pathetic.

6) And who has been a disappointment?
DT: Maybe a bit unfair, but Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Olofinjana, Mendy, Folan and a few more.
JH: I am afraid it’s one of your lads, who will remain nameless.
AL: Take your pick- McShane, Sonko, Olofinjana, Hesselink, Marney.
RG: Our defence and our (so-called) attack - we had three shots at Burnley
- doubling our season's tally.

7) How is Stoke old boy Seyi Olofinjana doing?
DT: Not very well. He's weak for a big guy, and cannot tackle or pass.
JH: He’s doing okay, but seems lacking in confidence at times and sometimes disappears from the game. For a big lad he needs to have more presence.
He should have a point to prove on Sunday, if he plays.
AL: As bad as the rest of the players.
RG: He is about the worst player to wear a City shirt.

8) Who has been the best team you’ve played this season, and why?
DT: Spurs. They totally thumped us. But they were a joy to watch. Fast, flowing, attacking football.
JH: Spurs at the KC were awesome.
AL: I thought Spurs were excellent when they beat us in the second match of the season, but we usually make anybody look good.
RG: Spurs were magnificent - footie from another planet.

9) And the worst, and why?
DT: Bolton Wanderers. Boring and aggressive.
JH: Bolton – missed a shed load of chances.
AL: Wigan were poor against us, but that's obviously a one-off. But it was surprising we beat them after they beat Chelsea and we were thrashed by Liverpool.
RG: Wigan - we managed to beat them - proving how bad they were.

10) What are you expecting from this Sunday’s Hull v Stoke clash?
DT: Lack of passion from our players. 2-1 to Stoke, any decent strikers will score past us. Beattie and Fuller to score (if fit). We're missing Geo, so got a bad feeling.
JH: Phil Brown’s departure.
AL: To snatch a 1-0, hopefully.
RG: 0-2 , Stoke will swamp us.

11) After getting off to such an amazing start in the Premier League, how disappointing has 2009 been?
DT: Mainly our fans have disappointed me. We literally only 'sing when we're winning'... which isn't often.
JH: Funny thing is every time we get knocked down, we get up again eagerly awaiting the next game. Maybe this suggests we still believe in spite of everything?
AL: It has been dire.
RG: I've been to every match last season and this. I'd rather go to A&E on a Saturday night than watch City at present, but a fan's a fan.

12) Finally, can you give me a score prediction?
DT: Hull City 1-2 Stoke City
JH: 3-1 Stoke.
AL: 1-0 to Hull.
RG: 0-2.