It was at Manchester City last season that Brown sat his team down for a stern half-time lecture.

His players sat in virtually the same place this afternoon watching an act of finger jabbing.

But this time it was all smiles after Bullard's 81st-minute penalty condemned the Blues to a seventh successive Barclays Premier League draw.

"It was a fantastic celebration," said Brown.

"Great comedy is about timing. You could not have had a celebration like that, after a goal, unless it was at Eastlands and was in the goal in front of the Hull fans.

"The whole thing was timed to perfection.

"I had no idea it was going to happen. I was trying to arrange a five-man midfield at the time so I didn't see it.

"But my analysis guy showed me it on the laptop when we got into the changing room.

"I couldn't deliver my address because I was laughing so much."

While Brown claimed he personally drew a line under the controversial team talk immediately after the final whistle of last season's encounter, when Hull lost 5-1, he hopes the whole incident can now be forgotten by everyone else.

Certainly Brown's own position does not appear under immediate threat given he was on the verge of being sacked when new chairman Adam Pearson was installed earlier this month.

But a four-game unbeaten run that has yielded eight points has taken the Tigers four points clear of the drop zone, with Brown admitting he probably would not still be in a job had it not been for the response of his players.

"I have had nothing but support from the changing room," he said.

"A change of chairman always causes problems in terms of which direction the club is going in and what is round the corner.

"Change in football causes anxiety. But the response of the players is why I am still sat here as Hull City manager."

Mark Hughes could do with some of that same spirit as City's big-money squad failed once again, this time in front of chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak.

The Blues have still only lost once this term but their failure to win since late September led to them being booed off and unless that run is brought to an end quickly, questions will be asked of a squad that had £120million spent on it last summer alone.

Hughes did have some justification for his grumbles though.

After referee Lee Probert's application of the advantage law had resulted in Shaun Wright-Phillips' deflected effort putting City in front, Hughes was left cursing at the penalty award for a foul by skipper Kolo Toure on Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.

"My initial reaction was that it was for handball against Joleon Lescott but it certainly wasn't because it didn't touch him, other than just grazing the top of his thigh," said Hughes.

"Now the referee is saying he gave it for the challenge in the box.

"I would debate that as well. It was just a coming together. In my opinion the penalty should not have been given."

Hughes confirmed that midfielder Gareth Barry had been left out to prevent a long-standing groin injury becoming anything more serious and, with Arsenal and Chelsea to face later this week, the pressure is now on.

However, he is confident the club's owners know exactly the direction City are moving in and is adamant the draws will be turned into victories pretty soon.

"There is pressure to get results, any manager will tell you that," he said.

"But we are still in the mix at the top end of the league.

"At times we look what we are, a team that has come together very quickly. At others we look strong and established.

"There is a process to go through and I believe the owners understand that concept as well.

"What we have to do is keep picking up points. We are doing that and it is only a matter of time before we start winning again."