Andy Dawson insists Hull City boss Phil Brown's public halftime dressing down at Eastlands earlier this season wasn't the start of their slide.

Speaking about the Manchester City incident, Dawson said in the Daily Telegraph: "I wouldn't say that's had an effect.

"What he's done here has been second to none. What happened there was his decision and that was up to him, but it's definitely not down to that game why we are where we are now.

"Everything the manager has done has been for the best of the players and we appreciate now that he's trying to do everything to lift the players' morale."