Hunt and Brown furious over FA charge
Phil Brown has described as “scandalous” the decision to charge Hull with misconduct over last weekend’s melee at Arsenal.
The Football Association yesterday charged both Hull and the Gunners with failing to control their players after a mass confrontation involving 21 players in the Tigers’ defeat at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Tigers midfielder Stephen Hunt was booked by referee Steve Bennett once order had been restored, along with Nasri.
Hunt feels he was harshly singled out for his reaction.
He said: “There were 22 players there and I got booked! I don’t think I deserved to be booked for that incident. Maybe he was booking me for fouls, I don’t know.
“There were other players in there who seem to have got away with it, I think.”
The incident erupted after Arsenal’s Samir Nasri appeared to tread on the ankle of Hull midfielder Richard Garcia as players contested a free-kick decision late in the first half.
Brown has defended the reaction of his players and says the club will be contesting the charge.
He said: “There was an incident for some reason, and I can’t answer the accusations against Nasri. He decided to light the touchpaper. It was there for everybody to see. It needed to be dealt with more severely and hasn’t been. Why we are up for a charge I don’t know.
“I defend the players to the hilt. As far as I am concerned that lad has gone in there with the intent to start a fight, to start a ruck. Maybe it was because Arsenal were hitting a brick wall in terms of the way they were playing, I don’t know.
“We were doing our job to the best of our ability and maybe that’s why they’ve decided to light the touchpaper, I’ve no idea. For us to come under criticism yet again is absolutely scandalous, and we’ll be defending it.”
The fracas occurred with the game still goalless but Arsenal went on to claim a 3-0 win that kept the pressure on Manchester United and Chelsea at the top of the Barclays Premier League.
Hull now face another tough task with champions United visiting the KC Stadium on Sunday.
Brown’s side revived their campaign with an uplifting run of results in November but they have now gone four games without a win and the pressure is again growing.
Brown, however, believes his team can build on the performance at Arsenal and also draws encouragement from injury-hit United’s defeat at Fulham last weekend.
Brown said: “If we can perform the way we did against Arsenal, and hopefully get that strong referee I’ve been crying out for at the KC Stadium, then who knows? We might be able to compound Manchester United’s defeat against Fulham.
“They will be like a wounded animal and they have great quality in depth, but it is an opportunity. We just want players to grab that opportunity.”
Wolves recently made 10 changes for game against United in order rest players for a game against Burnley perceived as more winnable.
Hull play one of their relegation rivals in Bolton on Tuesday but Brown is not likely to follow Wolves’ example in his selection for the United game.
He said: “The first team will be full strength and we will see what happens on Sunday. Every game is an opportunity as far as I am concerned, it doesn’t matter who you are playing.
“The next game is an opportunity to put our best foot forward and try to get three points.”
Hull will have Nick Barmby available after the former England international overcame a calf injury.
