HULL City boss Phil Brown remains close to Sam Allardyce - but admits he does not know what to expect from his former mentor’s Blackburn side tomorrow.

Brown learnt his managerial trade under Allardyce, first on the backroom staff at Blackpool and then as his assistant in a successful six-year spell with Bolton.

Since going their separate ways the pair have met just once in competitive opposition, when Allardyce’s Rovers won 2-1 at the KC Stadium in March.

Tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League encounter at the same venue will only be Allardyce’s second game since taking time off to undergo heart surgery.

Brown was in touch with his friend throughout his recent rehabilitation but is still no closer to working out how Rovers will line up.

”I have been in constant contact with the big man and he is in good form,” said Brown.

”He will be planning and plotting and trying his damnedest to win the game tomorrow.

”He gets on with it, he is a very determined man. He is slowly but surely, methodically, going about his business.

”I know what kind of mentality I’ll be facing but you can try to second guess him, only for him to go a different way.

”I’ll be having a nice pint with him after the game, for sure, but hopefully that will taste sweeter than it did last year. I’m looking forward to locking horns.”

Brown, who survived a tricky November which began with reports suggesting his sacking was imminent, admits he still asks Allardyce for advice.

”It’d be foolish not to,” the 50-year-old added.

“Anyone who is a friend or colleague in the Premier League - it is always nice to ring them and get some advice.”

Hull go into the game two points behind Blackburn and looking to maintain their recent home form.

The Tigers have collected 14 of their 16 points this season at the KC Stadium - as many as in the whole of 2008-09.

Brown’s side turned their season around with a four-game unbeaten run last month, three of which were at home, but are three points above the relegation zone after last week’s 3-0 loss at Aston Villa.

Brown said: “Our home form is good at this moment in time.

”The home fans are certainly playing a massive part in the resurgence of our fortunes at the moment. Hopefully that will continue.”

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