PHIL Brown will cement his position as manager of Hull City in the summer, if he manages to keep the Tigers in the Championship.
The former Wanderers' favourite has been appointed manager until the end of the season after impressing during his spell as caretaker boss.
Hull, currently just one point and one place above the relegation zone, are still under pressure, but chairman Adam Pearson is confident Brown has what it takes to pull the club clear of the drop zone.
Brown, preparing his team for tomorrow's FA Cup Third Round tie against Middlesbrough at the KC Stadium, has earned the admiration of his bosses and the Hull fans by inspiring an upturn in results since taking charge of team affairs since the sacking of Phil Parkinson in December.
Iain Dowie and Gary Megson were both linked with the vacant job, but victories over promotion contenders Cardiff, Burnley and Sheffield Wednesday convinced Pearson that Brown, who has implemented many of the coaching principles he helped develop during his time at the Reebok, was the best man for the job.
"Phil has done very well in his time," the Tigers chief said.
"There's no doubt about that. He's handled himself in a very professional manner.
"He's certainly got the hunger and the attitude for it. It's clear that Phil's been making a real difference out on the training ground and across into games."
A club statement confirmed that Brown's position will be reviewed at the end of the season.
"The club is confident that this coaching structure under the management of Phil will continue to serve Hull City well and achieve the keyobjective of Championship survival this season."
Brown, who became one of the most popular players and most respected captains in Wanderers' recent history, spent six successful seasons as assistant to Sam Allardyce as the Whites rose from the relative obscurity of lower Division One football to UEFA Cup qualifiers.
He left the Reebok in the summer of 2005 to become manager of Championship side, Derby County but lasted only seven months, paying the penalty for a run of poor results after being forced to sell many of his best players.
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