Four points in two games last week have considerably lightened the mood in and around Hull’s KC Stadium, with smiles on all faces, including – vitally – manager Phil Brown, after Jimmy Bullard’s imaginative celebration of the Tigers’ late penalty equaliser at Manchester City.   However, recently-installed chairman Adam Pearson has issued another warning that the Tigers’ first-team squad will have to be trimmed during the January Transfer Window. And he has warned that the club have paid a “disproportionate” amount to players’ agents over the last 12 months.   Hull followed last midweek’s impressive 3-2 victory over Everton with a battling 1-1 draw at Eastlands, the fixture which last season saw the Tigers 4-0 down and receive a public dressing-down on the pitch at half-time. They eventually lost 5-1.

After Jimmy Bullard equalised, he called the team over in front of Hull’s travelling support to set up a re-make of Brown’s finger-wagging.

Fortunately for Bullard’s future selection prospects, he is not only proving instrumental in Hull’s recent revival, his manager also saw the, very, funny side of the situation.

Brown said: “It was a fantastic celebration; I couldn’t deliver my post-match speech as I was laughing so much.

Pearson’s reminder of the club’s financial realities has been seen as an attempt to keep the players’ feet on the ground in the wake of recent results. But it is also an honest assessment of a situation which hasn’t altered since the publication of warnings about the future in the club’s 2008 accounts.

Pearson said: “We are not going to be splashing out in January, that’s for sure.

“We need to move fringe players out so that there will be no need to sell the players we want to keep. This club needs to be secure and the Championship would provide some serious problems.

“They can be overcome, but please do not expect us to be going out spending millions in January.”

Pearson has also promised to “slash” agents’ fees in the wake of confirmation that the club spent £1.5m in that direction during the 12 months to September 30. Pearson told the Yorkshire Post: “(This spending) is totally disproportionate to other clubs and the size of the transfer fees we have been paying.”

Hull have been linked with a number of possible signings, including in-form Crystal Palace striker Darren Ambrose. The midfielder has bagged 12 goals this season, and with Palace in financial difficulties of their own, it is reported that they will be looking to off-load players next month.

The reports suggest Brown is hopeful that an offer of £1m will bring the former Charlton Athletic man to the KC Stadium.

Hull are also looking to shore up their defence, which still let in six goals in the last three games, despite the good results. And they have been linked with a move for Sheffield United’s Matthew Kilgallon, who would not command a fee for the Blades in the summer as his contract will have run out.

Hull visit high-flying Aston Villa this Saturday.