The return to the side of record signing Jimmy Bullard was about the only bright spot of Hull City’s Monday night trip to London.   Phil Brown’s men went down two-nil to fellow strugglers Fulham, even conceding a goal to the far-from-prolific Cottagers’ striker Bobby Zamora.   The Tigers are now firmly in the EPL’s drop zone. And much of the hope generated by their recent home victory over Wigan Athletic has been dissipated.   In an interview with the Tigers’ web-site, under-fire manager Phil Brown highlighted the dip in his side’s form away from their KC Stadium – their only win of the year until recently had been at Craven Cottage last March.   He said: “This time last year everybody was talking about our tremendous away from and our home form not being so clever.   “This season the shoe seems to be on the other foot. We seem to be more of a threat at home and defensively more solid.”

It is this latter quality Brown is looking for on Saturday when they host bottom club Portsmouth in what is already being branded a ‘relegation six-pointer.’

He added: “It’s a massive game now for us on Saturday. If we can produce a solid defensive display, I know we have enough talent in the side to win the game.”

Brown didn’t attempt to underplay the importance of Jimmy Bullard’s return to the Tigers’ midfield. The £5m man played the final half-hour of the Craven Cottage defeat. And Brown commented afterwards:

“It’s very important for us to get Jimmy in the team, that’s the reason we bought him. When he plays, Jimmy has the responsibility of getting on the ball and making us tick. We saw glimpses of that in the second half.

“Unfortunately, he came on when we needed to get something from the game and that opens things up.”

In response to the reception Bullard received from the Fulham faithful, who were cheering him when he was in Fulham colours last season, Brown said:

“Jimmy’s fine. It didn’t matter whether he had 10,000 or 50,000 screaming for his head, he knew he had to play football. That’s the character I want.”

Bullard himself says he is ready to start in the vital Pompey clash. He told the Hull Daily Mail: “I’m ready for 90 minutes. I just want to get out there and show people what I can do, especially as it’s a home game.”

Brown has also received hopeful news of captain Nick Barmby’s prospects of lining out on Saturday. He said: “Nick trained with the physio (on Wednesday) and, fingers crossed, he’ll train today and tomorrow to throw his hat into the ring.”

Meanwhile, Home Secretary Alan Johnson has publicly backed Hull’s bid to become a World Cup Host City, should the tournament come to England in 2018 or 2022.

The Labour MP for West Hull and Hessle said: “As a football fan I am behind the bid. It would be a great opportunity to show our city to the world.”