'It'll be a catastrophe if Hull City go down, given quality of squad'

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WHEN Hull City fell out of the Premier League in 2010, ending a two-year maiden voyage in the top flight, relegation came as no great surprise.

A squad short on quality was no longer fit for purpose and no amount of cajoling, first from Phil Brown and then Iain Dowie, could save City from that rocky road back to the Championship.

Five years on and the class of 2014-15 has always felt different. For all Steve Bruce's side have flirted with the bottom three since the brightness of autumn began to fade, faith remained that this season would eventually end with survival.

Not so much now. A 1-0 loss to Burnley last weekend, coupled with advances for every relegation rival, has stripped back belief in this City side and left some supporters already resigned to the drop.

Without at least two points from their remaining games at Tottenham tomorrow and at home to Manchester United on Sunday week, history will be repeated at the KC Stadium.

Ian Ashbee was the powerless captain of 2009-10, sidelined throughout the entire campaign with a knee injury that hastened his retirement two years later.

That blemish on a sparkling CV continues to irk the one-time City captain, but he admits there is surprise that the modern crop are in danger of suffering the same fate.

"I had some great times at the club but the relegation hurt a lot. You feel as though you've let yourself down and the club down," said Ashbee.

"It'll be a catastrophe if the club was to go down, given the quality of the squad and the money that's been spent. All of that is riding on the shoulders of 11 lads now.

"Steve Bruce can only do so much, it's about what those 11 lads do when they cross the white line."

Ashbee was in attendance at the KC as City's survival hopes suffered untold damage against Burnley last weekend.

Danny Ings' second-half strike settled the encounter and brought accusations that a side packed with reputations had wilted.

"I think the occasion got the better of them, I really do," said Ashbee.

"Footballers don't go out there not caring. I believe every one of them went out there wanting to win.

"They should have gone into that game with confidence. They'd beaten Crystal Palace and Liverpool going into that game and I know they lost to Arsenal, but they were on another level.

"It was quite surprising that the occasion got to them like that.

"It's a difficult one when you're playing a side like Burnley. Their fate was pretty much sealed and they were able to play with a bit more freedom.

"It was disappointing to say the least. People went missing on the day when you needed them most."

Tomorrow brings the chance to make amends away to Spurs. A win would leave City in the fight ahead of hosting Manchester United and also right the wrongs of last week.

Ashbee added: "They've got to prove people wrong now. Football is a game of opinions and if there are fans who believe certain individuals or the whole team didn't show enough passion, then they've got to take it on the chin.

"No one goes out there wanting to lose a game of football but certain things happen that you've got to deal with. That didn't happen and they paid the price.

"It's one thing having one or two players not at the top of their game because the rest of the team can drag you along with them, but when it's so many not performing it's always going to be difficult.

"They've got to accept the criticism but also use it as a motivation to keep this club in the Premier League."

How has it come to this? A squad assembled over the last two years at a cost of over £60m is reliant on rivals slipping up.

"They had their chances at the start of the year when they should've taken more points," said Ashbee. "All the late goals they conceded. You thought 'It'll be all right next week or the week after' but invariably it catches you up in the end.

"If we drew 1-1 and we conceded a late goal, I'd kick off more than when we'd lost.

"Losing those points are what really hurts you and that's the reason they're down there now.

"I don't believe anyone in the football world, certainly inside Hull, thought we'd be in this position.

"And maybe that's been the downfall, we've just expected the quality to take the team away from relegation in the end.

"I was one of those people. I always thought we'd be okay. But football is a funny game and it's just not worked out like that."

Ashbee, though, stresses the need for hope. He points to the recent wins against Crystal Palace and Liverpool as reason to believe City can yet wriggle free, beginning with a victory at Tottenham tomorrow.

As quickly as the season has faltered, he suggests, it can still be revived.

He said: "It'll be a nervous place, no two ways about it. All the players will be looking at these two fixtures and thinking about the club's future. It's massive.

"I'd never have thought they'd be in this situation, even a week ago, let alone three or four months ago. It's surprising it's turned the way it has.

"People will be doubting themselves and doubting their abilities, it's only natural, and when you're like that you make mistakes. It's going to be tough, that's for sure, but they've got some experience within the camp and above them in the management, so all of that has to come through."

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