A five-year age difference meant there was little the youngest of three football-mad brothers could do but obey the order to don the gloves.

Times have changed since then, of course, with Michael having grown into a strapping 6ft 2ins defender with Tottenham Hotspur who now dwarfs 5ft 9ins Andy.

Tomorrow, the pair will meet in a competitive match for the first time when Hull City travel to White Hart Lane and Andy is determined that, just like in their younger days, he will be lording it over his younger sibling.

The Tigers' left-back said: "We have been having a bit of banter over the last few weeks. I can't reveal what he has been saying in the texts, but he is just as excited as me.

"It is going to be a massive game for me, for Mike and for the whole family. Just walking out and shaking hands before the game will be a very proud moment.

"We are very close and always the first to ring each other up after every game to see how we have done.

"We will probably speak on Saturday evening on the phone but there will be no contact after that."

Along with brother Kevin, who spent three seasons in the Football League with Chesterfield and now plays for Worksop Town, the pair started their careers at Nottingham Forest.

However, while Michael quickly prospered and went on to earn a big-money move to Tottenham, Andy's career stalled and he left the City Ground for Scunthorpe United without having made a first-team appearance.

The chances of the pair meeting seemed, even just a couple of years ago, remote with Michael having progressed to the England squad and Andy seemingly destined to play out his career in the Football League.

Hull's promotion at Wembley last May changed all that, however, and tomorrow will be the fulfilment of a dream for the Dawson family.

The 29-year-old Hull full-back said: "All the family are going. My wife and my boys will be cheering for Hull, but I don't know who my mum and dad will be supporting. It will probably be best for them if we draw.

"As brothers, all three of us were quite competitive growing up. I was the older one, I am five years older than Mike, and Kev is a couple of years younger than me.

"It meant that in the back garden, I was always the boss. Mike was the smallest and I made him go in goal.

"But in the last few years, things have changed. He is a bit bigger than me now and I am sure he will want to use that on Sunday. I might still try to give him a dig in the ribs, though."

Hull's stunning win at Arsenal last weekend means they return to north London hoping to claim another notable top-flight scalp.

Spurs being without a win in the Premier League this term may not quite make the Yorkshire club the favourites, but there is little doubt that the manner of the win at the Emirates Stadium has made other clubs take note of Phil Brown's men.

Hull's Dawson said: "Mike was on the coach down to Portsmouth last Saturday and he says they got to the hotel to hear Arsenal had gone 1-0 up.

"Like most people away from Hull City, he expected Arsenal to go on and get three or four goals.

"But Mike was the first to congratulate me afterwards. He has watched us this season and knows we are a good side, and he was pleased for us."

Spurs, who yesterday denied suggestions they had approached Mark Hughes about replacing Juande Ramos as manager, are nine points behind the Tigers in the fledgling league table but Dawson insists tomorrow will still be a huge test.

He said: "We go there full of confidence after last week's result and I know they have not had the best of times lately.

"But they are still a great team and they will start picking points up sooner rather than later. It is up to us to make sure it is not at our expense."