Dowie named as new Hull City manager

Bookmakers stopped taking bets on Dowie as the former Crystal Palace and Charlton boss, who was working as a pundit on Sky Sports, emerged as the number one contender.

Dowie will have just nine games to save the Tigers from relegation.

They acted quickly to appoint a new manager after deciding to dispense with the services of Brown on Monday.

Four successive defeats have left City 19th in the table and three points adrift of safety.

Chairman Adam Pearson believes taking such decisive action now gives the club their best chance of survival.

Pearson said yesterday: "We feel that we've got a quarter of the season to go with some winnable games within that.

"It's not a fixture list that's packed full of 'top four' games, it's a fixture list with games where we would expect to get some points.

"We feel that we're best served by making the change now. That will bring a fresh face in, some new impetus and some new focus to get those 14 or 15 points that we're going to need."

Dowie's Hull reign starts with a trip to bottom side Portsmouth on Saturday.

IAIN DOWIE FACTFILE

1965: Born January 9, in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

2001: Retires as a player after winning 59 caps for Northern Ireland and playing club football for Luton, West Ham, Southampton, Crystal Palace and QPR, with whom he wound down his career as reserve-team player-coach.

2002: May 31 - Appointed manager of Oldham, succeeding Mick Wadsworth after spending seven months as assistant boss.

2003: December 22 - After 18 months in charge, leaves Oldham to take charge at Crystal Palace.

2004: May - Palace beat West Ham in the play-off final to seal a place in the Barclays Premiership.

2005: Palace relegated from the Premiership after being held 2-2 by neighbours Charlton in a feisty final-day clash at The Valley.

November - Palace chairman Simon Jordan turns down an approach from Portsmouth to speak with Dowie about the Fratton Park managerial vacancy.

2006: May - Palace lose in play-off semi-finals to Watford.

May 22 - After indications his relationship with chairman Jordan was breaking down, Dowie leaves Palace by mutual consent.

May 30 - Unveiled as Charlton manager.

November 13 - Parts company with Charlton with the Addicks bottom of the Premiership after just two victories and eight defeats.

December - Hull chairman Adam Pearson reveals he spoke to Dowie about the vacant managerial position at the KC Stadium. However, Dowie rejects the chance to take over and caretaker Phil Brown is appointed.

2007: February 19 - Dowie confirmed as Coventry's new manager.

2008: February 11 - Sacked as Coventry manager following a run of five defeats in six games and just one victory all season. Coventry chairman Ray Ranson later reveals Dowie's dismissal was due to a lack of faith in his 'old-fashioned' methods.

May 14 - QPR appoint Dowie as their new first-team coach following the previous week's departure of Luigi de Canio.

October 24 - Sacked as manager of QPR after just 15 games in charge.

2009: April 1 - Appointed as assistant to new Newcastle manager Alan Shearer. Fails to help the former England captain keep the Magpies up. Leaves along with Shearer at the end of the season.

2010: March 17 - Unveiled as Hull manager, two days after Phil Brown was relieved of his duties with the club in the Premier League relegation zone.