Hull City v Blackburn Rovers: Positivity and fighting spirit come from Acun Ilicali down, says Akin Famewo

He should, having finally made his first Tigers starts over Christmas when Ryan Giles' hamstring succumbed to the hectic schedule.

But the defender who left crisis-hit Sheffield Wednesday for another Yorkshire club who looked like they were in a bit of shtook, his mindset comes all the way from chairman/owner Acun Ilicali.

"A lot of it comes from the top, it all filters down from there," says the 27-year-old. “The owner's very positive and if you have a positive owner, then what can you complain about? Everyone's on the same page.

"We want to achieve stuff and we're going to do everything we can to do that.

"I feel like the (coaching) staff have been so good at keeping a great unison whether you're starting, whether you're on the bench, whether you're not. No one makes you feel like you're excluded, no one makes you feel like you're not worthy.

"Everyone's picked each other up if we lost games, won games, ‘Get ready, let's go again’ or ‘Be ready for the opportunity.’ There's been a lot of support."

Famewo needed it, having joined late in pre-season and come up against the form of Charlie Hughes, John Egan and Semi Ajayi in his preferred position in central defence, and Giles in his fall-back at full-back.

"At times it's been tough, of course," admits Famewo, limited to eight substitute appearances before Christmas. "Any player will say they want to play every game.

"But I understand we have real talent and coming late, I understood the role I was going to play and that I had to wait to get my opportunity.

"Anyone that's not playing or not involved, everyone gets around them and says, 'Keep your head going and stay strong.' It's a real team."

And it does not only manifest itself in nicey-nice ways. Twice this season Hull have been fined for on-pitch confrontations.

"There's no selfish player here, I think that shows on the pitch," argues Famewo. "If someone's fighting on the pitch, everyone joins in: 'That's my team-mate, that's my family.'

"That's part of football sometimes and you've got to enjoy those bits as well, because they make a good laugh at the end of the day."

His coach Sergej Jakirovic admits not every transfer target last summer saw Hull in the same positive light. Manchester United youngster Toby Collyer, for example, preferred a loan at West Bromwich Albion but is now more open to joining the Tigers, who have kept their interest, after that has not gone so well.

it is no great surprise as Hull were under two brief transfer embargoes, plus a ban on transfer and loanees – still in place – on the back of only just avoiding relegation last season.

"We spoke about winning as many games as possible, it wasn't one of those where they said, ‘We're trying to survive,’" recalls Famewo.

"The positivity is one of the biggest things. You never want to go somewhere where they're talking negatively.

"Their aspirations are in line with mine. We want to achieve some great things.

"If that means I have to wait my time to get my opportunity, so be it.

"I want to play every game, of course, but I'm not going to sulk, but I'm going to get to work and be ready for when I do get an opportunity.

"If other players weren't necessarily too interested (in joining) at first, they can definitely see it now because the results talk for themselves."

Even for the most positive, a fellow Championship team at home is not the draw Hull wanted this weekend, but if they can end a run of six straight FA Cup defeats, who knows what round four will hold?

"I haven't had a glamour game yet but I hope we can do it this year," says Famewo. "Everyone wants to play in some of the biggest stadiums and against some of the biggest names. You want to prove yourself."

Ilicali just wants a win.

"He said to me since he’s been here we never passed the first round,” smiles Jakirovic. “I didn't know that but it's good to know.”

With Hull having 24 of the 25 senior players they are allowed to register, hopes of signing Middlesbrough goalkeeper Seny Dieng have been put on the backburner for now, with Jakirovic keener on a central midfielder or a winger. Rangers' Kieran Dowell is on the latter list.

If Lewie Coyle plays in Sunday's 2.30pm kick-off, it will be in a Petr Cech-style scrumcap, but Jakirovic has no additions to the squad which would have played Watford had that game not controversially been postponed at the 11th hour.