Hull City v Swansea City '“ Being top of their '˜mini-league' gives Tigers feelgood factor

The Tigers host Swansea City this tea-time looking to maintain an impressive run of form.

Hull, bottom of the table in October, have risen to 17th place on the back of taking 15 points from the last eight games.

It represents the club’s best run in terms of points collected since the promotion season of 2015-16 under Steve Bruce. Asked if this meant ambitions for the season at the KCOM Stadium could be tweaked, Adkins said: “Come the end of the season, if we are still in the Championship next year then we have done really well because everyone expected us to struggle.

“We are in a really good run of form, but it will be interesting to see how people react if things go against us. We just have to keep the environment right.

“But, yes, we are looking up now and that is an important thing.

“We talk about mini-leagues down there and we are at the top of ours. There is a real feelgood factor among the players.”

Adkins recently chalked up a year in charge at Hull. It has been a turbulent period with last season’s successful battle against relegation being followed by a mass exodus in the summer.

With the Allams determined to keep costs under control amid attempts to sell the club, the Tigers’ chief then had to make do with limited resources when recruiting last summer.

The failure to complete a takeover before the end of the year means this austere approach is likely to be extended into the January window.

Nevertheless, Adkins is pleased with his first year or so at the helm.

“I thought we did a good job last year by keeping the club in the division with things how they were,” he said. “It was a total change in the summer, as though we were building a team all over again.

“Like everyone knows, it takes a bit of time. I felt we were playing well in the first few months of the season, but you are always judged on the results. Now we are taking the chances and picking up points.”

A key figure in adding a more clinical element to Hull’s play has been Fraizer Campbell, who has netted six times in his last seven appearances.

“Every day he comes in and works hard,” said Adkins about his eight-goal top scorer. “If you look at the last few years, Fraizer has probably not played 10 games in a season, let alone score 10 goals.

“Having a run of consistent performances helps. Hopefully he can steer clear of injuries. He is looking fit and looking sharp, but he is putting himself in positions to score goals.

“The couple against Brentford were great. We have spoken with Fraizer before. He does a hell of a lot of running around, but sometimes he is not in the areas to score the goals.

“His role in the team is to score so I was delighted with the two tap-ins he had the other day. He was in the penalty box instead of running the channels.”