I've never regretted answering emergency return call

Whether it be a manager considering a return to the scene of former glories or a player hoping to repeat the success of earlier in his career, the advice will invariably be not to do it.

Such caution is, however, rarely extended to the boardroom, mainly because instances of an ex-chairman returning to an old club are rare.

It meant that when Adam Pearson was given the opportunity by owner Russell Bartlett to rejoin Hull City a year ago this month, there were few advising caution.

Not, it has to be said, that they would have stood much chance of preventing the one-time Tigers chairman from answering the SOS call from Bartlett.

Even now, after what has been a hugely demanding and trying few months dealing with the considerable financial problems, Pearson insists he made the right decision to swap Derby County for the KC Stadium.

"I won't lie to you and say it has been easy," said City's head of football operations when talking to the Yorkshire Post about being back at the club he brought out of administration in 2001.

"It has been much tougher than when I came to Hull the first time. The sums involved are just so much higher than back then.

"There have been points where I have wondered if we would come through, especially when the scale of our problems became totally clear.

"A lot of the football deals details emerged during the course of the season and weren't totally visible at the start, meaning the extent of the challenge was larger than we initially thought.

"That made life difficult. But, credit to Russell, he has been resolute and single-minded in his belief that we will not go into any insolvency procedure.

"That remains his mantra and the club needs strong leadership, which means things are slowly starting to turn round now.

"But we still have some significant challenges to overcome."

Asked if he has ever regretted saying 'yes' to Bartlett in October last year after former chairman Paul Duffen had been forced out, Pearson replied: "No, not really. I have loved being back at Hull, even though it has been tough at times.

"Getting this club back in good financial order is what we all want, along with being able to give the fans something to enjoy on the pitch."

As Pearson acknowledges, 2010 has been a difficult year as the Tigers' debt soared to around 30m, courtesy of an out of control wage bill.

Relegation from the Premier League last May then put immense pressure on the finances, leading to supporter fears that the club may be forced into administration.

Bartlett, subsequently, eased those concerns in August by revealing a revised payment package had been agreed with major creditors.

These include several million pounds owed to clubs in unpaid transfer fees and a similar amount again in a loan from Investec, the club's bank. It is also understood agreement was reached with the taxman over an unpaid bill of around 4m. The restructuring agreement bought City time, as did the Premier League agreeing to increase parachute payments to clubs relegated from 32m over two years to 48m spread across four.

But, nevertheless, the fact remains the debts remain – hence Pearson revealing in yesterday's Yorkshire Post how keen the club are to attract outside investment.

Pearson added: "If we don't win promotion in the meantime, I would envisage it taking 18 months to two years to totally flush things out.

"We have got enough money coming in over the next four years, the problem is that the majority of the debt is over the next 18 months."

Talk of promotion may have seemed fanciful as last season ended amid the huge uncertainty surrounding the club. Not only was an exodus of the top-earners both necessary and inevitable, but such were the off-field problems facing the City board that the search for a permanent successor to Phil Brown had to be put on hold.

Once the hunt had resumed, Gary Speed was mooted as a strong possibility before the Tigers were alerted to the possible availability of Nigel Pearson.

An approach was duly made to Leicester City and within a week the former Sheffield Wednesday defender had been installed, much to the delight of Hull's head of football operations.

Adam Pearson said: "The manager gives everyone at the club confidence. He is a breath of fresh air and a man with a lot of presence and integrity. He is very easy to get on with and work with. He understands the financial restraints of the club but still wants to develop the squad and the club.

"His appointment was a huge boost for the club and it possibly brought back credibility. His track record at Leicester and Southampton, where I think they regret letting him go, was first-class.

"The job he did at Leicester was fantastic. He built a team and got them so close to the Premier League from the lower reaches of League One. His reputation within the game is extremely high and I'm sure he will go on to have a very successful long-term career."

Hull sit 17th in the table ahead of today's visit from Coventry City but are just four points off the play-offs. After a summer of turmoil off the field, a season of consolidation would not be the worst outcome for City.

Nevertheless, Pearson believes the topsy-turvy nature of the Championship insists a tilt at promotion is by no means out of the question.

He said: "I always felt it would be a slow start to the season with Nigel being new. His illness (he was rushed to hospitall with chest pains before August's trip to Doncaster) also set us back a little but since he came back in the team has really started to develop and evolve.

"It will probably take until the next window to get the team sorted how he wants it as the team is being built slowly but surely with the long term in mind.

"But, hopefully, come February, we will be in and around the halfway mark of the division and that could still mean it being an enjoyable end to the season."