HULL City chairman Paul Duffen has dismissed speculation surrounding the future of manager Phil Brown as ‘mischief making’.

Hull’s poor start to the season, and wretched 2009 overall – they have won just two and lost 17 of 24 league games since the turn of the year – has resulted in Brown’s position coming under scrutiny.

Despite their 6-1 mauling against Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday, Duffen said: “There is no speculation at the football club about the manager’s position.

“That’s just mischief making in the media if there is. We are certainly not aware of it.”