Source: Daily_Mail
Rivals bosses Sam Allardyce and Phil Brown swap tears for fears
Sam Allardyce was in the Hull dressing room at Wembley last May to see the tears flow as they secured a top-flight place for the first time in their history.[LNB]The former Bolton boss was there to support his long-time assistant Phil Brown, and witnessed his great friend overcome by emotion after hard man captain Ian Ashbee broke down in tears.[LNB] Double act: Allardyce and Brown at Bolton[LNB] HULL CITY v Blackburn: Ashbee out as City attempt to stop the rot against Rovers[LNB]The numbers don't add up: How the Premier League would fare with FIFA's foreigner quota[LNB][LNB]A delighted Allardyce, out of work at the time, will be hoping to prevent any more joyous scenes tomorrow as he heads into a relegation battle against his protégé as manager of Blackburn. Allardyce's new team will be desperate to cut the gap with Hull to three points with a game in hand and crank up the pressure on Brown.[LNB]The Hull boss said: 'There were maybe over 300 games when we were in the dug-out together and now will be in separate dug-outs for the first time. Of course it will be strange.'[LNB]He has fond memories of the start of their friendship which goes back a long way. 'The first time that I met Sam was in the exec lounge at Burnden Park,' said Brown. 'I think he was playing for Coventry and I was a Bolton player. We had a beer together at the bar and I enjoyed his company there and then.[LNB]'The next time we met I was being signed at Blackpool by Billy Bingham - and two or three days later Sam was named manager.'[LNB]Allardyce soon realised Brown's potential as a coach and made him his assistant at Blackpool. Brown said: 'I was playing in the Bolton snooker league and got a phone call at 7.30 on a Thursday evening.[LNB]'I was in a working men's club. He phoned me up and said, "Where are you?" I told him and he said that's a fine of two weeks' wages because it's two days before a game. But he told me to meet him in a pub in Bolton. He bought me a pint - so that doubled the fine - and he offered me the firstteam coaching position.'[LNB]Allardyce's tenure at Blackpool ended in bizarre circumstances.[LNB]Brown said: 'The owner (Owen Oyston) was in jail - and he actually sacked Sam from there.'[LNB]Despite that abrupt ending, a bond had been cemented between the pair. The reason? 'We both like a drink,' laughed Brown.[LNB]'Seriously, we share a common philosophy, common beliefs and common desire to become the best at what we are. When two people just agree all the time, it doesn't improve the relationship. But we weren't like that. We disagreed but we thrashed it out.'[LNB]Allardyce joked: 'Sometimes Browny blew his top before I had a chance to speak. He couldn't hold back his emotions and I'd let him go off and say what he thought. I'd take the softer approach once he had done that.'[LNB]The pair were reunited at Bolton and enjoyed plenty of success, if not critical acclaim.[LNB]Brownsaid: 'It wasn't Wimbledonstyle. It was Bolton Wanderers. A lot of people refer to Bolton playing long-ball football but that's a load of rubbish. I could rattle off a list of players to you now. If you suggested to them that you should play long ball then they would just flatly refuse.[LNB]'I'm talking about World Cup winners and international stars who have won Champions League medals, UEFA Cup medals.[LNB]'We played a style of football where if it needed to go into the heart of the opposition defence, it did do. And if there was a crossing opportunity, you cross the ball. Simple as that. And if there was a long throw in the final third, you stick the ball in the box. But we also played a lot of football.'[LNB]Brown then moved to Derby and Allardyce eventually became Newcastle manager. Both men had difficult spells at those clubs but Brown got his career back on track at Hull last season.[LNB]Allardyce was still jobless when Brown took Hull to the play-off final. Brown said: 'I know what it feels like. It's not nice. After Sam got sacked by Newcastle, he wanted to watch his friend in a final, and I was pleased he phoned me and wanted to come. I made sure he came in the changing room before, during and after the game.[LNB]'The game needs Sam Allardyce and those type of characters. Hopefully, one day people will be saying that about me.' [LNB] [LNB]
