Brown aiming to cut down Big Sam

The pair go head to head at the KC Stadium as Brown's Hull side tackle Allardyce's Blackburn in a crucial Premier League encounter.Brown learned his managerial trade under Allardyce, first on his backroom staff at Blackpool and then as his number two in a successful six-year spell at Bolton.The 49-year-old was coming towards the end of his playing career at Blackpool when his manager Allardyce asked him to help out behind the scenes and he remembers the moment well."He phoned me one Thursday evening," Brown said. "I'll never forget it, I was playing snooker in a working men's club."First, he told me I was fined because it was two days before a game but then he said, 'meet me in the Sweet Pea Tavern in Bolton'."I went in there and he said he'd like me to come on board as a coach."We talked and we talked and he said never under-estimate the offer of getting your foot on the ladder."He offered me about 25% of the wages I was on to take up a coaching position."So I went home and talked to the missus. I took the position and the rest is history."Brown was hugely impressed by Allardyce and makes no secret of the debt of gratitude he owes his mentor.The pair also remain firm friends but Brown accepts there can be no place for sentiment at the KC Stadium on Saturday.Hull have slipped into relegation danger after a run of one win in 17 league games while Blackburn's predicament, six points worse off and in the bottom three, is even more precarious.Brown said: "There is a lot more pressure on Blackburn because of the position they are in."Sam has got them stabilised in terms of results but they are still in the bottom three."It would be a massive step for us to put nine points between us and the bottom three."We will have a beer after the game, regardless. There are a lot of people there I have a lot of time for, but 90 minutes is not the time."Allardyce, who took charge at Ewood Park in December, has a side Brown rates highly.A year ago they were pushing for a European place and Brown is sure Allardyce will soon have them back at that level.He added: "He would have written off Manchester United last week but 60-65 minutes into the game he was giving them the biggest shock of their lives."Given the level of the squad he has inherited, and given a successful survival campaign this year, he will take them to that level where Mark Hughes left off."Hull have a doubt over captain Ian Ashbee for the game due to a calf problem.Ashbee missed Thursday's 2-1 victory over Sheffield United in the FA Cup fifth round and will not be risked unduly with a game against Fulham coming up on Wednesday.Dean Marney could retain the skipper's armband in his absence and the former Tottenham midfielder said: "It's been good (to lead the side), although obviously it's important to get players back from injury like the captain."The cup win was a big lift, it was important to win and get into the next round. It's great for everybody."We're looking forward to tomorrow now and what is a massive game for us, and a massive game for both teams, but one we can definitely win."

Source: Team_Talk