Our daily blog with the latest news, transfer rumours and gossip about Hull City in the Premier League.Like HDM Sport on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.HATEM Ben Arfa could make a shock return to Newcastle United this season – if beleaguered boss Alan Pardew is sacked, according to The Sun.
A popular guy on Tyneside (Ben Arfa, not Pardew), he was snapped up by Hull City on transfer deadline day on a season-long loan, after falling out of favour with under-fire Pardew.
Now the national newspaper say the Tigers, Newcastle or Ben Arfa himself can cancel the season-long loan at the KC Stadium by the start of next year.
That would mean the 27-year-old midfielder could return to the Toon Army this term, although Pardew would have to be likely to leave first.
Ben Arfa will miss tomorrow's clash at St James' Park between the two sides as part of his loan agreement.
Previously, journalists in the North East have said there is no recall clause in Ben Arfa's deal and the player had no future whatsoever at Newcastle.
And in a further twist, Tigers boss Steve Bruce has dismissed the reports as 'nonsense'.
"I've heard plenty of nonsense about Hatem's deal. He's signed a normal loan deal just like everybody else does," he told City's press conference this morning.
"There are no breaks in it, nothing at all."
But with Pardew's job on the line, there could yet be another twist in this interesting story in the near future.Tigers leading chase for £2m-rated Boro star Reach
HULL City will have to stump up £2m if they want to seal the deal for Middlesbrough winger Adam Reach, according to the Daily Mirror.
The Tigers are said to be leading the chase for the 21-year-old, but as many as eight Premier League rivals are hot on his heels.
After selling George Boyd to Burnley and losing Robert Snodgrass for what looks like a season-ending injury, City are looking for reinforcements despite strengthening on transfer deadline day.SackPardew.com posters to be distributed around ground
MASS hysteria. That's what Alan Pardew has labelled the situation at Newcastle as with fans planning to protest using 'SackPardew.com' posters during tomorrow's game with Hull City.
As many as 15,000 A4 Sack Pardew.com posters have printed, and which will be distributed throughout the city to build support for the movement.
You've got to say, someone's done a cracking effort with these. But will it be enough for fans to get their wishes?![sackpardewbanner]()
MASS HYSTERIA: The SackPardew.com banners which will be displayed at St James' Park tomorrow
If you want to, you can download your own poster here.Bruce 'shouldn't enter poisonous Newcastle situation'
IT'S become quite clear that Steve Bruce hates speculation regarding fellow managers, especially after being linked to the job up at Newcastle in the last few weeks.
But ESPN journalist Iain Macintosh says the Tigers boss does not need to enter the 'poisonous' situation in the North East.
"He (Bruce) may have been a boyhood Newcastle United fan but now is not the time to be a Newcastle United manager," Macintosh wrote.
"The atmosphere at the club is poisonous, the owner is fighting a war on two fronts – one with the fans and one with the local press. Bruce is better off staying well out of this.
"The truth is that Bruce would be excellent for Newcastle. But why would he leave Hull?
"He is loved and respected there, has been granted full control of the club by the owner and possesses the framework of a team that is more than capable of facilitating his trademark move in the Premier League: unlikely mid-table security.
"Why give that up for the madness of Newcastle? He is a better manager than people think and, with the uncertainty at St. James' Park, he'll have far more chance of proving it with Hull."
Meanwhile, Robbie Savage wonders if Bruce would turn down the Newcastle job again.The Mirror columnist played under Bruce during their time at Birmingham in 2001, when the boss dismissed the opportunity to go to St James' Park.
"I admired his loyalty, but Birmingham were going good at the time," Savage said of Bruce.
"If he got a second chance to become manager of his home-town club, I wonder if he could reject them again."Coloccini issues desperate rallying call
NEWCASTLE captain Fabricio Coloccini has issued a rallying call to his Magpies supporters ahead of tomorrow afternoon's clash with the Tigers – but could it be too little, too late?
Players are said to be low on confidence but as much as the centre-back realises the frustrations, he wants fans to get behind the team as much as possible.
"It will not be an easy game because Hull are a good team," the centre-back told the club's official website.
"It is very important that you are right behind us and support the team and the players who are on the pitch. You want to win every game, just like us, and we all want the best for this football club.
"We are football fans too, so we understand that things can get frustrating. But please, support the team for 90 minutes inside the stadium. We need your support."
Papiss Cisse could return for the Toon following an injury lay-off. He was pictured training with the squad over the week.Barmby set to manage Carlisle?
AND finally, could former Tigers star and manager Nick Barmby take the reins at Carlisle United?
His odds to take over at Brunton Park have dramatically fallen this morning. At 10am, he was a 20/1 shot, but he's now 1/3 on to take the position as manager.BBC Cumbria say Keith Curle is in pole position to land the job, but Barmby looks to be in with a shout of returning to management.
MASS HYSTERIA: The SackPardew.com banners which will be displayed at St James' Park tomorrow
If you want to, you can download your own poster here.Bruce 'shouldn't enter poisonous Newcastle situation'
IT'S become quite clear that Steve Bruce hates speculation regarding fellow managers, especially after being linked to the job up at Newcastle in the last few weeks.
But ESPN journalist Iain Macintosh says the Tigers boss does not need to enter the 'poisonous' situation in the North East.
"He (Bruce) may have been a boyhood Newcastle United fan but now is not the time to be a Newcastle United manager," Macintosh wrote.
"The atmosphere at the club is poisonous, the owner is fighting a war on two fronts – one with the fans and one with the local press. Bruce is better off staying well out of this.
"The truth is that Bruce would be excellent for Newcastle. But why would he leave Hull?
"He is loved and respected there, has been granted full control of the club by the owner and possesses the framework of a team that is more than capable of facilitating his trademark move in the Premier League: unlikely mid-table security.
"Why give that up for the madness of Newcastle? He is a better manager than people think and, with the uncertainty at St. James' Park, he'll have far more chance of proving it with Hull."
Meanwhile, Robbie Savage wonders if Bruce would turn down the Newcastle job again.The Mirror columnist played under Bruce during their time at Birmingham in 2001, when the boss dismissed the opportunity to go to St James' Park.
"I admired his loyalty, but Birmingham were going good at the time," Savage said of Bruce.
"If he got a second chance to become manager of his home-town club, I wonder if he could reject them again."Coloccini issues desperate rallying call
NEWCASTLE captain Fabricio Coloccini has issued a rallying call to his Magpies supporters ahead of tomorrow afternoon's clash with the Tigers – but could it be too little, too late?
Players are said to be low on confidence but as much as the centre-back realises the frustrations, he wants fans to get behind the team as much as possible.
"It will not be an easy game because Hull are a good team," the centre-back told the club's official website.
"It is very important that you are right behind us and support the team and the players who are on the pitch. You want to win every game, just like us, and we all want the best for this football club.
"We are football fans too, so we understand that things can get frustrating. But please, support the team for 90 minutes inside the stadium. We need your support."
Papiss Cisse could return for the Toon following an injury lay-off. He was pictured training with the squad over the week.Barmby set to manage Carlisle?
AND finally, could former Tigers star and manager Nick Barmby take the reins at Carlisle United?
His odds to take over at Brunton Park have dramatically fallen this morning. At 10am, he was a 20/1 shot, but he's now 1/3 on to take the position as manager.BBC Cumbria say Keith Curle is in pole position to land the job, but Barmby looks to be in with a shout of returning to management.