‘Team spirit has been crucial’: Greg Docherty on how Hull City turned their season around

‘WE’VE STUCK TO WHAT WE BELIEVE IN’: Greg Docherty. Picture credit: Hull City

Midfielder Greg Docherty says “hard work and togertherness” helped Hull City come through hard times when results were going against them on their return to the Sky Bet Championship.

The Tigers welcome Bristol City to the MKM Stadium on Saturday as one of the division’s form teams, with four wins and a draw from their last five matches.

It has been a remarkable transformation for a side that had been stuck in the bottom three after managing only two wins in their opening 16 fixtures.

City now lie in 19th place with 22 points from 21 matches, with Saturday’s visitors just two places and four points above them.

Speaking at an online press conference today, Docherty was asked what was behind the turnaround in results.

He said not much had changed within the club, and said: “We’ve stuck to what we believe in. Yeah, it’s been five good results but it’s still very much not in the position we want to be, so we’re still striving to keep on improving, obviously coming off the back of four wins and a tough draw away at Reading is fantastic, regardless of who you are in your position in the league.

“So we take real confidence from that, but I think we are very much a team that just builds itself on hard work and togetherness, and that’s been massive over the past few weeks, particularly when things weren’t going our way the togetherness never drifted and it’s been crucial for us.”

Docherty said the fans had responded and appreciated the hard work the players were putting in.

He said: “It was nice to see, particularly after Birmingham and then Millwall [wins]the reaction of the fans. You could see they could see how much effort we’re putting in and when things are going your way it’s nice; it makes that win that little bit sweeter.

“We’ve had great backing from them, home and away, but particularly at home, we’ve really felt it in the last couple of games, so it’s something we want to build on, and we want teams to be knowing when they come to the MKM that they’re going to be in for a game.”

Docherty has been a key part of the midfield engine room that has driven the side on in recent weeks, and said he enjoyed playing alongside the influential George Honeyman, who has also been getting on the scoresheet.

He said of Honeyman: “He leads by example as well as telling us when we need to get out fingers out. I won’t say too much of what he actually says, but obviously he tells us when we need to know and he’s someone that definitely we all follow from his lead on the pitch.”

Boss Grant McCann said The Robins have “experience” and “quality” and “it’s going to be another tough game for us”.

McCann said experienced midfielder Tom Huddlestone was ready for a full 90 minutes but there was “good competition” in that position.

City have no new injury worries.