Bolton manager Gary Megson insists there is no room for sympathy in football as former Wanderers assistant Phil Brown prepares to bring his struggling Hull side to the Reebok on Saturday.

Having been as high as third earlier in the season, the Tigers slipped into the bottom three after Newcastle's victory over Middlesbrough on Monday.

"In terms of sympathy, football is not like that, you are purely concerned with your own football club and whatever benefits you can get for them." said Megson.

With only one win in 20 Barclays Premier League matches, their first top-flight season in the club's 105-year history is in serious danger of ending with a swift return to the Coca-Cola Championship.

"It can happen. I was at Norwich (in 1994-95) when we were in the top six at Christmas and the goalkeeper Bryan Gunn broke his leg and I think we won one game from that point onwards," added Megson.

"You keep thinking it is going to change and it doesn't and then you get a problem with confidence and then things seem to go against you and that seems to have happened to Hull.

"It is also more difficult in the second half of the season; all the bigger clubs strengthen in the January window because they know they have to and it is hard for any club coming up from the Championship."

Less than a year ago, Bolton were in a similar situation to Hull and relegation appeared a certainty until they picked up 11 points from their final five matches to escape. Because of that, Megson hopes his players will put in an honest performance.

"We were in that position last season that Hull are in now but they won't expect any favours from us and nor will they get any," he added.

"We didn't get or expect any last year. That is just the way it is."