Hull City-West Ham United Preview

Feb 18, 2010 - 7:15 PM JAMES PIERCY STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - West Ham midfielder Jack Collison admits he is plotting revenge for Saturday's crunch relegation showdown with Hull after the last meeting between the two sides ended in a 3-3 draw.

Wales international Collison scored during the thriller at the KC Stadium in November when West Ham threw away a first-half lead.

Both sides remain entrenched in the bottom third of the Premier League but West Ham have lost once in their last five league games and Collison is looking upwards.

Collison said: "We are looking for a bit of revenge on Saturday and to take the three points. They are coming to our place this time and to win would be massive.

"It is a huge game. It is very tight down the bottom.

"Our fans have not got on our back all season, even when we have not been playing too well."

Hammers boss Zola has called for passionate Boleyn Ground crowd to inspire his side and echo the support they showed in the Premier League win over Birmingham ten days ago.

Zola added: "I am sure we will have the boost from the Birmingham match but we will have to start all over again \2013 yet again the crowd will be massive.

"With passion and belief from the fans, it will make a big difference.

"The partnership is what it is all about. We will try and do our part by playing good football and making the fans proud and they can do their bit by getting behind the team."

While Zola is experiencing life at the bottom of the Premier League table for the first time, his opponent Phil Brown admits last season's survival stands them in good stead this time around.

The Tigers stayed up on the last day of last season, despite losing to Manchester United and Brown believes both he and his squad have learned from that experience.

Brown said: "People talk about the top end of the division and how Manchester United are in a good position because of the experience they have stands them in good stead.

"It is the same at the bottom half of the division and if you've got players who have been through it before, it can only be a positive.

"Going into the business end of the season last year we were short of experience at this level.

"It was the unknown but now we know a little bit more about it."

Brown is boosted by the return to training Jimmy Bullard but the Hull boss insists he will not risk the key midfielder if he is not 100 per cent fit.

Bullard, a West Ham trainee as a teenager, has missed Hull's last eleven games with a knee injury but is itching to return to the first team fold against his former club.

Brown said: "It is still the very early stages of Jimmy's comeback. He has been out on the training ground with the first team and has been floating around in training situations.

"He is feeling his way back at the minute and the players, more than anyone, are aware of what he is capable of.

"Everyone in the club wants Jimmy Bullard playing as soon as possible but it is still far too early in the week to make a decision over Saturday.

"Jimmy's raring to go and it's just managing that situation. We did it very successfully last time.

"It is piecing that jigsaw together and making sure when he crosses the white line in his first game back that he's ready not just to play but to grab a hold of the game in that fashion that only Jimmy Bullard can do."