Neil Warnock and his Cardiff City players are intent on completing their ‘miracle mission’ over their next two matches.
Bluebirds manager Warnock admits he is nervous and always is – he won’t eat anything all day tomorrow until after the final whistle.
“It’s a miracle that we are up there in comparison to the teams around us,” he says.
When Warnock’s team leave the away dressing room around 2.50pm at the KCOM Stadium Warnock says he will turn off the music played before kick-off and sit in silence, taking in a few minutes peace and quiet.
“I get nervous every game,” he says. “I am nervous from breakfast time. I never eat a thing. The worst part is 1pm until 2pm. Then, when they’ve gone out, I have 10-15 minutes of peace and quiet when all the music is turned off.
“I still don’t understand the head banging stuff, although I’m sure there is a reason for it.
“I don’t change my routine. I do the same thing I’ve done ever since I was at Gainsborough Trinity. I don’t see any reason to change my habits.
“Some managers don’t talk before a game, they do it all on a Friday night. I just have two or three minutes before they go out. We talk about their team sheet and changes they have made.
“I haven’t seen excessive nerves in the team. If you don’t get nerves at this time of the season then there is something wrong with you. That’s what you thrive on – the nerves and the butterflies. I am 70 and the butterflies never go away.
You can see the passion in the side.”
Warnock trusts in his team – and says: “I was listening to the radio this morning and they were talking about what a miracle it is that Cardiff are up there in comparison with the others. And it is.
“We have done really, really well and we are enjoying it. It would be nice to keep proving people wrong and hanging in there.”
Warnock is two wins away from achieving a record eighth promotion. He has been a manager in almost 1,800 matches over his career – and is on seven promotions along with Dave Bassett, Graham Taylor and Jim Smith.
If rivals Fulham slip up at relegated Sunderland this evening, a result which looks unlikely, then Cardiff could clinch promotion by winning at Hull.
The home team eased themselves out of relegation danger thanks to a 5-5 draw at Bristol City last Saturday and are not under any pressure, but are keen to finish their home fixtures on a high.
A Fulham win would leave the Bluebirds needing back-to-back victories against Hull and Reading at home to join champions Wolves in the Premier League.
“It’s an achievement just to get us where we are now,” said Warnock.
“Only when you’re behind the scenes do you realise what’s had to be done since I came here, to get all the components firing in the same system.
“This would be the best, the most difficult, I would think it’s the greatest achievement I’ve ever had if I get them up.”
“There are a lot of teams below us who would snap our hands off to be in our situation,” said Warnock.
“A lot of people looking at what we’ve got and what we’ve spent in comparison, it’s quite a remarkable story, really.”
Aaron Gunnarsson and Callum Paterson both have minor injuries during the 3-1 defeat at Derby County in midweek, but they have travelled to Hull and are available.
Craig Bryson, who was ineligible for the match at Derby, returns to the squad.
Warnock says of his team: “All they can do is their best. We can eliminate things and there were certain things that happened the other night that shouldn’t have happened.
“If I have my say, they won’t happen again. If you lose concentration for a minute you get punished. We did that the other night and we got punished.”
Around 2,400 Bluebirds fans will be at the KCOM Stadium tomorrow, a remarkable number given that Cardiff have had five away games in 26 days including three evening kick-offs.
The support has been immense, averaging 2,000 travelling fans over five trips which has involved travelling 2,000 miles and almost 40 hours on the road.
Teams, possible:
Hull City: McGregor, Ainor, Dawson, MacDonald, Kingsley, Larsson, Henriksen, Bowen, Irvine, Wilson, Campbell.
Cardiff City: Etheridge, Manga, Morrison, Bamba, Bennett, Gunnarsson, Ralls, Paterson, Ward, Hoilett, Madine.
Warnock’s promotions
Scarborough: 1986-87 Football Conference title, promoted to the old Fourth Division.
Notts County: 1989-90 Old Third Division play-offs, promoted to the Second Division.
Notts County: 1990-91 Second Division play-offs, promoted to First Division (top flight).
Huddersfield: 1994-95 Division Two play-offs up to Division One (second tier).
Plymouth Argyle: 1995-96 Division Three play-offs to Division Two.
Sheffield United: 2005-06 Championship, second place and automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Queens Park Rangers: 2010-11 Championship title, promoted to the Premier League.