The Tigers have been the surprise package of the campaign so far to defy the doubters who predicted they would struggle, writes Graham Hiley.

Many outside Humberside had written them off as relegation certainties, some even predicting they would fare worse than Derby County last season.

That view was never shared by Brown and his men who were always quietly confident of upsetting the odds.

But even they could never have dreamed just how well they would have taken to their first ever appearance in the top flight of English football.

In an exclusive interview with premierleague.com Brown said: "We have surprised the nation and probably even ourselves.

"We always had belief in ourselves and it is certainly not the case that we would have settled for 17th place at the start of the season.

"We felt we could finish higher than that but I am over the moon with the start we have made and with the way the players have responded to the challenges they have been set.

"The return we have had from the first 10 games would have stood us in good stead at any stage of the season but the fact that it has come now has given us a great platform.

"The start was always going to be important but to take 20 points from our first 10 fixtures is a real achievement.

"We were fortunate to catch some teams at the right time. I would not say Tottenham were there for the taking because they are always tough to beat but they were having a difficult time.

"It was the same when we went to Newcastle. Timing is everything in life and we were able to take advantage."

Hull City's flying start is down not just to the belief and team spirit instilled by Brown but also to the thorough preparation put in during the summer both on and off the training field.

The players reported back barely a month after their Wembley play-off triumph and were bolstered by the arrival of some quality reinforcements, most notably Brazilian attacking midfielder Geovanni.

His spectacular strikes and ability to pick out a pass have been a key factor in Hull City's flying start which should drive them on through the rest of the campaign.

Brown added: "We reported back on 30th June and did seven days of altitude training to help build up fitness.

"We had great belief in our own ability which showed in the quality of some really feisty training sessions as everyone got to grips with each other.

"We have a terrific team spirit which is vital. You need that togetherness and we pride ourselves on a close-knit dressing room.

"We brought in one or two new players to give the squad fresh impetus because momentum is an important thing.

"We desperately needed our first win and we were fortunate it came in the first match. We have just carried on from there.

"However that does then bring a very different kind of pressure. Having won at the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham and Newcastle, we then found ourselves expected to win at West Brom and at home to West Ham."

The Tigers though were tamed when they came up against a very classy Chelsea side still smarting from their home defeat by Liverpool.

Brown's team probably did not do themselves justice on the night but they were up against top quality opposition who provided a masterclass in slick passing.

The City manager reflected: "Chelsea are quite phenomenal and we probably felt the backlash from them losing to Liverpool.

"It was a harsh one for us but our strong start has given us a cushion to withstand the odd set-back like that.

"The problem with cushions though is that they can become too comfortable. I like to have pressure to drive us on."

That was followed by a trip to Old Trafford where City emerged with plenty of pride and plaudits rather than points, becoming the first visiting side to score three goals at the Theatre of Dreams since Chelsea in 2005.

An impressive fight-back from 4-1 down to eventual 4-3 defeat was scant consolation to their fiercely competitive manager who hates losing.

Brown has set his side a demanding target both in terms of points and position - but insists that will remain private.

However the points already on the board coupled with the spirit, belief and ability in the side, should see City survive in the top flight.

And that has the added bonus of enabling him to prepare for next season with some confidence.

He added: "We have given ourselves a good platform and if we can continue to build on that then in January there might be a bit more of a budget to spend.

"Hopefully we will be able to plan for next season because of our position in the league. But we were never looking at just one season.

"We have had a long-term plan - although we are two years ahead of schedule just by being in the Premier League this season.

"Now we have to maintain that and the start we have made may make it easier to buy and to attract new players - although we have not found it hard to get good players.

"Some great players like Geovanni have come to the club and it has not been too difficult to persuade them. We have a good set-up here with a good infrastructure, staff and management. We have got everything in place."

It is a far cry from the dark days of 1998 when they only stayed in the Football League on the final day of the season.

Even as recently as 2004, Hull City were still plying their trade in the bottom tier of English football before enjoying a meteroic rise to the top.

Successive promotions saw them climb into the Championship in 2005. Two seasons of consolidation were followed by glorious promotion through the play-offs thanks to a Wembley winner from local hero Dean Windass.

It was no fluke though as proved by the Tigers' third-place finish - and the way they have so far overhauled the two clubs promoted ahead of them.

Typically their down-to-earth manager is not getting carried away but is cracking the whip to ensure there is no let-up or complacency.

He said: "We do have a points target for the season but that will remain in-house. However it has not changed because of the start we have made.

"But I have always said I would like to be a Premier League manager on my 50th birthday which is the week after the last game of the season!"