Hull chairman: Inquiry will uncover the truth

Hull chairman Paul Duffen is certain the Football Association will uncover the truth during their investigation into claims that Brian Horton was spat at by Arsenal club captain Cesc Fabregas.

The allegations from the Hull camp followed their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in a stormy FA Cup quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium earlier this month.

Hull manager Phil Brown accused Fabregas of spitting at Horton in the tunnel at the end of the match.

Hull will make their formal statement to the FA tomorrow, which is the deadline for evidence to be submitted, and Duffen is confident Brown and Horton will be vindicated.

Fabregas had said today: “I think this is completely closed for me.”

But Duffen told Sky Sports News: “If maybe he feels he did behave inappropriately I couldn’t understand why he would want to think it was over.

“The matter has its own momentum now because the Football Association have started an inquiry and they’ve asked us to submit evidence by tomorrow in terms of the players and coaching staff of Hull City who were involved in the incident on that evening.

“We can’t refuse to give evidence to the FA so we are co-operating with it and we totally welcome the inquiry.

“There’s no question in my mind that Brian Horton, Phil Brown and the coaching staff and players saw something happen that evening.

“I have absolutely no doubt something took place and I’m sure the inquiry will find out all those facts and details.”

Although the issue is now in the hands of the FA, Duffen would have welcomed an apology at an earlier stage.

“If there was an accommodation between the football clubs, then that would be an elegant way of moving forward,” he said.

“If there could be an easier way of moving forward which would be less of a drama then of course we would be happy with that.”